Shaquille O'Neal passed up Starbucks deal because 'black people don't drink coffee'

There aren't too many products Shaquille O'Neal won't shill for a few extra bucks, but earlier this week, the former NBA great admitted to turning away from a product that might be one of the worst business decisions he ever made: Refusing an offer to team up with Starbucks.

"My agent called me up and he says 'Howard Schultz wants to do business with you,' " O'Neal told Yahoo's Graham Bensinger. "And I'm like, 'Coffee, eh.' Because growing up, in my household, I'd never seen a black person drink coffee. So it was my thought process that black people didn't drink coffee."

Schultz, Starbucks' CEO, suggested opening franchises in predominantly African-American communities with the Hall of Famer's help. 

O'Neal revealed that he grew up drinking sweet tea and hot chocolate and, at the time of the proposed business venture, O'Neal said as a principle, he only invested in things he believed in.

"No amount of money can make me endorse something I'm not 100-percent behind," O'Neal said. "So I looked the great Howard Schultz in the face, and I said, 'Black people don't drink coffee, sir. I don't think it's gonna work.' "

O'Neal said Schultz was shocked by his response.

"You should've seen his face," the retired NBA star said. 

O'Neal also thinks the decision likely cost him millions.

"That was one of my worst business decisions," he said through laughs. "Now, every time, on every corner in every city, every country, you see a Starbucks, I'm like, 'Awww.' "

And the nickname The Trenta Latte does have a nice ring to it.

Shaquille O’Neal fires social media firm that put ‘9/11 truther’ content on his blog, Facebook page: Report

You can call Shaquille O'Neal a lot of things — Superman, The Big Aristotle, Shaq Fu and Shaq Daddy to name a few — but don't ever call him a "9/11 Truther."

The retired NBA star issued a strongly worded statement Friday apologizing after an offensive post related to the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 was spotted on his personal website and Facebook page. The since-removed posts asked if 9/11 was an inside job.

"This might make you think twice ... what do you think? #NeverForget #Remember911," read the entry on Shaq's official pages. The post included a photo of one of the planes slamming into the World Trade Center with the headline: A Close Up Video was Discovered of 9/11: You Won't Believe What It Shows!

O'Neal blamed his brand marketing company for the damning post before removing it from the Internet, according to the statement published by Deadspin.

"This post was insulting and offensive, and I apologize to everyone who came across it," Shaq said. "Once I learned that it was on my Facebook page and blog, I ordered it removed and fired the firm that posted it.

"I am not and never have been a "9/11 truther." My father served our country and I am immensely proud of the sacrifices people make daily to keep us safe. The events of 9/11 were a horrible tragedy for our nation and it's a disgrace that anyone would think otherwise."

The article recieved 5,483 likes and 2,539 shares in about three hours, according to a screengrab from the New York Post — and a whole lot of political backlash.

O'Neal had been working with an online marketing and social-media company called Digital Mavericks to post content to his official sites.

The CEO of Digital Mavericks blamed a rogue employee for the post.

"Our firm helped manage content for Shaquille O'Neal's Facebook page and blog," CEO Matt Argall said, according to Deadspin. "(Thursday), one of our employees posted a link on Mr. O'Neal's social media that related to the tragic events of 9/11. Mr. O'Neal had no knowledge of the posting.

"Further, it does not represent the views of Mr. O'Neal, our clients or our organization. We sincerely apologize. We have removed the link from Mr. O'Neal's social media and no longer manage social media content for him. We are very sensitive to the tragedy of 9/11 and apologize greatly for this post."

Shaq is a busy man — with all of his broadcasting, commercial and promotional commitments — so it's easy to give The Big Patriot the benefit of a doubt.

Shaquille O'Neal takes shot at Lakers and Clippers during Justin Bieber Roast (VIDEO)

Shaquille O'Neal was a special guest for Comedy Central's Roast of Justin Bieber on Monday, and the Biebs wasn't the only one getting burnt by the former NBA star.

