Now, let's get to some headlines, or should I say advice from Charles Barkley in regards to me. Barkley, who's a friend and a brother, appeared on Outkicks Don't At Me podcast with Dan Dockish. Dan asked Barkley about the myriad of places I've been seen recently talking about sports politics and even acting on General Hospital and recently Law and Order. Here's what Barkley had to say. Take a look at this, please. So, I don't want to be on TV more. I want to be on TV less. I don't think that's the Stephen A. Smith method right now. I don't think that's his mentality. That's not Hey, that Listen, that's not As I was in the studio last night and I see he's going to be on Law and Order tonight. I mean, he's already on General Hospital. Uh he's already on General Hospital. Now he's going to be on um Law and Order tonight. And I was just laughing. I'm like, "Yo, man. You're starting to be too much right now." Like, "You going to be on CNN. You're going to be on Fox and Friends. Now you on General Hospital. Now you're on Law and Order." I'm like, "Yo, man, knock it off. Stop being on every TV show because at some point people are going to regret. They're gonna like they're gonna get sick of you and you're gonna be like, "Yeah, I I probably did too much." But once you do too much, it's too late. And then people don't take you serious. And I think he's got to be careful in that aspect. First order of business. Um, as a forewarning, anything I shouldn't say a forewarning, just a heads up. Anything that I say that is critical of Charles Barkley is all in fun. That is my friend. That is my brother. I love him dearly. I always have. I always will. He is as real and as authentic as it gets. And oh by the way, weeks ago when he was critical of me as it pertained to my response to LeBron James when LeBron James and I, you know, had our little spiel, Charles Barkley and I spoke on the phone and what he said publicly is exactly what he said privately. That's my guy. But that doesn't mean I always agree with him. And it doesn't mean that I'm devoid of the right to call him a flaming hypocrite when it's called upon. Do y'all have any idea how many commercials Charles Barkley does a year? He'll tell us, too. Have you seen Charles Barkley in two commercials? Are you kidding me? Oh, by the way, the cat that you work with at least twice a week during the NBA season is Shaquille O'Neal. Can we count the amount of endorsements he has? how often he's seen everywhere. What new product he's pitching? Did you say that about him? No, you didn't. But when it comes to me, I need to be careful. Oh, by the way, Dan Doage, see, you know, you know, slickly brings up, you know, me with politics and all of this other stuff. Wasn't it Charles Barkley who made news for years talking about his aspiration to run for the governor of Alabama? because that's where he's from before starring at Orin and all of this other stuff. Wasn't that him? I mean, it just amazes me how people could say some of the things that they say sometimes. It absolutely positively blows me away, okay? Because I'm not the one with commercials everywhere. I'm working. Fox and Friends know that involves early mornings. That's a rare appearance. That almost never happens. That's not accurate. ESPN is the worldwide leader. They have a multiple of a multitude of outlets. Plus, they put me on their dot sites. Outside of that, you saw you see me occasionally on Sean Hannity. Occasionally, you see me pretty much weekly on Chris Cuomo's show, new on News Nation. He's a friend and he asked me to come on and I come on. Where else have I been seen? Can we really really get to the heart of the matter? And this isn't directed at Charles Barkley. This is directed at all the folks out there. I'm making people very uncomfortable and I don't give a You can sit there and talk about people not taking me seriously all you want to. We'll see. Because I'm a serious brother. That doesn't mean I don't know how to laugh and smile and have fun, but I know who the hell I am. We're talking about me on General Hospital. Why now? I've been on General Hospital for seven years. It's a soap opera. That's not a sports show. It's a different audience. I went on Law and Order. That's the first time I've been on prime time television for anything outside of working for ESPN. That's Law and Order. That's not sports. So if you're watching sports, chances are you're not watching those other things. You might not be watching soaps. You might not be watching Law and Order. So one would argue I'm reaching a different audience and I'm expanding and showing that I'm somewhat of a Renaissance man, that I have the versatility to do the things that I'm doing. People saw me acting, they said, "Hey, he does a good job." And I'm supposed to scale that back because of my conspicuous presence. Last time I checked, that's what we're in this business for. And the very people laughing and dismissing it, are you trying to tell me you would turn down those opportunities if it came your way? Why are you in this business? Yes, it's easy for Charles Barkley to sit up there and say two commercials a year, even though that's a lie, cuz he's definitely doing more than two. But when you making the money that you're making, that you have been making for years, you could afford to turn down those opportunities. Don't bring up my contract now. That was just signed last month. You've been making that money for years. So when we look at it from that standpoint, what's that about? And oh, by the way, when you see me at other places, whether it be podcast or other shows, I don't volunteer to go talk to these people. Y'all call and ask. Yet you'll call an ass and then say, "I want to be seen when you're the one to call and ask me to be seen." Could it be because I speak with substance? Did I have something to say that will draw viewers and listeners to your respective shows? Isn't that what we're supposed to be doing in this business? So Charles Barkley, you continue to do the great job that you've been doing for TNT and next year it'll start at ESPN and let Shaq market the hell out of himself the way that he does significantly better than almost anybody on this planet and let me do what I do. I have no desire to run for office. I have no desire to be a politician. I love talking about politics. I love talking about social giving social commentary or social issues and I love talking about sports. And if that somehow someway translates into me being in the mix and people talking to me about a potential political position, so be it. It's not where my interest lies. But I don't rule it out because I believe I could win. And I'll be damned if anybody, especially my friend and my brother, who did nothing for years other than play basketball, yet repeatedly announced his desires to one day run for the governor of Alabama, is going to sit here and tell me it's a bit too much. It's too much when I say it's too much. That's how I roll. Respectfully, of course. Number love for you, my brother. Dan Dockish, you're asking that question. I wonder why. If you're uncomfortable with the situation, my brother, and you got questions to ask, just call me. I'll come on under one condition. You don't turn around and say, "Oh, he just wants to be on another show." I actually have things to say. I don't think anybody can deny that. I'll leave it at that until a later date.