The 2022 Star Comedy Jam was a big success. And Shaquille O’Neal played a major role behind it. That event took place during Super Bowl 59 in Los Angeles, was organized by Laugh Out Loud, a company founded by Kevin Hart, with Jeff Clanagan as CEO. The show featured heavyweights like Earthquake, Mo’Nique, and Michael Blackson.
“There is nothing like a night of live comedy, and I couldn’t be more excited about the return of All Star Comedy Jam,” CEO Clanagan said. “What started as an idea between Shaq and I for a comedy show during All-Star weekend, has grown into a true comedy staple that showcases some of the heaviest hitters in comedy alongside the most promising up-and-comers, and this return feels better than ever.”
And since then over the years, All-Star Comedy Jam has been a launchpad for names like Bill Bellamy, DeRay Davis, and Blackson himself.
So, it’s no surprise that Shaq still has big ambitions in the comedy scene. In a recent podcast episode, comedian Jess Hilarious brought up his All-Star Comedy Jam, and Shaq wasted no time dropping a bombshell. “I wanted to redo The Kings of Comedy,” he revealed. The 25-year-old original film, directed by Spike Lee, was a massive hit, featuring comedy legends Steve Harvey, D. L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac. It pulled in over $11 million in its opening weekend and eventually raked in $38 million at the box office.
So with a history like that, why didn’t Shaq move forward with it? The answer—egos. “The problem I was having was egos. He wanna know who’s headlining, he wanna know who’s first, he wanna know,” Shaq admitted. And despite putting his own money on the line and offering to split everything evenly, he just couldn’t get past the drama.
May 22, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; Former NBA player and sports analyst Shaquille O’Neal enters the arena before game three of the 2022 western conference finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Impressed by Shaq’s idea, co-host Adam asked, “You can’t be the person that says, hey, no ego, you’re last, you’re first?” But Shaq knew it wasn’t that simple. “Yes and no, because I understand, like everybody thinks, and on certain days, everybody can be that guy,” he explained on the podcast.
No matter how he tried to compromise—offering different headliners or adjusting the editing—someone always had a problem. In the end, it never happened. However Big Aristotle is going on another dilemma related to comedy.
Shaquille O’Neal’s All-Star Comedy Jam dilemma
Just a week ago, Shaquille O’Neal kicked off another episode of The Big Podcast, this time with comedian DC Young Fly. The conversation was all laughs until DC dropped an unexpected bombshell. After wrapping up the podcast, he was heading straight to an event that O’Neal had been deeply involved with—All-Star Comedy Jam. “We got a show out here tonight… It’s the All-Star Comedy Jam, they had your name on.” Shaq’s reaction said it all—genuine shock.
Clearly caught off guard, Shaq wanted to make sure they were talking about the same event. He pressed DC for clarification, only to hear something even more surprising. “They are like, we can’t use Shaq no more.” Even podcast co-host Adam Lefkoe seemed baffled by the revelation. However, O’Neal, known for keeping his cool, quickly dismissed the situation. “I’ll figure it out,” he responded, hinting that he’d deal with it later.
Interestingly, DC Young Fly even offered to step away from the show if Big Aristotle wanted him to. But Shaq wasn’t having it. Instead, he encouraged DC to go ahead with his performance. While the exact reason behind Shaq’s absence remains unknown, one major clue points to a possible explanation—he reportedly sold Jersey Legends Productions to Authentic Brands Group (ABG), likely in 2023.
Jersey Legends was one of the companies behind All-Star Comedy Jam, but since the event existed long before ABG took over, it’s unclear if the company still holds any rights to it. While Shaq was present at the 2022 edition, his connection to the event now seems uncertain. So, what happens next? Only time will tell.
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