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“Was Cheap”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Revealed Millionaire NBA Legend’s Stingy Behavior During Outings Once

Published 07/20/2022, 9:30 AM EDT

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Arnold Schwarzenegger has talked about his escapades with his other famous friends frequently, always with an amusing anecdote on the tip of his tongue. As a legendary bodybuilder, he has worked out with some iconic athletes and actors, the strongest being NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain.

Schwarzenegger has praised Chamberlain’s prowess in the weight room and how he picked up the seven-time Mr. Olympia champion with one hand. But he has also never shied from pointing out the basketballer’s miser ways in picking up the tab.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger shares a hilarious incident

‘The Terminator’ star, the two-time NBA champion Chamberlain, and Andre The Giant worked together on the second edition of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic ‘Conan’ series. They filmed ‘Conan the Destroyer’ as filmed in Mexico City, where they often went out for dinner after filming.

As both Wilt Chamberlain and Andre the Giant are well over 7 feet tall, the bodybuilder looked puny in comparison when they stood side-by-side. “They were both always joking about who could pick me up [the easiest] and make me look like a little fly,” Schwarzenegger shared.

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Being his first million dollar paycheck from a silver screen project, Schwarzenegger was eager to treat his buddies to dinner one night. And while Andre the Giant’s generosity was well established, Chamberlain was quite the opposite. “Wilt Chamberlain was cheap, right? He was always penny-pinching—but Andre always wanted to pay for the dinner,” he claimed.

Tricking the two giants, Schwarzenegger gave his credit card to the waiter, warning him to not let Andre pay the tab. When the table found out what he had done, Andre roared in rage. So Chamberlain also tried to save his reputation a little. “Of course, Wilt joined in, ‘Oh yeah, I wanted to pay…’, I said, ‘Oh, that’s a good one…’” Schwarzenegger added.

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They made quite the scene at the restaurant

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Andre the Giant, in all his 7 ft 4 in glory, didn’t stray from his ways. He paid for his meals, whether he was the host or guest. And going against the professional wrestler never had a good outcome. So when his booming voice echoed, “NOOO… YOU MAKE ME VERY ANGRY ARNOLD…” Schwarzenegger knew what was coming.

Much to the surprise of everyone sitting in that restaurant, the over 2 meters tall giant picked up the bodybuilder and rushed out. “They both carry me out of the restaurant—people are freaking out—and they sat me on the roof of my car out front,” Schwarzenegger narrated.

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“It was a very funny scene.” All in good humor, Schwarzenegger successfully picked up the tab. And meanwhile added another nugget to the tidbits of the NBA legend’s life as we know it.

WATCH THIS STORY: Arnold Schwarzenegger vs Look-Alike Son Joseph Baena Bodybuilding Workout Comparison

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Written by:

Mansi Jain

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Mansi Jain is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. She has a Bachelor's degree in Multimedia and Mass Communication from the University of Delhi and has also previously interned for HT Media. She is always one mention of Yuzuru Hanyu away from delivering an hour-long speech about the athlete's legacy.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa