CNN axed the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-rips-san-francisco-during-live-nba-all-star-broadcast-you-cant-even-walk-around-down-there" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Barkley</a> and Gayle King primetime talk show after only six months on the air after it failed to generate ratings.
The “King Charles” show — co-hosted by sports commentator Barkley and &#8220;CBS Mornings&#8221; host King — aired on Wednesday nights and generated worse ratings than reruns of shows like “South Park” and “Friends,” the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/04/15/media/cnn-axes-charles-barkley-and-gayle-kings-weekly-show-king-charles/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">New York Post</a> reported.
The show launched in November and became the lowest-rated primetime week night show CNN has debuted in at least a decade, according to Nielsen ratings. 
Viewership fell 20% from the debut episode of “King Charles” in November, which was watched by 500,000 viewers, with 139,000 of those in the coveted age demographic of ages 25-54, according to Nielsen. By the end of January, those numbers didn&#8217;t even crack 100,000 mark among that same demographic, Nielsen showed.  Over the show’s 14 episodes, it had an average of 459,000 total viewers, with an average of 106,000 in the advertising demographic of ages 25-54.
It came in third behind Fox News’ “Gutfeld” and MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.” The Greg Gutfeld-lead show averages 2.2 million total viewers with more than 300,000 viewers in the 25-54 age demo, the highest of all three cable news outlets, according to Nielsen. While over on MSNBC, O’Donnell scores an average of 1.5 million total viewers and 142,000 in the highly desired age demographic.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CNN axes Charles Barkley and Gayle King’s weekly show ‘King Charles’ after 6 months <a href="https://t.co/yD1j7EW7mf">https://t.co/yD1j7EW7mf</a> <a href="https://t.co/U7ua9oUGEa">pic.twitter.com/U7ua9oUGEa</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1779864351488245946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
An industry insider attributed part of the problem to the NBA Hall of Famer’s rigorous schedule, as he was still a co-host on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” and was only available on Wednesdays.
However, a CNN spokesperson touted the show, stating that it was “a great addition to CNN’s lineup,” noting the shows diversity pull with 44% non-white — the most diverse viewership among the network’s prime time shows, according to Nielsen figures.
CNN also noted that the show was announced as a &#8220;limited run&#8221; series, with an end date of spring 2024, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cnn-king-charles-ends-limited-series-1235874249/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.
&#8220;King Charles has come to the end of its limited run as we announced when it launched last fall and was a great addition to CNN&#8217;s lineup, with the youngest, most affluent, and most diverse P2+ audience in its cable news time period,” the spokesperson said.
“King Charles” was created by fired former CNN boss <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall">Chris Licht</a>, whose tenure at the network ended after The Atlantic published a 15,000-word profile titled “Inside the Meltdown at CNN,” a piece that reportedly enraged executives at Warner Bros. Discovery, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall">reported</a>.
Last June, Licht announced he was <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/07/cnn-ceo-chris-licht-out-after-trump-town-hall-atlantic-article.html">leaving</a> the media company — just 16 months after being picked for the position.
His tenure at CNN was rough from the start. Weeks after the former CEO took over the reins, the cable news giant’s attempt at launching a streaming service <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/warner-bros-discovery-is-shutting-down-cnn-after-new-streaming-service-struggled-to-attract-viewers-report">failed</a> after just a month in operation, attracting fewer than 10,000 daily users. The CNN executive also faced criticism from his employees and poor ratings performances in the news channel’s primetime slots.
Zach Jewell contributed to this piece.
This story has been updated with CNN&#8217;s spokesperson&#8217;s comments.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN Boss Out After Damning Atlantic Profile, Trump Town Hall Disaster</a>

