For years now, Shaq and Charles Barkley have stolen the show on Inside The NBA which is part of the NBA on TNT broadcasts. These two were rivals when they played against each other and as broadcasters, they have sometimes engaged in petty antics. The two can be sensitive to criticism, although when they are both into riffing with each other, it typically leads to some pretty hilarious results.
Case in point, Shaq and Barkley were having an in-depth conversation during the halftime report last night, and it involved an impromptu segment on Beyond Meat. Of course, Beyond Meat is a vegan alternative to meat that tastes a bit different but features a similar texture.
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As you can imagine, Barkley isn’t a big fan of Beyond Meat, which led to him saying “I want real meat.” In typical Shaq fashion, he interpreted this as some sort of sexual comment, which led to some hilarity on the broadcast. Shaq kept egging Barkley on and demanding that he say it again. In the meantime, Chuck continued to laugh it off all while Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith tried to keep the show afloat.
Clips of this segment eventually went viral on social media, and fans couldn’t help but laugh at Chuck’s expense. Others noted that Inside The NBA remains the best halftime report on television, and that these antics are what keep people coming back.
Needless to say, the formula is still working all these years later.