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Not all of the stars on “Celebrity Row” receive the same reception from a certain Knicks playmaker.
That’s according to Knicks superfan Ben Stiller, who said Monday on Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart’s “Roommates Show” podcast that longtime “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay “is the envy of every other Knicks fan” because of her game-day interactions with the team captain.
“The love that Mariska Hargitay gets from you postgame is the envy of every other Knicks fan, Knicks celebrity fan. She gets a hug after a loss,” Stiller said.
Brunson, 28, then detailed how he grew up watching “Law & Order: SVU” and its beloved star, whom he embraced courtside at Madison Square Garden on April 11.
“I remember my dad always watching the show and it was like, you just hear the iconic [theme song] ‘don-don’ all the time in the house,” Brunson said, “… And so, always found myself watching the show and the older I got, the more I watched, the more I see now I’m like, ‘I’ve seen that episode,’ I’ve seen so many different episodes.”
Brunson recalled feeling star-struck when he first met Hargitay, who has appeared on “Law & Order” iterations since 1999 and plays Olivia Benson.
“I’ve always loved the show, and I’ve never been like super, super starstruck. I saw her and I was like, ‘Oh, s–t,’ and then, the first time we met, it was awesome, we talked and everything,” he said.
Brunson cited his quality time with Hargitay, 61, over the actress’s rare Garden appearances compared to Stiller’s.
“I expect to see him there all the time, but this is her first or second game this year, so I’m not going to see her for a long time, so I’m just going to say hi and go,” Brunson said.
Stiller has been a staple at MSG throughout the season and the first round of the playoffs, which saw the Knicks knock off the Pistons in six games.
His episode of the “Roommates Show” dropped on the same day the Knicks rallied from a 20-point deficit to take Game 1 of their second-round series against the Celtics in Boston, 108-105.
Before Brunson scored 29 points, four rebounds and five assists, he had to overcome some light teasing by Hart over the Hargitay of it all.
“I’ve seen you not hug your wife after some losses,” Hart said, to which Brunson replied, “That’s a lie,” with a glare.
“Damn, man,” Brunson added with a smile.
Game 2 tips off Wednesday at 7 p.m. before the series shifts to New York for Game 3 on Saturday.
English (US)