The former four-time NBA champion took at a shot at his old team, the Los Angeles Lakers, reminding them just how lame their starting lineup has been recently.

Shaq taking a shot at the Lakers https://t.co/R7VwrhXm6K
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) March 31, 2015

And Shaq didn't let Chris Paul, who was attending the roast, or his Los Angeles Clippers off the hook either. The big guy plainly told the All-Star point guard, "You guys suck."

Kenny Smith gets family reality TV show: Report

Putting yourself up to ridicule by pranksters Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley on TNT's Inside the NBA set is always fun and games — but bringing your whole family out, warts and all, on national television ... well, that might be another thing.

That's what former NBA star and current NBA analyst Kenny Smith is planning after it was reported that TBS green-lighted "The Smiths," a reality show in which Smith, his lovely actress/model wife, Gwendolyn Osborne-Smith (she's on "The Price Is Right"), and their blended family of five children ages 2 to 20 will appear in at least six episodes.

The series will be shot in Los Angeles and Atlanta and feature "conflicting parenting styles," "whirlwind schedules" and an "absolute madhouse"lifestyle  - "albeit a loving one," according to the show's press release.

The news release went on: "Kenny has just about everything he needs to be considered the Coolest Dad on Earth — everything that is except the ability to impress his own kids."

Sounds wacky. Throw in a loud sweater and you have a real-life version of the Huxtables. So maybe they should bring in Shaq and Sir Charles to give it it a little Bundy family edge.

"The Smiths'' is set to launch in the spring of 2015.

Shaq rocks Bon Jovi song in LSU college bar (VIDEO)

Shaquille O'Neal got on stage at a college bar at LSU this week and belted out "You Give Love a Bad name" and really didn't disappoint.

The Diesel was at Fred's In Tigerland near the LSU campus Thursday night — his old stomping ground — when he decided he wanted to jump on stage with a local band and jam out to the Bon Jovi classic, according to TMZ.

  

TMZ claims Shaq told the band to "follow my lead" ... and then busted out the Jersey band's 80's hit. 

The crowd went wild as Shaq (who was reportedly dead sober the whole time) jumped around on stage screaming the lyrics like any other stoked frat boy. 

 

The former NBA star has Jon Bon Jovi's stage presence down pretty good. The hair ... not so much.

Maybe Shag Bon Jovi should have tried buying the Buffalo Bills.

Disabled man sues Shaq for mocking him on Instagram: Report

It looks like only an apology and a phone call won't get former NBA star and renowned jokester Shaquille O'Neal out out of Twitter foul trouble this time.

You may remember Shaq's Instagram photo mocking a disabled 23-year-old man's selfie in April. Shaq's twisted facial expression mimicking Jahmel Binion gained more than 14,000 likes — with basketball player Trey Burke and rapper Waka Flocka Flame joining in on the teasing.

After a public backlash, the post was deleted and Shaq and Burke apologized to Binion — a man who suffers from hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia . 

However, the Michigan man has filed a lawsuit in Macomb County alleging that O’Neal, Burke and Waka Flocka Flame intentionally inflicted emotional distress, invaded his privacy and defamed him, Macomb Daily reported.

In the lawsuit, Binion claims the mocking photos "constituted a public disclosure of embarrassing private facts about the plaintiff" and "placed plaintiff in a false light in the public eye."

Binion was diagnosed with the affliction as a baby, a disorder which causes sparse hair growth, missing teeth and facial deformities. He was hurt to see thousands of Internet users mock his picture and deformities after Shaq's post.

The one-time Shaq fan said he struggles to hold down a job and can't work in hot conditions. 

Binion told My Fox Detroit: "I've been getting teased since I was yea tall — people laugh at me, stare at me.

"I was kinda hurt because I look up to him and I watch Shaq play basketball so I was like, why is he making fun of me when he's supposed to be this role model?"

The National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias wrote an open letter to O'Neal saying "bullying is never acceptable," after many Instagram and Twitter users demanded Shaq apologize for the photo.

