Shaquille O’Neal Slams Celebrities As Being ‘Out Of Their Minds’ As He Renounces His Own Celebrity Status

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is so tired of seeing celebrities behave like morons that he is renouncing his “celebrity” status this week.

But first, watch O’Neal as he gives back to the world in a touching way in the video below.

O’Neal Renounces Celebrity Status

“These celebrities are going freaking crazy and I don’t want to be one. I denounce my celebrity-ness today. I’m done with it,” O’Neal told The New York Post while promoting his new campaign with Kellogg’s.

“I don’t want to be in that category,” he added. “Celebrities are crazy, they really are. Don’t call me that anymore. These people are out of their freaking mind with how they treat people, what they do, what they say. That’s never been me. I never want to be looked at like that.”

“All my life, everyone probably gets stereotyped, but us celebrities, we get stereotyped because most of these celebrities are out of their mind,” O’Neal continued. “I don’t do that. I’m a regular person that listened, followed his dreams and made it.” 

Related: Shaq Slams LeBron James For Whining Over NBA Schedule And Injured Players

‘I Came From Nothing’

O’Neal grew up in poverty in Newark, New Jersey, and he has credited the Boys & Girls Club of America for helping him stay out of trouble in his youth.

“I came from nothing,” he explained. “But, just because I made it doesn’t mean I’m bigger than you, smarter than you — just because I have more money doesn’t mean I’m better than you. I’ve never been that way and I never will be that way. So I don’t want to be in that category of people.

“When they talk about Shaq, what do you say? ‘He’s a nice guy.’ Because what else can you be? You’re either nice or you’re the A-word, and I definitely won’t be looked at as the A-word,” he said. “I want people to say, ‘Bro, he’s nice. He didn’t have an entourage. His people didn’t take my phone because I took a picture and threw it.’”

RELATED: Shaq Blasts Pro-America Pro-Democracy Message Directed at NBA and China’s “Injustices”

O’Neal’s New Cereal 

Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® with Crispy Cinnamon Basketballs, which is O’Neal’s new Frosted Flakes cereal, is part of a partnership with Mission Tiger that will help more than 60,000 middle-schoolers.

This cereal collaboration is the first time in Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes history that Tony the Tiger has teamed up with a superstar athlete. 

Under this partnership, Mission Tiger has promised to buy new sports equipment, including uniforms, for students across the U.S. 

“It’s a dream come true,” O’Neal said of this partnership “Earlier this year Tony the Tiger and I teamed up to take Mission Tiger to a whole new level to help more kids, so we created this new cereal. And now, with this game-changing mission, we’re going to purchase new sports equipment, uniforms, pay for sports courts, refurbish playing fields and provide new training equipment.”

Since 2019, Mission Tiger has helped more than 560,000 kids across the country.

In a time when celebrities seem to be more idiotic and full of themselves than ever, O’Neal’s attitude is a breath of fresh air. If only we had more celebrities like him in the world!