Shaunie O'Neal, Shaq's ex-wife, has finally decided to open up about her divorce in the latest issue of Essence. She joins the ever-growing list of celebrity ex-wives who use the public tell-all approach as a method of closure for a relationship. It is no coincidence that her willingness to share comes at a time when the show, VH1's "Basketball Wives," she executive produced and stars in is airing; it will air on Monday.
The new series provides a behind-the-scenes look in to the daily lives of wives, girlfriends and baby mamas of NBA ballers-sure to be an extension of the mess that is "Housewives of [insert city here]": There's jealousy, bling, groupies and drama.
Shaunie filed for divorce in the middle of the show's taping, but her story will still be included.
Here are some details she reveals in the interview with Essence:
On the multiplying force of groupies:
Miami is a great city. It just wasn't a great city for our marriage. I know they say L.A. has its groupies, but Miami has a different mentality. Even going to the games, the whole environment is so different. Girls are practically sitting in their bra and panties in the arena. When you're trying to keep your husband, that's a lot to take. It was a whole new lifestyle I wasn't ready for. Apparently we didn't have a strong enough foundation for Shaq to withstand that type of temptation.
Shaunie on confronting Shaq about cheating:
He would deny it sometimes, and other times he would ask, 'You got pictures? Video? If not, don't come at me because you have no proof.' "He'd say, 'Okay, you're mad. Now what? You're not going anywhere.
On being accused of cheating on Shaq with her personal trainer:
I worked out at home- with my trainer, my sister, her husband and my girlfriend. I was a good girl. I wouldn't even entertain a man flirting with me. I was that conservative. But when those rumors came out, I felt I was so small and Shaq was so big that it didn't matter what I said; nobody was going to believe me. All I was thinking was, How could this happen to me? I had no idea how I was going to pick up the pieces. I was just done.
On her relationship with Shaq now:
We are becoming friends, and it's nice because it's something we really lacked in our marriage. I enjoy being able to talk openly to him, and I think we both learned a lot from each other during this time.
What do you think about celebrities or politician's wives making a buck with tell-alls after the divorce? Is it therapy or revenge?
Comments: (86)
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By: OOOZZZZZ on 3/15/2010 1:30PM
Is this final Phase & chapter of the "Gold Digger's" hand book?
File for divorce at the end of Shaq's career, move to California in order to get a larger chunk of the multi-millions, take the 5 kids with you and now in your so-called "angered, I'm tired & fed up" mental state, (which was the reason for your divorce) now you become part of a new reality show "Basketball Wives" a spinoff from the "Housewives" reality show series so that you can dish dirt on your now, for the rest of your life "sugar daddy" ex-husband and get paid contractually doing it.
Being tired, frusterated and fed up married to Shaq sure did pass by quickly. So now in your final phase of the handbook bulls_hit, you're going into "post marriage therapy" on reality TV.
LOL!!!!
Shaunie, you are and will always be a gold digger and now you want to go on TV and try to flip the script and be the "victim", speaking on your "marriage drama" that you had to live through being married to Shaq when you were one of those people you want to villify; you did the exact same thing that you accuse these "groupies" "girlfriends" and "baby mamas" of doing: (Plus, Shaunie, you were a baby mamma youself) and in typical basketball groupie gold digger form, you made Shaq your target, married him, dropped five kids, rode the gravy train, got a divorce, will get your money and now you want to be a reality TV star.
And if that wasn't enough for you, you want to get "revenge" on Shaq. Revenge for what? Making you flity rich? Something that could not have possibly done on her own?
And as the article stated:
"She joins the ever-growing list of celebrity ex-wives who use the public tell-all approach as a method of closure for a relationship. It is no coincidence that her willingness to share comes at a time when the show, VH1's "Basketball Wives," she executive produced and stars in is airing; it will air on Monday.