Gayle King, Charles Barkley

CNN Axes Charles Barkley, Gayle King Show

Celebrities

Charles Barkley

Entertainment

Gayle King

Retired NBA great <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-attacks-americans-boycotting-bud-light-rednecks-and-aholes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Barkley</a> said this week that he will punch black Trump supporters in the face if he sees them &#8220;walking around with a Trump mugshot.&#8221;
Barkley made the shocking remarks on his new CNN show with Gayle King, while reacting to remarks former President Donald Trump made about black Americans increasingly supporting him, including even wearing his mugshot on t-shirts.
&#8220;You know who embraced more than anybody else? The black population,&#8221; Trump said, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nba-hall-of-famer-charles-barkley-threatens-any-black-person-flaunting-donald-trump-mugshot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News. &#8220;It’s incredible. You see black people walking around with my mugshot – you know they do shirts.&#8221;
Trump added that some black supporters of his have said he is being discriminated against.
King played the clip of Trump&#8217;s remarks, eliciting a long sigh from Barkley.
&#8220;First of all, I’m just gonna say this: If I see a black person walking around with a Trump mugshot, I’m gonna punch him in the face,&#8221; the basketball star said.
Trying to temper Barkley&#8217;s remarks, King responded, &#8220;You don&#8217;t mean that.&#8221;
&#8220;Oh, I mean that sincerely,&#8221; Barkley reacted, adding that if he&#8217;s charged for assault, he would bail himself out &#8220;and go celebrate.&#8221;
&#8220;First of all, if I was at that [conference], I would’ve got up and walked out,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;That was an insult to all black people. To compare black history, where we’ve been discriminated against, to his plight.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s not a fair comparison,&#8221; Barkley said, asserting that Trump is guilty of the civil and criminal crimes he&#8217;s been charged with. &#8220;He’s a billionaire, he’s had a great life, he’s been President of the United States. To insult black people who have been discriminated against all these years and put them in the same category, I was just offended.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“Oh, I mean that sincerely.” Charles Barkley rips Donald Trump, threatens to punch in the face any Black supporters wearing a Trump mugshot t-shirt. (Video: CNN) <a href="https://t.co/C6fdsai2RF">pic.twitter.com/C6fdsai2RF</a>
&mdash; Mike Sington (@MikeSington) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSington/status/1764996479503237373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Barkley is known for being outspoken, and has routinely hit the political Left. More recently, however, the athlete has taken shots at Middle America and Trump. Over the summer, for example, Barkley mocked conservatives for boycotting Bud Light over the beer company&#8217;s bizarre team-up with transgender activist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/one-year-later-how-bud-lights-dylan-mulvaney-fiasco-pushed-beer-industry-to-rewrite-its-ad-standards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dylan Mulvaney</a>.
“I’m gonna buy some drinks for y’all and I’m gonna buy Bud Light,” Barkley said at the time, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-attacks-americans-boycotting-bud-light-rednecks-and-aholes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported. “Hey, let me tell you something. All you rednecks or a**holes who don’t want to drink Bud Light, f*** y’all. Hey, y’all can’t cancel me!”
“Hey, I ain’t worried about getting canceled because let me tell you something, if y’all fire me and gimme all that money, I’m gonna be playing golf every f***ing day,” he added. “So listen, as I said last night, if you’re gay, God bless you. If you’re trans, God bless you. And if you have a problem with them – f*** you.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-attacks-americans-boycotting-bud-light-rednecks-and-aholes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Barkley Attacks Americans Boycotting Bud Light: ‘Rednecks’ And ‘A**holes’</a>

Utah Jazz v Phoenix Suns

Charles Barkley Says He’s ‘Gonna Punch’ Some Black Trump Supporters In The Face

Donald Trump

Media

Politics

Former NBA star forward <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/">Charles Barkley</a> slammed the city of San Francisco during the live broadcast of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday. 
While covering the game on TNT’s alternate broadcast, Barkley discussed the 2024 All-Star game location in Indianapolis with several other analysts, including Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors. Green got the conversation rolling when he complained about the frigid temperatures in Indianapolis over the weekend. 
“Hey Reggie we love you, let’s not have another All-Star [game] in Indiana. Let’s let this be the last one, my friend,” Green said. 
Then Barkley took a shot at San Francisco, the home of Green’s Warriors. 
“Hey Reggie, if you had a chance of being in the cold, or being around a bunch of homeless crooks in San Francisco, which would you take?” Barkley asked, sparking the ire of the other analysts. 
“We love San Francisco,” commentator Candace Parker said. 
“No we don’t,” Barkley shot back. “You can’t even walk around down there.” 
Green, who appeared frustrated with Barkley’s criticism of the Bay Area, replied, “Yes, you can walk around!” 
“Yeah with a bulletproof vest,” Barkley said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Barkley out here ROASTING the city of San Francisco. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAllStar2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indy</a> <a href="https://t.co/arIwbRYufr">pic.twitter.com/arIwbRYufr</a>
&mdash; Hammer and Nigel (@hammerandnigel) <a href="https://twitter.com/hammerandnigel/status/1759418140847484973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Barkley, who makes a habit of commenting on political issues and slamming both the Right and the Left, has criticized San Francisco in the past. During Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks, the roof at American Airlines Arena in Dallas began leaking during a rain storm, causing the game to be delayed. Barkley said the worst part about the rain in Dallas was that it wasn’t raining in San Francisco.
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&#8220;The bad thing about all this rain, it’s not raining in San Francisco to clean up those dirty-a** streets they got there,&#8221; Barkley <a href="https://www.fox29.com/news/nba-legend-charles-barkley-blasts-san-francisco-saying-its-full-of-homeless-crooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;San Francisco, it’s a great city, but all that dirtiness and homelessness, y’all gotta clean that off the streets.&#8221;
Authorities in San Francisco, a city that has experienced record <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/downtown-is-for-drug-users-pro-drug-use-campaign-appears-in-san-francisco-amid-record-overdose-deaths" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overdose deaths</a> and a continuing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-san-francisco-supervisor-admits-city-has-a-homeless-problem-blames-capitalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">homeless problem</a> in recent months, were slammed in November for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/san-francisco-clears-homeless-camps-ahead-of-international-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clearing</a> homeless encampments and open-air drug markets before top world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Xinping, arrived in the city for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (APEC).
San Francisco is set to host the <a href="https://www.nba.com/warriors/2025-allstar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 NBA All-Star Weekend</a> with the All-Star Game taking place at the Warriors’ Chase Arena.

