Celebrities admit Apple never singled them out with red carpet treatment

posted by Victor H. / Mar 15, 2012, 7:30 AM

Celebrities admit Apple never singled them out with red carpet treatment

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that celebrities are just like us - usually most of them have what we don’t. But when it comes to Apple, there was never a difference. NBA superstar commenter Shaquille O’Neal found out about it first hand. O’Neal begged Steve Jobs to give him the first iPhone, but was only met with compassionate denial.

"The great Steve Jobs, rest in peace, when the iPhone was first coming out, I used to call him every other day. 'Can I please get one first? Can I please get one first?' He never gave me one. He said, 'Shaq, I can't, I can't, I can't.' He was a great guy," Shaq was quoted as saying.

Another NBA star, Phoenix Suns’ three-point bomber Channing Frye, whose cousin works in Apple marketing exclaimed:

"It's just wild how they are so tight-lipped about everything. That makes everyone want it so much more--and the NBA is sponsored by Apple, basically. I've yet to see a player use a PC on the road."

It’s not just basketball superstars either - celebrity publicist Bradley Frank also never got the early access to gadgets he was asking for:

"And when the iPhone 4 came out, I can't tell you how many clients were like, 'We need that early.' And Apple's like, 'No.'"

And it’s interesting to look at the importance of Apple’s secrecy and what connection it has to the company’s success. If we had to describe Cupertino, secretive would probably be the second adjective we’d use after successful. So here’s a challenge for you: how would you describe Apple and its culture in just a couple of words? Let us know in the comments below.

source: TUAW

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24 Comments

1. shy2papa

Posts: 336; Member since: Jan 23, 2010

iCult

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 7:46 AM 18

41. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

iARMY

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:40 PM 1

2. bobfreking55

Posts: 866; Member since: Jul 15, 2011

Like a Do*chebag Company.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 7:46 AM 10

3. JBz007

Posts: 63; Member since: Mar 02, 2012

Is Cupertino Apple's new name?

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 7:53 AM 2

40. Lucas777

Posts: 2137; Member since: Jan 06, 2011

its called a metonymy…

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 7:09 PM 0

4. thebikerboi2

Posts: 144; Member since: Apr 01, 2011

Wtf cant these guys just wait a little like the ready of us?!?!?

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:11 AM 4

38. bayusuputra

Posts: 963; Member since: Feb 12, 2012

i see what autocorrect did there..

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 4:25 PM 1

5. andro.

Posts: 1999; Member since: Sep 16, 2011

Apple lays out the red carpet only for itself,but a company built on money gouging principles could surely take advantage of desperate cash loaded celebs

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:15 AM 7

6. Jericho unregistered

dude its where it is based like microsoft is based in redmond.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:18 AM 0

11. Bigbluetundra

Posts: 45; Member since: Nov 03, 2011

Well, I wouldn't say celebs are EXACTLY the same. I never got to call up a CEO to ask for a free device, for instance.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:36 AM 6

14. AppleConspiracy

Posts: 637; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

Apple is a religion and great part of its phenomena could only be explained by this presumption. It goes way beyond classic late-capitalism consumersim and fetishes of objects of desire. It's based on a prophecy, a meta-language of signs that constitue our culture - the embodiement of our system of values, and opposing forces are very strong, with excesive energy just like in religious wars. Of course, its does not manifest itself as a tradiotional religion, because of completely different paradigm - but the mechanism is the same - we worship it and it's in everything, we want it and we don't know why. The "Apple Conspiracy" project is focused on sarcastic remarks on this problem. There is no conspiracy, and that's a conspracy ((c) Southpark)

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:50 AM 2

16. bendennis

Posts: 1; Member since: Jan 08, 2012

That has to be untrue in some cases cause my brother goes to a private school with the daughter of yolanda adams the gospel singer and her daughter was playing with the original ipad i saw before they had the official show announcing it. I was pissed since she was 8 and didnt even know how to use it.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 8:55 AM 0

18. good2great

Posts: 1042; Member since: Feb 22, 2012

legendary; exclusive its always best to keep quiet about your products until the time to announce them... we as people tend to make things less valuable once we open our mouths. Its best for them to release that info on their own terms first then deal with the love&hate afterwards. "the more you wait for it, the more you want it"

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 9:43 AM 0

19. abish1234

Posts: 51; Member since: Oct 22, 2011

american outsourcing :D

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 9:54 AM 0

20. gayasarafe

Posts: 25; Member since: Mar 06, 2012

love it or hate it, but you can't ignore it.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 10:13 AM 1

21. smallcolabear

Posts: 82; Member since: Feb 18, 2012

Its actually refreshing to see that celebrities are not getting everything they want firsthand because they can sing or act. There are thousands of people who can do what actors and singers can do they just choose not to pursue that path in life. I have more respect for the actors who are modest and choose not to make a news story out of everytime they party or potty. They are people and they forget that because they make millions.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 10:57 AM 3

22. gallitoking

Posts: 4721; Member since: May 17, 2011

wow. not surprised abut Shaq, but why does giant would want a phone 3'5 screen?.. the haters here. not surpised either.. thanks to them Apple is what it is.. thank you., guys..

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 11:08 AM 4

35. -box-

Posts: 3991; Member since: Jan 04, 2012

Good comment (about Shaq), thumbs up even! Might be my third or fourth for you ever...

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 2:08 PM 1

43. Johnny_Mnemonic

Posts: 240; Member since: Oct 05, 2011

Shaq must be blind cause with that little screen with one finger he covers the LITTLE SCREEN. JAJA

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 10:32 PM 1

29. downphoenix

Posts: 3165; Member since: Jun 19, 2010

Have to say its pretty respectful that Celebs have to wait too, but that being said, still hate the iCult action.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 12:04 PM 3

32. AppleConspiracy

Celebrities and other VIPs don't get privileged because that's actually one the main strategies in Apple. They are playing in the position of deity by conistency: there shall be no other gods among them, everyone is the same, Apple is the only God.

posted on Mar 15, 2012, 12:18 PM 0

34. -box-

So in other words, self-entitled overpaid celebrities and athletes wanted something special, and they didn't get it, as they rightly deserve. Finally something good about apple, I guess....