Charles Barkley once called Monica Lewinsky a 'skank' during his early days on Inside the NBA

NBA legend-turned-TNT analyst Charles Barkley has turned into a television star since joining TNT's "Inside the NBA" back in 2000. Barkley is best known for his strong sense of humor and witty remarks. However, he is also not afraid to speak his mind on more pressing societal issues from time to time.

This was the case during Barkley’s first couple of years with TNT, when the legend seemingly operated without a filter and made countless jarring comments. This includes the time Barkley referred to former White House intern Monica Lewinsky as a "skank" following her sex scandal involving former U.S. President Bill Clinton:

“I had to explain to my daughter why that skank Monica Lewinsky has an hour special on HBO this weekend,” Barkley said.

In a Sports Illustrated article from 2002, author Jack McCallum summarized some more of Barkley’s most notorious early TV antics. These include Barkley taking shots at the likes of Barbara Walters, Leonard Hamilton, Al Gore, Vince Carter and Wang Zhizhi:

“In his role as the supersized boiling teapot of TNT's Halftime Report, maybe the best studio sports show ever, he has called Monica Lewinsky a ‘skank’ (twice for good measure), hinted that Barbara Walters is ugly, summed up former Washington Wizards coach Leonard Hamilton and Al Gore as ‘two losers who live right up the street from each other,’ said Vince Carter ought to ‘shut up and take two Advils’ when the Toronto Raptors star complained of a headache after a tumble, repeatedly trashed the lineup of games on his own network, not to mention the movies that followed, and opined that the Dallas Mavericks' Wang Zhizhi should not be permitted to play in the NBA until China returned that captured U.S. spy plane,” McCallum wrote.

Luckily for Barkley, TNT gave him a fairly long leash, and his speaking his mind on national TV only led him to become more beloved by fans. Today, the legend is now virtually untouchable as one of cable TV’s most prominent voices.

Charles Barkley says joining TNT was the best decision of his life

NBA legend-turned-TNT analyst Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley can often be heard making various complaints during TNT broadcasts. However, the NBA legend still enjoys his time on air and then some. In particular, Barkley is grateful for the opportunity to have fun working alongside his co-hosts, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson Jr.

During an interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in 2021, Barkley spoke about how joining TNT is the decision he has ever made:

“It's the best decision I made in my life, Jimmy,” Barkley said.

“Working with these guys, it's so much fun going to work. I mean, number one, getting to watch the best basketball players in the world all the time is pretty special. But to go to work and have fun with those guys ... when I took the job, Ernie asked me how long I was going to be there.

"And I said I was going to be here like three years and I'm gonna move on to bigger and better things. But nothing bigger and better has come along, that's why I'm stuck there.”

The following year, in 2022, Barkley signed a new 10-year, $317 million contract with TNT. So, luckily for NBA fans, it looks like Barkley will be staying on TV for the foreseeable future.

Barkley’s discussion about joining TNT starts at the 6:54 mark below.