Mike Tyson Goes Vegan

[xrodolfox]

Not a joke.
Haven't seen my face tattoo?
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~dolfo/Ro ... lcome.html

[Johnboy74]

What? I totally emulate Tyson! He's my hero!

How do you emulate him exactly?

I must admit he is an awesome and interesting person with strengths and serious flaws.
He's dragged himself from extreme poverty on the streets into world champion fighter,
with an unforgettable personality and athletic prowess. There is much which maligns his
heroic image, which means i'm not sure I can look to him as an inspirational vegan though.

[xrodolfox]

It's hard work emulating Tyson. Don't knock it until you try it.
Don't you emulate some sports hero?
I thought that EVERYONE really did what their sports hero did. Whom else do we have to look up to?

[xrodolfox]

ps. If you don't get that I am joking, then hats off to you.

I am making fun of the fact that some folks are worried about Tyson's image and how it will affect us vegans. I personally did like Tyson when he boxed. But even as a kid, I knew that the guy was nuts. A good athlete isn't the same as a good person. Emulating Mike Tyson makes no sense. That's impossible and stupid, and while there are nut cases out there, it's nothing that will affect culture.

Parading Mike Tyson with Animal Planet is really commercial media at it's basics: spectacles to entertain enough to have target audiences sit through commercials. Tyson went dietary vegan for his own reason, but that doesn't mean that the guy is sane, or knows what the heck he is talking about. If he was giving me tips on how to knock a guy out with right hook, I'd be listening. If I want to watch a spectacle on TV, I'll turn it to his channel... but Tyson will not have a big impact on culture any more. Few folks are going to equate Tyson with veganism, and fewer still will emulate him.

[KC Masterpiece]

Tyson went dietary vegan for his own reason, but that doesn't mean that the guy is sane, or knows what the heck he is talking about.

To be honest, him going vegan is probably not good for "vegan PR", lol.

In the media's eyes, veganism is just another wacky phase Tyson is going through: pillaging women, doing time, threatening to eat babies, actually eating human flesh, praising Allah, getting facial tribal tattoos etc. etc. etc.

But that's the Tyson of the media--the spectacle that people that go to TMZ for their news love to laugh at.

For people that actually watched Tyson box in the 80's and knew what he was to the sport before he became the Tyson of TMZ, him going vegan is pretty sweet, the circumstances of his later life notwithstanding.

BTW he lived, trained and fought all within 50 miles of where I grew up... Therefore I like him better than you all do

[KC Masterpiece]

KC and other americans, can you guys *PROMISE* to watch that doc and post here immediately whats up?!?

Sure thing

[Big Good Wolf]

In other news, Jennifer Aniston eats baby food.

The Mike Tyson thing just makes veganism look like another celebrity fad diet.

[xrodolfox]

When someone tells me that I went vegan for Tyson, then I'll worry.

Unfortunately, veganism is a celebrity fad diet, but that is not all it is either.

[JP]

When someone tells me that I went vegan for Tyson, then I'll worry.

no one ever goes vegan because of a name - but that doesnt mean that it isnt significant when someone like the NHL player george Laraque or some famous actor etc go vegan. It normalises veganism from all angles, and thats essential in the road for people actually giving it a go.

I dont think you can objectively deny the significance of Tyson going vegan no matter what your personal opinions are about him, or celebs or culture or what ever - those are all secondary. If already among the vegan demography which is NOT the typical demography where this has the most impact this has been seen as a BIg Thing, then it will be undeniably significant elsewhere too.

But that depends on the crowd you talk about veganism with i guess, we all have our peer groups and it will differ greatly whether tyson as an example vegan name is a good or a bad thing.

[ska face]

Hmm, yes.

Violent wife-beating rapist goes vegan and feels great. So what?

I wonder what Evander Holyfield thinks? Or Desiree Washington?

Tyson is not a good advocate for veganism.

[JP]

is it bad that he has gone vegan?

Is it bad that his name still carry a lot of weight and if you mention that he has gone vegan, people are very suprised and want to know more?

Have now used this few times among people into sports and boxing and it has raised some discussion! About veganism that is, not about the controversy - i think only (some) vegans are interested in how it will affect the "purity" of veganism.

Then again, the comments i have received has been varied, like "he has always been a bit weird", or "yeah makes sense, he is really into animals" (thats a good one i think) or "is that part of him being a muslim?"

[TMH]

Regardless, it's Mike Tyson who has gone vegan... and not Evander Holyfield... kudos to M.T.!

Hmm, yes.

Violent wife-beating rapist goes vegan and feels great. So what?

I wonder what Evander Holyfield thinks? Or Desiree Washington?

Tyson is not a good advocate for veganism.

[:x:]

you can't be vegan, you're an evil person!
since when is veganism only for the nixe guys among us? i think it's pretty damn awesome to have one more vegan, not looking like a skinny zombie, having hearts and trees tattooed and listening to DIY-emo-folk.
veganism is there as alternative way of consuming, not as total system of beliefs and ethics. after all the animals don't care if you're totally nuts and an asshole

[Johnboy74]

after all the animals don't care if you're totally nuts and an asshole

Good point

[Rubber_Ritchie]

Has anyone seen the Tyson movie/documentaty? Very moving stuff. I think drugs destroyed the man and all the worst chapters of his life come from the periods on drugs. Not that this excuses his crimes but he seems to be getting himself together.