Charles Barkley Rips San Francisco During Live NBA All-Star Broadcast: ‘You Can’t Even Walk Around Down There’

Charles Barkley Rips San Francisco During Live NBA All-Star Broadcast: 'You Can't Even Walk Around Down There'

California

Golden State Warriors

Homelessness

Indiana

San Francisco

U.S.

Former NBA star Charles Barkley attacked Americans who are boycotting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bud-light">Bud Light</a> after the beer brand partnered with a controversial transgender influencer earlier this year.
“So I’m gonna buy some drinks for y’all and I’m gonna buy Bud Light,” Barkley told people at an event in California over the weekend. “Hey, let me tell you something. All you rednecks or a**holes who don’t want to drink Bud Light, f*** y’all. Hey, y’all can’t cancel me!”
“Hey, I ain’t worried about getting canceled because let me tell you something, if y’all fire me and gimme all that money, I’m gonna be playing golf every f***ing day,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;So listen, as I said last night, if you’re gay, God bless you. If you’re trans, God bless you. And if you have a problem with them – f*** you.”
Barkley made similar <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/f-you-charles-barkley-defends-bud-light-and-trans-community">remarks</a> on Saturday at a golf event where he championed the beer brand.
“I want y’all to drink this f***ing beer,” he said. “I want y’all to drink this f***ing beer. I got three cases of Bud Light.”
“Hey, and I want to say this — if you’re gay, bless you,” he continued. “If you’re transgender, bless you. And, if you have a problem with that, f*** you!”
Bud Light has faced months of boycotts and dramatically reduced sales following its decision to partner with a transgender influencer. Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, lost tens of billions of dollars in market value after the partnership was revealed on social media, dominating the news cycle for weeks.
Anheuser-Busch responded last month to the influencer after he claimed that the company did not defend him from the online backlash he faced.
“As we’ve said, we remain committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community,” an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said. “The privacy and safety of our employees and our partners is always our top priority. As we move forward, we will focus on what we do best — brewing great beer for everyone and earning our place in moments that matter to our consumers.”

In this photo illustration, the Bud Light beer bottle seen

Charles Barkley Attacks Americans Boycotting Bud Light: ‘Rednecks’ And ‘A**holes’

Bud Light

Former NBA star Charles Barkley defended the transgender community and beer brand Bud Light over the weekend in light of the recent controversy in which the company has found itself.
Bud Light has faced months of boycotts and dramatically reduced sales following its decision to partner with a controversial transgender influencer in a paid marketing engagement. The company lost tens of billions of dollars in market value after the partnership was revealed on social media, dominating the news cycle for weeks.
Barkley made the remarks during Nevada&#8217;s American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.
&#8220;I want y&#8217;all to drink this f***ing beer,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I want y&#8217;all to drink this f***ing beer. I got three cases of Bud Light.&#8221;
&#8220;Hey, and I want to say this &#8212; if you&#8217;re gay, bless you,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;If you&#8217;re transgender, bless you. And, if you have a problem with that, f*** you!&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Charles Barkley: “If you’re gay, bless you if you’re trans, bless you. If you have a problem with that &#8211; F*CK YOU!” <a href="https://t.co/eQID66Q2eS">pic.twitter.com/eQID66Q2eS</a>
&mdash; chris evans (@notcapnamerica) <a href="https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1679951027812945920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/14/charles-barkley-supports-lgbtq-community-bud-light-powerful-f-you-speech/">reported</a> that Barkley made similar remarks at the same event last year, minus the support for Bud Light.
&#8220;If you&#8217;re gay and transgender, I love you,&#8221; he declared. &#8220;Hey, and if anybody gives you s***, you tell them Charles said, &#8216;F*** you!'&#8221;
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one time for charles barkley 😤😤<a href="https://t.co/EoNSBVPboG">pic.twitter.com/EoNSBVPboG</a>
&mdash; mike taddow 🆓 (@MikeTaddow) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeTaddow/status/1548031988480651264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, responded last month to the transgender influencer it partnered with after he claimed that the company did not defend him from the online backlash he faced.
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“As we’ve said, we remain committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community,” an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anheuser-busch-responds-to-dylan-mulvaney-lashing-out-at-bud-light">said</a>. “The privacy and safety of our employees and our partners is always our top priority. As we move forward, we will focus on what we do best — brewing great beer for everyone and earning our place in moments that matter to our consumers.”

