“Not the Guy Who is Sneaking Out the Back Door”: When Shaquille O’Neal Bluntly Challenged the Narrative of Celebrities Having Trouble at Public Places

Despite achieving insurmountable fame, Shaquille O’Neal isn’t sneaky with his ways and doesn’t shy away from engaging with the public. In his 2011 autobiography, Shaq Uncut, the big fella revealed why he doesn’t hide from the public eye and doesn’t keep it low-key, like most celebrities. He touched upon his unwillingness to be a ‘’shut-in”. In fact, during his Orlando Magic days, he used to blast the music at full volume and people used to learn from a distance that Shaq is around.

In his 2011 memoir, co-authored by Jackie MacMullan, he wrote,

“I had two Rotweillers, Shaz and Thor, and I used to walk them all over town. I wasn’t going to be a shut-in just because suddenly I was famous. One day I was driving my new SUV and I had the music blasting and they could hear me coming from five miles away. Boom da boom da boom, must be Shaq.”

Then the big fella recalled how some guys who “weren’t half-bad” were having fun hooping around Turkey Lake Park. Upon seeing those hoopers, he departed from his car and played with them for half an hour. As someone who “liked talking with people” regularly, Shaq described how people had ‘their tongues back in their mouths’ when they learned that they were interacting with one of the best NBA players. Then he went into how despite having such a celebrity status, he would never take the route of avoiding people.

“It’s hard for celebrities to get around. That’s what you always hear. Well, it’s only as hard as you make it. I’m a people person, so I like to be out and about. It’s what makes me happy. I’m not the guy who is sneaking out the back door. Never,” expressed Shaq in Shaq Uncut.

It is this endearing methodology of O’Neal that has made him one of the most likeable celebrities. He doesn’t miss out on an opportunity to bring smiles to people. And he certainly likes bringing them to children.

Shaquille O’Neal loves making dreams come true

Shaq’s mother Lucille O’Neal has played a huge role in how Shaq behaves with others. He considers her words biblical and would never want to offend her. Therefore, when his mother wanted him to become Santa for kids and distribute gifts, he agreed to her wishes. He started an annual tradition called “Shaq-A-Clause”. During the build-up to Christmas in 2023, Shaq showed up at Wesley Lakes Elementary Kids school and helped them buy a ton of gifts including toys and meals so that they could have a “magical experience” around Christmas.

But it’s not just these planned events where Shaq likes to perform such heartwarming actions. There are numerous examples of the “people’s person” buying stuff for random strangers. In one of the instances in 2023, he bought a washer and dryer for a family. Apart from that, he clicked selfies and also played with children to make a memorable day for the family. 

These events sum up that apart from his size, O’Neal also has a big heart. As someone who doesn’t shy away from being in public, he is an approachable figure. After earning a lot of money, he has learned that he has to give back to people, and in that regard, there are only a few people who can compare to Shaquille O’Neal.