Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision
It was announced Monday that former boxer and heavyweight champ, Mike Tyson will be taking on Broadway, and I must say, I’m excited to hear this. He has teamed up with director, Spike Lee, to bring the story of his checkered past and controversial career to the masses in a whole new way. “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth”, which debuted in April at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is a one-man show/confessional that paints a portrait of the highs and lows of Iron Mike’s life and career. This should prove to be a little less embarrassing than the last time Mike was on a Broadway stage, when, during a press conference at the Hudson Theater, he decided to drive more nails into his boxing career’s coffin by biting Lennox Lewis on the leg.
I’ll admit to having cracked some jokes at Mike’s expense in the past, but the truth is, I’m a fan. Sure, he’s gone through his share of drama over the years, but I truly admire the story of how he came into boxing. He was troubled kid from Brooklyn who found boxing as an escape from his dismal life. Unfortunately, his life still ended up being pretty dismal at times, but everyone has problems, and super-stars are no exception. They’re the ones in the spotlight; therefore, they’re the ones who are the easiest targets for ridicule and scrutiny. There’s no doubt that the guy has made some awful decisions. (Seriously, a guy who decides to bite two different people, on two separate occasions, both times being in front of cameras, definitely has some issues with good judgment.) However, with this production, he’s putting it all out there for everyone to see, and for that, I still respect him.
“Kith my fitht, Cat. Broadway’th mine now.”
The show is scheduled to run from July 31st to August 5th at the Longacre Theater. Check out Tyson and Lee discussing the production on the Today Show.
