December 25, 2023
Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
Charles Barkley was a fantastic basketball player and is one of the NBA's top flight analysts. Just don't ask him to sing unless the purpose is to laugh at him.
Charles Barkley possesses many endearing qualities and talents that have made him a national treasure long beyond his hall of fame NBA career.
Singing is not a strong suit of the former 76er, to put it mildly. The Chuckster cannot carry a tune for his life, and hearing him try is really a special display of inability. If Barkley ever had the talent to croon, it's clearly something the Monstars from "Space Jam" stole and managed to keep forever.
Leading up to Christmas, Barkley joined his "NBA on TNT" partner Ernie Johnson for a holiday episode of their "Steam Room" podcast. The show usually pulls back the curtain on the world of basketball and media, but the most recent episode was more of a lighthearted prelude to Christmas.
At one point during the podcast, producer Tim Kiely told Barkley he's "the greatest karaoke man of all time" and it was time for him to sing a little Christmas tune.
"You spewing straight facts, homie!" Barkley said.
And then, Barkley proceeded to butcher "Frosty the Snowman" so badly that he had to try twice. For some reason, Barkley attempted to keep pace with the teleprompter instead of the music. It's more of a remedial "reading" of "Frosty the Snowman" than a musical performance.
As hard as it may be to believe, this isn't Barkley's worst foray into terrible music. Seven years ago, he did a commercial for March Madness and sang a brutal version of "One Shining Moment," which is often played during the NCAA tournament.
Barkley, 60, has been busy in the media spotlight lately. In addition to his duties as an NBA analyst, he's now co-hosting the limited-run CNN show "King Charles" alongside Gayle King. The weekly series combines humor and cultural observation in a freewheeling format with guest interviews.
For those who need a palette cleanser, here's a listenable version of "Frosty the Snowman."
