Native Philadelphian Kevin Hart has long been among the Eagles’ biggest supporters, frequently attending games at Lincoln Financial Field including their recent NFC Championship win over San Francisco, where he was spotted alongside Sixers seven-footer Joel Embiid. In support of his beloved Birds, who are seeking their second title in franchise history, the comedian of Jumanji and Ride Along fame apparently spent $16.5 million (or so he claims) on an actual eagle, which he appropriately named Jalen in honor of quarterback Jalen Hurts.
“I believe when you work hard, you should treat yourself, and that’s exactly what I did,” said Hart in a video shared to his 165 million Instagram followers. “Ladies and gentlemen, I splurged a little bit. I went and bought an eagle.”
It’s hard to tell if this is real or a publicity stunt masterminded by Hart and his marketing team, trying to move product by bringing brand awareness to his new tequila, starting at $59 a bottle. The permissibility of owning a living, breathing eagle is also up for debate, though, if Mike Tyson can keep a tiger under his roof, it’s at least plausible that Hart could make a similarly outlandish purchase without raising any legal red flags. With a net worth approaching $200 million, Hart is the rare person wealthy enough to blow eight figures on a pet without losing sleep over it.
“I bought that, $16.5 million, cash. I’m the only black man with an eagle during Black History Month. And, because he’s a wild animal, he came with it,” said Hart, motioning to a trained handler who apparently will be staying at his house for the next two months, helping Jalen get accustomed to his new surroundings. “I named the eagle Jalen Hurts. Jalen, you got a big game coming up, baby. You ready?”
Headed to their first Super Bowl in five years, the NFC Champs are seen as slight favorites over Kansas City, holding a 1.5-point edge on Caesars Sportsbook. Expect Hart, Bradley Cooper and countless other Philly-born celebrities to make their presence felt at Super Bowl LVII, which kicks off Sunday at 6:30 PM ET on Fox.
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