Basketball legend and businessman Shaquille O’Neal made an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” this week, discussing his penchant for $1,000 pedicures.
During their interview, Fallon referenced a People magazine article focused on O’Neal’s expensive cosmetic maintenance habit, which he originally discussed in an episode of “The Big Podcast With Shaq.”
Fallon, of course, had to inquire as to why O’Neal spends so much more on his pedicures than the average person. The former NBA star explained he pays that amount out of sympathy. “Because I feel sorry for the young lady that’s doing my feet,” he said. “No, I really do. My feet looks like Charles Barkley’s face.”
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When Fallon asked about the genesis of his pedicure journey, the former NBA star explained, “Well one time I had a toe injury, my mother put nail polish on it and I had 40 points. So then when I colored all the rest of my toes, I was averaging 40 points for the season. So I was like you know what, I’m gonna just start painting my toes.”
O’Neal was on the show promoting his latest undertaking, a collaboration with Hershey on a candy called “Shaqalicious XL Gummies,” some of which are shaped like his face. For the occasion on late night television, he wore a pair of all-black Reebok sneakers.
Outside of the food industry, O’Neal is president of Reebok basketball, having taken on the leadership position last year with the brand that debuted his signature Shaq Attaq sneaker. He is also known to make generous overtures, like donating shoes and more items to teenager Eric Kilburn, Jr., recently recognized by Guinness World Records as the teenager with the largest hands and feet. The basketball star relates to Kilburn being unable to find shoes his size, and he has been open about having to wear shoes that were too small as a kid, telling FN in 2021 that he now opts for shoes that are often two sizes bigger for comfort.
While he wears a size 22 shoe, O’Neal said that he is actually a size 20. “My shoe size is 20 but I like to wear a 22 because when I was young we couldn’t afford proper shoes so I had to wear my shoes tight,” he said. “[Now] I always get my shoes too big to make sure I have room.”
