Just when you thought the crazy controversy surrounding Bud Light couldn’t get any wilder? Charles Barkley stepped up, and said, “Hold my beer.” (WARNING: strong language!)
NEW: Charles Barkley defends Bud Light and calls critics of the beer brand “rednecks” and “assholes” during a profanity laced rant at a bar in Lake Tahoe, California.
“All you rednecks or a**holes who don’t want to drink Bud Light… f**k y’all.”
“Hey, y’all can’t cancel me. I… pic.twitter.com/p3IDRf0UTa
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 18, 2023
The NBA Hall of Famer was in Lake Tahoe over the weekend to take part in the American Century Championship and display the usual scratching and hacking he’s comically known for on the course. But it was at the ’19th hole’ where he made the most headlines.
Following the day’s events, Barkley was out drinking and having a precocious good time, when he got a hold of a microphone and said that he was going to buy his fellow patrons a beer. That part of the basketballer’s banter would have been like any other night out at the bar.
But then, he specifically mentioned the most controversial fermented flavor of all – Bud Light. And, Charles Barkley didn’t just bring up the brand, he fired verbal shots at consumers who have decided to abstain from purchasing it after the company staged a promotion that involved trans performer Dylan Mulvaney.
That awkward alliance caused many traditional drinkers, particularly conservatives, to back off of Bud Light. Parent company Anheuser-Busch has seen their beer bash turn into a buying backlash: Year-to-year sales since the ‘Trans Can Controversy’ began have dipped significantly, reaching as high as 21% at times in Q2 of 2023.
King of Controversy
The 1993 NBA MVP defended the beer, as well as the gay community in a tirade filled with expletives. To wit:
- “All you rednecks or a**holes who don’t want to drink Bud Light… f**k y’all.”
- “Hey, y’all can’t cancel me. I ain’t worried about getting canceled.”
- “If y’all fire me and give me all that money, I’m going to be playing golf every f**king day.”
“If you’re gay… bless you; if you’re trans… bless you.” Sir Charles continued. “If you have a problem with that… f**k you.”
It didn’t take long for a video of the incident to make its way online and to rapidly go viral. Needless to say, in the current climate, it didn’t go over very well with many folks out there.
However, as always Charles Barkley had his supporters as well. But it’s just another chapter in the volumes and volumes of outlandish and emotional things that he’s said over the years. For better or worse, the Round Mound of Rebound remains unfiltered.
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