Return to Transcripts main page

CNN This Morning

Net's Star Remains Suspended After Antisemitic Film Controversy; Charles Barkley: The NBA Dropped The Ball On Kyrie Irving; Christina Applegate Makes First Appearance Since MS Diagnosis. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired November 15, 2022 - 8:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:30:00]

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we should also point out something else for full transparency. Some of the information in this story was gleaned from CNN Contributor Bakari Sellers. Sellers who is an attorney is also representing Hops but still very disturbing to watch. Caitlin.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Martin, thank you for that update.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: So up next we're going to speak with Charles Barkley about hate in America among other things. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So we have a lot to talk about this morning with Charles Barkley but first NBA star Kyrie Irving has yet to return to the Brooklyn Nets after the team suspended him for posting a link on Twitter about a documentary that has been criticized as being anti- Semitic.

The suspension was handed down after Irving initially refused to apologize and defended his decision to post the link. This is what NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley had to say before Irving was suspended.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES BARKLEY, ANALYST NBA ON TNT: I think the NBA dropped the ball.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In what way?

BARKLEY: I think he should have been suspended. I think Adams should have suspended him. First of all, Adams' Jewish. You can't take my $40 million and insult my religion. You're going to insult me, you have the right but I have the right to say no, you're not going to take my $40 million and insult my religion. I think the NBA, they've made a mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:35:00]

LEMON: So joining us now basketball legend, NBA Analyst, Mr. Charles Barkley. Good morning to you, sir. Really appreciate you joining us.

BARKLEY: Of course, Don, thank you. Thank you guys for having me.

LEMON: Why so outspoken especially when it comes to this issue, you know, even as a someone who is - you're covering sports, but you're speaking out about issues that have to do with culture, and society. Why so outspoken about this?

BARKLEY: Well, Don, I don't like that word outspoken, because I hope anybody who sees racism in any form whatsoever, just stand up, whether he is a black person, a Hispanic person, a Jewish person. Asian, Asian hates going a big deal in this country right now. So anybody should try to do the right thing.

If you see something wrong when it comes to race, or homophobic or sexist, you should always say something. So - and I'm always going to do that. I don't care about the repercussions. If I see something wrong happening done, I'm going to say something.

LEMON: How do you think the league should deal with it? Because listen, he's still on suspension. But how do you think the league should deal with it? The reason I ask is because, you know, everyone is speaking out about it. Kyrie Irving is facing, you know what he's facing. But the league let him go for a long time. They - they sort of are forcing him to apologize. But what if these are his real beliefs? Should they be dealing with that as well?

Maybe they have someone who actually believes these things. I'm not saying it's right, instead of forcing him to apologize. Maybe they should be dealing with that, that part of it.

BARKLEY: I'd say that's a great question, Don. People have the right to feel or say what they want to. We have freedom of speech, but there are repercussions when you say certain things. Listen, I don't know Kyrie Irving. I don't know if he's a good guy or bad guy. I think he's been suspended, rightfully so. And I think he should come back and play in the NBA.

But you know, that's a really slippery slope because, you know, people always talk about freedom of speech, freedom of - in fact you say whatever you want to, but there are repercussions. I mean, and he's, he's paying for that right now. But this thing where free speech is really gotten out of hand, Don. I mean, you just can't go around insulting people and think it's OK, just because it's freedom of speech.

LEMON: Well, people say, well, listen, if I don't get to say what I say it's cancel culture. And I don't know if you - you probably do not agree with that.

BARKLEY: You know, I'm not - I don't like to use the term Cancel culture, because I don't want anybody canceled but you should be called to the carpet if you said something wrong. You know, I don't believe somebody should lose their job or things like that. But you just - you should be called out if you said something stupid. Hey, I've been called out many times, I have no problem with that. But I hate the term Cancel Culture, because very few people are canceled. Let's be honest and realistic.

COLLINS: Yes, that's a - that's a good point.

