Charles Barkley is a romanticist. Everyone else is just “nosy.” He’s proving himself to be a real Swiftie in protecting Taylor Swift’s budding romance with Travis Kelce. As someone who’s dealt with unsavory invasion into his love life during his athletic career, Barkley had some sound advice for the couple.

Gayle King asked Sir Charles about the obsession surrounding the romance between the reigning top popstar and the top football player. “The media is nosy,” Barkley, a media personality himself, stated. When Gayle King, a veteran journalist did try to defend her peers, he said, “Not you. Media is just nosy. Me and you like a good love story.” And he isn’t just talking about Taylor’s song.

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Barkley is also notoriously lowkey. Since the eyes of the world are on Taylor and Travis, he advised them, “The number one thing you have to do in your personal life to keep it really lowkey and discreet – don’t ever discuss it publicly.” 

He shared his own philosophy when dealing with the media. He’s open to all questions except anything to do with his personal life. “So my advice to Taylor, like, ‘Hey, she’s my girl, I’m her guy, that’s all y’all need to know.’ Because when you’re famous. You don’t get any personal space or time.”

Barkley premiered King Charles with a warning to Swift to be nice to his favorite footballer. But he also stood up for Swift against unruly Chiefs fans.

Charles Barkley speaks from experience

The last time King asked Barkley about Taylor and Travis, she touched on his own alleged high profile romance. He repeatedly denied it throughout his career but that didn’t stop the media from linking then 76ers pro with Madonna. Barkley’s wife, Maureen Blumhardt had to contend with the mockery the most.

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He said that invasion into his personal life was, “Nerve-wracking, you’re never getting the peace and quiet, you have to worry about the paparazzi all the time and it just sucks.” He was vaguely describing the situation around Swift and Kelce, but when King tried to get the Material Girl’s name out of him, Barkley said, “Stop it, Gayle… Don’t fight on our first night.”

Apart from that incident, Barkley is an expert at keeping his personal life out of media scrutiny. T-Swift and Kelce have a strong one in their corner.