Shaq Vs.
Shaquille O'Neal challenges top athletes in their own sports.
Shaquille O'Neal starred in the ABC reality series Shaq Vs., which began airing on August 18, 2009. Produced by Dick Clark Productions and Media Rights Capital, the show featured O'Neal, who claims to be "the greatest athlete," challenging top professionals in their own sports. Critics generally gave it negative reviews. The series ran for two seasons, ending in 2011.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Reality, Competition
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
- Starring
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Network
- ABC
- Executive producers
- Steve Nash
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Scott Messick
- Perry Rogers
- Trice Barto
- Director
- Bob Levy
Facts from the source article.
History/ format
The premise of Shaq Vs. drew comparisons to Todd Gallagher's book Andy Roddick Beat Me with a Frying Pan. The Washington Post noted the book and show shared the same concept, and a TV adaptation of Gallagher's book was described as identical to the series. TMZ reported that Gallagher and Shaquille O'Neal had the same agent, who had previously pitched a very similar show with Gallagher. Gallagher is credited as a producer in the second season. In early 2008, the Arizona Republic reported that Steve Nash, O'Neal's former teammate, had discussed a reality show with O'Neal where Nash would compete against pros in their sports. O'Neal claimed Nash's idea focused on training, not competition. Nash neither confirmed the report nor denied it, stating they collaborated on parts of the show. Nash is an executive producer. Mike Goldberg, a former UFC announcer, handled play-by-play and co-hosted every season. Pat Tomasulo co-hosted season 1 alongside Goldberg, with Charissa Thompson as sideline reporter. Kit Hoover took over both co-host and sideline duties for season 2. O'Neal's overall record stands at 2 wins, 12 losses, and a tie. The show ended after the second season in 2011.
Episodes
The first season of the show followed a set formula: preliminary challenges, press conference banter, and a handicap negotiated between Shaquille O'Neal and his opponent. Each episode also included a charitable component, with O'Neal frequently stating his enjoyment of seeing children smile. The humor came from trash talk, but O'Neal insisted there was no joking during actual competition. That season ended with an 0-5 record. In February 2010, ABC confirmed a second season, which premiered on August 3. This season expanded beyond pure sports to include comedic, non-athletic contests like spelling bees, dance battles, and magic acts. O'Neal faced NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a race, sprinter Tyson Gay in a footrace, chef Rachael Ray in a cook-off, musician Justin Bieber in a dance-off, Charles Barkley in golf, competitive eater Joey Chestnut in a hot dog contest, spelling champion Kavya Shivashankar in a spell-off, magicians Penn & Teller in a magic performance, and boxer Shane Mosley in a boxing match. The second season record was 2-7-1, bringing the overall tally to 2-12-1.
Legacy
Season 1 of Shaq Vs. holds a 33% “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Baltimore Sun felt the series belonged on a regional sports network as a weekend daytime program, not in primetime. Variety called the concept strong but the follow-through weak. The AV Club offered a kinder take, describing it as a fairly pleasant way to kill some time. Years later, in a 2018 TMZ Sports interview, Shaquille O’Neal admitted he pulled his punches against Oscar De La Hoya because they were friends, but said he “turned it up a little” when facing Shane Mosley.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Shaq Vs. are there?
Shaq Vs. has 10 episodes across 2 seasons.
When did Shaq Vs. end?
Shaq Vs. last aired on 31 August 2010.
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