UFC Fight Night: Vieira v Tate

‘F*** YOU!’: Charles Barkley Defends Bud Light And Trans Community

Transgender

Former NBA star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/theyre-all-crooks-charles-barkley-slams-the-idea-of-getting-politicians-involved-in-college-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Barkley</a> said people are warning him against joining <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> to co-host a show slated to debut this fall. 
The fan-favorite “NBA on TNT” analyst will host a prime-time <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-launches-new-show-featuring-former-nba-star-and-a-leftist-news-host">CNN show</a> titled “King Charles” alongside “CBS Mornings” anchor Gayle King beginning in the fall, but Barkley said “everybody” is telling him to “abort” the planned show, presumably because of the network’s continued leadership and ratings struggles.
“Apparently, with this new talk show, I’m jumping on the Titanic,” Barkley said while making a guest appearance on the “NHL on TNT” during the Stanley Cup Finals.
“Everybody keeps saying ‘abort, abort.’ No, no. I am looking forward to it. Gayle is awesome,” Barkley added. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A man that needs no introduction&#8230; Charles Barkley has joined the <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL_On_TNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHL_On_TNT</a> desk and it is GOLD 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/sduvrWneD8">pic.twitter.com/sduvrWneD8</a>
&mdash; B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) <a href="https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1667678277622972416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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CNN’s ratings have plummeted in the past year. Despite a boost from a town hall with former President Donald Trump, CNN posted a 25% viewership decline in May compared to a year ago, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/06/01/cnn-ratings-crater-in-may-despite-bump-from-trump-town-hall/">reported</a>. In March of this year, CNN saw its lowest-rated month since April 2015.
The network has undergone some major changes since Barkley’s show was first announced by ex-CEO Chris Licht in April. Last week, Licht announced he will be leaving CNN after meeting with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. Licht will be replaced in the interim by a three-person leadership team as CNN searches for a new CEO.   
Barkley, who has routinely criticized cancel culture and both political parties, said that he wants his new show to be “nonpolitical,” but added that it will touch on political topics. Barkley’s co-host King has anchored CBS&#8217; morning shows since 2011 and has been criticized for favoring Democrats. The journalist <a href="https://pagesix.com/2017/04/20/old-school-journalists-pissed-about-gayle-kings-vacation-with-the-obamas/">vacationed</a> with the Obamas shortly after President Barack Obama left the White House in 2017 and has <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/scott-whitlock/2020/08/11/gayle-kings-history-dem-donations-and-vacations-obamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donated</a> to Obama and the Democratic Party. 
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“You know (Gayle King) is going to be a straight shooter. I’m going to be a straight shooter,” Barkley said when the show was first announced. “I know she’s going to be fair and honest and you know I’m going to do the same thing.”

Charles Barkley Says ‘Everybody’ Telling Him To ‘Abort’ Slated CNN Show: ‘Jumping On The Titanic’

Charles Barkley Says 'Everybody' Telling Him To 'Abort' Slated CNN Show: 'Jumping On The Titanic' 

CBS News

CNN CEO Chris Licht announced over the weekend that left-wing network is launching a new show featuring former NBA star Charles Barkley and CBS host Gayle King.
The new one-hour program will reportedly launch this fall on Wednesday nights and will continue through 2024.
&#8220;I am thrilled to share that CNN will be home to a new show featuring the extraordinary duo of Gayle King and Charles Barkley, aptly titled King Charles, which will air weekly in primetime beginning this fall and running into 2024,&#8221; Licht said in a statement. &#8220;This show will be an exciting new way we are delivering culturally relevant programming and unique perspectives to our audience, from two incredibly dynamic personalities.&#8221;
&#8220;We are excited that they are both able to join us in addition to their current respective roles with Gayle continuing to anchor CBS Mornings,&#8221; he added. &#8220;King Charles exemplifies the one-team, one-company mentality with Charles playing double duty at CNN and in his role at WBD Sports.&#8221;
Barkley, who currently works as an NBA analyst, sat down with King on TNT&#8217;s NBA Tip-Off to discuss the new show.
“I want the show to be nonpolitical,” Barkley <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/charles-barkley-gayle-king-host-021000729.html">said</a>. &#8220;We don’t want to say we’re a Liberal, Conservative, Republican, Democrat; that’s one of the things that’s already ruined television in general.”
“You know (Gayle King) is going to be a straight shooter,&#8221; he claimed. &#8220;I’m going to be a straight shooter. I know she’s going to be fair and honest and you know I’m going to do the same thing.”
King is a noted leftist who has <a href="https://pagesix.com/2017/04/20/old-school-journalists-pissed-about-gayle-kings-vacation-with-the-obamas/">vacationed</a> with the Obamas.
“I think that decorum and courtesy and kindness always work,” King said. “But everybody I know has an opinion on something. We just need to figure out a way to have a good conversation without tearing each other down. And I think we can do that.”

