Mike Tyson finds himself in the eye of controversy again. The one-time heavyweight champion of the world, suffered a blow personally and professionally when he was charged and convicted of the rape of Desiree Washington in 1991. He was released from prison in March of 1995 and went on to resume his boxing career, but he was never the same fighter he was when he was in his early years.
Tyson did go on to resurrect his image in the public eye through appearances on television shows like the Jimmy Kimmel show and by appearing in films like the Hangover series. But once you’re painted a rapist, you are always that in some peoples’ eyes. Recently he found someone who still saw him as a rapist, and this person doesn’t want to see any parts of him on their TV screen.
Marcie Kaveney of Fort Myers, FL has gotten over 15000 people to sign her online petition to have NBC and “Law & Order: SVU” remove Tyson from an upcoming episode of the show. In the petition she said to network executives:
“We are requesting that you re-consider your decision to have Mike Tyson on Law and Order: SVU or to pull the episode. While we understand Mr. Tyson has served his time; it seems as though the only person who will benefit from his guest appearance will be him. There are many sexual assault survivors as well as others who consider your decision to be in poor judgement. Mr. Tyson has never publicly apologized to his victim nor has he admitted his crime. In fact, he has publicly ridiculed his victim. Your show has been a great comfort for so many and is one of the few media outlets that discourages victim-blaming. We would like for the show to continue to have that same integrity.”
Comments from those who supported the petition echoed Kaveney’s sentiments. Jessica Bruns commented that,
“By casting Mike Tyson, a wife-beater, convicted rapist and known misogynist, they are not only spitting in the faces of the thousands of victims who entrust SVU to shed light on their stories, but also discrediting the voluminous support given them by such survivors and advocates over the last 14 years.”
The popularity of the petition got even more of a push when Whoopi Goldberg spoke about it on The View.
It doesn’t seem like the petition has made much of an impact over at NBC though as they have not removed Mike Tyson from his upcoming role on the show. A recent announcement by NBC has the network actually moving the episode featuring Tyson up from it’s February 13th original air-date to February 6th. Will you be watching?
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let Mike Live.