“We Can Go Out And Drink Tequila”: Charles Barkley Confides In Oprah About CNN Co-Host’s Lack Of Drinking

Charles Barkley and Gayle King made the headlines for recently hosting Oprah Winfrey in their interview on CNN, where the NBA icon confided in Oprah about his co-host’s lack of drinking. This marked one of the highlights of the conversation as Chuck’s hilarious remark made headlines all around.

The occasion served as an extension of the latest episode on ABC’s An Oprah Special titled Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution. Consequently, the trio engaged in discussion about tackling obesity across the USA while Barkley highlighted the impact of the Mounjaro. He openly mentioned how the drug contributed to him losing 65 lbs during the playing days.

Winfrey elaborated further on Chuck’s point as the discussion soon shifted to how addiction and hereditary factors contribute to obesity. While explaining, drinking habits became another key area of focus as Barkley utilized this moment to pull King’s leg. The 61-year-old made fun of his co-host’s lack of drinking while shedding light on his struggles.

He told Winfrey, “I love you more because we can go out and drink tequila anytime. I go out with this woman [King], she doesn’t even drink. She is no fun whatsoever”.

This publicly captured the light-hearted nature of Barkley once again. His fun-loving nature took precedence even during a serious conversation, showcasing his ability to add a different layer to discussions. At the same time, it put into limelight his inclination toward drinking as the NBA world had previously witnessed its extreme.

Charles Barkley once played an NBA game while being drunk

In 1992, Barkley was allegedly close to departing the Philadelphia 76ers. A trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was on the brink as his agent informed him of the details. This led to him getting drunk around noon before the bad news struck. The 76ers pulled out at the last moment, prompting Chuck to play an NBA game later that day while being drunk.

A few years back, the 1993 MVP revealed the intricate details of the story on Zach Lowe’s The Lowe Post. “The one thing that’s funny, I don’t even know how I played that night. I think I might have played so bad because I was so angry the Sixers didn’t pull the trigger, and then it’s just suffering the next two or three years,” he mentioned.

His inclination toward celebrating an occasion with drinking has remained intact over the years. At the same time, the lack of a drinking partner has often led to frustration for the iconic figure. Thus, his comment to Winfrey certainly contained its reasons.