CNN Launches New Show Featuring Former NBA Star And A Leftist News Host

Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA</a> player <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/charles-barkley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Barkley</a> made his opinion about politicians clear this week when discussing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ncaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCAA</a> President Charlie Baker’s suggestion that the association consults with politicians about name, image, and likeness guidelines. 
During an <a href="https://fox59.com/sports/sports-illustrated/b7f6835f/charles-barkley-slams-ncaa-presidents-idea-to-talk-to-politicians-about-nil/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview this week</a>, Baker said that he would be speaking to people “in Washington” about creating consumer protections for college athletes and their families as they navigate the name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, which allow athletes to profit off of their role as an athlete. 
&#8220;Did he say we&#8217;re going to ask the politicians to help us? See, that pisses me off already. Our politicians are awful people,” Barkley said in response to Baker’s comments during coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament. “We can&#8217;t ask these politicians nothing. Those people are awful people. Democrats and Republicans — they&#8217;re all crooks.&#8221;
Baker, who formerly served as the Republican governor of Massachusetts, said that he wants to “create transparency and accountability” around NIL “so that families actually know what they are getting into.”
To do this, he said the NCAA would be talking “with the folks in Washington,” saying that federally enforced guidelines would be a good way to ensure compliance in all 50 states, a task he said could be difficult without the federal government’s help.
Barkley, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, was not impressed, offering a different plan to regulate NIL deals. “I would actually go to people who actually care about basketball … I would put a committee together. I would love for Clark [Kellog] to be on the committee. Get some coaches, get some players, and let’s try to work this thing out,” he said. 
Barkley, long known for his frank speech, is a host for TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA,” a show he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-announces-hell-be-leaving-inside-the-nba-in-two-years-blames-jackaes-trying-to-get-you-canceled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a> he would be leaving because of his frustration with cancel culture. 
“It’s gotten so out of hand right now, I couldn’t imagine having to watch myself. You can’t even have fun nowadays without these jackasses trying to get you canceled and things like that,” he said in June 2021. 
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“All we ever talk about behind the scenes now is, ‘Yo man, be careful going in this direction.’ We can’t even have fun anymore,” Barkley added. “A lot of our bosses are cowards.”
Despite those comments, Barkley signed a major contract extension with TNT in October 2022.

Tennessee v Auburn

‘They’re All Crooks’: Charles Barkley Slams The Idea Of Getting Politicians Involved In College Sports

College sports

NCAA

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/charles-barkley">Sir Charles</a> isn’t looking to bounce from his NBA gig for a broadcasting role with the Saudi-backed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/liv-golf">LIV Golf</a>.
After a very public flirtation with the well-funded and controversial golf tour, Charles Barkley <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/29/charles-barkley-ends-contract-flirtation-with-liv-golf/">told the New York Post</a> he won’t be defecting from TNT, where his basketball commentary is as hilarious as it is insightful.
“I want to thank <a style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;" href="http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/323/greg-norman">Greg Norman</a> and LIV for their interest in me,” Barkley said. “I wish those guys great success and nothing but the best. But, in my best interest, and being fair to Turner &#8212; because Turner and basketball have given me every single thing in my life &#8212; It is best for me to move on and I&#8217;m staying with Turner for the rest of my TV career.”
The 59-year-old NBA Hall of Famer told ESPN on Thursday that he had not been offered a job by Norman, the CEO of the golf tour. But he sounded interested.
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🚨NEWS: Charles Barkley tells The Post he has ended discussions with LIV and he will stay at TNT. 🚨<a href="https://t.co/iC6Ee2H5SW">https://t.co/iC6Ee2H5SW</a>
&mdash; Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewMarchand/status/1553011673065308161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“I met with Greg and I told him yes. I&#8217;m in a win-win situation,” Barkley said Thursday. “If they offer me something good, that&#8217;s great. If they don&#8217;t, I&#8217;ve got a great job at TNT.”
Barkley was adamant that criticism of the league’s support from the Kingdom’s soverign investment fund would not keep him from bolting. Several top PGA stars, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Bryson DeChambeau, and others have been criticized for taking huge sums of money to play on the new tour. Tiger Woods reportedly turned down nearly $1 billion to join.
“Everybody&#8217;s making up words like ‘sportswashing’ and ‘dirty money,’” Barkley said. “I&#8217;m like, listen, if you play sports, we all take money from some sources you might not love or appreciate.&#8221;
“I don&#8217;t want to be a hypocrite,” he continued. “These guys [LIV golfers] are trying to make a living. I wish them nothing but the best. Same thing with my friends on the PGA Tour. But everybody is just kinda like trying to play the moral card.”
The LIV Golf International Series was launched this year through a $300 million investment in the Asian Tour. Earlier this week, LIV Golf rolled out plans to expand in 2023 to 14 events, with 48 golfers competing for an unprecedented $405 million in purses.
Barkley is an avid golfer and a frequent participant in pro-am tournaments, although he is better known for errant tee shots and wacky wisecracks than his prowess on the links.
Former President Donald Trump&#8217;s New Jersey golf club is currently hosting the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf tournament, and the former president took part in Thursday&#8217;s pro-am tourney &#8211; as did Barkley
&#8220;I think LIV has been a great thing for Saudi Arabia, for the image of Saudi Arabia,&#8221; Trump told the Wall Street Journal. &#8220;I think it&#8217;s going to be an incredible investment from that standpoint, and that&#8217;s more valuable than lots of other things because you can&#8217;t buy that — even with billions of dollars.&#8221;

