NBA legend Charles Barkley says he is considering joining CNN because the company is a “shit show right now.”
Barkley told the New York Post (NYP) on Thursday that the network is trying to pair him with Gayle King for a show, though the show would not air weekly.
“We don’t have anything set in stone. I’m only considering it because of my respect for Gayle,” Barkley reportedly said.
King is currently in contract at CBS while Barkley is in a contract with Warner Brothers Discovery, which owns CNN.
“I just want to help the company because obviously it is a shit show right now,” Barkley said, according to the NYP. “Anything I can do to help.” (RELATED: CNN Announces Huge Lineup Change Will Bill Maher)
In recent weeks, I’ve reported CNN is courting both Gayle King & Charles Barkley for weekly shows https://t.co/pcuuLUE6K8
Today, Barkley tells NY Post: “They are trying to pair Gayle King and me… I’m only considering it because of my respect for Gayle.”https://t.co/XvBXWKcMoF
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) February 23, 2023
CNN’s CEO Chris Licht has been looking to expand the network’s talent pool, with reports indicating he was considering Barkley as well as comedians like Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah and Arsenio Hall. Licht told the Los Angeles Times he was looking to cast “a wide net to help broaden the appeal of our prime time.”
Licht told the outlet that CNN is in “conversations with culturally relevant individuals from the worlds of entertainment, sports and comedy who can bring fresh and unique perspectives to the news.”