Live! with Kelly & Michael: Shaquille O’Neal
Kelly Ripa vanishes next to the seven foot tall Shaquille O’Neal. That didn’t stop her from trying to hold back Michael Strahan. Earlier in the day, Shaq broke into Michael’s dressing room and smashed his coveted karaoke trophy. The audience voted in October 2012 that Strahan had a better karaoke than Shaq, but he’s not giving it up without a fight. He performed in full Prince regalia the last time and Kelly Ripa wondered how many Barney costumes died to make those pants.
Shaquille O’Neal said that the reason his career took off was LSU Coach Dale Brown’s encouragement. He’s now looking at a promising comedy career. (Karen Struthers / Shutterstock.com)
Shaq and Strahan made a pact to have a rematch next time.
Shaquille O’Neal Inducted Into Hall of Fame in Louisiana
Shaq was inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame last month. He went to college and played basketball for LSU. Shaq said he met Coach Dale Brown at age 13. He was not a good basketball player at the time and didn’t think he would ever be good enough to play professionally.
Brown came to speak at the army base where he was living with his family. After everyone left the gym, Shaq asked Coach Brown for workouts to improve his lower body.
Kelly & Michael: Teenage Shaq
“He said, ‘Sure, soldier, how long you been in the Army?'”Shaq remembered. “I said, ‘I’m not in the Army. I’m only 13.’ He was crazy. ‘WHAT!'”
At 13, Shaquille O’Neal was 6’10”. He said he was unable to dunk a basketball he was so bad. He said he was never picked on base when they lived in Germany. He thought that his future was to be in the Army like his dad. He used to walk to the mailbox in the winter and finds letters of encouragement from Dale Brown. As soon as he returned to the states, everyone wanted a piece of Shaq. He chose LSU because of their continued support of him and his career.
It’s really a great story of encouraging kids and helping them reach their potential.
Grown Ups 2: Shaquille O’Neal Shows Comedic Talent
When Adam Sandler came on Live! with Kelly & Michael to promote Grown Ups 2, he said he was blown away by how funny Shaq is. He said that trained comedians and stand up artists were jealous of how funny Shaq is. O’Neal said he was really terrified coming into the movie. These comedians were intimidating so he imagined them as his professional basketball opponents and used that to break through the fear.
This role was supposed to be a cameo, but Sandler and Shaq are good friends. Adam Sandler has put Shaq in three movies, and this role really tops them all. He also did his own stunts for the film. He couldn’t imagine how anybody could be his stuntman, but Michael Strahan offered to shave his head and wear stilts.
Grown Ups 2 is now in theaters.
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