LIV Golf Invitational – Bedminster – Pro-Am

Charles Barkley Slams Door On New Role In Saudi-Sponsored Golf League

Golf

LIV Golf

Sports

On Wednesday night, as Golden State Warriors fans heckled him during a commercial break, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley fired back a <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/05/19/charles-barkley-heckling-warriors-fans-f-your-mama/">pointed remark</a> about their mothers.
Barkley, 59, was sitting on a raised platform outside Chase Center with fellow “Inside the NBA” including hosts Shaquille O&#8217;Neal, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith.
When the Warriors fans started chanting his name, Barkley called over, “Hey, you guys, leave me alone or I&#8217;ll come to your house and f*** your mama.”
That prompted the fans to start chanting, “Chuck, you suck!”
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During halftime of the Wednesday game, as the “Inside the NBA” team was discussing the game, the crowd started chanting, “Chuck, you suck!”
Barkley turned around and yelled back at the crowd, “Hey! You’re right! And y’all suck too!”
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Warriors crowd to Charles Barkley: &quot;CHUCK YOU SUCK! CHUCK YOU SUCK!&quot;
Barkley’s response: &quot;Hey! You&#39;re right! And Y&#39;all suck too!&quot; 😂<a href="https://t.co/TD5iblx2zT">pic.twitter.com/TD5iblx2zT</a>
&mdash; NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/RTNBA/status/1527131983662530561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Earlier on Wednesday, Barkley told the Warriors’ Draymond Green he had strong feelings about the San Francisco area, asserting, “I don’t dislike the area; I hate the area.”
“The area hates you,” Green joked, as <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10834707/Charles-Barkley-gets-dispute-Warriors-fans-screams-Im-gonna-f-k-mama.html">The Daily Mail</a> reported.
“Barkley has been a villain in the Bay Area for the better part of two decades,” <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/draymond-green-takes-hilarious-shot-charles-barkley-known-warriors-villain">NBC Sports</a> noted, adding, “It began in 2007 when he dissed the city of Oakland after the Warriors upset the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks. In the early days of the Warriors&#8217; dynasty, Barkley refused to believe a core of ‘jump shooters’ like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson could bring home an NBA championship.”
After the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Phoenix Suns, meaning they would face the Warriors and the Warriors would host the opening game, Barkley told his co-hosts, “&#8221;We are going to hell. I mean San Francisco. I hate San Francisco. You know that.”
“I hate San Francisco.  I gotta like a city because y’all like it? I’ve never had fun there,” he added.
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&quot;We are going to hell, I mean San Francisco&quot;
😭😭😭 Chuck is not a fan of the City by the Bay. <a href="https://t.co/v9HWVoHegU">pic.twitter.com/v9HWVoHegU</a>
&mdash; Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDumasReports/status/1526039170119962624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On Thursday, Green, who has won NBA championships with the Warriors, kidded Barkley about never winning a ring in his storied 16-year career. “If I win another championship, that’s one more ring added to the panel that’s not him,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I wouldn’t want to see that either. Then he really got to hear about it. I get it. I understand. I don’t know how that feels, I’ve always won.”
The other hosts on “Inside the NBA” won titles in their career. Shaquille O’Neal won four, Dwyane Wade, three, and Kenny Smith, two.
&#8220;I guess I’d feel the same way if ya’ll just keep adding rings up here and I got to just sit here when the playoffs come around,&#8221; Green quipped. &#8220;What are you going to say &#8212; you going to tell us how to win? Not taking that advice from Chuck. What’s he going to say?&#8221;
&#8220;That’s my dog, though,&#8221; Green concluded. &#8220;I love Chuck. That’s my dog.&#8221;

