NBA Legend Charles Barkley Jokes About Losing Weight for the Hora at His Daughter’s Jewish Wedding
by Shiryn Ghermezian
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has lost weight to make sure guests at his daughter’s upcoming wedding to a Jewish entrepreneur can lift him up on a chair during the hora, he joked on Tuesday night.
The 6-foot-5 former professional basketball player, 58, told Jimmy Kimmel on his talk show, “I’ve been really working out hard because apparently they’ve got to pick me up in a chair” for the traditional Jewish dance. The “Inside the NBA” analyst added, “Listen, I need all Jewish people on deck, brother. Cause I can only get so skinny by Saturday, man. It’s like I’m a soldier, all hands on deck.”
Cristiana Barkley — Barkley’s only daughter with wife Maureen Blumhardt — is marrying Ilya Hoffman, founder of the digital marketing company DemandByte, on Saturday.
Barkley said he’s “so excited” about the upcoming nuptials and that he gets along with the groom’s family, telling Kimmel, “I love his family. They’re amazing people. They’ve been living in Long Island for a long time and it’s gonna be a welcome addition to my family.”
The ex-NBA player also talked about the father-daughter dance he has planned for Saturday and receiving wedding gifts from his co-workers, “Inside the NBA” host Ernie Johnson and NBA champions Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.