Shaquille O’Neal has no interest in being famous.
The four-time NBA champion is one of the most recognizable people on the planet, but that doesn’t mean he wants to be a celebrity. In fact, he thinks most celebrities aren’t great people when it comes to their treatment of others. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Shaq is retiring from celebrity status: “These celebrities are going freaking crazy and I don’t want to be one. I denounce my celebrity-ness today.” https://t.co/le8qY09j5S pic.twitter.com/e5OfzrcUyJ
— New York Post (@nypost) September 26, 2021
Shaq told the New York Post the following:
These celebrities are going freaking crazy and I don’t want to be one. I denounce my celebrity-ness today. I’m done with it. I don’t want to be in that category. Celebrities are crazy, they really are. Don’t call me that anymore. These people are out of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That’s never been me. I never want to be looked at like that…I came from nothing. But, just because I made it doesn’t mean I’m bigger than you, smarter than you — just because I have more money doesn’t mean I’m better than you. I’ve never been that way and I never will be that way. So I don’t want to be in that category of people.
This is the kind of honesty and authenticity that makes Shaq such an awesome guy. Most famous people are incredibly fake.
Trust me, I can tell you from firsthand experience that lots of people with a sizable following are nothing like you’d assume.
They’re living with their heads in the clouds and they all think they’re extra special.
“My motto lately is it could be worse, and that could be you.”
Shaq says he goes into stores looking for moms to help out. In this moment, he said he saw a mom at the register who couldn’t afford school laptops for her kids. Shaq stepped up and said, “I got you.” 👏❤️ pic.twitter.com/kjynu2GKnH
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 22, 2021
Guys like Shaq and Matthew McConaughey are just focused on living life and helping others, and that’s why people love them so much.
You simply can’t put a price on being a good person who is authentic to their core. They’re rare traits these days, but Shaq is certainly one of the good guys.
He regularly goes out of his way to help the less fortunate.
“I’m just trying to make people smile… That’s all.”@SHAQ helped a young man out at a local jewelry store by paying for his engagement ring. pic.twitter.com/eK8n0YHGb7
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 7, 2021
Props to Shaq for being the man!