Why Charles Barkley Says ‘There’s Nobody Cheaper Than Michael Jordan’
Over the years, many celebrities have gained a reputation for either being a great or a terrible tipper. NBA Hall of Famer and current basketball analyst Charles Barkley is known to tip very well, and he has no problem calling out some other superstars who do not tip that way.
For example, several years back Barkley was a guest on Late Night with Conan O’Brien when the host said to him, “You are famous not just among athletes but celebrities in general as being a great tipper.”
Barkley stated that he believes, “The waiters, the waitresses, the blackjack dealers, they work extremely hard. They don’t get a great salary. The more successful you are, the more you should tip.”
O’Brien then asked Barkley, “Who are the cheapest guys you hung out with?”
The former NBA player replied, “There’s nobody cheaper than Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan … [Jordan] is cheap.”
Barkley then relayed a story about how he gave homeless people money and Jordan smacked his hand and said, “If they can ask you for spare change, then they can say ‘Welcome to McDonald’s, can I help you please? ‘”
Jordan has long had a reputation for being a stingy tipper, which was famously highlighted when Wayne Gretzky replaced a $5 chip the NBA GOAT left for a cocktail waitress at a Las Vegas casino with a $100 chip and told MJ, “That’s how we tip in Las Vegas.”
Barkley added that Tiger Woods is “pretty cheap” too and joked, “That’s why they’re rich, they don’t tip.”