LEMON: Can I ask something real quick that I didn't think to do. Maybe you didn't see it so you might not be able to answer. Did you see SNL? Did you see Dave Chappelle, his monologue?

BARKLEY: I did not. But I - listen, let me just say this. I'm a Dave Chappelle fan. I have a really strict line on racism, sexism, homophobic, things like that. It's just wrong. It's nothing to joke about. It's a very serious. You know, Don, it's crazy. I'm almost 60 years old. And I grew up in Alabama, you know, and obviously, I know about Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham, things like that, to still be having a racial conversation, 60 years later.

And we're debating whether people have the right to say it and joke about it. It's really, it makes - it just makes me sad. It makes me - makes me mad. But it really just makes me sad that 60 years later, we're still saying having a racial conversation 60 years later.

LEMON: And almost - look, almost a decade ago, I do have to say and then I'll let you guys jump in here because I don't want to hog this conversation. One of the first people to contact me after I came out was this man, right here. And that was over a decade ago. So these issues are really important and you always stand up for people's individual rights.

BARKLEY: Well, you know, Don, first of all, I one thing that always has disturbed me as a black person, which really bothers me about the Kyrie Irving situation, and the Kanye West situation. First of all, being black in America is already hard enough. And for us to go at other ethnic groups just makes things worse because it's hard enough being black.

And one thing has always disappointed me. Black people treat gay people. We are the worst when it comes to treating gay people. And that's one thing growing up, it really always bothers me and I want to reach out to you and all my gay friends, all my transgender friends and tell you man, I got (inaudible) love and respect for you.

[08:40:00]

I want you to be you. And I wanted you to know that that day because I understand being black what it's like being gay because you get mistreated, and it's really unfortunate and sad and stupid to be honest with you.

COLLINS: Charles, you mentioned your home state of Alabama. We both share that.

LEMON: Thank you for that by the way. Sorry.

COLLINS: Yes, that's really - that's lovely, I'm glad you pointed that out. Obviously, you're an Auburn fan. I'm an Alabama fan. So we disagree there. But you live in Arizona now. And I wonder what you make of the election results that we've been talking about this morning and what happened in the state that you live in now?

BARKLEY: Well, Kaitlan, number one, I don't want to talk about Auburn right now, it's a very touchy subject right now.

COLLINS: I don't want to talk about Alabama so that's fine.

LEMON: Let's talk about LSU. But sorry, go on. Sorry.

BARKLEY: Yes, you know, it's been very interesting watching the results. You know, it's been frustrating. So Kari Lake, I don't know, Kari Lake that well but I've met her quite a few times. She's always been cordial, friendly, just a great lady. What has happened to her the last few years has been very frustrating and disappointing to me because all these election deniers, like, are they - are they only saying election's legit if they win?

LEMON: Yes.

BARKLEY: That's the thing that's frustrating for me, like Republican going to say, unless we win it their election was stolen, is that the motto we're going to have for the rest of history? If they don't win an election that was stolen? And that was the thing that bothered me the most about watching Kari, like I say, she's always been great to me. She was always a nice lady.

But what I've seen in the last few years, it's just really disappointing because this thing that unless Republicans, and let's say, I am an independent, I vote for whoever the hell I want to vote for. I'm an independent. But this notion that unless Republicans win, the election is stolen. We can't go on like that. That's just really sad.

LEMON: Did you know Oz? Did you know Dr. Oz?

BARKLEY: I know who he is. And I was watching that, because I feel - Don, I got to tell you how crazy my life is. I work in Atlanta. So between the Az and Warnock and Herschel. I live in Philadelphia during the summer between Dr. Az, Dr. Az, I call him and Mr. Fetterman, and then I live in Arizona. So - all the three States that I live in and work in, I have been bombarded with silliness. I'm so glad - well, unfortunately, still got the run off down here in Georgia.

But I live in the three craziest states whatsoever. It's been crazy for the last six months. And I'm so glad it's over.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Not over in Georgia, by the way. You said - you said few years ago to our colleague and friend, David Axelrod, that you were disgusted with politics and the political process. That was 2018. And I just wonder how you get - yes, that's right. I'm glad. Thanks to whoever gave you the towel. That's very kind. But how do you feel about it now? Because I'm just interested in your politics.

