Shaquille O’Neal addresses viral rumor that he slid into Sabrina Carpenter’s DMs with horny 'fart cologne' messages

Shania RussellThu, March 26, 2026 at 10:26 PM UTC

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Shaquille O'Neal and Sabrina CarpenterCredit: Michael Tullberg/Getty; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Shaquille O’Neal is asking fans to please, please, please not believe everything they read on the internet.

The NBA legend recently took it upon himself to address the viral rumor that he once slid into the DMs of a certain Grammy-winning superstar. On Saturday's episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the former Lakers star asked guests Jim Jones and Bailey Jackson whether or not they believed a certain headline was true.

"Shaq exposed for shooting his shot at Sabrina Carpenter," Jones read aloud.

The root of the rumor is a screenshot of a message thread that appears to show a DM exchange between O'Neal and Carpenter. After Jones read the headline, O'Neal proceeded to read the messages, telling the duo, "I want you to tell me if it's me or not me."

Sabrina Carpenter performs on 'Short n Sweet' tourCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

One message purporting to be from O'Neal read, "Damn, baby I would keep your farts in a cologne bottle and spray it on me every day... Just jokes.'

Jones interrupted, "That's crazy."

O'Neal continued, reading, "'I'm Shaqs. What's your name baby?'"

The message was met with a response from a fake Carpenter, who wrote, "I know who you are. You're way too famous to be sending me messages like that."

How did the faux-Shaq respond? He wrote, "I can't be horny and want some of that snow bunny kitty for myself. You're being rude for no reason. You can't handle Big Diesel any way."

After reading off the messages, O'Neal told his viewers, "That went viral."

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Jackson pointed out that the viral screenshots had a photoshopped photo of O'Neal, so that he would appear to be the sender.

O'Neal then put the rumors to rest, quipping, "First of all, ladies, the Diesel got way more game than that."

Jones laughed, "I was about to say— the first line was crazy if that's how you're busting through people's DMs."

Shaquille O'Neal at the EBONY Power 100 Gala held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in November 2025Credit: Chad Salvador/Variety via Getty

O'Neal is no stranger to scandals about his love life. The NBA star, who shares four children with ex-wife Shaunie Henderson, denied another internet rumor last October, after fans began speculating he was in a relationship with 21-year-old OnlyFans model Sophie Rain.

“I don’t [date] that young but I will date your mom and give u a brother,” O’Neal quipped under the comments section of a TikTok user who insinuated that the pair were an item.

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In December, rumors that he was in a relationship began anew after Shaq posed for a photo with a friend's wife, which was later taken out of context.

At the time, O'Neal told PEOPLE, ""My favorite thing is always saying, 'image is reality.'"

He added "nothing is going to stop me from taking pictures" with friends or fans, but when "the false narrative comes out and you get another guy taking the picture and putting it on his page… It's all clickbait."

on Entertainment Weekly

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