Live TV Gut Check

Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to headlines, but last month, it wasn’t a slam dunk or a viral dance that had fans talking — it was a sudden dash to the bathroom during a live broadcast.

The moment occurred during Inside the NBA on TNT, when the former Lakers star quietly stood up and walked off set in the middle of the show. Without missing a beat, he told his cohosts, “Go ahead, keep talking,” and exited the studio. The abrupt departure caught everyone off guard, leading Kenny Smith to joke, “That’s that olive oil you’ve been drinking.”

Now, weeks later, Shaq is finally opening up about what really happened. Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 22, the 53-year-old was asked about the much-discussed incident. Initially, he tried to downplay the urgency, saying, “I was drinking a lot of water that day… I know I had the number-two run, but it was really a number one.”

But moments later, the truth slipped out.

“I just made a mistake. I lied to you on national TV,” Shaq admitted. “It wasn’t a number-one run, it was a number-two run. I had to go so bad!”

The reason for the mishap? An unconventional health routine. Shaq revealed he had been drinking olive oil after reading online that it helps flatten the stomach and “clear stuff out.” “I’m drinking olive oil because I want to be sexy,” he added with a laugh.

Back in the studio, the moment became an instant hit. Shaq’s cohosts didn’t let him forget it. The following night, they greeted him with a surprise: a portable toilet placed on the set. Ernie Johnson Jr. even commented on Shaq’s not-so-subtle walk off, joking, “I didn’t like his gait as he left—that was not a typical walk.”

While this isn’t the first time O’Neal’s antics have taken center stage — he once showed off his bare feet live on air to the horror of his fellow analysts — it’s certainly one of the most talked-about.

From basketball courts to bathroom breaks, Shaquille O’Neal continues to deliver moments that are anything but ordinary.