Shaquille O’Neal has always stated that humor is his brand. Even at times when professional athletes try to portray an image that fits their on-court personality, Shaq has always kept comedy and humor close to his heart.
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The Los Angeles Lakers legend has helped countless comedians by providing them with a platform through his All-Stars festivals. Comedian Desi Banks thanked Shaq for doing the same for him. However, Banks also berated the four-time NBA Champion for not attending his shows.
Shaq used to make regular appearances on comedy shows, roasts, etc. Known for his remarkable sense of humor, Diesel never hesitated to put himself in tough spots around comedians who make fun of people and situations for a living. Shaq was one of the biggest draws on one of the biggest roasts Comedy Central ever did on Justin Bieber.
But Banks claims that despite all the help Shaq provided, he never actually went to any of his shows.
The comedian said, “You put me on your show, Shaq’s All-Stars, in Vegas, Super Bowl and you did not come to…I did two of your shows and you wasn’t there.” Interestingly, Shaq claimed that he was there, which is a little hard to believe because he is not easy to overlook in a crowd.
Banks kept pressing him on this topic by stating that if he was actually there, he’d be seated in the front row, and hence visible to the performer on stage, which wasn’t the case.
Despite all the confrontations, Shaq maintained that he was there and even complimented Banks for putting up great shows. When he was asked to tell his favorite joke, The Big Aristotle said that he couldn’t recall any. Regardless of this dispute, it’s undeniable that Shaq has had a massive imprint on the comedy scene in the US.
As Banks mentioned, Shaq’s All-Star Comedy Jam helped launch his career. But way before Banks was able to get the boost he required, Shaq provided a platform for one of modern comedy’s biggest icons, Kevin Hart.
Shaq helped Kevin Hart at the beginning of his career
The All-Star Comedy Jam, presented by Shaq has stood the test of time through various artists it helped during its run. Shaq merged his love for comedy and the unsurmountable fame he garnered during his time in the NBA to create a perfect platform that acted as a launching pad for so many comedians.
Arguably, the biggest name to come out of it was Kevin Hart. Before his Comedy Jam gig, Hart was doing a lot of shows and movies, but he didn’t have the attention that his comedic talent deserved.
After performing at the All-Star Comedy Jam, his career took off and today he’s known as a modern-day comedic rockstar who sells out football stadiums for his shows. Other than him, Shaq is friends with a lot of other comedians and often uses his platform to give a shoutout to those who he is a fan of. Shaq also likes to tell jokes himself, a hint of which can be seen in his role on the TNT show.
