Mike Tyson delights, terrifies his Chinese hosts

Last year's publication of a controversial biography by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday and a proposal at this year's NPC that he be removed from China's currency have suggested that Mao Zedong may be falling out of favor with some. Whether being accused of atrocities during his tenure as China's leader or being snubbed in favor of Deng Xiaoping, Mao's image has taken a few hits recently.

Fortunately, the Chairman still has some fans. Mike Tyson took time out of a trip to Shanghai to fly up to Beijing and pay a visit to the Chairman's mausoleum (mao-soleum?) on Tian'anmen Square Saturday. Xinhua reports:

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson had originally planned only to visit Shanghai, but unexpectedly arrived in Beijing on April 1, visiting the Chairman Mao Memorial Mausoleum to pay his respects to the great man whom he has admired his whole life.
At the conclusion of his trip to Beijing, Tyson said, "In front of Chairman Mao's body, I felt very small. It is an incomparably great honor to be able to visit his mausoleum. I hope that soon I will be able to return to China and have a match here."

A more detailed report from the Beijing Times adds that Tyson wore a white t-shirt with a picture of Shaquille O'Neal on it, arrived at the mausoleum in a Benz, and

stood before the Chairman's body for a long time, with an air of sincere devotion. Upon leaving [the mausoleum], he bought three commemorative books, and was interested in buying posters of Chairman Mao and several other founding fathers but was forced to abandon attempts to purchase them because of the overwhelming number of tourists.
...
Tyson has never concealed his love of Chairman Mao. He had once said in the past that "Chairman Mao was a strong, great man." Tyson has a tattoo of the Chairman on his right arm, and has read the Selected Quotations of Chairman Mao.

(Perhaps while he was in prison for rape.)