When you think of the funniest stars in Hollywood, Will Ferrell probably comes to mind, and rightfully so. The 57-year-old actor and comedian floored audiences with his work on Saturday Night Live, and many of Ferrell’s movies are greatly loved. His on-screen work aside, the star is known for occasionally pulling wild stunts in real life, with his drinking- and-smoking Buddy the Elf being the latest. Years ago, Ferrell pulled another prank at a sports game, when he threw Shaq out of a b-ball game at the Staples Center, and it’s a wild story.
The Talladega Nights icon paid a visit to Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast, where he discussed various aspects of his career. He even clarified his wild Buddy the Elf moment from that hockey game. After that, Jason recalled the comic escorting Shaquille O’Neal out of a game at the Staples Center in 2013. At the time, Will Ferrell was decked out in a security uniform, and the stunt went off without a hitch. During his interview (which is on YouTube), Ferrell explained how he came to be in the position to pull off the prank:
I had friends who gave me a Staples security guard outfit, and I snuck it into the building and just pretended to be one of the security guys. … [Staples] had no idea. I snuck it in, because I was afraid they’d stop me and go, ‘Where’d you get that uniform? That’s contraband! Come with us!’ … Turns out the other security guys, they were like, ‘Dude, I love it. Just don’t stand on the court. You’re good with us.’
Seriously, major kudos to the Step Brothers star for managing to sneak into the game unnoticed by the powers that be. I also can’t help but chuckle over the fact that some real security guards recognized him and let him go about his business. Of course, you may still wonder how the Inside the NBA co-host and aspiring underwear model got involved. Well, it turns out Shaq spotted the Old School alum himself, and the Los Angeles Lakers icon wanted to get in on the fun, as the comedic actor explained:
I just pick a random game, and I look down and there’s Shaq in the corner. He’s rolling, he’s laughing. So I stand up a couple times in between the breaks, and I’m like, ‘What else do I do with this?’ And then someone taps me on the shoulder and says, ‘You know, during the next break, Shaq’s ready to leave the game. If you want to throw him out, we’ll throw him out of the game.’ So he gave me the idea. … I just escorted him out, and then we had the biggest laugh. … I go, ‘Shaq, do you know how extraordinary that is that you’re allowing me to throw you out of an NBA basketball game?’ He was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’
Shaquille O’Neal is definitely someone who appreciates a good time, as he’s shown in the past. His antics with Charles Barkley on Inside are proof of that, and there’s also the fact that he puts on grandiose shows as a DJ. Kudos to the Diesel for adding to the viral moment in such a great way. You can see it for yourself down below:
There was also a tad bit of humorous irony to this situation as well. Will Ferrell went on to tell the Kelce brothers that he was later approached by one of the heads of security for the Staples Center. And his take on Ferrell’s impersonation may not be what you’d expect:
It was so funny, I found out from one of the heads of the security — He goes, ‘Hey, I have to tell you, everyone appreciated the shoutout. All the security people appreciate the shoutout.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, you got it.’ Actually, I was kind of making fun of you guys, but no, it was a shoutout for sure.’
Well, they do say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, right? Regardless of Will Ferrell’s intentions, the stunt was downright funny and, in my humble opinion, will stand as one of his best public stunts. Here’s hoping that his recent appearance as Buddy won’t be the last time he pulls something wild at a sporting event.
Those who want to see some of Will Ferrell’s best Saturday Night Live performances can stream past episodes with a Peacock subscription. Ferrell’s various films are also available to stream, rent and own on various platforms.
