Waiter insulted Shaq in a luxury restaurant, but when he discovered the truth you won’t…
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Sometimes, a single evening can change a person’s life forever, and at a luxurious restaurant, that night came for one struggling waiter. What seemed like a harmless encounter with a poorly dressed customer at first quickly spiraled into a moment of unexpected revelation. Shaquille O’Neal, known to many as “Shaq,” the basketball legend and billionaire entrepreneur, was quietly dining in a restaurant, unaware of the storm his mere presence would soon trigger.
It was a chilly evening in New York City, where rain lightly drizzled down the cobblestone streets, and the usual hum of traffic seemed subdued by the evening’s storm. Through the large windows of The Velvet Moon restaurant, the warm golden glow inside illuminated the elegant, high-society crowd. Inside, the clink of fine glassware and soft classical music set the scene for a gathering of Manhattan’s elite.
In walked a man wearing a black hoodie, sweatpants, and worn sneakers. His appearance was so unremarkable, so at odds with the glittering world inside, that even the hostess barely spared him a second glance. Shaquille O’Neal had just entered one of New York’s most expensive restaurants. He paused at the entrance, his eyes scanning the vast room, a slight frown settling on his face. His figure, large and imposing in his casual attire, seemed to shrink against the backdrop of opulent dining.
A young hostess named Nina greeted him with the usual indifferent politeness. “Good evening. Do you have a reservation?” she asked, clearly not expecting much from the unassuming figure. When Shaq replied, “No, just a table for one,” her eyes flickered briefly in confusion. She led him to a corner of the room, away from the bustling crowds.
Meanwhile, in the back of the restaurant, Liam, a waiter in his early thirties, was finishing up his shift. Polishing glasses behind the counter, he had no idea of the fate that would soon unfold. Liam had been working at The Velvet Moon for years, and the frustrations of his life were always looming large: mounting medical bills for his sick mother, tuition fees for his younger sister, and a salary that barely covered the necessities. Working long hours, he felt trapped in a cycle of financial hardship. The disparity between the wealthy diners and his own struggles seemed unbearable at times.
Liam noticed Shaq enter the restaurant and quickly judged him as yet another wealthy customer who would sit at his table, order the cheapest item, and pretend to be part of the high-society world. “Probably won’t even order anything expensive,” Liam muttered to Emma, his colleague behind the bar. Emma, who had a more empathetic nature, warned Liam not to judge too quickly. But his cynicism ran deep.
When Shaq sat down, he ordered only a glass of water, his tone calm, almost melancholy. Liam barely held back a scoff as he delivered the drink. “Another one of those types,” Liam thought. “Doesn’t even know how to act in a place like this.”
But as the night went on, something in Shaq’s demeanor caught Liam’s attention. The calmness with which Shaq carried himself in such a lavish place, the lack of pretension, the quiet smile, all of it seemed to reveal something deeper than the surface. It was as if Shaq was lost in thought, not concerned with the extravagant world around him.
The evening took a subtle turn when Shaq ordered the soup of the day. Liam, still harboring his judgments, couldn’t help but suggest it was a safe, “approachable” choice. Shaq agreed with a gentle nod, unfazed by Liam’s underlying sarcasm.
Despite the fact that Shaq ordered the cheapest thing on the menu, Liam continued to harbor resentment. His life was filled with hardships, and seeing a seemingly wealthy person sit there in his casual clothes only deepened his bitterness. He returned to the counter, his frustration about his own life boiling over.
Emma, sensing the tension, asked Liam why he was being so harsh. “You don’t know who he is,” she said, trying to offer a perspective of empathy. But Liam’s response was dismissive. He was entrenched in his struggle, and anyone who didn’t seem to be directly facing hardship was an enemy in his eyes.
Then, Shaq asked for the wine list. Liam, still judging him by his clothes, assumed that Shaq couldn’t possibly be interested in a wine of any value. But when Shaq ordered a bottle of 2009 Chateau Margaux—one of the most expensive wines on the menu, priced at $10,000—Liam’s skepticism began to falter. Shaq’s calm confidence rattled Liam’s assumptions. Still, he couldn’t shake the belief that he was about to see Shaq’s card get declined, which would serve as a reminder of his own reality.
The moment Shaq placed his order, a group of business executives in the restaurant began to murmur amongst themselves. One of them looked over at Shaq and seemed to recognize him. “Wait a second,” he said, “You’re Shaq, aren’t you? The founder of that green energy company? I saw your TED talk!” The man had suddenly connected the dots.
At this moment, the truth became clear: Shaquille O’Neal, the former basketball player, now a billionaire entrepreneur, had quietly dined in the restaurant, not as a celebrity trying to impress, but as a person living in his own world, with an understanding of the struggles that others might face.
