Stephen Colbert cleared the air Tuesday about his COVID-19 grudge against Charles Barkley. (Watch the video below.)
“I got a beef with you,” the “Late Show” host told the “Inside the NBA” analyst, who appeared as a guest.
Colbert noted he had not seen Barkley in the flesh since “The Late Show” on March 10, 2020.
The host recalled that backstage, he offered to exchange elbow bumps with Barkley instead of a handshake, for safety. Barkley opted for the handshake and Colbert replayed the moment they greeted each other onstage.
“Two days later the entire country shuts down,” Colbert said. “You announce that you might have been exposed to Covid, meaning myself and my family can’t leave our house because we think we might have been exposed to Covid because I’ve been exposed to Covid by you. And we called you everyday for 11 days. And you never called us back. … What the hell, Charles?”
Barkley explained he was stuck in a condo for 10 days waiting to get test results and had Angels star Mike Trout and fellow NBA great Patrick Ewing also hounding him.
King, who co-stars with Barkley on CNN’s “King Charles,” reminded her colleague that he could have called Colbert back and told him he had yet to receive the results.
“Couldn’t he have done that?” King said to the audience in a lighthearted shaming of Barkley.
Finally, the Round Mound of Rebound bounced a mea culpa Colbert’s way.
“I apologize for not calling you back,” Barkley said as the two reached out for a conciliatory handshake.
“See, we can shake hands now,” the retired hoops star gushed.
Colbert, ever the comedian, squeezed on hand sanitizer.
Fast-forward to 1:20 for the pandemic flashback:
For the record, Barkley announced he had tested negative for the virus later that March.
He set off the drama on March 12, a day after the NBA shut down amid player Rudy Gobert testing positive and the World Health Organization’s official declaration that the globe was in the grips of a pandemic. An under-the-weather Barkley called in sick to TNT and got tested.
“I’m just kind of in limbo right now. I’m hoping, I’m really hoping, it was just a bug,” Barkley said at the time.
Colbert was hoping the same thing.
Support HuffPost
The Stakes Have Never Been Higher
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Our News, Politics and Culture teams invest time and care working on hard-hitting investigations and researched analyses, along with quick but robust daily takes. Our Life, Health and Shopping desks provide you with well-researched, expert-vetted information you need to live your best life, while HuffPost Personal, Voices and Opinion center real stories from real people.
Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way.
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. A vibrant democracy is impossible without well-informed citizens. This is why HuffPost’s journalism is free for everyone, not just those who can afford expensive paywalls.
We cannot do this without your help. Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a vibrant democracy is impossible without well-informed citizens. This is why we keep our journalism free for everyone, even as most other newsrooms have retreated behind expensive paywalls.
Our newsroom continues to bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes on one of the most consequential elections in recent history. Reporting on the current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly — and we need your help.
Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month.
