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“2% milk saved my life”: When Shaquille O’Neal lost a bet to Charles Barkley on whether or not he could handle a Carolina Reaper

Samir Mehdi
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“Shaquille O’Neal really put a knocked out Charles Barkley on his T-shirt": Lakers legend emulates Muhammed Ali by poking fun at the NBAonTNT host

Shaquille O’Neal bet Charles Barkley that he could handle the spice of a Carolina Reaper pepper and hilariously lost as he started to excessively cough. 

Shaquille O’Neal has made a name for himself in the spice department of entertainment these past few years. One of the most iconic ‘Hot Ones’ appearances has got to be when the ‘Big Aristotle’ himself sat across Sean Evans to take down the 10 levels of spicy wings that conquered so many over the years. 

It’s safe to say that Shaquille O’Neal was not all too proficient at eating any wings that were dipped in sauce that was rated at over 10,000 Scoville units. His appearance on ‘Hot Ones’ even produced one of the funnier memes of that year as it saw him coughing up a storm and a still-shot from this was used all over social media.

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Prior to Shaq taking to ‘Hot Ones’ however, he tried to test his spice tolerance on NBAonTNT, even making a bet with Charles Barkley in the process. 

Shaquille O’Neal loses a bet to Charles Barkley on whether or not he would make a face while eating the Carolina Reaper chip. 

The ‘One Chip’ challenge saw people from around the world biting into a chip that was flavored with the Carolina Reaper pepper. This pepper in particular has a Scoville rating of around 1.5 million and Shaquille O’Neal decided to try it out on air on NBAonTNT. 

Ernie Johnson proposed the idea and in a moment of sheer confidence, Shaq bet with Charles Barkley that could down the chip without even making a face. As expected, the bite caused him to immediately cough and then tear up, resulting in him removing a bit of his clothing and walking off set.

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When asked about how he dealt with it, he said, “2% milk saved my life,” as we all know that drinking water only worsens the effects of eating something spicy. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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