Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Giant Bodyguard Closely Resembling NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal Blows Up the Internet

Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger was earlier spotted entering a Barnes & Noble store. The Terminator actor recently launched his first self-help book, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life. The former Mr. Universe didn’t travel alone and entered the store with a two-man escort. However, besides the 76-year-old icon, one of Arnie’s bodyguards also drew a lot of attention.

The bodyguard in question towered over the former Mr. Olympia as he escorted him through the crowd of fans outside the Barnes & Noble outlet. The man bore an uncanny resemblance to NBA giant Shaquille O’Neal. Looking at past photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger with the LA Lakers star, one could see the bodyguard was just as tall as the 7’1″ NBA legend. Besides the height, the man also sported a similar beard.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s security guard climbs the charts on the internet  

In the video, Arnie can be seen crossing the road and being ushered inside the Barnes & Noble store. The bodyguard appears on camera as Arnie nears the store. He holds off the crowd waiting to meet the author. Schwarzenegger’s bodyguard resembling Shaquille O’Neal is undoubtedly a towering presence, dwarfing everyone including the 6’2″ former bodybuilding champion.

Schwarzenegger continues to promote his work through public speeches, interviews, podcast appearances, and book signings at Barnes & Noble stores. On October 10, the Austrian Oak launched his book, Be Useful, which marked the former governor’s first foray into the self-help genre. The 76-year-old has tirelessly promoted his book before its launch and hasn’t slacked off even after its success. Shortly after launch, Be Useful topped multiple bestseller lists in the US and overseas.

It seems Schwarzenegger’s recent success with his book is finding fresh routes to make the rounds. Both Schwarzenegger and O’Neal share a friendly bond. In fact, the latter is on good terms with the former governor and is a huge bodybuilding fan.

Watch this story | “Bible of Bodybuilding”–7x Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Explained the Book that Got Him Into Bodybuilding

Shaquille O’Neal marked present on Mr. Olympia 2023  

After his NBA career, Shaq gradually put on a lot of weight, and the once formidable basketball icon’s fitness declined. However, in recent years, Shaq has addressed his weight and fitness. The NBA icon turned to bodybuilding to reduce weight and, in the process, fell in love with the sport. Since then, Shaq has been a regular at the Olympia weekend. In fact, this year O’Neal attended his fifth consecutive Olympia.

This year, O’Neal was among the VIPs at the 2023 Mr. Olympia. During the finals, announcer Bob Cicherillo even asked the former Miami Heat star who he thought would win the Mr. Olympia title. But the conversation took a different turn. “Can I ask you a question?” asked O’Neal. “Shoot, brother,” replied Cicherillo. The sneakerhead couldn’t help but admire the shoes Cicherillo wore, “Would you look at them shoes… Like, what are those?” 

“You know what those are?” the 57-year-old asked Shaq. The 7’1 NBA legend took guessed, “They look like golden gators.” However, Cicherillo came back with a hilarious response. “Those are Olympia-caliber shoes, my friend. I’ll let you borrow them, but I don’t have size 24 feet,” said the announcer. Further, the 51-year-old sat in the front row and was even seen congratulating the Men’s Classic Physique winner backstage.

Be it Shaquille O’Neal himself or his doppelganger, the crossovers with the bodybuilding circuit continue to entertain the fans, don’t you agree?

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