Living in drug-infested, crime-ridden neighborhoods (his family moved from hell to the devil’s toilet is how he characterizes it), Tyson developed a reputation as a street fighter. Tyson tells us that his mother, a “country girl” at heart lost in the inner city, drank to ease the pain and that for a long time he was confused about the identity of his real father. Tyson palms this off as a joke by Lee, but it’s a poignant indication of the deprivation that marked Tyson’s Brooklyn childhood. PHOTOS: Arts and culture in pictures by The TimesĪn early photo of a white mother and her baby are projected in place of the baby pictures that weren’t taken when Tyson was born. A rebranding campaign is obviously underway at financially strapped Tyson headquarters, but the compassionate context that’s provided for this recovery tale isn’t misplaced. But he has something that isn’t encountered all that often in the theater - an authentic voice.ĭirected with finesse by filmmaker Spike Lee and written by Tyson’s wife, Kiki Tyson, the production is more of an autobiographical show-and-tell with video backdrop than an apology tour. It was a good, funny show, but again you have to know what you are getting into as Tyson will talk about his life that includes escorts and drug use.Tyson’s diction isn’t meant for the stage. Nobody expects Tyson to be a professional speaker.

Still, there were points where he stumbled a little, paused, and waited for his lines from his assistants. So for him to stand on the stage by himself in front of a giant crowd talking for over an hour, I don't mind him getting some help through his earpieces. Mike Tyson is a former professional boxer, not a stand-up comedian.

On both of his ears were big white earpieces with wires going along his neck, which I assume were for people feeding him his lines. Tyson talked for probably over an hour, and though he did not use teleprompters, he seemed to clearly have help. So you have to know what you are getting into. Some of the stories Tyson tells, such as his rendezvous with escorts, may be discomforting to some audiences. It was very entertaining, but Tyson is Tyson and the language is very blunt and very adult. What this show is, is Mike Tyson on the stage by himself telling stories about his life in a stand-up comedy style, with screens showing video clips along the way. All I knew was that this was a Mike Tyson show, but not much else. The Theater at MGM National Harbor - National Harbor Characteristically blunt talk from Mike Tyson.

Tyson undisputed truth