A few days later, after deleting the post, Shaq said he called Binion to say sorry.

"Made a new friend today when I called and apologized to Jahmel Binion. Great dude," he tweeted with the hashtags #alwayslearning and #MYBADCUZ.

He followed up with another tweet that said: "Had the opportunity to talk to Jahmel Binion yesterday and apologize about the post on IG!"

O'Neal spokesman Rishi Daulat told The Associated Press that the star personally wrote the tweets. 

Instead of hiding away, Binion has used the unwanted publicity to start a campaign raising awareness of his condition.

A Facebook page for his Hug Don't Judge campaign has gained more than 22,000 fans and supports anti-bullying and cyber bullying organizations.

Shaq under fire for mocking disabled fan's selfie (PHOTO)

Shaquille O’Neal is usually good for a lot of innocent fun — but the former NBA star might have gone just one joke too far and is under fire for mocking a disabled fan’s selfie.

Shaq posted a picture on Instagram of his own contorted face next to Jahmel Binion’s innocent selfie.

The post, captioned “Smile today,” earned more than 14,000 likes with former University of Michigan athlete Trey Burke and rapper Waka Flocka Flame joining in on the teasing, FOX 2 reports.

The insensitive post has been deleted. But for Binion, the damage may be irreparable.

Shaquille O'Neal is under fire for mocking a disabled fan's selfie http://t.co/cfub5YwPXE pic.twitter.com/XSZWfoxJPf
— New York Post (@nypost) April 29, 2014

Binion considered Shaq his basketball idol and respected his charitable works and advocacy for disadvantaged children in America.

“I’ve been getting teased since I was yay (sic) tall. People laugh at me, stare at me,” Binion said. “I was kind of hurt because I’ve always looked up to him. I’ve watched Shaq play basketball since I was (inaudible), so I was like, why are you making fun of me? He is supposed to be this role model.”

Despite the constant abuse, Binion still has a positive outlook on life. He said the cruel taunts have inspired him to start an anti-bullying campaign called Hug Don’t Judge.

Ball's in your court now Shaq.

Shag still has Chris Christie's back despite 'Bridgegate' scandal (VIDEO)

Longtime Chris Christie supporter Shaquille O'Neal is refusing to turn his back on the New Jersey Governor in the wake of Bridgegate — telling TMZ, he still believes in the presidential hopeful despite the backlash erupting from the George Washington Bridge scandal.

Even if you don't believe the embattled Christie — after Thursday's press conference and the developing investigation — Shag isn't turning tail on the Gov.

The Newark, N.J. native, who endorsed Christie last October, told TMZ, "I heard the statement he released. In his statement, he said he was unaware of anybody being involved in something like this and I believe him."

The NBA legend discussed the "Bridgegate" situation with TMZ's  Harvey Levin and the Big Aristotle responded, "[When] you've got more than 50 or 60 people working for you, it's hard to micromanage everybody."

Click on the video below to hear Shaq's campaign endorsement last November.

Shaq slaps backside of Newark mayor with stripper Twitter pal

Shaquille O’Neal had a little fun with the Newark, N.J. mayor who found himself in a little Twitter conundrum this week after he tweeted back and forth with an Oregon stripper.

The former NBA star and N.J. native served out a playful slap to pal Mayor Cory Booker’s backside Friday — while the mayor and senator-wannabe answered questions about his stripper pal.

A grinning Shaq reached over with his right hand and landed one on Booker’s behind as the pol stood at a podium to promote One River­view, the first high-rise to go up in beleaguered Newark in 50 years, reported The New York Post.

Booker picked up his shovel for the ceremonial first dirt-dig, then cracked to his cronies: "If you hit a reporter, I’ll give you five bucks. I’ve never been so tempted to throw dirt at the media."

Booker’s remarks came just days after headlines that he had a Twitter flirtation with buxom Oregon stripper Lynsie Lee hit the tabloids.