I mean, I remember you were saying in 2016, that you would maybe vote for John Kasich. So what do you think of politics now? BARKLEY: Well, John Kasich is actually the only Republican I've ever voted for Poppy.

HARLOW: Yes.

BARKLEY: But I am, I am disgusted with our politics, you got to vote one way or the other. You got to have the House of majority and all this stuff. Listen, man, these are actually real people out here. There's nobody who disagrees on every subject. These people are elected to try to make things better.

The notion that you got to have every Republican vote, every Democratic vote is a flat out joke. Listen, I can walk up to somebody who's a Democrat or Independent, whatever. We don't disagree on every subject. And these politicians, they have ruined our country. They have ruined our country. This is the greatest place in the world.

And the notion that we have to vote one way or the other on every subject, I just feel sad, but because let's be realistic, it's not going to have any effect upon my life. I'm not going to get on my soapbox in, whoever the president, who's a senator has zero effect upon my life. But I feel bad for everyday people. Because these people because of the pandemic, inflation, crime, these people need real help out there.

And our politicians aren't helping at all.

HARLOW: Well, for you've been a big ally of the LGBTQ plus community for a long time. We were talking about it earlier, things that politicians can do to protect people and help people look at like the Senate this week is going to take up codifying same sex marriage. The fact they feel like they have to do this after the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs but your - your thoughts on that because that means a lot to a lot of folks.

[08:45:00]

BARKLEY: Well, I think a couple of things. Number one, gay marriage should be legal. If people want to get married, that's their own business, not ours. And listen, this debate, I don't get into debate whether somebody chooses to be gay. Listen, I don't think anybody chooses to be gay because you don't want to, the scrutiny and the hate and things that go on.

I think the first thing our politicians need to do whether you're gay, Asian, Black, Hispanic women, any form of hate crime, should be met with severity. I mean, serious consequences. That's the first and we shouldn't be having these to be any form of hate and 2022 should be severely dealt with. And that, to me, would be a really great start, whether it's President Biden, who's going to be the next president, whoever say, any form of hate crime, you're going to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

And that would be a great starting point. COLLINS: On that front. Charles, I know you've weighed in on Brittney Griner, you've said it's troubling, you should just move to a Russian penal colony as part of her nine year sentence. I wonder what you would say to someone, a young basketball player who would approach you and ask you because a lot of them go overseas to supplement their salaries.

You know, what would your advice be given seeing what's happened to Brittney Griner?

BARKLEY: Well, I want to wish Brittney, we all think about her. I want to bless her and her wife and let her know that we're thinking about him. I think you know, Kaitlan, I would say this man is crazy, as screwed up as America is, is still the greatest place in the world by far. I mean, this is, like I say this place is not perfect. It's not close to perfect.

But you see what's happening in Russia, you see that the thing going on with Ukraine, and you see all the other dictators around the country. Hey, you just like man, we're so lucky and blessed to be born in America. You can say and it goes back, and obviously we crossed the line. You can say whatever the hell you want to say in America. In other countries, you just disappear. So I tell people, man, let's just try to make the United States better. But this is the best place in the world by far. But man, it's really a shame what's happening to Brittney. It's really sad. I feel for her and her wife. And - but listen, you're dealing with a crazy person over there. And there's nothing we can do about it because he's going to do what the hell he wants to do.

LEMON: This is why we love watching you and I'm going to play it right now. And then we're going to get your response here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARKLEY: These two games tonight have been spectacular.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, that's not exactly but -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Spell it. Spell it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He can spell spectacular.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, he can't. $10,000.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Spell it.

UNIDENTIFIED Male: Spot the S and the P.

UNIDENTIFIED Male: No you can't Ernie. He was going to say it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $10,000.

BARKLEY: I'll have to write it. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No spell it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, you can't.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Spell it.

