Encore Night Brings Out the Superstars
Former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world “Iron” Mike Tyson had the crowd on their feet once again in a special West Coast performance of his hit one-man show “Undisputed Truth.” On Hollywood Boulevard, the kingpin commanded the stage during last night’s live performance at the historic Pantages Theatre in Tinseltown.
I had the opportunity to witness this performance and I really felt the electricity from the packed crowd filled to the balconies.
Mike Tyson is second to none in captivating, capturing and shocking an audience.
And during Sunday night’s two-hour show presented by famed director Spike Lee, the feared slugger relayed his tumultuous life story for all in attendance. After stints in San Diego and Anaheim, the heavyweight hit Hollywood in a bravo performance.
And just who was in the seats for his last show in Southern California?
Boxing’s superstars all came out to show their support–including one former foe of “Iron” Mike’s. Can you guess who?
Ex-champ Evander Holyfield was sitting center stage enjoying the show. Yes, Holyfield. The same man who had his ear bitten off by the one and only Mike Tyson. The two warriors are now friends…with time healing all wounds (including that infamous chomping of the ear). The Bed-Stuy boxer gave a shout out to many of his fellow fighters seated in the plush chairs of the Pantages. Boxing greats Sugar Ray Leonard, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and Henry Tillman also lent their star power to the event among several other luminaries in in the house like singer Stevie Wonder and King World’s Michael King.
It was a KO evening to hear and watch Tyson on stage. He covered all topics–revealing all in this daring stage show. There are F-bombs aplenty but there are also back stories in the tremendous ups and downs of his 46 years on the planet.
And the former “Baddest Man on the Planet” is still pretty bad ass. He’s a wild card, the loose cannon you can never underestimate.
Stepping out to a thunderous ovation of applause, Tyson (with his trademark lisp intact) told us: “I AM INVINCIBLE.”
He then showed his Brooklyn juvenile delinquent side (when he used to go on “robbin’ sprees”) and also shared his softer side (in talking about his mother, family and the death of his little girl).
And he also showed off his “scarier” side when discussing his dislike (to put it mildly) of ex-wife Robin Givens, ex-promoter Don King and ex-nemesis Mitch “Blood” Green. And the ex-con also spends time reliving his jail sentence for rape. He lists all the people who visited him in prison, appreciative of their time and support. Most surprising visitor he had? The “Brady Bunch’s” Florence Henderson stopped by to visit the prisoner. Yep, shaggy blonde Mrs. Brady supported the champ through his toughest times.
And through all the tragedy, comedy is somehow interwoven through the subjects he addresses. Conflict, controversy and comedy. So I experienced rolling segues from being in shock to laughing so hard to then feeling empathy for the embattled boxer from Brooklyn. There were so many highlights from the memorable show including his hilarious account of when he caught actor Brad Pitt with his then-estranged wife Robin Givens (“Head of the Class”) to funny imitations of the long-haired Mitch Green and the spiky-haired Don King to his joking around about the blazing 20-year-old tough punk he once was.
Behind the boxer was a screen showing vintage photos and film clips of the young puncher. Watching his sizzling speed and fancy footwork, you are transported back in time while remembering how fierce, how ferocious and how feared this tiger once was.
Now in his late 40s, the tamed tiger is now a Vegan, eschewing red meat–and he says he’s given up his habit of biting earlobes off too!
One of the craziest parts of Sunday’s performance was when he gave a impromptu shout out to the champions in the audience. The stage lights came on and Tyson had Ray Leonard, Henry Tillman and Evander Holyfield take a bow.
He then told former ring rival Holy: “I’M SORRY, BROTHER I SNAPPED.” Mike said he was just tired and frustrated by the head butting in their bout. Further addressing his ear-biting incident, Tyson joked with us, “And be sure to buy Evander’s new BBQ sauce. Man, I wish I would’ve had some when I bit his ear!”
Before he became a pro fighter, Tyson said he was a gutter kid. During his youth and before fame and fortune found him, Tyson was once a petty thief. As a child he stole–and raised–pet pigeons, a hobby he still enjoys. He was also a drug addict who watched his immense fortune disappear. And of course, he went on to wreak havoc in and out of the ring.
So has the controversial and much-maligned Mike Tyson finally found happiness and peace? The jury’s still out but one thing is for certain, last night the prizefighter was surrounded by friends, family and a big support group from the boxing circles.
After the show, I caught up with several familiar faces who had just seen the performance. All of them told me how much they enjoyed “Undisputed Truth” and many of them told me they’ve known Tyson since he was a little boy in New York.
Ronnie “The Dragon” Essett reminisced about the teenage Tyson, who was his roommate during the Olympic trials. “Mike was just 16 years old,” Essett said. “He was my roommate back then and during the trials Henry Tillman beat him in their fight.”
Essett connected with Tyson in a fist bump in the lobby after the show.
I also got a quick greeting with the champ as he walked by our group. I told him congrats on shook his hand while the group of well wishers enveloped the pugilist.
Young British boxer Liam Vaughan (fighting March 14 in Hollywood) was there to see the champion, as well as trainer Jerry “Whiteboy” Rosenberg, artist Mohammed Mubarak, artist/trainer Steve Harpst, and also a famous mug from the big screen–actor Paulie Herman (“Randy” in ‘Silver Linings Playbook’). I chatted with Paulie who told me about his Brooklyn days of knowing a very young Mike Tyson. Having first met him when “Iron” Mike was just a kid, Paulie’s seen the heavyweight boxer go through decades on a roller coaster ride in and outside of the ropes.
And that was the common sentiment from most of the people I spoke to in the theatre–they have known Tyson since he was a troubled boy, watched him grown into an even more troubled man and have now joined him in his latest chapter of life. The married Vegas resident is also a very proud father and family man. The boy who didn’t learn to read and write until he was a teen (with his beloved coach/mentor/father figure Cus D’Amato) now takes immense pride in seeing his offspring going off to Ivy League colleges.
As a stage show, “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” is riveting.
As a man (with his myriad self-described flaws), Mike Tyson’s life was–and still is–just as riveting.
Photos by Michele Chong
