Did Shaquille O'Neal star in "Shazam" or "Kazaam?" Debunking the myth behind 2 very similar names
Shaquille O'Neal starred in a movie called "Kazaam" in 1996. The movie is a fantasy comedy that sees the NBA big man portray a 5,000-year-old genie who grants a 12-year-old boy three wishes. Despite the star power O'Neal brought to the big screen, the movie wasn't well received when it was released.
Famous film critic Roger Ebert gave the film a 1.5-star rating, writing that Shaq had already proven he can act. In 1994, he appeared in a movie called "Blue Chips" about college basketball, earning widespread praise from fans and critics. In the case of "Kazaam," however, critics tore the film to shreds and O'Neal with it.
Interestingly enough, many believe that there was another movie named "Shazaam" in which comedian and actor Sinbad plays a genie. As it turns out, that movie never existed. The phenomenon is attributed to the Mandela Effect, which is described as a collective false memory held by a large group of people.
The name comes from many believing that humanitarian and politician Nelson Mandela died while in prison in the 1980s. That, of course, wasn't the case, despite many remembering things that way.
In fact, actress Meagan Good auditioned for a role in a movie several years ago, thinking it was a sequel to Shaquille O'Neal's infamous genie movie. She spoke to CBR about the situation and her belief that O'Neal starred in a movie called "Shazaam." She auditioned for a superhero movie starring Michael Gray.
"When I ended up getting Darla Dudley, I had no idea what I was auditioning for – like, zero. I went in and pretended to be a 10-year-old, which was totally up my alley, because I am very weird.
"When I found out, two weeks later, that I got it, I was like, 'What is it?' They were like, 'Shazam!' I was like, 'With Shaquille O'Neal?' They were like, 'No, that's Kazaam. This is Shazam!'"
Above, you can view the trailer for the movie starring Shaquille O'Neal in 1996.
Shaquille O'Neal's other entertainment endeavors besides acting
While many know that Shaquille O'Neal is an avid investor, in addition to acting, the Hall of Famer is also the owner of Shaq's "All Star Comedy Jam." The annual comedy event sees the best comedians in the business deliver some of their edgiest material on stage.
O'Neal was quoted by HumorMill about his involvement as the creator and owner of the special, saying:
"When I was in L.A., comedy was my thing, Improv Monday nights at the Comedy Store. Def Jam came out with their thing, which I thought was fabulous. Then, somehow, Def Jam stopped, and there was a void in the business. No one was doing comedy anymore, so I thought I’d try one."
Below, you can view one of the most notable All Star Comedy Jam's with Cedric The Entertainer, Tommy Davidson, Aries Spears, Deray Davis and Kevin Hart.
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