Charles Barkley calls solar eclipse viewers ‘losers’

Charles Barkley had no interest in Monday’s total solar eclipse, one of the most anticipated events of 2024.

The Basketball Hall of Famer labeled anyone who stood outside to watch the total solar eclipse —
which won’t occur in the U.S. until March 30, 2033 — a “loser” during the Turner broadcast of the NCAA men’s national championship game on Monday.

“Were y’all some of them losers standing outside watching that [the eclipse] today?” Barkley asked his co-hosts Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Clark Kellogg and Jay Wright.

“They’re not losers,” Johnson said, to which Barkley replied: “Yes they are. Hey, we’ve all seen darkness before. Stop it.”

Smith added, “Not in the daylight.”

“Come on, Chuckster. Don’t hate on the eclipse,” Johnson said.

“Well I’m not going to sit outside like an idiot and wait on the darkness,” Barkley responded. “I could’ve waited… It’s going to be dark when you go outside.”

Barkley had a good laugh from Glendale, Ariz., where UConn became repeat champions in a 75-60 win over Purdue.

The path of totality did not include Arizona.

Millions in North America witnessed a partial eclipse on Monday when the total solar eclipse expanded from Mexico’s Pacific Coast across North America — hitting 15 U.S. states and pulling itself all the way to the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The next total solar eclipse will take place on Aug. 12, 2026, and totality will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small slice of Portugal.