Jonny Blueberries

Mao Zedong, the former Chairman of the Chinese people through their Cultural Revolution, is a name and face I have become quite familiar with. A year in China sifting through the RMB (with Mao’s face on each denomination), numerous conversations with students about the wonderful misgivings they have come to embrace about his reign, along with chowing on Mao’s favorite pork dish at dinners in Mao’s hometown-only-food restaurants have brought me the sort of closeness that I can only hope for with other communist leaders.

Mike Tyson, the former and infamous WBA Heavyweight champion of the world, is also a name and face I will never forget. A convicted rapist, quote machine (to this day, I think only “W” can match the candor and idiocy with which he speaks) and relatively interesting has-been (see: Britney Spears) dons a tattoo on his right biceps muscle of Mr. Mao himself.

In 2006, Tyson took a trip to Beijing and payed homage at Mao’s mausoleum in Tian’anmen Square. Tyson arrived in a Benz wearing a Shaq shirt, and stood before Mao’s body to pay his respects. Tyson, who has read the Selected Quotations of Chairman Mao, has also been quoted by saying that “Chairman Mao was a great, strong man.”

An odd connection, yes, but somehow, it works.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 17th, 2007 at 12:08 pm and is filed under Uncategorized, China, Ballin', Shot Callin', Pop cult. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.