UNIDENTIFIED Male: No, it's wrong, wrong, wrong.

BARKLEY: S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know what you're going to tell me.

UNIDENTIFIED Male: it's wrong, tell him what you wrote.

BARKLEY: S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R. That's it. I got this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Charles, I texted you this morning. I said I'm so glad you're coming on, spectacular. I was like did he even get it? Did you get it?

HARLOW: Did you get paid?

BARKLEY: I did.

LEMON: Did you get the money?

BARKLEY: I have not gotten paid yet. I have not got my $10,000 yet.

LEMON: I wish I had known that.

BARKLEY: Hey Kaitlan.

COLLINS: Yes.

BARKLEY: I just want to know, Kaitlan that said - that's an Auburn education right there. you all know how to spell that.

COLLINS: Yes, that's what they teach you on day one to get into Alabama. Spectacular.

LEMON: I wish I had known that. I spoke with Shaq.

COLLINS: My dad's going to love that.

LEMON: I spoke with Shaq and he didn't even mention that. I wish I had known.

HARLOW: That he has to pay up.

LEMON: Now he's got - now, he's got to pay up. Are you going to demand that he pays up for this?

BARKLEY: You know what, I actually have forgot about that. I want to thank you guys for reminding me about that.

COLLINS: Oh my God.

LEMON: Oh my God. Hey Charles, you're the best man.

HARLOW: Love you.

LEMON: We can only hope to emulate what - on this show what you guys do, the camaraderie you have, the chemistry you have. It says - you just - you guys just flow. You just talk. That's what you do. And it's great. It's really, really great.

BARKLEY: Well, thank you. Thank you. Hey, good luck with the new show guys. Poppy, you know I love you to death. Don, you know, I love you like a brother. Hey, Kaitlan, I haven't met you yet personally, but I just got a couple of words for you. (inaudible)

LEMON: I almost said something bad.

HARLOW: We'll see you in a few months, Chuck if not sooner. See you hun.

LEMON: See you later. Thank you. By the way the worst hangover ever had was after I spent an evening with Charles Barkley.

[08:50:00]

HARLOW: They were talking about this in the commercial and he's like you only live once. There's that.

LEMON: Yes. So you can see Charles tonight with the rest of the NBA on TNT crew when and - NBA TNT crew when the Memphis Grizzlies take on the New Orleans Pelicans. Also join us tomorrow to hear my conversation with Charles broadcast brother Shaquille O'Neal.

HARLOW: Who's going to pay him 10K.

LEMON: That was good. That's the moment. That was awesome.

HARLOW: Oh, that was so cute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HALOW: I love her films so much. Christina Applegate is the latest Star to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and she celebrated the moment she's always dreamed of.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE, ACTRESS: I have had a really interesting life. But the life started as being a little girl, waiting in line to see the first Star Wars on this very street at that very theater and looking at these things going, who are these people? What did they do? Did they do something right? Did they do something wrong? Whatever it is, I want one and I was five years old.

[08:55:00] So this day means more to me than you could possibly imagine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Well, that was her first public appearance and she revealed last year that she has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She got emotional, the star thanked everyone through this remarkable 40 year career. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

APPLEGATE: The most important person in this world is my daughter. You are so much more. You are so much more than even you know. You are so beautiful and kind and loving and smart and interesting. And I am blessed every day that I get to wake up and take you to your school and do what I - you're my everything. Thank you for standing beside me through all of this. Oh, by the way, I have a disease.

Anyway. Did you not notice? I'm not even wearing shoes. Anyhoo, you're supposed to laugh at that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: A mother's love.

LEMON: Yes, that was really great. I will always remember her since Kelly.

HARLOW: Yes. Don't tell mom, the babysitter's dead. Such a great movie.

LEMON: I love Married with children. It's my favorite.

HARLOW: I'm so happy for her. That was beautiful. All right, thanks. We'll see you back here tomorrow. CNN Newsroom is now.

LEMON: Think we can repeat today?

COLLINS: Yes.

LEMON: Today was awesome.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)