When Chad Was Caught Between Magic Johnson and Incredible Hulk

In the mid-2000s, I worked for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. During my time there, I had some really cool celebrity experiences.

On one occasion, NBA legend and two-time Hall of Famer, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, asked me to emcee his event for the Starkey Hearing Foundation. I was in shock at his request. Of course, I accepted and it became one of my most memorable nights in South Florida.

A-list celebrities all gathered to raise money for the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Among them were Paris Hilton, Venus and Serena Williams, Dan Marino, Hulk Hogan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Lou “The Incredible Hulk” Ferrigno. Ferrigno himself suffers from nearly 80% hearing loss.

After my emcee duties were over, Magic Johnson asked me to escort him to each celebrity poker table so he could personally thank the participants.

At one point, I found myself caught between two massive men, who also happened to be public figures I idolized growing up. I am a big guy at nearly 6’4”, but I paled in comparison to the 6’5” Ferrigno and 6’9” Magic Johnson. They made me look small! The opportunity to speak with both at the same time was epic.

That evening, we raised a huge amount of money for a great cause, and I gained memories for a lifetime.