Shaquille O’Neal is a celebrity, and he is loved by people from several walks of life. He, of course, had one of the most dominating basketball careers we’ve ever seen. But even for non-NBA fans, there’s plenty of Shaq to go around. He dabbles in golf. Shaq is a deejay and a movie star also. Notably, the four-time champion is also an entrepreneur. He is a one-third partner in a fast-food franchise that sells everything chicken, named Big Chicken.

Recently, Big Chicken opened an outlet in Houston, where Shaq has lived for thirty years. It was a big public affair with people pouring in not just to taste the dishes but also to meet their favorite 7-footer, Shaquille O’Neal. That event was covered by the media and was a grand success. However, by the time the event was wrapping up, Shaq was in some trouble.

A swarm of people blocked the exit for Shaquille O’Neal

It was an important day for Shaq, and the NBA legend decided to put his money where others’ mouths were by paying for everything that went out of the order list on the first day. This is when Shaq’s magnetism served him as a disadvantage. The crowds started surging in, and that’s when things started to go a bit wonky for Big Diesel and everyone involved in the opening of the outlet.

Melanie Camp of Houston Life, who was there during the event, said, “Shaq was trying to leave, and he just couldn’t get out. They were like, you’re gonna have to hide, so the crowd would go away. So, he started going out, and the crowd was pushing him in and then he got pushed back.”

You can only imagine how many people there must’ve been for Shaq to get pushed around!

Situations like these can get dangerous for the crowd as well as the celebrity

The concept of celebrity safety among fans has been a matter of concern for some years now. Shaq is undoubtedly one of the most loved personalities in the world, but with that comes a magnetism that can draw massive, even unsafe, crowds.

Read More: “I Shoved the Microphone in His Face”: Chaos Over Free Food From Shaquille O’Neal Described by Houston Journalist

Whether it’s as a Los Angeles Laker, a hip-hop or electronic musician or as a businessman, Shaq knows how to bring people in. His star shines bright and people swarm in from all over for a chance at witnessing it. A blessing and a curse certainly.

However, it always helps to have a few more crowd management options in place when it involves a personality like Shaq.

What do you think about celebrities coming out to such public places for meets and greets? Do you think there’s enough done for crowd management in such situations? Tell us in the comments.

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