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Tyson is a Bravo Clubhouse Knock Out

Regina | July 9, 2012 | 16 Comments More

(July 9, 2012) – The people who booked Mike Tyson on Watch What Happens Live are geniuses, on both sides of that deal.

On Bravo’s side, they hit gold with the former Heavyweight boxer, who is beyond a Housewives superfan. He’s an historian and has genuine opinions about these nutty shows that clearly indicate he’s been watching, New Jersey at least, for years, unlike previous guests, like Neil Patrick Harris, who didn’t seem very familiar with any of the casts.

It was also a smart move on Tyson’s handlers’ side. Although I am not one of them, there are many people who hate this guy, who was convicted and was incarcerated for rape years ago. Personally I am not so sure about that jury’s verdict. Still he did his time and in this country, we pride ourselves on giving people who make mistakes second chances.

His appearance on this show was genius because Iron Mike is about to star in his own Spike Lee-directed one-man Broadway show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth. I am positive that many people who saw him chatting it up with Andy Cohen and Melissa Gorga will buy tickets to this two-week performance. In fact, I am nearly positive it will a) sell out as a result of this appearance in the Bravo Clubhouse; and b) get Mike’s phone ringing off the hook with offers for a regular TV gig. Sure he speaks too softly, has a bizarre accent, mumbles and admitted last night that he needs an interpreter or subtitles. But he’s can’t-take-your-eyes-off-of -him fascinating.

Mike is definitely affable, hysterically funny, has a sense of humor about his own life/past antics and disagrees with pretty much every thought I have about this show. It made watching and listening to his take on the ladies of Franklin Lakes delightful. He likes Caroline; I do not. During the After Show, when he heard she wants to have him over for dinner, he said it’s possible depending upon the size of the check. C’mon that’s hilarious.

Here he is saying he likes her because she’s “awesome,” “the matriarch” and “handling her role pretty well.” And Caroline is doing her usual routine of trying to hobnob with celebrities and this guy wants an appearance fee to pop over to Franklin Lakes for Sunday Gravy. He’s right that there’s money to be made off of that scene. I would subscribe to pay-per-view to see this unlikely vegan mangia with the Manzos.

Tyson’s theory about the Melissa vs. Teresa skirmish is that Teresa is reluctant to “pass the torch” to her younger sister-in-law. He predicts that Melissa is going to be hired to do a Cover Girl ad and that Teresa is going to hit the ceiling about it. He said he liked Teresa much more in the first few seasons when Danielle Staub was the designated trouble maker because “we all got people like that in our life.”

Still he didn’t trash Teresa. He said that she and Juicy remind him of his own marriage because “they’re all bankrupt and messed up…and even though they’re doing so bad, they’re looking so good…I don’t know how they’re paying their bills. I don’t know how we’re paying our bills…I don’t know how this stuff works, but it’s working…Nowhere else in the world can you be bankrupt and live in a mansion.”

Quite a bit of  this – the greatest episodes of Watch What Happens Live and The After Show in history – is online at Bravotv.com. If you haven’t already seen these episodes yet, you may want to check them out. I’d love to hear what you think of them.

Photo courtesy of BravoTV.com

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Category: Watch What Happens Live

About the Author (Author Profile)

I am a New York City publicist who specializes in promoting luxury products and experiences and occasionally moonlight as a journalist.

Relatively new to the world of blogging, I have watched and enjoyed Bravo’s Housewives shows since the first season of the Real Housewives of Orange County. I created this blog over the 4th of July holiday of 2011 because I enjoy writing and love to figure out how to blend images and words to create something that is both visually compelling and interesting to read.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jayne.melton Jayne Haney

    I can’t believe I fell asleep and missed Mike Tyson. Even though he once cost me $50 (I am the only Atl native that bet against Holyfield) I like Mike. I would love to see him at dinner with the Manzo’s! I will have to watch the after shows.

    • Anonymous

       His gung-ho enthusiasm was so surprising that I stayed up WAY past my bedtime to see it again at 1:30 am. Melissa could barely get a word in edge-wise which she didn’t look psyched about. Still he was so funny that even Ms. Spotlight couldn’t help but let him run with it.

