But they’ll respect you for being honest.”īarkley made a hasty pivot at the last minute, rejecting NBC’s offer and joining Turner Sports. Some people are gonna love you, some are gonna hate you. You’re going to be honest and a straight shooter. People want two things: They want you to tell them their favorite player is great, and they want you to tell them their team is great. You’re always going to be in trouble, but you’ll be great.”īarkley was confused, so Ebersol elaborated: And Ebersol, a leading sports and entertainment executive who helped create “Saturday Night Live” and oversaw the sports division at NBC, knew potential when he saw it, so he chased Sir Charles.Įbersol to Barkley: “You’re going to be great on television. He was considered risky in the business but also exactly what the business needed, a shakeup from the vanilla. This was a player who famously declared “I am not a role model” and also caused an international stir at the 1992 Olympics when he said, among other things: “I don’t know anything about Angola, but Angola’s in trouble.” This was a player who in interviews could be profane, annoyed, outrageous and hilarious, sometimes all in the same response to a question. This was a player who collected rebounds and technical fouls. On the air, announcers were advised to curb their commentary and watch their mouths.īut that’s precisely why Dick Ebersol was drawn to Charles Barkley, the gregarious and future Hall of Fame power forward. Searing criticism of players and coaches was best left to the newspapers. This was especially true in sports broadcasting before “hot takes” began seeping into studio shows. Network television historically sheltered itself from the performer who walked the tightrope and too often fell over into the pit of controversy. Thus, there was a degree of danger involved here. This disclosure adds another layer to the ongoing conversation about Black voters’ allegiance to the Democratic Party and the complex factors that influence their political preferences.As a broadcaster now and as an NBA player before that, Charles Barkley has the ability to captivate audiences.ĪTLANTA - The man who supercharged the rise of a young comedian named Eddie Murphy, provided a national platform for a broadcaster named Bob Costas, and gave scores of other undeveloped talents their shot at stardom was suddenly fixated on a basketball player who was untrained and certifiably uncensored. Without tying himself down to a single party, Barkley underscored his past support for candidates across the political spectrum based on their policies rather than their party affiliation. “They show up at our doorsteps when the elections are on the horizon, but where are they in the years in between?” Barkley questioned, voicing a critique that has become increasingly prominent in political discourse.ĭespite his criticism of Biden and the Democrats, Barkley also offered a glimpse into his own voting history, revealing a pragmatic approach to his choices at the ballot box. In a candid and charged commentary, Charles Barkley, NBA Hall of Famer and outspoken media personality, has unleashed a volley of criticism targeting President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, accusing them of neglecting the African American community except during election cycles.īarkley’s remarks, delivered on his provocative CNN talk show “King Charles,” have ignited a fervent discussion on social media about the political allegiance and advocacy within the Black community in the United States.īarkley, known for his no-holds-barred approach to commentary, argued that the Democratic Party’s engagement with African American voters has been sporadic and opportunistic, echoing a sentiment of disillusionment felt by some segments of the community.
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