Metro Atlanta resident and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal says he’s done being called a “celebrity,” because of the way they treat people.
“These people are out of their freaking mind, how they treat people, what they do, what they say,” O’Neal told the New York Post.
Shaquille O’Neal Denounces His Celebrity-Ness
As a result, O’Neal says he doesn’t want to be called a celebrity anymore. “That’s never been me. I never want to be looked at like that.”
He did acknowledge that many celebrities get stereotyped, but he also said, “Most celebrities get stereotyped because most of them are out of their damn mind.”
“I don’t want to do that. I’m a regular person that listened, followed his dreams, made it,” he adds. “But just because I made it doesn’t mean I bigger than you. Just because I made it doesn’t mean I smarter than you. Just because I have more money than you, doesn’t mean that I’m better than you.”
Shaq said he’s never been that way and never will be. “I don’t want to be in that category with those people,” he says.
So how far is O’Neal willing to go with it? Talking to the Post, he says, “I denounce my celebrity-ness today. I’m done with it.”
O’Neal has always been a man of the people. Now, living in Henry County, Georgia, about 25 minutes outside Atlanta, O’Neal continues to work with TNT on its NBA content while making incredible business moves.
He owns the iconic Krispy Kreme doughnut shop on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown Atlanta and has taken an executive position with Papa John’s. But he’s still a humble person at heart.
===========================================================================
Atlanta has a lot of inspirational people and AtlantaFi.com is going to introduce you to many of them as well as cool places to go, great restaurants and other ATL happenings.
Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? Holla: CJ@AtlantaFi.com. See what’s poppin’ in the ATL! Subscribe to our news alerts here, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.