Shaq has always said the NBA stands for "Nothing But Actors" and most of his past issues with other players -- including his beef with Kobe Bryant -- was just for the media and marketing reasons. I know for a fact his beef with Kobe was real and even worse than what most of the media and public knows. I also know his on-going beef with JaVale McGee isn't a promo for TNT either.

While the east coast was sleeping late Thursday night, Shaq and the Shaqtin' a Fool legend went at it on Twitter with a lot of name-calling and threats after TNT aired a 'Doctor Strange' parody about the Warriors center.

The only thing that surprises me about these two getting so serious now is I thought it was going to happen back in January when McGee compared Shaq to minstrel show star Bert Williams. Shaq stayed relatively quiet about it and didn't seem offended while discussing the diss on his podcast. Well, it doesn't seem like Shaq is going to stay quiet any longer and I'm pretty sure he really does want to punch McGee "like that kid from Detroit (old school Shaq and Phife Dawg fans should get that line)."

UPDATE: Kevin Durant comes to McGee's defense and had the following to say:

Via USA Today

“JaVale, he works extremely hard. He’s come in here and done so much for us as a player. And he only wants to be respected like any other player.

“And I understand Shaq works for a company that wants him to do that type of stuff and make fun of players. And it’s cool and funny, but when you just keep doing it time and time and time again for no reason, and then a guy actually disagrees you and you threaten him … I didn’t know cops could threaten civilians like that. So it’s definitely childish. But that’s what they want from these stars and these retired players — to feud with the guys that’s playing now and to make arguments and disagreements. But if I was JaVale, I’d feel the same way. It’s childish.”

Followed by:

“Shaq wants to make a joke about it, but if it was him in that position, he wouldn’t feel the same way. He’ll call him a bum and all this. He was such a great player, obviously, but still, everybody can’t be Shaq. He’s trying to make his money and enjoy the game of basketball, and the perception is now that he’s a dumb player because he made mistakes.

“Shaq was a shitty free throw shooter and he missed dunks and he air-balled free throws. He couldn’t shoot outside the paint. He didn’t have those skills. He was bigger and stronger than everybody. And he still was a great player, but you had your flaws too as a player. And you played on five or six teams, too. So it’s not like you’re just this person center. You had your flaws, too.

“So like I said, I didn’t go on Twitter and threaten civilians like that, so I’m glad you’re getting challenged.”

ESPN is also reporting the Warriors have contacted Turner Sports to talk about their coverage of McGee. And this is coming just two months after a Shaqtin' A Fool producer tweeted, "True Story: A consensus top-5 NBA player actually had his agent call Shaq's agent to ask Shaq to keep his client off Shaqtin' a Fool."

2013 VIDEO: JaVale McGee saying he doesn't watch "Shaqtin' a Coon.'