      I’ve saved it on my DVR for eternity and will watch it often as a pick me up during dull moments washing dishes.

  • MaggieG

    Caught bits & pieces of WWHL by accident (I stopped watching it on a regular basis) & was surprised at what a fan of the HWs shows Mike Tyson seems to be.  He definitely requires subtitles so while I have no doubt that his one man show will be popular I have to wonder how intelligible he will be.

    Like you, I enjoyed his ability to give his opinion on what he thinks without trashing anyone.  He dominated the show & everyone seemed star struck.

    Mike Tyson is a vegan?

    • Anonymous

      Yep, Mike is getting his iron from spinach these days. Truthfully I’m not surprised at all. I once saw George Foreman in a restaurant. For lunch he had a tuna tartare and a glass of water. Period. Nothing more. Once during my misspent 20s, I dated a boxer who had the most rigorous diet I’ve ever heard of. He read this book called Lean Bodies and followed its instructions religiously. I’ve always suspected that he dated me because he loves salads, which I am known to make very well. He nearly broke up with me because I put the tiniest bit (less than 1/32th of a teaspoon) of ice cream in his coffee, thinking it would be a fun surprise. He was horrified.

  • Tuzentswurth

    I couldn’t finish watching, simply no interest. Didn’t Mike also beat the crap out of Robin Givens when they were married?….bit off part of Holyfield’s ear?….rape?….too much brain damage for me to watch.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t know if he was accused of hitting Robin Givens, though I wouldn’t be surprised. The Holyfield ear thing was HORRENDOUS. I cannot imagine what would inspire someone to do something like that. All of the recent stories in the news about similar things makes me think that drugs MUST have been involved.

      Still Tuz, trust me, I am not Mike Tyson’s apologist. All I am saying is that it was the BEST WWHL episode ever – bar none; that he is the biggest Housewives fan I’ve ever heard of (we have opposite opinions about everything); and that he is literally mesmerizing in Andy’s Clubhouse.

      I definitely don’t think he raped that woman in that hotel room. Still I am sure he’s done many things that no one can be proud of.

      • Tuz

        He did pummel his then wife, Robin Givens, much like Chris Brown did to Rhianna. Robin Givens was tiny. I can’t imagine being punched by a pro boxer.

        • Anonymous

           Ugh! Sounds brutal. I hope he’s been rehabilitated. No woman man or woman should be slapped with so much as a feather. To be pummeled is horrendous! Truly despicable.

  • Anonymous

    I cannot tell you how impressed I was by your assertion, “… Personally I am not so sure about that jury’s verdict.”

    I remember there was testimony from the alleged victim, Desiree Washington, at the trial. Something to the effect that she had gone into the bathroom and removed her sanitary napkin (and, according to her testimony it was the only one she had with her) and then came back into the bedroom. I am sorry but there is only one reason a woman would do such a thing and that is if she knew intercourse was imminent. If that isn’t a cause for ‘reasonable doubt’ then there is no definition that properly fits the term. To my mind, Ms. Washington had about as much credibility as Tawana Brawley. I think that was clearly a case of guilty in the court of public opinion due to his, shall we say, erratic behavior.

    That said, we are talking about his appearance on WWHL. The only thing to say about that is it was one of the most spontaneous events to ever occur in Andy’s “clubhouse.” As Mike got drunker, the whole scene just got more surreal. Andy was loving it while simultaneously fearing he might not escape unscathed. It is also on my DVR with a “until I erase.”

    Now to the RHONJ episode itself. It was a seemingly dull episode although, for me, much was revealed. First of all I am talking about the dinner debacle at the Wakile’s.
    Did you also find it odd that the Wakile boy seemed entirely too comfortable swearing in
    front of Nonna (grandma)? I (or one of my kids) would have gotten one
    in the chops for even thinking to curse in the house let alone in front
    of what is supposed to be a respected elder. Seeing as Nonna didn’t
    react at all with even an “eh, you…watch your mouth,” we know bad
    language is par for the course in that household. Kathy has a lot of
    people fooled but I’m not one of them.