Booker declined to answer questions about his twitter exchanges with Lee, who was back working the pole at Portland vegan strip joint Casa Diablo on Thursday night.

“I did get kind of a crush on him, and so I tweeted him flirtatious things,” Lee said in a video posted at oregonlive.com. “But he never reciprocated the flirty-flirtiness."

Meanwhile, Booker was getting more than support from O'Neal — a partner in the new, 23-story, 169-unit apartment tower. He got an earful of Shaq's rebellious Newark upbringing as well.

"I was born in Newark, raised in Newark, did a lot of juvenile-delinquent activities in Newark," O’Neal told the crowd. "I’d like to thank my Uncle Mike, who was a Newark cop. First time I stole candy, he was the first one to place me under arrest.

“My mother and father always taught me that if I became successful, to give back, so I wanted to do my part and help beautify Newark,” Shaq declared.

Endorsing Booker’s political aspirations, he said: “Thank you to Senator Booker, Mayor Booker, President Booker … whatever you do, I’m a vote for you.”

Shaq steals lovelorn Miss USA from reporter and takes her to 'Grown-ups 2' premiere

After news broke Wednesday that former Miss USA Nana Meriwether was looking for love using online dating apps,  comedian Adam Sandler came to the rescue, hooking Meriwether up with a special date for the premiere of his new movie "Grown Ups 2."

Meriwether posted a tweet earlier in the day announcing that a love connection had been made.

And then proceeded to tweet out the photo above of her and one of the film's co-stars himself, Shaquille O’Neal, posing for photos together on the red carpet of the New York event.

I finally got a date!Thanks to @AdamSandler for the hookup!Can you guess who the handsome fellow is!?He's taking me to the @GrownUpsMovie ❤️
— Nana Meriwether (@NanaMeriwether) July 10, 2013

My date tonight to @GrownUpsMovie wasssss Dr. Shaquille O'Neal❤️ such a gentleman! @Shaq #grownups2 pic.twitter.com/rq1SSTm3p7
— Nana Meriwether (@NanaMeriwether) July 11, 2013

But wait. The beauty queen already had her Prince Charming before Kazaam came along and granted her wish.

Meriwether, who said she had trouble finding a date in New York, finally did find a match earlier Wednesday in the form of New York Post reporter Frank Rosario, before the celebrity millionaire Shaq swooped in for the kill.

"Oh, I'd love to go out with you," the six-foot Meriwether told the two-inch shorter Rosario. "I'm very busy —maybe Friday," before leaving him and his wilting bouquet of flowers for seven-foot Superman and the red carpet, according to The Post.

Rosario claims he won't let his short and not so sweet blow-off get him down. He plans to prove to Meriwether that love can be found in NYC.

And you can bet he's cleared his calendar for Friday.

As for Shaq — no such worries.

Shaq launches his own brand of vodka

Who's the first person you think of when you feel like reaching for that old genie-in-a-bottle to make life all better again — why Shaquille O'Neal of course.

The "Kazaam" star is launching his own line of vodka — strangely called "Luv Shaq" and the only thing odder than the name is the fact that the B-52s didn't think of it before.

Shaq joins a long list of celebrities who have found gold in the form of hot-tub booze attached to their names.

The former NBA star and current TNT analyst plans to launch the brand early next year and, for all those health nuts out there — and we mean you — you'll be happy to know that it is sugar and gluten-free.

The New York Post reports that Luv Shaq comes in coconut flavor, and the bottle features an image of O'Neal with giant wings.  If you look closely, you might be able to spot Kobe Bryant glaring over the feathers.

Drew Adelman, founder of Devotion Vodka, which is producing Shaq's elixir, told the Post that it will directly compete with Sean "Diddy" Combs Ciroc, but at a "more competitive price."

Hopefully these shots will go down a lot smoother than the ones Shaq used to tank at the foul line.

Tyson Chandler takes issue with Shaq's NBA center rankings

Dwight Howard isn't the only player who disagrees with Shaquille O'Neal's ranking of NBA centers.  New York Knicks big man Tyson Chandler took issue with the TNT analyst's assessment that the two best centers in the NBA right now are "Robin" Lopez and Andrew Bynum.

