Who would have guessed Inside the NBA doing pottery was going to end up being one of the wildest segments in show history. That, however, is because nobody ever watched Charles Barkley doing pottery before Tuesday night.
Imagine being Jalen Rose, showing up for your first day as a guest analyst alongside Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Ernie Johnson and seeing ‘pottery segment’ in the rundown.
Welcome to Inside the NBA.
Inside the NBA is wild. pic.twitter.com/j4Yl46hue1
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“Chuck, what are you doing over there?” Ernie Johnson asked as the pottery teacher informed Barkley he had to start again.
“Is this Ghost?” Barkley asked, referencing what should now be known as the second most famous pottery scene in movie or TV history after being usurped by Inside the NBA. Shaquille O’Neal, meanwhile, was in the background yelling, “Put your finger in there, Chuck! Pull it open, Chuck!”
Credit Barkley for taking instructions well, because he put his finger in there and he pulled it open. It’s hard to decide what was crazier; Barkley’s pottery technique, Shaq yelling ‘Put your fingers in there, Chuck!’ or whoever was behind the very creative camera angles.
Watching a studio sports show do pottery isn’t something that sounds too interesting. It’s a segment probably better fit for Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. But this is why Inside the NBA is great. Barkley isn’t afraid to get his fingers dirty on live TV, Shaq isn’t afraid to make fun of him for it, and the camera people aren’t afraid to get all up on there.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com