Giancarlo Esposito Resurrects Buggin Out In Scuffed Jordans ‘Do The Right Thing’ Skit

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History often repeats itself, which is what occurred when actor Giancarlo Esposito reenacted his classic scene from Do The Right Thing, in which his Air Jordan sneakers are scuffed by a passing bicyclist.

On Monday (May 20), Esposito gave his followers a hilarious blast from the past with the help of basketball shooting coach Chris Matthews, comedian Dan Rue, and members of their entourage, recreating the iconic dialogue nearly word-for-word as depicted in the film.

In a clip uploaded to Matthews’, otherwise known as Lethal Shooter, Instagram account, the famed baller wrote, “35 years later, Buggin Out still getting his Jordan’s scuffed!! Giancarlo Esposito is a living legend we don’t give his flowers to enough. We love you brother.”

Giancarlo Esposito Wearing Suit
Giancarlo Esposito attends the 39th Annual PaleyFest LA – “Better Call Saul” at Dolby Theatre on April 09, 2022 in Hollywood, California.

As part of the skit, Esposito is standing idly on a sidewalk as Rue scuffs his Jordan sneakers with his bike while passing by. Jokingly incensed, Esposito launches straight into character as Buggin Out, the sneaker-crazed, militant-minded, neighborhood kid he was cast as in Do The Right Thing 35 years ago.

“You almost knocked me down!” the esteemed thespian shouts at Rue, who is sporting a Larry Bird jersey in homage to actor John Savage’s character from the film. “Not only did you almost knock me down, but you stepped on my brand new white Air Jordans that I just bought!”

Esposito then chides Rue for buying property in his neighborhood, urging him to go back to Boston, a reference to the Celtics jersey the comedian is sporting. However, in a slight twist from the original dialogue, Rue informs Esposito that he was born in Louisiana, instead of Savage’s retort that he was born in Brooklyn towards the end of the original scene.

DO THE RIGHT THING, John Savage, Giancarlo Esposito, Martin Lawrence, 1989
DO THE RIGHT THING, John Savage, Giancarlo Esposito, Martin Lawrence, 1989

After catching wind of the post, Spike Lee, the director and lead star of Do The Right Thing, shared his reaction to the reenactment in the comments. “Dis Legendary Scene Still Rocks 35 Years Later. Love U G-Money,” the famed Brooklynite wrote in reference to Esposito, who’s he’s worked with on several films throughout their respective careers.

See Ginacarlo Esposito’s reenactment of his classic scene as Buggin Out in Do The Right Thing below.

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