Since stunning the boxing world in 2005 with his retirement announcement, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has re-branded himself to help rehabilitate his tainted image.
Within the last year the Brooklyn, New York native has made appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show to talk candidly about his troubled past, which included domestic/drug abuse. The boxing legend showcased a more livid and detailed account of his career in the James Toback documentary, 'Tyson.' The award-winning film wasn't the last time fans would see him on the silver screen, he also demonstrated his sense of humor in the hit comedy comedy, 'The Hangover.'
As if seeing "Iron Mike" crooning to Phil Collins' classic 'In the Air Tonight' wasn't amusing enough, Tyson's next venture may portray the former heavyweight as a lightweight.
The Associated Press reports Tyson will star in his very own reality show, 'Taking on Tyson,' on Animal Planet to participate in one of his favorite past times, pigeon racing. If you're a bit taken back by the announcement, no need to fret, you're not alone.
According to the channel's Media President, Marjorie Kaplan, "Tyson's passion for his pigeons takes my breath away."
Interesting
'Taking on Tyson' will bring viewers into an "intensely competitive and bizarrely fascinating world" in which has intrigued Tyson dating back to his humble beginnings in New York (where he used to raise pigeons on rooftops).
The network added that a team of pigeon experts will help assist Tyson as he trains and races them. 'Taking on Tyson' is scheduled to tape this spring in New York City with plans to air early next year.
Reality Bites
Fantasia Barrino
Affiliation: 'Fantasia For Real' on VH1
Side note: The 'American Idol' champion (2005) is a best-selling author ('Life is Not a Fairytale') and garnered critical acclaim as Miss Celie in the Broadway musical 'The Color Purple.'
Nene Leakes
Affiliation: 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' on Bravo
Side note: The brazen Queens, NY native is a domestic abuse survivor and a former stripper – all revelations she detailed in her 2009 memoir 'Never Make the Same Mistake Twice.'
Terrell Owens
Affiliation: 'The T.O. Show' on VH1
Side note: Alabama's very own football star simply known as "T.O." -- literally let it all hang out for the photo shoot promoting his new reality series, in July 2009. The show revolves around his life off the field as he searches for love, repair family relationships and make the move from Dallas to Buffalo.
Ray Cunningham
Affiliation: 'College Hill: Virginia State University' on BET
Side note: One of the more memorable characters from the Black Entertainment Television network reality ranks, Cunningham has become an openly gay LGBT advocate, budding actor and busy blogger, who was featured in Adam Bouska's groundbreaking NoH8 Campaign, which assembled California notables responding to the state's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage. Cunningham was also cast in acclaimed filmmaker Maurice Jamal's new forthcoming TV project 'Friends and Lovers.'
Miss New York
Affiliation:'Flavor of Love' and 'I Love New York' on VH1
Side note: The upstate New York drama queen competed for hip-hop hype-man Flavor Flav's love twice and was rejected both times.
MC Hammer
Affiliation: 'Hammertime' on A&E
Side note: Stanley Kirk Burrell seems to have done it all: Joined the navy; won Grammy Awards; danced for KFC popcorn chicken; fathered six children; wiggled his manhood in a Speedo bikini on a music video; went bankrupt; became a preacher; and now doing reality TV. 'Hammertime' is a look inside the family life of the man formerly known as one of the riches entertainers of his era.
Keyshia Cole
Affiliation: 'The Way It Is' on BET
Side note: In an interview, thuggish ruggish rap icon Young Jeezy claimed that the hip-hop soul songstress asked him to marry her but he turned her down.
Mo'Nique
Affiliation: 'Charm School' on VH1
Side note: While promoting the movie 'Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins,' Mo'Nique told Oprah Winfrey that co-star Martin Lawrence once gave her invaluable advice about show business.
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth
Affiliation: 'The Apprentice' on NBC and 'The Surreal Life' on VH1
Side note:The former White House staffer proudly became the superbitch of reality TV.
Tyra Banks
Affiliation: 'America's Next Top Model' on UPN and The CW
Side note: A supermodel of the highest degree, the Inglewood, Los Angeles native sought power behind the scenes and inked a lucrative deal to produce projects for Warner Bros. Television.
Comments: (21)
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By: robert on 3/16/2010 9:59PM
give iron mike a gameshow job.
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By: bob jannuzzi on 3/16/2010 9:58PM
mike dont let anybody get you down come back fighting you where good and you still are so do it mike -[ GOD BLESS YOU ]=
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By: Brianne on 3/16/2010 10:01PM
didn't know you can race pigeons
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By: Arlingnne on 3/16/2010 10:17PM
You are extraordinary, a superstar,an idol. If you feel to do it, do it! You worked hard always .It is time to enjoy each minute of your life . God bless you! and God take care of you and lovely family !!!
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By: Uncle Tim on 3/16/2010 10:47PM
Way to go Mike! from one of your biggest fans.
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By: alice robinson on 3/16/2010 10:58PM
oh, now he's gonna abuse pigeaons?.....why doesn't he just pick up a "good" cause to promote?
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By: fred on 3/16/2010 11:09PM
Television has turned in to nothing but junk sence all these cable companies have popped up. And depending on where you live, you can't even get your local stations unless you get some kind of cable. If it isn't filth TV it is trash or gold diggers or so-called reality shows that are no where near reality. And, we have to pay for it and then they want us to pay extra for movies. It's time to protest this crap. Congress really sold us out on this legisltion.
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By: upurs on 3/17/2010 12:08AM
i have no use for the guy..he's just another rich person looking to propell himself somemore,no different than anybody else with money...it's just that i have no use for him...if he gave 100,000 in cash then i would promote him....but i could care less..!
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By: Yaz on 3/17/2010 12:49AM
You have got to be kidding me. I know we're in a recession right now, but does that mean we should do absolute foolishness just to earn a buck? Why in the world would anyone watch a show about racing pigeons? They are dirty and filthy and if I'm not mistaken, they carry diseases, ESPECIALLY the ones in NY. This is outrageous. You'd think that this man would get wise to the fact that he is once again being made a fool of since it's darn near been happening to him from the beginning of his career. I really need someone with some sense, who is close to him, to kindly tell him that he needs to not do this show. Doesn't he realize that shows/sitcoms are dropping like flies and they actually have semi good entertainment being displayed? What makes him think that this pigeon show is going to last longer? Oh yeah, thats right - he isn't thinking, instead he's paying others to do it for him and they're screwing him over royally..........once again. Needless to say, I'm disgusted with this idea.
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By: Rambo on 3/17/2010 12:54AM
Finally, the bottom of the barrel !
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