One criteria follows Metta World Peace everywhere he goes.
He wants to remain goofy. It's why he legally changed his name from Ron Artest. It's why he hosted a comedy tour this summer that featured fans asking him vulgar questions. It's why World Peace likes to kiss his biceps and blow kisses in the air after making a big play.
So when he was approached to make a cameo appearance in the new movie "Think Like a Man," World Peace had one request. He had to wear short shorts.
"I won't do the movie if I can't wear this outfit," World Peace recalled saying. "I don't want to be in normal basketball shorts. I could play basketball at a park and you take a picture. If I'm in a movie, I want to be out there."
World Peace had to compromise a little. He originally wanted to wear shorts that would show his rear and a jersey that would show off his chest area. "It's very exposing," he said with a smile.
Instead, World Peace opted for the goofy short shorts. Considering his admission that he doesn't have Kevin Hart's comedic smarts, World Peace believed his cameo appearance would be funny only if he deadpanned looking goofy.
"The only way I can be funny," World Peace said, "is if I be myself and do something outrageous."
It worked.
--Mark Medina