The new series provides a behind-the-scenes look in to the daily lives of wives, girlfriends and baby mamas of NBA ballers-sure to be an extension of the mess that is "Housewives of [insert city here]": There's jealousy, bling, groupies and drama
Shaunie is just tryin separate herself (along with all her other "marry a pro athlete, gold digger friends" from the pack that she runs with and try and make the viewing public have compassion and sympathy for her and convince them from not calling her "a spade for a spade".
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By: Dus on 3/16/2010 8:56PM
Maybe you should let jason kidd's ex-wife in on this little secret as well. not the fact of cheating or whatever but that she would be nothing without jason kidd. she was on good morning america talking that nonsense about i should have gotten out early and such and such and she would encourage tigers wife and other women to do the same thing and take her for example she's a successful business woman and she has her own show and who would have thought?(she said something close to this)jason kidd and the whole world wouldnt have thought that's who. im not mad at them for raking in the cash its the point that they make themselves the victims and then "take control of the situation" by filing for divorce and then with the money of the ex husband go buy a clothing line or a show or something then say i did it myself. like they grinded and worked for the ground up with no money. they did all the "making a name for themself" work.pshhh GET OUTTA HERE! LOL.
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By: vdog on 3/15/2010 11:09PM
EXCELLENT COMMENT!!! Why don't these GOLD DIGGAZ just go away and ride into the sunset since THE CHECK IS IN THE BAG!!!! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED now just KEEP QUIET!!! Miss "CONSERVATIVE" did her DIRT too!!!!
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By: vdog on 3/15/2010 11:13PM
I hope she spoke on how Shaq caught her trying to buy REAL ESTATE in her OWN NAME with MARITAL MONEY behind his back in her BIASED INTERVIEW WITH ESSENCE. I guess she can't be QUESTIONED about that because she was SOOO SCORNED. GOLD DIGGA!!!!
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By: liv4fri on 3/18/2010 7:13PM
You are too wrapped up in their lives. Get a life of your own. She obviously cared enough about the man to have 5 babies with him. Let the wonam get paid and MYOB!!!!
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By: Nonya on 3/16/2010 12:20AM
Shaunie is actually the producer of the show AND she's only making a few appearnces #youfail
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By: vabs on 3/19/2010 11:48AM
it is this mentality that tells these oafs they are worthy of the idolatry they receive.
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By: Dee Dee on 3/16/2010 1:42AM
U have said it all, told the truth and I hope she knows you and I and all of LA knows exactly who and what she REALLY is. What goes around, comes around sista!
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By: Marsha on 3/15/2010 2:03PM
Shaunie is probably fed up with even reading these blogs, but I hope she happens to see this one! I saw an interview with Shaunie on the Wendy Williams show. I found her to be a very classy lady. Now of course I don't know her personally, and I certainly don't know anything about her marriage. I think we sometimes get so caught up in the financial aspects of these celebrity divorces that we forget these are women with feelings!! Marriage is hard work at best; but then when you add in being in the spot light and being scrutinized and criticized by people who don't even know you?? This has got to be a hard road to travel!! Yeah I know some of us will say "yeah but she got that money". Some women may feel that anything goes as long as they are "gettin paid", but if you happen to really love your husband and you really want your marriage to work, this can be very painful. I say keep your head up Shaunie. Like I said, I don't know everything, and I shouldn't. I know what I saw on Wendy, and I hope you continue to be the lady you appear to be!! Stay Strong....
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By: Alice on 3/16/2010 11:46AM
To all that don't think LOTS of famous people don't step out on their spouses...wrong!
I have met a lot of "stars" including Mr.Shaq,while working in a very nice hotel close to an international airport and big sports arena.I have to say he is a kind person and has very nice manners,but he was not alone.The lady he was with was not his wife. Did he sleep with her? Don't know, but they did go to his room.
One never knows what happens behind closed doors.What happens between a man and his wife,and if,and how,they decide to split the sheets and their finances is nobody's business.
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