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Shaq's Retirement: Kazaam, Shaq Fu And The Artistic Greatness Of Shaquille O'Neal

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Yeah, yeah, we all know about Shaq's basketball exploits and the magnetic charisma as a pitch man for products like Icy Hot. But the Shaq Attack has always been about far more than sports and the accompanying commercials.

Who could ever forget Shaq's star turn as the genie in the 1996 smash-hit Kazaam? And by smash-hit, we mean "movie universally and rightfully panned for being dreadful." As of this writing, Kazaam is No. 95 on the IMDb Bottom 100. So glimpse upon cinematic anti-greatness:

And Kazaam was hardly alone. Shaq also starred in such masterpieces as Blue Chips and Steel. Why the creators of the X-Men movies didn't leap at the opportunity to have him guest star in one of their films remains a mystery.

Ah, but that's just film. Shaq is an accomplished rapper, with such unforgettable albums as "Shaq Fu: Da Return." Laugh if you want, but the man has a platinum and a gold album. We are all responsible for that -- all of us.

Shaq either hosted or was the subject of no fewer than three reality TV shows, though Shaq Vs. eventually landed him in legal hot water. And in addition to all the basketball video games that portrayed Shaq, he was also the centerpiece for Shaq Fu on Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis (trust me, young ones, there were game systems before X-Box and Playstation). And he's had bit parts in other video games -- including MMA games.

Speaking of, Shaq has expressed an interest in getting involved in MMA. Perhaps the career of America's foremost Renaissance man has another star turn left.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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