Charles Barkley is at it again. During his appearance at the Capital One JamFest at the 2025 NCAA March Madness Music Festival, the Hall of Famer and Inside the NBA co-host gave an energetic shoutout to San Antonio—only to double down on his long-running, controversial joke about the city’s women.
“You are a great city. I love Gregg Popovich and the Spurs. No seriously, San Antonio, you put on a major, major great show. I want to say this, thank you thank you and yes, y’all got some big b*tches here.”
Charles Barkley doubles down on his stance about the size of women from San Antonio and tells a crowd at the Capital One JamFest in San Antonio, “Y’all got some big b*tches here.” pic.twitter.com/mDxR3sFitH
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) April 8, 2025
The crowd roared with a mix of gasps and laughter. The remark instantly revived a polarizing debate that has followed Barkley for over a decade. For many, it was classic Chuck—uncensored, bold, and brash. But for others, it was another reminder of how Barkley’s jokes about San Antonio’s women have aged like milk.
The saga goes back years. Barkley has frequently poked fun at San Antonio women during TNT broadcasts, often tying his comments into Spurs games. The jokes became so consistent that fans started wearing T-shirts referencing Barkley’s jabs. Some locals found the humor light-hearted; others, particularly members of the media and advocacy groups, have criticized him for body-shaming.
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In 2021, Barkley revealed on a Washington D.C. radio show that TNT producers had asked him to stop making jokes about San Antonio women. “They won’t even let me talk about San Antonio anymore,” Barkley said at the time.
Despite the restrictions placed on him during official broadcasts, Barkley hasn’t entirely let go of the bit. In 2023, after the Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama, Barkley cracked, “He won’t have to worry about being skinny in San Antonio.”
That quip alone set social media ablaze, with many wondering if Barkley had any intention of retiring the infamous routine.
This time, Barkley’s comments were made off the TNT airwaves—at a live music festival—giving him more leeway to be unfiltered. And of course, he used it. Once again, fans are split.
Some argue Barkley’s style is outdated and tone-deaf, especially in a media landscape more sensitive to issues of body image and public decency. Others defend him, saying that it’s “just jokes” and point to the crowd’s laughter as proof that he hasn’t lost his charm.
What remains undeniable is that Barkley’s relationship with San Antonio is one of a kind. It’s a strange mix of affection and roasting, and the city has become a consistent target of his humor—whether people like it or not.
For better or worse, Charles Barkley has made his brand on being unapologetically himself. And even when warned to drop a joke, he just can’t resist a callback to San Antonio.
