R. Kelly’s emotional appearance on “CBS This Morning” had Twitter talking early Wednesday.
» RELATED: Video: R. Kelly tells Gayle King sexual abuse allegations are 'not true' in TV interview
In the his first interview since being charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual assault, the embattled singer sat down with Gayle King to address rumors that he'd been sexually and physically abusive to women. He also discussed claims that he'd had sex with underage girls and held women against their will.
He denied all accusations, calling the claims "stupid" and "not true."
“Stop it. Y’all quit playing. I didn’t do this stuff. It’s not me. I’m fighting for my [expletive] life,” he sobbed. “Y’all are killing me with this [expletive]. I gave y’all 30 years of my [expletive] career. I’m trying to have a relationship with my kids. Y’all don’t want to believe the truth.”
When the interview aired, viewers took to Twitter to share their opinions, and the hashtag #RKellyInterview became a trending topic nationwide.
Several said the singer-songwriter’s outburst demonstrated his guilt. They called him a “manipulator” and a “liar” and said he was not a victim.
» RELATED: R. Kelly timeline: History of sexual abuse allegations, cases, trials
During the interview, Kelly said beating his 2008 case, where he was acquitted of 14 counts of child pornography, should be proof of his innocence.
Many disagreed with that sentiment.
There were also people who sided with Kelly. They said they believed him and expressed sympathy for him.
Others were less moved by whether Kelly was innocent or not. Instead, they commented on King’s composure as she conducted the interview. She was praised for her calmness and professionalism during what some referred to as Kelly’s rants.
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Others made light of the interview, addressing the onslaught of memes shortly after the interview went public. Some didn’t find the memes based off of Kelly’s tears as a joke.
Missed this "CBS This Morning" segment? Catch the full interview on CBS.
King will continue to cover Kelly’s saga on Friday’s “CBS This Morning,” when she interviews two of the women who currently live with Kelly, Azriel Clary of Florida and Joycelyn Savage of Georgia.
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