[URBAN NOTE] On the foolishness of Rob Ford the day before, with Mike Tyson

[rfmcdonald]

While I feel sorry to learn that Rob Ford has been diagnosed with a large abdominal tumour--his father's fatal experience with colon cancer, and Ford's own previous issues, must be weighing on him--the day before his hospitalization Ford was soliciting support from a convicted rapist, Mike Tyson.

Mike Tyson declared Rob Ford the "best mayor in Toronto history" on Tuesday at an unexpected meeting at city hall.

The mayor and former boxing champion spoke to reporters, after a brief closed-door meeting, about their shared experience with scandal, personal problems and the media. "We're cut from the same cloth," said Ford.

Tyson said Ford's problems are no different from anyone else's, except that he is in the media's spotlight.

"He has a troubled past because he has 24-hour surveillance of the press," said Tyson of Ford. "Do you prefer him to be a guy who's clean-cut but behind the doors you never know what he's doing?"

Tyson said he prefers to know what the mayor's problems are, rather than have those problems hidden from the public eye.

[. . .]

Ford earlier said he "idolized" and "respected" Tyson.

Tyson later appeared on local television.

American boxing legend Mike Tyson cursed at CP24 reporter Nathan Downer during a live interview Wednesday afternoon after the reporter mentioned Tyson’s rape conviction.

When Downer asked the boxing star whether he thought his criminal record could damage the reputation of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, whom Tyson met with on Tuesday, the former undisputed heavyweight champion replied angrily.

Controversial former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson is defending Rob Ford. Tyson met the mayor at Toronto City Hall Tuesday and said public figures deserve the same understanding for their troubles as anyone.

“It’s so interesting that you come across as a nice guy, but you’re really a piece of s---,” he said.

Tyson was convicted of rape in 1992 after an incident the year before in an Indianapolis hotel room with an 18-year-old winner of a scholarship pageant. He served three years in prison. In 1999 he was convicted of assault, and he pleaded guilty in 2007 to cocaine possession charges and driving under the influence.

He continued to curse at Downer as the interview drew to a close. Tyson has been working the media circuit in Toronto to promote his one-man show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, which he is scheduled to perform at the Air Canada Centre Wednesday night.