Shaquille O’Neal told Bravo’s Andy Cohen that he has seen Charles Oakley on Real Housewives of Atlanta but had only a few words for what he actually thought about him joining the show.
The Context
Charles Oakley appeared on the show for the first time this season when his wife, Angela Oakley, joined the cast. This season showcased some tension in their marriage, with Angela opening up about their brief separation after their wedding and money and communication issues they have.
At the reunion, Charles praised his wife’s debut on the show, saying she “did great” but took issue with everyone being so focused on their relationship throughout the season.
What To Know
During an interview with Cohen on his Sirius XM show, Andy Cohen Live, Cohen asked Shaq if he was aware that Charles was a real house husband on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Shaq confirmed that he saw it and simply said, “That’s nice.”
Angela’s candidness on the season gave viewers a glimpse into her relationship with Charles, including the aftermath of the 2017 incident at Madison Square Garden and accusations of infidelity.
In 2017, Charles, who played for the New York Knicks from 1988 to 1998, was asked to leave the arena after an altercation with a security guard. During an episode of Housewives, Angela said it was a “very, very rough time” and led to the couple separating because she realized he needed time to heal and she “couldn’t heal him.”
Charles told Cohen on an episode of Watch What Happens Live that he isn’t “banned-banned” but he hasn’t been to the arena since.
During another episode this season, a man approaches Angela at a party and tells her that her husband cheated on her. She said in a confessional that she didn’t want to tell her husband about what was said because he’s a “pit bull” and she didn’t want to make a scene. Angela later told the group of women that she found out that the man was “paid to be there.”
When asked about his relationship with Charles, Shaq said that Oakley taught him a lot about what toughness really is through “fierce competition” and that he calls him “Uncle Charles.” Shaq added that they both have a “tremendous” amount of respect for each other.
Charles isn’t the only connection the housewives have to the NBA, though. Scottie Pippen, like Shaq a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was married to Larsa Pippen until the couple divorced in 2021. Larsa has been on Real Housewives of Miami since the first season, with a hiatus in seasons two and three.
Following their divorce, Larsa started dating Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan’s son, until the couple broke up in 2024. The two even appeared on the second season of Traitors together.
Cohen said it was “so wild” for Larsa and Marcus to start dating and asked Shaq if that “crossed your radar at all.” Shaq started to answer and then crinkled a piece of paper over the microphone to muffle his response.
“Hey, some static,” Shaq said. “Is everything OK with your microphone?”
What People Are Saying
Charles Oakley, at the Atlanta reunion: “I’m not the guy who just be all over Angela on TV. I don’t try to put on for cameras. And she know I love her, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t love her and the kids.”
Angela Oakley, in the Real Housewives of Atlanta after show: “I confronted my husband. I was like, ‘This whole event was about you and you missed it.’…He was just so aloof. He was like, ‘Well you know it was set up.’ He was immediately dismissive.”
What Happens Next
Real Housewives of Atlanta wrapped in July with the final part of a three-part reunion. While season 17 hasn’t officially been announced, Atlanta is a staple of the Bravo universe, so it’s likely there will be another year of the show.
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