(ThyBlackMan.com) Charles Barkley in drag? Say it ain’t so.
To many Charles Barkley, the iconic former basketball player for the NBA will soon be donning a dress and wig across America’s airwaves. Why you might ask? Has he gone and lost his mind like another fellow NBA baller. “Sir Charles” Barkley will be seen modeling a black basic dress (every woman’s must have) and curly wig for an upcoming Weight Watchers Commercial.
Unlike Dennis Rodman who has been spotted in drag on several occasions, there appears to be a reason behind what may look like madness to some. Charles Barkley will lend his popularity to the new Weight Watchers Lose It Like a Man ad campaign. Charles Barkley is helping to get the idea across that dropping weight using Weight Watchers is not only for women, but also for 
men. The goal is to let men know that Weight Watchers can work for them also.
Barkley has said that he gained about 100 pounds since retiring from his NBA basketball career in 2000. Charles Barkley says he blames his weight purely on being a lazy ass and eating junk food. But after a visit from his doctor he was warned to lose the weigh or end up with diabetes, a stroke or worst. That revelation caused him to get his act together. So he has begun to work at getting the pounds off. With the help of Weight Watchers the goal is to show other men that losing weight using the Weight Watchers system is a good thing.
Charles Barkley realized that his obesity was gravely affecting his health. Barkley however, is one of hundreds of thousands of African American men that are obese. Poor diet, being overweight and the lack of exercise can increases a black man’s chance for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and different types of cancer.
Charles Barkley is not the only black celebrity that has dealt with obesity. Reggie White, the Hall of Fame defensive end died of cardiac arrhythmia and sleep apnea Christmas 2004. Patrice O’Neal, a well-known comedian in the New York area and seen on the Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen passed away due to stroke after a long battle with diabetes at the age of 41.
Chester McGlockton, the defensive tackle with the Oakland Raiders, died of an apparent heart attack. McGlockton was only 42 and at one point in his career he weighed in at 335 pounds.
Rapper Heavy D, Dwight Arrington Myers died November 8th 2011 due to pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung and deep leg vein thrombosis. He also had arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and died at the age of 44.
Doctors are saying that obesity is a full-blown crisis in the black community and specifically among black men. Studies have shown that African American adults are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure. In 2008, African Americans were 30% more likely to die from heart disease, as compared to non-Hispanic white men. African American women are 1.6 times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to have high blood pressure.
Charles Barkley’s Weight Watchers Lose It Like a Man advertisements start April 8th.
Staff Writer; Eleanie Campbell
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