    And that kid’s act doesn’t fool me at all
    either. He’s a sneaky, smirky little punk who thinks he’s all that and
    fries on the side. Talk about the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
    Or is it, like father, like son. I don’t have Twitter but I understand from those that follow him that he is really a foul-mouthed, spoiled brat who seems to have no boundaries. I don’t need to read his
    twitter feed to know he is the kid that any really good parent DOESN’T
    want his kid to hang around. If you really “watch” the kid’s act is not lost on you. Victoria however seems to be a fine young
    lady although I do want to know why does she always look like she’s just
    this side of falling asleep.

    After last night
    and Kathy’s own words (“…I hear that “homosexual women” – not even
    lesbians but HOMOSEXUAL WOMEN?!?! – on the second date pull up with a
    u-haul and all their possessions…”) tells me that Teresa told the
    absolute truth when she said that Kathy hated the idea that Rosie was
    gay. If you listen carefully to Rosie this week and last week as well, she all
    but confirms it.

    Kathy is definitely someone not happy about her sister being a
    lesbian. She is also ignorant and has bought into every negative, gay
    stereotype. She is NOT old-school, she is NOT all about respect. She is
    someone who goes with which way the wind blows hence her easy turn on
    Teresa.

    Almost forgot. Anybody else catch
    Miss-Porcelain-Doll-Rainbows-and-Child’s-Laughter (Kathy Wakile’s sobriquet courtesy of the Manzos – according to the Hobo in
    Hoboken, Chris Manzo) when she was at
    the gay bar last week.

    Remember? She said she was going to “scout bitches” for Rosie. She admonished
    Rosie that the first rule is to “…remember a bitch’s name…”

    Yes. We can tell that the young Mr. Wakile is being taught nothing
    but respect for everyone by the exemplary example we see being set by
    his vigilant parents.
    There is so much more but I’ve already written a chapter. I’ll stop for now before your eyes start to bleed. If you’re interested in my further rant about last night let me know and I’ll get the rest off my chest.

    • Anonymous

      HI Helen,

      Thanks for commenting. Have you ever commented here before? I ask because your writing style sounds so familiar though, with my faulty memory, I cannot recall seeing your name here before.  Have you commented here before?

    • QueenBofOB

      @, Tyson still came out a winner, despite having spent time in the joint.

      • QueenBofOB

        I don’t know what happened to my comment, but what I originally said was that you could add me to the list of people who think Tyson got a raw deal with the jury verdict. Just the fact that this woman went to his hotel room in the middle of the night, makes me think she knew what she was getting into. And oddly enough, the way things are in our culture, Tyson still came out a winner…

        • Anonymous

           Something is very questionable about that woman’s story. Believe me I get it that “no” means “no.” All women get that. Still not all men do because we do not speak the same language.

          That is precisely why older women should explain this to younger women, who like all of us, don’t always get the truth: men and women are fundamentally different.

          Having said that, Mike did his time. And he may have hit Robin Givens. I have no idea. And I am not minimizing that at all, if it is true. Still it is a miracle that he’s not a serial killer, considering how he grew up with pretty much no parental guidance.

          Thank God Cus D’Amato showed an interest in him and moved him into his Upstate New House. If he hadn’t, I am nearly positive he’d be dead or in jail right now.

      • Anonymous

         I met him a restaurant maybe 10 years ago. He was very nice. And he knew he was being overcharged for food and merchandise. He just didn’t care even slightly. Some say he’s dumb. Some say he’s deep. I have no idea what his story is. Personally I refuse to condemn him, regardless of what he’s done in the past because he’s done his time and is trying to move on.

        Eons ago I read his bio by José Torres. As a result, I feel for this guy. Growing up, he was a throw-away kid, left to raise himself with little guidance. That he hasn’t become a serial killer is a testament to the essential goodness of human beings.

        I am sure few people believe or agree with me about that, but it’s true. If you ever get the chance to pick up the book, I bet you’d like it.

        http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Fear-Inside-Story-Tyson/dp/0445210427/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342590707&sr=8-1&keywords=Jose+Torres+Mike+Tyson

  • Anonymous

     I don’t recall it. As far as I can remember, this is a new place for me. Maybe you read me at another site?

    • Anonymous

       Possibly. I’m not sure. I read quite a few blogs. Your voice sounds so familiar to me. Regardless, welcome!

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