Liam stood frozen for a moment. His heart sank as he processed the realization. He had unknowingly insulted a billionaire, a man who had likely dealt with the same pressures of success, failures, and personal battles. Yet, Shaq had been nothing but kind, composed, and unbothered by Liam’s harsh treatment.
As Shaq paid the $122,000 bill with a sleek black card—the kind reserved for the wealthiest people in the world—Liam’s heart raced. His mind reeled. The rich man in front of him wasn’t trying to show off; he had been quietly observing, listening, and offering wisdom without saying much at all.
The businessman who had recognized Shaq walked up to him with admiration, his voice filled with awe. “You’re Shaq, aren’t you?” The entire room seemed to freeze. The judgmental murmurs that had surrounded Shaq earlier slowly turned into respect as the truth came to light. The man who had been so casually dismissed by Liam was, in fact, one of the most powerful and respected figures in the world.
Liam’s embarrassment was palpable. He had failed to recognize the humanity behind the man in the hoodie. In his mind, he had judged Shaq by his appearance, assuming that wealth and status were things you could only see on the surface. But now, as the truth unfolded, Liam felt the weight of his error. In the end, it wasn’t the clothes you wore or the money in your bank account that defined you—it was your actions, your character, and your ability to see beyond the labels others placed on you.
That evening, Shaquille O’Neal had taught Liam a valuable lesson, one that went far beyond the walls of The Velvet Moon.
FULL STORY:
Has Early Google Investor Shaquille O’Neal Found His Next Big Winner In Tech Stocks?
Has Early Google Investor Shaquille O’Neal Found His Next Big Winner In Tech Stocks?
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Shaquille O’Neal became an NBA legend during a hall-of-fame career that included four world championships and a partnership with Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers. However, he is also well-known for the value of the investment portfolio he started by purchasing a pre-IPO stake in Google. Now Shaquille is a big proponent of another tech stock. Keep reading to discover why “Big Shaq” is a big backer of an emerging AI company.
You may not have heard of Zeta Global, but you may already be familiar with its work. Zeta Global is a marketing company founded in 2007. It uses a data-driven and heavily analytics-based approach to help companies target clients, grow client relationships and maximize the profitability of client interactions. As is the case with many data-driven businesses, Zeta Global recognizes AI’s potential to enhance its operations.
Zeta Global’s insights and services are vital to several business and revenue growth aspects. These services are particularly useful to emerging brands, publishers and marketing agencies. All three endeavors require businesses to commit tremendous amounts of capital to elevate their visibility and retain customer relationships. Zeta Global’s AI tools help these companies make better decisions about strategically allocating that capital to achieve the highest possible ROI.
Their approach seems to be working. According to a December press release on Zeta Global’s website, usage of their marketing platform increased by 108% over the previous year for the critical holiday shopping season. CEO David Steinberg said, “The Zeta Marketing Platform continues to empower brands to engage high-intent shoppers where they want to be reached, delivering exceptional efficiency and more effective outcomes during the most critical shopping days of the year.”
So, where does Shaquille O’Neal come into the picture? Shaquille’s fame as a basketball player, pitchman and investor makes him a popular choice for speaking engagements of all kinds, including last September’s Zeta Global annual meeting. According to the Essential Sports website, which was one of many media outlets covering the event, Shaq was joined by fellow sports legend Simone Biles and philosopher Deepak Chopra.
Shaq’s live session at the event was called “AI-Powered Slam Dunk: The Business of Shaq.” During his live session, O’Neal talked to the audience about how he successfully transitioned from a superstar athlete to a big-time investor with an estimated $500 million portfolio. Zeta Global’s CEO also joined Shaquille for this session, but the most amazing aspect was the extent to which O’Neal has warmed up to AI.
It’s a little-known fact, but according to the Essential Sports website (which also covered the event), Shaquille O’Neal has four degrees, including his diploma from Louisiana State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He’s proud of these accomplishments because they required hard work. His current educational pursuit, a master’s in sports psychology, has forced Shaquille to expand his vocabulary.
During a March 2024 podcast, Shaquille discussed the challenge of learning new words and expanding his vocabulary. When the host asked why he didn’t use a thesaurus, O’Neal thought he was talking about ChatGPT and replied, “I don’t want to cheat. I know where you’re going; I don’t want to use chat GPT.” That speaks volumes about his work ethic, but he’s on board with AI now (at least where Zeta Global is concerned).
Zeta Global is certainly happy to count Shaquille O’Neal as an ally and he might want to buy a few shares if he hasn’t already. According to Benzinga’s stock ticker, Zeta Global shares are trading at $18.33 and the company’s market cap is $4.13 billion. That’s not in Google territory, but Zeta outperformed the NYSE composite index and beat its rivals by 125% in 2024. This is an AI company worth watching in 2025.
