Tyson blasts Hulu for 'Mike' series: "Heads will roll"
The former heavyweight champion compares the streaming platform with slavers for making a series about his life without his authorization.
Mike Tyson (Cordon Press)
Myke Tyson has accused streaming platform Hulu of "stealing" his life story to produce the series based on the boxer. The former heavyweight champion considers the Mike series, which premieres this August, to be a "cultural appropriation."
Tyson has lashed out at Hulu on social media for not having him on board for the series, and for not paying him to tell his story. "They are the masters of slavery," the boxer denounced, comparing the attitude of the streaming platform to that of slavers. "To Hulu executives, I'm just a 'n****r' that they can sell on the auction block," he stated.
The boxer denounced the platform that has tried to pay "millions" to Dana White, president of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), for promoting the series, while he has not been offered a single penny. He praised White's attitude in turning down the offer and issued a warning to Hulu: "I'll never forget what he did for me, just like I'll never forget what Hulu stole from me."
"David vs. Goliath": "Heads are going to roll."
The former heavyweight champion has launched a campaign to denounce what he considers a theft of his story. Tyson compares himself to a modern-day David in the face of the power of the audiovisual platform, and warns that "heads will roll."
The new Mike series, which premieres on August 25, chronicles the life of Mike Tyson: his childhood, his world championship, his rape conviction and his famous bite on Holyfield. As explained by the platform on its website, "the series will explore the wild, tragic and controversial life and career of heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture". "Mike," the platform recognizes, "it is an unauthorized and unabashed look into the life of Mike Tyson, and it's a wild ride."
The eight-part Mike series is directed by Craig Gillespie. Actor Trevante Rhodes plays the boxer. Tyson, 56, is involved in another project about his life. This one does have his authorization and stars Jamie Foxx.
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