TNT yesterday announced it has approved a series titled "The Race Card" that will follow Basketball HOFer Charles Barkley as he "goes on a personal journey to explore and understand why our country is so divided right now," according to Ellen Gray of the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS. The show is "expected to premiere" early in '17. Turner Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Kevin Reilly said of Barkley, "This is very tricky territory ... but he's got the cachet and he's beloved enough across the board to actually put this out there, and do it in a way that I think will be both entertaining and illuminating, as opposed to just some sort of school lesson" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 8/1). In DC, Des Bieler notes Barkley's "outspoken ways have certainly helped TNT’s 'Inside the NBA' gain high regard, and it makes sense that the network would want to give him a forum for his views on non-basketball topics." Barkley has both "stood up for and criticized elements of the black community, including his comments on the recent turmoil following shooting deaths of and by police officers" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 7/31).
TWITTER REAX: Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock: "Twitter is mad Charles Barkley got 'The Race Card' show Twitter wanted Shaun King to have." Complex' Russ Bengtson: "I don't even want to listen to Charles Barkley talk about basketball anymore let alone race. Hell no." Black Sports Online: "I get the feeling from the TL no one wants to hear Barkley blame us for all our problems." PreSnapReads.com's Cian Fahey: "Skip Bayless is going to be more honest, Charles Barkley is going to explain race to people. Rough week for television."
