Charles Barkley finds the best version of himself in the most unusual place – Saturday Night Live. That, of course, comes from veteran comedian, Kenan Thompson who just did a spot on the Chuckster. The fake Sir Charles was a guest on King Charles this week and he was a little nervous for no reason. But Barkley proved he can take a joke on himself.

It’s not only spending Thursdays with prankster Shaq that’s made him thick-skinned. Chuck’s SNL appearance was enough to gain an appreciation for Thompson’s art. “We’re not out to offend,” Thompson said as a disclaimer though he acted scared of the Phoenix Suns legend. Gayle King assured Barkley has never been mad at his impression of him.

Gayle King even had Thompson dish how he nails Chuck every time. “Some people strike you funny… you have a very specific tone,” Kenan said before slipping into his Chuck persona easily. “It’s just down in here, you know? It’s just a very Southern baritonal, ‘I’m a very tall person, so that’s how I talk.'”  

Barkley was so awed discovering his impressionable manner of speech, he immediately said, “It’s a tremendous compliment.” Clearly, he lives by the ‘imitation is the best form of flattery’ principle. And he also knows how tough the sketch comedy business is.

Charles Barkley’s SNL stints

The 76ers icon was one of the few NBA players who hosted SNL. His first appearance was on September 25, 1993, a few weeks after losing to the Bulls in the NBA finals. He went on to host in 2010, 2012, and 2018. He, however, remains a character in the SNL Hall of Fame for Kenan Thompson’s multiple skits around him.

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The four stints he had hosting the show made Chuck gain admiration for the SNL cast. He called the rehearsals for 10-12 hours and preparation the “longest damn week” of his life. He was in disbelief how Thompson and other comedians do this every week. Thompson even said that when Chuck came on the set he told everyone, “I’ve never worked more than two hours a day in my life.” 

During one of his appearances, Chuck and Kenan were a comedic pair and the veteran comedian was all praise for Barkley’s sketch talent. Despite how difficult he says the show is, Barkley never ruled out a return to SNL. Time to manifest ‘Find the Real Chuck’ on SNL in the near future.

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