The slighted Howard called Shaq's rankings "comical," reports The New York Post.

"I was watching 'SportsCenter' this morning, eating breakfast in the team lounge, and I was laughing at the whole thing," Chandler said.  "I honestly think it's comical.  I don't care about rankings.

"That's one individual's point of view.  I know where I'm at.  I know what my value is.  And I know better I have to continue to get better."

Maybe Chandler's tough skin comes from years of being underrated.  Chandler, last season's NBA Defensive Player of the Year and U.S. Olympic team member, is used to getting such congratulatory snubs.

During the London Games, Chandler told The Post it was "ridiculous" that the coaches voted him second-team All Defense after he won the won the Defensive Player of the Year award.  Try and figure that one out.

Shaq may have ruffled Chandler's feathers with the Bynum and Robin Lopez — we're sure he meant twin-brother Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez —  comment, but the Knicks center might have Shaq eating crow.  The Knicks enter the season with high hopes and a improved — if not older— roster.

Who knows.  With Howard out in Los Angeles, Chandler has a good shot of making his first All-Star team.  That is if any Lopez brother or Bynum doesn't get in the way.

Shaq predicts Super Bowl for Tebow-Sanchez tandem

If you ask Shaquille O'Neal, all that talk about Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez not coexisting peacefully together is a load of bunk.  In fact, Shaq is is so confident that the two competing quarterbacks can get along,  the former NBA star thinks there is a New York Jets Super Bowl appearance in their future together.

Just think peas-in-a-pod or Kobe and Shaq.

After squeezing Tebow's muscles and coming away pretty impressed, on Tuesday,  Shaq tweeted his prediction with a photo: "jets fans this man has been working out.  Look at those arms.  With him and Sanchez u heard it here first Super Bowl."

Shaq may like Tebow's guns, but is there enough firepower between these two players to take the the Jets to the next level?  The genie from "Kazaam" thinks so.

Shaq uses disturbing 'Flashdance' in training routine

While training for his "Shirt Off" competition with Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal turned back the clock to 1983 and incorporated a famous scene from the movie "Flashdance" into his training routine.

The TNT basketball analyst released a video of himself being squirted down with a hose in a driveway while he sings the "Maniac" song from the movie.

Shaq tearing off his wife-beater and running in place is a little— no make that a lot— less appealing than the water soaked dance that Jennifer Beals made famous in the movie about a female welder who spends her nights dancing on stage in a steel mill city club.

Shaq and his co-host Barkley will unveil their bodies during Tuesday night's broadcast of "Inside the NBA" to show who is in better shape.  From the looks of this "Flashdance" parody and other videos of Shaq, the former NBA center looks pretty hard— at least compared to Barkley.

O'Neal's trainer Nikki Alexander has been working her student through a variety of workouts and was shown doing backflips off his stomach last week before turning on the hose and bringing back memories of torn sweatshirts over t-shirts, big hair and leg-warmers.

I'll never be able to listen to the song "What a Feeling" the same way ever again.

Shaq looms large on Conan's miniature set during show

That's not an even bigger, larger-than-life Shaquille O'Neal you see joining Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter on the set of the late night show early Wednesday morning— it was just that the furniture was miniaturized for a "Honey, I Shrunk the Set" episode.

The 7-foot-1 O'Neal made the already tiny furniture look like something from Barbi's Malibu House as he took a seat on the little couch next to his hosts.

Shaq told the audience that he is working on another title— Dr. O'Neal— and will retire the name Shaq once he gets his doctorate.  He wants be known as Dr. O'Neal to everyone except children when he earns that distinction.

The former-NBA star— and current television analyst— also explained his past distain for talking heads in sports now that he is one of them.  Shaq said he never disliked all studio analysts— only the critics who dumped on him and never played basketball— especially "most of the new ones that started in the last five years."