Basketball, Drag Races, and Kindness, Oh My!
What do NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Sam Star have in common?
Howdy! It’s Joey, back with more Fun Fact Friyay. You better work(!) after reading this story.
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is the godfather of drag queen Sam Star.
When TNT (or more accurately, Warner Bros. Discovery) decided not to renew its NBA package, it looked like it spelled the end of its flagship coverage show, Inside the NBA.
If you have not seen Inside the NBA before, it is quite the treat. Former players Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal occasionally talk about basketball, and host Ernie Johnson tries to wrangle them in when they start veering off track (which can be quite often).
Recurring segments over the years have included extensive “Gone Fishin’” graphics that poke fun at teams who have been eliminated from the playoffs, “Shaqtin’ a Fool” moments for players doing silly things in a game, and “EJ’s Neato Stat of the Night,” which satisfies the stat nerds among us.
Though it’s not technically a “segment,” something else you’ll see is Charles Barkley candidly speaking his mind about anything and everything.
Sometimes, the Round Mound of Rebound puts his foot in his mouth with a statement. But sometimes, he says things that are actually quite poignant.
It seems one of Barkley’s main life mantras is to treat everyone with kindness because you never know what they’re going through. He judges people based on their character, not their skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else.
It’s an admirable view of the world. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that Barkley has long been an ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
In fact, Sam Star, a memorable contestant on Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, shared that Barkley is her godfather. Barkley went to high school with Star’s mom, Leslie Blair, in Leeds, Alabama. The two became fast friends.
Even as Barkley became a massive NBA star and eventual Hall of Famer, he still supported Blair and Star. The latter even credits Barkley with allowing them to keep their house, and Star noted Barkley has attended multiple drag shows—and is a generous tipper!
“He’s always been supportive, and that’s why I’ve always loved him so much, because he’s very outspoken about supporting the queer community,” Star said. “And he’s gotten lots of backlash for that, but he stands toes down for that, and that always has meant a lot to me.”
Barkley has a memoir, Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man?, and it’s an excellent read. He talks about the discrimination he’s faced over his life, and as a very successful athlete and broadcaster, he hopes to use his influence to stop discrimination when he sees it happening.
Barkley also had a notable Nike commercial where he says he’s not a role model. “Just because I play basketball, doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.”
It’s a valid message. But you know what? If a parent points to Barkley and says, “Be a little more like that guy,” you could do a lot worse.
Perhaps this video sums Chuck’s heart up best. Warning: there’s a bit of harsh language, but the core of the message is the important thing.