USA-ENTERTAINMENT-BASKET-NBA-AWARDS

‘I’ll Come To Your House And F*** Your Mama’: Charles Barkley Takes On Warriors Fans Heckling Him

Charles Barkley fires back at heckling Warriors fans

Hecklers

Mothers

With a single decision, Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving has become the most polarizing figure in sports. 
In mid-October, Irving finally ended months of speculation regarding his COVID vaccine status, telling his fans in an Instagram Live video that he was indeed unvaccinated. Irving stated that he’s against the vaccine mandates, and feels that “nobody should be forced to do anything with their bodies.” 
His decision to not receive the shot has had dire implications for the Nets and for Irving’s career. Unvaccinated home team players in New York City are not able to play indoors, causing the Nets to shelve Irving “until he is eligible to be a full participant.” 
The choice has stirred up emotions on both sides of the aisle, with more than a few questioning if he still has the desire to play the game of basketball. 
But many of his fellow athletes have been supportive, and boxer Floyd Mayweather is now showing his support for Irving’s decision. 
In a video posted to social media, Mayweather spoke to Irving, calling him a “great person, great father, great athlete.” 
“America is the land of the free: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and supposedly freedom to choose,” Mayweather said. “Never be controlled by money. I respect you for having some integrity and being your own man. A free mind makes his own choices and a slave mind follows the crowd. Stand for something or fall for anything. One man can lead a revolution to stand up and fight for what’s right. One choice, one word, one action, can change the world. It’s crazy how people hate you for being a leader. I hope your actions encourage many others to stand up and say ‘enough is enough.’” 
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Choice is defined as an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. America gave us the choice to take the vaccine or not take the vaccine. As time moves on, that choice is gradually being stripped from us. <a href="https://t.co/7F6RsWaDkL">pic.twitter.com/7F6RsWaDkL</a>
&mdash; Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/FloydMayweather/status/1452726098878361601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Prior to the Nets home opener on Sunday, hundreds of protestors stood outside of Barclays Arena, with some chanting “no vaccine mandate” and “stand with Kyrie.” 
The crowd reportedly grew unruly, with some protestors breaking through barricades and attempting to enter the arena, causing Barclays Center to shut their doors for a brief period of time. 
&#8220;Barclays Center briefly closed its doors today in order to clear protestors from the main doors on the plaza and ensure guests could safely enter the arena,&#8221; a spokesperson for the arena <a href="https://twitter.com/NotoriousOHM/status/1452388462162812931?s=20">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;Only ticketed guests were able to enter the building and the game proceeded according to schedule.&#8221;
While the NBA is not mandating the vaccine for players, they have strongly pushed for all players to be fully vaccinated. 
On opening night of the NBA season, “Inside the NBA” on TNT discussed the Irving situation, and commissioner Adam Silver urged Irving to get vaccinated. 
“I’d tell him to get vaccinated, first and foremost for himself and his family,” Silver <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1450592688131084288?s=20">said</a>. “Next, for his teammates and his community and also for the league that I know he cares so much about.”
Silver touted the vaccination as a “miracle,” saying that Irving will need to be vaccinated in order to be an “engaged member of society.”
“Science is firmly on the side of getting vaccinated. And this is in essence, a miracle vaccine … It’s already saved tens of millions of lives. I think, at some point, for Kyrie to be an engaged member of society — putting aside this league — he needs to get vaccinated,” Silver continued. “That’s the law in New York: if you want to play in an arena, if you want to visit an arena, if you want to participate in an activity in an arena, you need to be vaccinated, and that’s where he finds himself.”
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley scolded Irving on his decision, taking umbrage with the fact that Irving would still be paid for away games while he remains unvaccinated. 
“You don’t get the vaccine for yourself, you get it for other people,” Barkley <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1450626417071308800?s=20">said</a>. “I got vaccinated. I can’t wait to get the booster. You don’t get vaccinated just for yourself. Like Adam [Silver] said, you get vaccinated for your family, first,” he added. “You get vaccinated for your teammates second.”
Barkley applauded the Brooklyn Nets organization for their approach to the situation, benching Irving until he is vaccinated. 
“I really am proud of the Nets for putting their foot down — for saying ‘no, we’re not going to deal with this half on, half off [situation],’” Barkley said. “The only thing that bugs me, he’s still going to make $17 million sitting at home.”
The Nets are off to a 2-2 start in the 2021-2022 season. 
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

