Striking perhaps the biggest contrast on a press tour stage, hulking Mike Tyson and tiny filmmaker Spike Lee spoke to reporters about their upcoming special “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth,” which draws from his recent autobiographical monologue on Broadway.
And maybe Lee was speaking too effusively. “Mike Tyson is the most honest human
being I’ve ever met in my life,” Lee said. “We’re editing it at this very moment, and it’s amazing.:
So the controversial former heavyweight champ tried to put it in context:
Thank you very much, Spike. Thank you,” Tyson began. “I’m very grateful. But, guys, please, don’t get carried away; all right? In no way am I Charles Manson, but I’m never going to be Mother Teresa either, okay?”
So some good advice: Just don’t be so quick to understand me. Just don’t get too close, and be careful, I will bite you, as you may know, right?”
Before any reporter thought he’d suffer the fate of Evander Holyfield, Lee jumped in: “He’s just kidding. He’s not going to bite you.”
“I did before,” the most honest human being repeated.
Tyson compared getting on stage to getting in the ring: “The similarity is that I can’t
wait to get my hands on the guy, just like I can’t wait to get on stage. The only ones that — the non-similarities is that I don’t have to go to the hospital after I perform.”