A couple of well-known drug dealers sat courtside at the Houston Rockets’ home game Wednesday night.
Relax, the Rockets didn’t have a 1970s flashback night. And the two “drug dealers,” Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, aren’t really drug dealers. But the actors played them to perfection in the series Breaking Bad, regarded by many critics as the best drama show in television history.
Cranston, who played chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin Walter White, and Paul, who played his former student turned assistant, Jesse Pinkman, found themselves the center of attention at the Toyota Center during the Rockets’ game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul courtside at the Houston Rockets’ game.
The Rockets’ mascot paid tribute to Walter White. 😂 pic.twitter.com/4M3zQzpkDI
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 19, 2023
The public address announcer called them out for recognition, and they were put on the scoreboard screen. Rockets mascot Clutch wandered over to pay tribute to the pair of actors, wearing underwear and glasses, as Cranston’s character famously did in the Breaking Bad pilot. (If you haven’t seen the series, that underwear bit might sound ridiculous, but turns out it’s a useful outfit for cooking meth in an RV.)
The mascot also appeared scared, although he was probably still in mascot school when Cranston’s character uttered the chilling line, “I am the danger” in Season 4. Clutch finally relented and gave the pair hugs.
Bryan Cranston (Walter White) and Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman) of #BreakingBad are courtside at the @HoustonRockets game! @clutchthebear paid tribute to their famous show 😂 pic.twitter.com/Fd2uSVQeQ3
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) January 19, 2023
Cranston and Paul were in the Houston area promoting their new business, Dos Hombres Mezcal. (There had better be a premium “Heisenberg” brand coming soon.) This sounds like a much safer line of work than their meth kingpin business from the series.
“Breaking Bad” fans enjoyed seeing the pair of actors.
“Seeing Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul together courtside gave me serious nostalgia. Breaking Bad really was a masterpiece,” Zach Blume tweeted.
Seeing Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul together courtside gave me serious nostalgia. Breaking Bad really was a masterpiece
— Zach Blume (@zblumee) January 19, 2023
“This is amazing. Please tell me there was an RV waiting outside,” tweeted Steve Chenevey.
This is amazing. Please tell me there was an RV waiting outside
— Steve Chenevey FOX5 (@stevechenevey) January 19, 2023
“Someone please tell me why Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are at a Houston Rockets game on a Wednesday,” asked a fan.
someone please tell me why bryan cranston and aaron paul are at a houston rockets game on a wednesday
— 💥 (@houjayden) January 19, 2023
“Imagine you’re at a Rockets game and Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul sit next to you,” tweeted another fan.
@DanDucey1 imagine you’re at a Rockets game and Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul sit next to you
— Jean (@J3an8651) January 19, 2023
[Photo Credit: Houston Rockets]