What’s the latest in celeb home décor? Dinosaur heads. Makes sense, if you’re trying to out-Jones the Jones, might as well pick up something that’s extinct and guaranteed to not available in the latest Pantone every season. Remember when Russell Crowe bought Leonardo DiCaprio’s dino skull? And Leo was only unloading it so he could get a bigger one. Our newest dinosaur skull connoisseur is Dwayne The Rock Johnson. If I was going to suspect anyone of owning the head of a prehistoric predator, it would be someone who goes by the moniker The Rock. DJ appeared on Eli and Payton Manning’s podcast, ManningCast, the other day and in the background was a giant T-Rex skull. The skull fascinated Eli, who couldn’t stop asking about it:
Eli asking the important questions. It's Stan the T-Rex! 🦖#ManningCast https://t.co/hMfaDw1JuT pic.twitter.com/nHTtLjvQDP
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 18, 2022
Finding out the T-Rex was named Stan, led some outlets to do a little digging (tee-hee). It turns out, Stan is the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever excavated. Stan was, in fact, auctioned off in 2020 and he sold for $31.8M to an unidentified buyer. So, has that buyer just been identified? And is he the highest paid actor for the last three years running?
No. The skull in the background is Stan, but not The $32M Stan. DJ’s Stan is a copy he had made and mounted for his home that cost probably $11,500. But so many people thought DJ had the real Stan, that the Internet ignited with DJ’s got dino money! talk. So he posted a clarification about his homage d’Stan along with some paleontological facts and the admission that if he had purchased Stan (because let’s face it, DJ does have dino money), he would have secured him in a museum where he belongs.
After my LIVE interview on last night’s #ManningCast on @NFL’s Monday Night Football, there’s been tons of worldwide speculation in the world of science ~ that I am the “mystery buyer” of the original T-REX skull, known as STAN.
I am not the mystery buyer.
In my home office, this is my REPLICA CAST of STAN that I had made and purchased from my friends at The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research and Paleontological Excavations
*swipe left and you’ll meet my teamThe original STAN was found in 1987, by amateur paleontologist, Stan Sacrison and finally excavated in 1992.
In science, this T-REX skull is considered to be the most perfectly preserved skull ever found. Bones of this beautiful beast were perfectly pristine.
This is why STAN is so extraordinary and special.
In 2020, STAN was auctioned and sold for $31.8 million to an anonymous buyer and never seen again.
That buyer was not me.
My love, respect, fascination and curiosity for paleontological & archeological science runs deep – and if I was the proud owner of the real STAN, I sure as hell wouldn’t keep him in my office
I’d keep him in a museum, so the world could enjoy, study and learn from him.
* some cool paleontology history for you guys ~ based on anatomical research, STAN had some BRUTAL fights during his lifetime.
Multiple bites and punctures from another T-Rex all over his skull as well as at the base of his skull that resulted in a broken neck, which STAN SURVIVED but his vertebrae were fused, resulted in loss of mobility and great pain for the rest of his life.STAN’s a f-king bad ass.
And reminds me of myself.
Not because I’m a bad ass, but because I’m 67 MILLION YEARS OLD TOO
Cheers to the Cretaceous Legend himself…
If you swipe left as DJ asked us to, you’ll see he posted a photo of the creative team who made the cast of Stan’s skull. Giving credit where credit is due, because The Rock rocks – always.
Thanks to both Uproxx and DListed for the original story.
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Oh I love how much he loves dinos! Very interesting facts too
So which rich asshole do we think has a t-Rex in his house so no one else ever gets to see it?
CEO, entrepreneur
Born in 1964
Can we make it 1963 or 1965? I was born in ‘64 and don’t want to be tainted by association.
I want one! In Australia they have opalized fossils. Want. Want.
Oh man – I want Dino skeleton money.
DJ never disappoints.
I love the Rock! He is such an odd combination of a complete egomaniac and down-to-earth good soul who does lots of good things for people.
Every time the story of Stan comes up, I feel my blood boil. You know how much tax money goes into those STEM grants? Literally, they’re just robbing us all blind right before our eyes.
He needs to lay off of those fillers.
A real dinosaur skull should be given to a museum like tons of other rich people do. I’m looking at you Leo and Russel.