Quick little etymology lesson for those of you not intimately familiar with sport – or, for that matter, not actually from Australia. The term “falcon” (past tense “falconed”) is used to refer to any incident where a ball or object strikes someone in the head.
Exhibit A:
Usage of the word in this context originates from the NRL Footy Show, which for a while had a running joke featuring footage of former player Mario “The Maltese Falcon” Fenech getting hit in the head with a ball during a game. This then got related to other instances of that occurring via the tongue-in-cheek “Golden Falcon Award,” which later simply became the “Falcon.” And thus the term entered the greater sport lexicon.
Now that we’ve got that sorted, professional tall and humorous person Will Ferrell apparently got himself into a spot of trouble during an NBA game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers.
During half time in what appears to have been a bizarre meltdown, Ferrell stormed the court clasping a basketball, and appeared to begin lining up for a half court shot. He then proceeded to spike the ball into the temple of one of the Pelicans cheerleaders, felling her as the crowd reacted with shock. A belligerent Ferrell then postured and screamed at the crowd before security finally apprehended him. Ferrell resisted, resulting in the team having to physically carry him from the court.
Will Ferrell being led out of the Smoothie King Center by security at halftime of the Pelicans/Lakers game. pic.twitter.com/AaOTEL8716
— Brett (@thecajunboy) January 22, 2015
Even better pic of Will Ferrell being led out of the Smoothie King Center by security at halftime of the Pels game. pic.twitter.com/RXKj72WXDx
— Brett (@thecajunboy) January 22, 2015
Relax, though. It’s all fine. It’s not actually the first signs of a celebrity meltdown of epic proportions.
In reality, Ferrell was in the building to film scenes for the upcoming film Daddy’s Home, which also stars Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini and Hannibal Buress.
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the film features “Ferrell as a mild-mannered radio executive who is determined to become the best stepdad possible to the children of his new wife (Cardellini). Wahlberg plays the children’s “freewheeling and freeloading” biological father, whose sudden re-emergence forces Ferrell’s character to compete for the affection of the children.“
The film shoot was acknowledged to the arena crowd prior to the incident occurring, and shooting at the arena is expected to continue for the next few days.
As for the cheerleader who took the hit? She’s totally fine, guys. In fact some of you with keener eyes will recognise her as professional wrestler – and current TNA Knockouts Champion – Taryn Terrell, who previously worked with Ferrell on the 2012 film The Campaign, and has since done stunt work for numerous films including This Is The End and Jurassic World.
Still, though. That’s a hell of a hit.
Photo: Stacy Revere via Getty Images.
via Uproxx.
