Of all the longest-running gags on TNT’s Inside The NBA, Charles Barkley’s problem with the “big ol’ women of San Antonio” is arguably the most iconic. Over the years, the Hall of Famer has jokingly ranted about the size and weight of the women from the city, especially when egged on by co-host Shaquille O’Neal. The analyst has also received stark criticism for fat shaming but he’s unbothered.
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During an appearance on The Mike Missanelli Show, Barkley defended his rants and blasted the proponents of ‘cancel culture.’ He claimed critics are too sensitive and cannot differentiate between a harmless joke and a crude remark. Barkley said,
“It’s so funny, I’m hoping people laugh. It’s interesting in the society we live in today, we got so many jackasses, like everything’s offending somebody. Like yo man, I’m on TV from 7 to 2 in the morning. I want people to laugh. Nobody wanna watch basketball from 7 to 2 in the morning. I want people to watch basketball, but I wanna make sure they have fun.”
He added that often the action on the court can be underwhelming, thus it becomes necessary to employ some humor to keep viewers hooked. Barkley and the rest of the crew’s apologetic attitude is one of the prime reasons for Inside the NBA’s raging success.
The show in its current format has only a year left but TNT is brainstorming ways to keep it alive.
Charles Barkley not abandoning TNT
Barkley was crestfallen after the NBA announced that they were declining TNT’s offer to match Amazon’s bid and proceed with the streaming giant, ending the league’s four-decade-long run on the network.
The Hall of Famer wouldn’t have any issues finding a new lucrative job as an analyst. However, he was keen on continuing working with TNT to ensure that the Inside the NBA crew could retain their jobs. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, he explained,
“Hey, once I can keep people employed at Turner. Because, Dan, I’ve got to tell you something. I’ve heard some of the most horrific stories the last six months from the people I work with… People telling me, ‘I’m married, I got kids, I’ve got a mortgage, and I’m gonna get fired.’ I’ve never been in that situation before.”
Barkley offered to take a pay cut to ensure that TNT wouldn’t let go of any of its employees. However, the network assured him that it wasn’t necessary. For now, the future of Inside the NBA hangs in the balance. However, the show will seemingly continue in some capacity beyond 2025.
