The eight-part limited Hulu series, Mike, is available to stream and while some viewers are enjoying it, Mike Tyson is most definitely not.
Mike revisits how the boxer (played by Trevante Rhodes) navigated “the tumultuous ups and downs of Tyson’s boxing career and personal life – from being a beloved global athlete to a pariah and back again.”
Source: Donald Kravitz / Getty
Apparently, the series was produced without the approval of Tyson, and he’s let it be known that he isn’t a fan of the new series. Tyson took to Twitter to say;
“Hulu stole my story. They’re Goliath and I’m David. Heads will roll for this.”
He also blamed “Hulu’s corporate greed” for the “tone-deaf cultural misappropriation of the Tyson life story.” He continued, “To make this announcement during Black History Month only confirms Hulu’s concern for dollars over respect for Black story rights.”
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Tyson called out the streaming service and didn’t hold back on how he felt.
“My life rights option expired years ago. Hulu nor any of their supercilious team ever tried to engage in any negotiations with this Black man. In their eyes I am still just a n—-r on the auction block ready to be sold for their profit without any regard for my worth or my family.
“They say this story is an exploration of a Black man. It’s more like an exploitation of a Black man. Hulu thinks their tracks are covered by hiring Black sacrificial lambs to play the part as frontmen for their backdoor robbery is appalling. I will always remember this blatant disregard of my dignity.”
Meanwhile, actor Trevante Rhodes urged people to watch his show and took to Instagram to post an apology message from May 2021 that he sent to Mike Tyson before filming started.
Obviously, Rhodes’ apology didn’t help.
Mike recently tweeted, “Hulu used my Undisputed Truth show as the backdrop for their Unauthorized Truth series about my life.”
According to Bustle, series creator Steven Rogers explained to The Wrap, “We actually couldn’t talk to him because his life rights were already taken, so that was never on the table.” He stated that hoped that he would change his opinion if he watches it. He also explained that the team did extensive research of factual accounts, interviews, and footage of real-life events.
“I really like to do the research and get all these different opinions and then put a story around all of that. I don’t like to be beholden to just one person.”
Some viewers are upset with the series and believe that Hulu is glorifying the notorious boxer. However, showrunner Karin Gist told Entertainment Weekly that Mike “is not meant to glorify” the boxer’s life.
“We were never trying to say that Mike Tyson is a hero or Mike Tyson is a villain,” she elaborated. “Our goal was to take a very complicated and controversial figure and try to get under the hood of what he was praised and vilified for while staying true to our North Star of ‘no one person is one thing.’”
Mike is now streaming on Hulu, are you tuning in? Let us know below.