People always ask Shaq (NBA Hall of Fame Player, 1992-2011) how he does so much, apparently. With his involvement with the NBA, his extensive business ventures, and his growing career as an EDM DJ, he clearly hasn’t followed the traditional route for retirement that is expected from one of the greatest NBA players ever to play the game. His new show, Shaq Life, offers some insight into how he balances all of those things along with being a father to his six children.
A reality show like this one is carefully crafted and isn’t going to air anything him and his team aren’t comfortable with. While the first two episodes offer plenty of moments of him doing good deeds and being nice to people, they also allow for “candid” moments of him with his family, or responding to criticism. Make no mistake, this show is beneficial to every business venture Shaq is involved with, and certainly the primary reason he would agree to it.
Shaq Life can talk about his involvement on the board and in the rebranding of Papa John’s, in addition to including sponsored commercials while it airs. He can show the real work that he puts into his career as DJ Diesel to prove that he’s more than just a celebrity DJ, and he can continue to craft his image in all aspects. That’s OK, because a little behind the scenes look at a highly successful person isn’t a bad thing. Plus, you get to hear narrator Samuel L. Jackson try to edit himself for cable television.
Shaq has a reputation for being a nice guy (at least off of the basketball court), so it’s not as if the show is trying to do damage control. He has a quick wit, and charm about him that has been on display for a long time, so it’s fun to watch his daily interactions. Things aren’t likely to get too dramatic, which is a good thing considering there is enough of that in the world. Instead you can just enjoy watching the man of many nicknames offer up bits of wisdom and refreshing sentiments like, “Just because I have more than the average guy, doesn’t mean I’m better than the average guy. There are people working their [expletive] off, people that work way harder than me who live check to check. Those are the people that run the country, I’m just a guy that’s very lucky.” It’s always good to see someone that has come so far in life not completely lose perspective.
Reality shows aren’t for everyone, but Shaq is as interesting a subject for a reality show as anyone, and having A-List celebrity Samuel L. Jackson doing the narration is something even the Kardashians can’t keep up with.
