Former professional boxer Mike Tyson (who’s still been doing some exhibition fights the last few years) might not be the first name that comes to mind as someone skilled in peacefully defusing potentially-violent situations, but Tyson sure seems to have gotten the job done in an incident at a Hollywood rooftop bar Tuesday night. As per TMZ, there was a small comedy show going on that Tyson and friends were in attendance for. Someone approached Tyson and tried to talk to him during the set, reportedly trying to challenge him to a fight, and then pulled a gun (as shown above) after the MC intervened. Here’s more from the TMZ report:
While you can’t hear exactly what was being said in the footage, eyewitnesses tell us the man was actually challenging Mike to a fight — suggesting he wanted to elevate his “status.”
Mike, of course, kept it chill and didn’t engage with the man … mostly just letting him talk. Eventually, though, another man intervenes and tells the dude to scram. We’re told this was actually the host/MC of the night.
That pissed off the guy challenging Mike … who threatened to shoot the host, and then pulled out a gun from his waistband and cocked it in front of everyone. Naturally, everyone gasped and started ducking under tables.
Luckily, he never fired, put the gun away and almost immediately regretted it. He once again approached Mike, and asked him not to call the cops. Once again, Mike just sat there in relative silence, heard the guy out and in the end, embraced him.
Mike actually hugged the man, at which point he finally left without further incident.
Here’s a TMZ video on this:
Tyson probably gets more unusual and/or problematic encounters than most celebrities, but this is still a particularly strange one. And he deserves major credit for his role in helping this end peacefully. This is a bizarre situation to see, but it’s fortunate that it didn’t end with anyone hurt. And Tyson’s low-key response and listening to the guy in question seems to have played a role in that.
[TMZ]
