Charles Barkley: Weight Watchers Endorsement Is A Big Scam (VIDEO)

Have you seen Charles Barkley lately? The played once dubbed "the Round Mound of Rebound" looks terrific, right? Ever since the NBA Hall of Famer became the spokesman for Weight Watchers' "Lose Like a Man" campaign, he has lost 38 pounds (and counting). Barkley has been going on shows like "The Daily Show" and "Conan" to endorse the program. Judging by his svelte -- by Barkley's standards -- figure, the program is working.

Barkley is so pleased with the results that he can't really believe he's getting paid to drop a few pounds. While calling the TNT broadcast of Thursday night's Heat-Hawks triple overtime game with Reggie Miller and Kevin Harlan, Barkley was caught during a commercial break mocking his endorsement deal.

"I've been on weight watchers three months. I have to lose two pounds a week. I'm at 38 pounds now. They come and weigh me every two weeks. I ain't never missed a weigh-in. Never going to... I'm feeling much better. But I ain't giving away no money. I'm not giving away no free money. I thought this was the greatest scam going -- getting paid for watching sports -- this Weight Watchers thing is a bigger scam."

Barkley wasn't mocking the actual program, because again, it has clearly worked for him. He was simply pointing out that getting paid to have people help you lose weight is basically stealing money. Of course, some would say that Barkley is more than earning his pay from Weight Watchers compared to frequently overweight and consistently underperforming Heat reserve center Eddy Curry, who was yet to play for the team this season. After the short-handed Heat escaped with a win in Atlanta, coach Erik Spoelstra revealed that Curry is close to be cleared for physical contact. Maybe Barkley should put him in touch with his contacts at Weight Watchers. They would certainly show they deserve their paychecks if they could turn around Curry.

WATCH TNT VIDEO ABOVE

UPDATE: Both Charles Barkley and Weight Watchers have released statements on Barkley's comments.

WEIGHT WATCHERS: "We love Charles for the same reason everyone loves Charles, he's unfiltered. We are thrilled that he is having great success and inspiring millions of men to join him. We agree that being a spokesman for Weight Watchers is a pretty great gig."

BARKLEY: "I meant what I said, the fact that I'm dropping pounds, getting healthier and getting paid at the same time, is my definition of a great scam. The only problem is I'm going to have to use some of the money to buy a new wardrobe."

Barkley's Weight Watchers Commerical

Comments

[alexander22192]

06:58 AM on 01/10/2012

Taco Bell must be wallowing in their gaucamole!

[Duffy Sinclair]

11:01 AM on 01/09/2012

Weight Watchers has to be thrilled by his comments. This is the best endorsement of a product ever. By Barkley feeling like it's a 'scam' then essentially he's saying that losing weight using WW is just too easy. How can you get a better endorsement of your product than that? Barkley is a genius and WW must be asking themselves why they didn't think to ask him earlier.

[alexander22192]

06:56 AM on 01/10/2012

Which makes him the marketing director of this particular campaign, thus a fee increase. Hell, even I'm considering WW now. 38 lbs? Awesome

[Gary St Lawrence]

09:10 AM on 01/09/2012

Proving once again, that you can take the trash out of the tenement, but you can't take the tenement out of the trash.

[First Blast]

09:12 PM on 01/08/2012

His mouth is a bigger problem than the spare tire.

[alexander22192]

06:57 AM on 01/10/2012

the mouth begat the spare tire

[Paul OhioSprtzfan Sink]

10:08 PM on 01/07/2012

The round mound of rebound..turning into a anthill..lol.Keep up the good work Sir Charles,lol

[rikster]

04:53 PM on 01/07/2012

Sir Charles need some chalupas.....

[Stephen Thorpe]

01:09 PM on 01/07/2012

Much ado about nothing.

[Jacob007]

10:24 AM on 01/07/2012

Ask the sportsbook manager in Vegas what old Charles scam in Vegas.

[xxx13]

06:51 AM on 01/07/2012

getto bum, you can get it out of them

[xxx xxxx]

12:24 AM on 01/07/2012

That was terruble.

[Javier Soler]

08:27 PM on 01/06/2012

So Barkley meant scam on HIS part if you understand what he's saying. He's happy that he's getting paid to do something he loves, which is why he compares it to broadcasting. If anything that's a great endorsement for Weight Watchers (which I hate, but that's another discussion for the fitness forums). Duped once again to click on a misleading link by Huff Post.

[dmgg711]

11:01 PM on 01/06/2012

Wouldn't be surprised is WW dumps him!

[Gigity]

10:12 AM on 01/07/2012

They wouldnt dream of dumping him.

[alexander22192]

07:00 AM on 01/10/2012

Clearly, his statement was advantageous to WW. Perhaps some people are just accustom to being 'offended' by everything,.

[AL-B]

08:00 PM on 01/06/2012

Why so surprised? You don't REALLY think Barkley has any class do you? Not sure how he managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. My first dealing with this guy was at a 76ers game in Philly. During the game Barkley turned and actually spit into the crowd hitting a little girl. When the shocked father called out to him, Barkley gave the father the finger. CLASSY GUY,huh?

[Gigity]

10:13 AM on 01/07/2012

And he also dated a white girl. I bet that gets under your pale white thin skin, huh?

[alexander22192]

07:01 AM on 01/10/2012

Yuck

[fworfe]

07:26 PM on 01/06/2012

There are increasingly numbers of people—male and female—who argue that the biggest and longest lasting scam in world history is professional sports.
I suppose there is the other facet to consider. Pro sports sure makes for the turnover of money, and the resulting tax money is desperately needed.
So let's give the fans credit for spending tons of their money even when they can barely afford it.
Yes, the opiate of the masses is still the operative phrase here.
And for those of us, who never watch a game, don't think we don't appreciate the commerce.

[360Dunk]

08:09 PM on 01/06/2012

How are athletes any different than musical celebrities or actors who also get paid enormous money to entertain the masses? If you are old enough to remember getting into the movie theater for a dollar, you'd realize that everything has gone up in price. Sports is not a scam if it provides entertainment value for the price of admission. It's all about demand, and we the public gladly support pro sports, just like they do in other countries.

[dmgg711]

10:59 PM on 01/06/2012

I remember going to the movies for a quarter.

[Gary St Lawrence]

09:13 AM on 01/09/2012

"The price is set by what the market will bear."

In other words, entertainment venues can and will charge as much as people are st.up.id enough to pay.

Remember the $590 Million Mike Tyson pay-per-view fight that lasted 38 seconds?

[Boyabovegarage]

06:55 PM on 01/06/2012

Typical Huff Post. He said it was a total scam to be paid to lose weight. He compared it to being paid to be a basketball analyst. Weight Watchers should love this publicity. Do not lie like you do with the Obama Presidency just to sell a story and a failed president.. And Chuck looks great.

[judylbo46]

07:57 PM on 01/06/2012

I knew somebody would manage to play the Obama "blame game". You are aply named. You actually sound like you live above someone's garage.

[BLKCLK500]

08:36 PM on 01/06/2012

TOO MUCH CARBON MONOXIDE ?

[tug33]

06:46 PM on 01/06/2012

I didnt care much about the game ( but it turned out to be great ) but Sir Charles and Reggie Miller were incredible the absolutely most honest broadcast I have ever seen I stuck with the game just to hear their comments. it was remarkable. My wife left her computer after overhearing some comments just to listen and she hates bball. By the way Kevin was also very good on the telecast.