Charles Barkley, who detests the notion of being a role model, spent his first day in the Tent City jail being one to the other inmates. It was a quite an honor bestowed upon Sir Charles, who no doubt will be given the royal treatment because of his celebrity status in the Phoenix correctional facility, where he is serving a three-day sentence for a DUI charge Dec. 31.

Already we've seen that Barkley will not be sporting the same prison attire other inmates are wearing, the striped suits normally worn by members of a chain gang or someone at a Halloween party dressed up like a convict. He got to wear comfortable Nike duds, posing for pictures and signing autographs. He looked more like someone who was visiting a friend than being a prisoner.

Barkley gets his meals delivered to him in his own private tent, the equivalent to having room service in a hotel suite. He gets a 12-hour work release, starting Sunday at 8 a.m.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio told The Associated Press that Barkley has acted like a model inmate. He hasn't spat at anyone or gotten into any scuffles. At the conclusion of Barkley's press conference Saturday, Arpaio was calling him "Chuck." It sounds like the two are buddies -- and this seems like nothing more than a publicity stunt.