‘Getting fined for this’ – NBA fans love Charles Barkley’s X-rated gesture to heckling crowd as details of $250k pledge emerge
Charles Barkley’s beef with San Francisco continued on All-Star Sunday. Barkley has a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with the city, having previously called it a ‘rat-infested’ place full of ‘homeless crooks’. Barkley has been vocal about his issues with San FranciscoGetty It’s no surprise, then, that the 1993 NBA MVP was met with hostility during TNT’s pregame show for the 2025 All-Star Game outside of Chase Center. As the broadcast team, including Ernie Johnson, prepared to present coverage of the third and final day of All-Star Weekend, Barkley was met with a cacophony of boos and jeers. “F*** you, Chuck” chants rang around the outside of the Golden State Warriors’ home arena. Johnson stepped in to calm the crowd down but the heckles only intensified with his efforts. Barkley sat in his seat, unperturbed, before swinging around and flipping double middle fingers at the hostile crowd. His X-rated gesture made its way online, with many praising Barkley for having the guts to do it. Some joked he’s only able to get away with it because he’s financially secure and could afford to pay any penalty, should he be fined. “That is called “I have f u money” and I don’t care if they fine me $1 million,” one fan posted. Johnson tried to calm the crowd who were chanting ‘F*** Chuck’ downX@LegionHoops Barkley spun around and gave the heckling crowd the double middle finger “Chuck’s getting fined for this,” added another. “Best guy on TV,” a third said. “Barkley is the goat!! Says it the way it is; love him or hate him; he is the best analyst/commentator in sports,” a fourth posted. The backlash stemmed from Barkley’s previous comments about San Francisco’s well-documented homelessness crisis. During the broadcast leading up to the All-Star Game, he had made a remark about the city’s ongoing struggles. When co-analyst Kenny Smith pushed back by saying the Bay Area is a ‘beautiful’ place, Barkley was quick to intervene. “San Francisco is not a beautiful city!” Barkley retorted. Despite being critical of San Francisco, Barkley has done his bit to help those in needGetty “Rats. Cats…Y’all are not gonna make me like San Francisco. No. Nope, nope, nope, nope.” Later on in the weekend, he addressed the city’s homelessness epidemic. “I mean, obviously, hey listen, we got to do something about the homeless,” Barkley added. “They need their help. We got to clean it up a little bit.” It also emerged that hours before his x-rated gesture, Barkley had spent over an hour volunteering at GLIDE, a social center in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. The Mercury News reported that Barkley spent time at the organization, which is dedicated to fighting systematic injustices and helping people out of poverty and crisis. What’s more, he also reportedly donated $250,000 to the organization. “Shoutout to Chuck for volunteering at GLIDE in the Tenderloin yesterday and donating $250,000,” Bay Area beat writer Danny Emerman posted on X. “He’s s*** on the city for sure but that’s just a schtick. Getting out in the community is real.” “Barkley is known for calling the shots on TV, but he served meals at GLIDE and shared time with the community today,” the foundation’s social media account said. “It’s not about fame; it’s about showing up. If you can, find a way to do the same.”
Charles Barkley’s beef with San Francisco continued on All-Star Sunday.
Barkley has a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with the city, having previously called it a ‘rat-infested’ place full of ‘homeless crooks’.
It’s no surprise, then, that the 1993 NBA MVP was met with hostility during TNT’s pregame show for the 2025 All-Star Game outside of Chase Center.
As the broadcast team, including Ernie Johnson, prepared to present coverage of the third and final day of All-Star Weekend, Barkley was met with a cacophony of boos and jeers.
“F*** you, Chuck” chants rang around the outside of the Golden State Warriors’ home arena.
Johnson stepped in to calm the crowd down but the heckles only intensified with his efforts.
Barkley sat in his seat, unperturbed, before swinging around and flipping double middle fingers at the hostile crowd.
His X-rated gesture made its way online, with many praising Barkley for having the guts to do it.
Some joked he’s only able to get away with it because he’s financially secure and could afford to pay any penalty, should he be fined.
“That is called “I have f u money” and I don’t care if they fine me $1 million,” one fan posted.
“Chuck’s getting fined for this,” added another.
“Best guy on TV,” a third said.
“Barkley is the goat!! Says it the way it is; love him or hate him; he is the best analyst/commentator in sports,” a fourth posted.
The backlash stemmed from Barkley’s previous comments about San Francisco’s well-documented homelessness crisis.
During the broadcast leading up to the All-Star Game, he had made a remark about the city’s ongoing struggles.
When co-analyst Kenny Smith pushed back by saying the Bay Area is a ‘beautiful’ place, Barkley was quick to intervene.
“San Francisco is not a beautiful city!” Barkley retorted.
“Rats. Cats…Y’all are not gonna make me like San Francisco. No. Nope, nope, nope, nope.”
Later on in the weekend, he addressed the city’s homelessness epidemic.
“I mean, obviously, hey listen, we got to do something about the homeless,” Barkley added. “They need their help. We got to clean it up a little bit.”
It also emerged that hours before his x-rated gesture, Barkley had spent over an hour volunteering at GLIDE, a social center in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.
The Mercury News reported that Barkley spent time at the organization, which is dedicated to fighting systematic injustices and helping people out of poverty and crisis.
What’s more, he also reportedly donated $250,000 to the organization.
“Shoutout to Chuck for volunteering at GLIDE in the Tenderloin yesterday and donating $250,000,” Bay Area beat writer Danny Emerman posted on X.
“He’s s*** on the city for sure but that’s just a schtick. Getting out in the community is real.”
“Barkley is known for calling the shots on TV, but he served meals at GLIDE and shared time with the community today,” the foundation’s social media account said.
“It’s not about fame; it’s about showing up. If you can, find a way to do the same.”
