Charles Barkley
“Charles Barkley needs to shut up,” Miami Heat superstar LeBron James effectively said of the NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst over Barkley slamming Heat teammate Dwayne Wade. Reuters

Weight Watchers spokesman Charles Barkley was caught mocking his weight loss program on air during the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks basketball game Thursday when he thought the microphone was turned off.

I've been losing two pounds a week. I'm at 38 pounds now. They come and weigh me every two. I don't ever miss a weigh-in, I'm never going to. I feel much better. But I'm not giving away no free money. I thought this was the greatest scam going - get paid to watch sports - but the Weight Watchers thing is a bigger scam, Charles Barkley told on-air colleagues Reggie Miller and Kevin Karlan while his microphone was still on.

While some fans of the weight loss program have expressed frustration at Barkley's comment, it seems the TNT sportscaster was only commenting on how the money he receives as a sponsor is a scam. He seems to have had successful results with the program.

Barkley continued to joke about losing weight on SNL late Saturday. He announced that through the program he has lost 38 pounds.

The point is, Weight Watchers worked for me. I feel great, he said on Saturday night. Except for one thing. I am so hungry. I am starving.

Weight Watchers, however, does not seem to hold his off-the-mic comments against him.

We love Charles for the same reason everyone loves Charles, he's unfiltered, Weight Watchers spokesman Matthew Bautista said in a statement. We are thrilled that he is having great success and inspiring millions of men to join him. We agree that being a spokesman for Weight Watchers is a pretty great gig.

Weight Watchers also released a statement from Barkley who is not yielding to pressures on his comments.

I meant what I said, the fact that I'm dropping pounds, getting healthier and getting paid at the same time, is my definition of a great scam. The only problem is I'm going to have to use some of the money to buy a new wardrobe, Barkley said in a statement released to USA Today.

Watch Charles Barkely's Advertisement for Weight Watchers:

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