NBA legend and current basketball analyst Charles Barkley repeatedly roasted Jussie Smollett during TNT’s halftime coverage of a Houston Rockets-Los Angeles Lakers game Thursday night.
It would appear Sir Charles is no fan of people who try to incite race riots by perpetuating a hate crime hoax as Smollett apparently has. Not only that, but Barkley offers some advice to the maligned star of ‘Empire’ on how to avoid getting caught in such embarrassing fashion.
He was so on fire with his comments, co-host Shaquille O’Neal was begging for mercy from the laughter.
Barkley started off slow – Asked to comment on a list of playoff possibilities and which scenario was more likely, he came out of nowhere with the response, “Two black guys beating a black guy up.”
His comment drew tepid laughter from his fellow hosts and in-studio staff, but the floodgates were now open. And Shaq was more than willing to play along.
Draining Jokes From Beyond the Arc
Once Pandora’s Box was opened, Charles was free to unleash. Barkley later referenced reports that Smollett paid his staged attackers via check.
“America, let me just tell you something,” Barkley joked. “Do not commit crimes with checks.”
Little advice for Jussie Smollett from Charles Barkley. pic.twitter.com/jdDcabkxl1
— Todd Kron (@Toddkron) February 22, 2019
“If you’re gonna break the law, do not write a check,” he continued. “Get cash, man. I never use the ATM. Now, I heard you can only get 200 dollars … Gonna make a lot of stops at the ATM … Do not write checks when you commit illegal activity.”
“Jussie, you wasted all that damn time and money,” Barkley advised. “You know what you shoulda did? Just went up to Liam Neeson’s neighborhood. You coulda solved all your damn problems.”
Charles Barkley came with the jokes for Jussie Smollett:
“You wasted all that damn time and money. You know what you shoulda did? Just went up in Liam Neeson’s neighborhood.” ???pic.twitter.com/DuY1ThVdFC
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) February 22, 2019
The latter joke was a reference to actor Liam Neeson who confessed to wanting to kill a black man after he discovered one had raped a friend.
While an element of comedy existed, Donald Trump Jr. notes that Barkley’s coverage of the case has been more accurate than most media.
“We’ve officially reached a point where basketball commentators are delivering more accurate and honest social/political coverage than the ‘news’ anchors,” he tweeted.
Barkley Always Tells It Like It Is
Sir Charles has been known throughout his career to freely speak his mind. Sometimes it’s infuriating, other times it’s hilarious as in the above clips.
While other celebrities and athletes will tiptoe around the Smollett story now that it doesn’t fit the leftist narrative, Barkley simply doesn’t care. He’s willing to call out a criminal for being a stupid criminal.
In 2014, when Ferguson, Missouri was subject to riots over another media-fueled race crime, the NBA Hall of Famer blasted looters who were taking advantage of the strife.
“Those aren’t real black people, those are scumbags. Real black people aren’t out there looting,” he seethed.
“There’s a perception among some black people that if you’re not a thug or hood rat, if you don’t wear your pants down by your ass, you’re not black enough,” Barkley fumed. “And they’re always holding us back. Plain and simple. And I ain’t shutting up and I ain’t backing down.”
In an interview in 2015, Barkley raised the ire of the left by saying he was seriously considering voting Republican, laughing when asked his opinion of Hillary Clinton, and imploring Barack Obama to be a little tougher on terrorists.