Tyson’s Palin talk keeps rumbling
Mike Tyson's sexually explicit comments about Sarah Palin during a Las Vegas radio interview have gone viral, igniting heated debate.
It triggered what is being described as a "Fox News civil war" between political talk-show hosts Greta Van Sustern and Tucker Carlson.
A day after attacking Carlson on Fox, Van Sustern had Carlson on her "On the Record" show and told him she found it "disgusting and vile" that he ran Tyson's remarks on his website, TheDailyCaller.com.
Carlson's actions were promoting violence, she said.
Carlson, a conservative commentator for Fox since 2009, defended his decision, saying, "I felt we ought to hold it up to public view and that Mike Tyson ought to suffer the consequences for what he said."
Van Sustern called Carlson a "pig" and "purveyor of smut" for posting Tyson's graphic comments.
During his interview on ESPN affiliate KWWN, 1100 AM/98.9 FM, Tyson talked about Palin's alleged one-night stand with former Michigan basketball star Glen Rice.
During their shouting match, Carlson told Van Sustern, "Our view was if he had said those words about any other woman, about Hillary Clinton, if he said them about the first lady, Madeleine Albright, they would be on the front page of The New York Times. Because it was Sarah Palin he was attacking, they were being ignored by news outlets that don't like Sarah Palin."
Van Sustern told Carlson he was "lying" because "holy hell" broke out after the story appeared.
"We don't endorse it," Carlson said. "We hold it up to the public to denounce."
KWWN program director Mitch Moss, who was co-hosting the "Gridlock" show with Paul Howard during Tyson's interview, defended the decision.
"Any radio station in the country would either be lying or stupid if they said they would turn down Tyson as a guest," Moss said. "Having said that, we can't control what a person is going to say or how they're going to act once they're on the air and asked a question."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Bo Jackson, widely regarded as the top two-sport pro athlete of his generation, will participate Sept. 28 in the MGM Resorts International Championship Pro Am at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Among those joining Jackson will be Marshall Faulk, George Lopez, Anthony Anderson, and Cedric the Entertainer. Ticket information: www.jtshrinersopen.com.
Star chef Bobby Flay signs his latest publishing project: "Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook" on Saturday on the steps at Caesars Palace on Saturday, 6-8 p.m.
SIGHTINGS
Rapper 50 Cent and boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., watching Monday Night Football and placing bets in the M Resort sports book. ... The vanquished Victor Ortiz, signing autograph requests while shopping for sweets at Sugar Factory (Paris Las Vegas) on Monday. ... '80s pop sensation Debbie Gibson and Dr. Rutledge Taylor, on a date night at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Monday. ... Singer Ray J, spotted at Marquee Dayclub (Cosmopolitan) on Sunday after being escorted from the Palms after a backstage altercation with Fabolous, who was performing at The Pearl concert venue. ... Star Jones, at "Zumanity" (New York-New York) on Sunday with new boyfriend Herb Wilson, the new executive chef at Sushisamba (Palazzo). ... Baseball great Roger Clemens, taking in Terry Fator's show Friday at The Mirage.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Nobody likes hiking more than I do, but it seems to me that if you have an atlas, you can find many places to go hiking -- that aren't Iraq or Korea." -- David Letterman
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