Celebrities attend the Los Angeles Lakers play the Golden State Warriors during the season opener

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Supports Kyrie Irving’s Vaccine Decision: ‘Stand For Something Or Fall For Anything’

Kyrie Irving

NBA Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley, 58, famous for not mincing words, had some strong language for athletes in the NBA and NFL regarding vaccination, acknowledging that he had been vaccinated while adding, “Everybody should be vaccinated. Period. The only people who are not vaccinated are just a**holes.”
Barkley told CNBC that sports leagues should demand that their players get vaccinated. He stated, “Can you imagine if one of these guys that are not vaccinated, if they get one of these players’ kids, wives, girlfriends, moms and dads sick and they die over some unnecessary conspiracy bulls***? I think that would be tragic.”
Likening professional athletics to a corporate job, he continued, “There’s s*** you can’t do at work and there’s s*** that have to do at work. So every workplace has rules and I think one of the rules [should be] that guys have to be vaccinated.”
“Up to <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/number-of-nfl-players-in-vaccination-process-up-to-80">80%</a> of NFL players, <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/07/20/michele-roberts-90-of-nba-players-vaccinated/">90%</a> of NBA players and <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/mlb-says-23-teams-reached-85-per-cent-vaccine-threshold/">85%</a> of MLB players have reportedly had at least one shot. But there have been players and coaches who have publicly refused to be vaccinated,” <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/27/charles-barkley-sports-leagues-should-force-guys-to-get-vaccinated.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.PostToTwitter">CNBC</a> reported, adding, “NFL’s guidelines required vaccination for all Tier 1 staff, including coaches, front-office executives, equipment managers and scouts. However, NFL players are not required to be vaccinated.”
Neither the NBA nor MLB require vaccinations of their players.
In mid-June, as <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-announces-hell-be-leaving-inside-the-nba-in-two-years-blames-jackaes-trying-to-get-you-canceled/">The Daily Wire</a> reported, Charles Barkley announced he would be leaving “Inside the NBA,” where he had co-hosted for 21 years, when he turns 60, blasting the woke culture that pervaded the sports world. He <a href="https://thepostmillennial.com/basketball-legend-charles-barkley-to-exit-inside-the-nba-slams-cancel-culture-and-social-justice-warriors">told</a> Washington sports radio station <a href="https://www.audacy.com/thefandc/podcasts/grant-and-danny-817/61421-hour-2-charles-barkley-joins-grant-danny-live-458580189">106.7 The Fan</a> that his bosses were “cowards,” adding, “It’s gotten so out of hand right now, I couldn’t imagine having to watch myself. You can’t even have fun nowadays without these jackasses trying to get you canceled and things like that. … [I’m] just having fun, talking about sports. I’m trying to hang on for another couple years until I’m 60, and then they can kiss my ass. I’m only working until 60. I’ve already told them that. We can’t even have fun anymore. We’ve had fun all these years, and now all of a sudden in the last year and a half, everybody’s trying to get everybody fired, and it really sucks.&#8221;
In July 2020, speaking on a pre-game podcast on TNT, Barkley <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/watch-charles-barkley-defends-athletes-standing-up-for-anthem/">defended</a> athletes who chose not to kneel for the national anthem, asserting, “My thing is, listen, the national anthem means different things to different people. I’m glad these guys are all unified. But if people… If people don’t kneel, they’re not a bad person. I want to make that perfectly clear. I’m glad they had unity, but if we have a guy who doesn’t want to kneel ‘cause the anthem means something to him, he should not be vilified.”
Barkley is well-known for bluntly challenging the status quo; in January 2016, he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/2960/former-nba-star-rips-espn-race-baiting-james-barrett">ripped ESPN for race-baiting</a> in the run-up to the Super Bowl, saying on &#8220;<a href="http://www.danpatrick.com/2016/01/27/charles-barkley-if-auburn-paid-cam-he-was-a-bargain/">The Dan Patrick Show</a>&#8221; that ESPN was &#8220;framing the narrative&#8221; of the game featuring Peyton Manning&#8217;s Denver Broncos and Cam Newton&#8217;s Carolina Panthers. He <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/01/28/barkley-espn-turning-super-bowl-50-into-a-black-versus-white-race-battle/">said</a>, “ESPN has already started their crap about black versus white, good versus evil — and I know a lot of those fools over there got radio talk shows … It really annoys the hell out of me. We really just can’t appreciate the greatness of Peyton [Manning]. And, clearly, Cam is on the track to become one of the greatest players ever. You can already see them framing this narrative ‘black versus white, good versus evil.’”

NCAA Men’s Final Four – National Championship – Villanova v North Carolina

Charles Barkley: ‘Everybody Should Be Vaccinated. Period.’

COVID-19 Vaccine

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