Thursday, April 23, 1998 | 9:34 a.m.
Don King wasn't there.
Rory Holloway wasn't there.
And thank heaven John Horne wasn't there.
But they easily could have been. It wouldn't have made a bit of difference.
When Mike Tyson showed up at the All-Star Cafe, it was apparent the baddest man on the planet has yet to take control of his life. He remains sheltered, protected, unable to handle his own affairs ... all the things he attempted to do when he broke away from King, Horne and Holloway two months ago.
The former heavyweight champion of the world claimed his three wise men ripped him off to the tune of $100 million. They gave him gold, frankincense and myrrh, and then divvied it up among themselves, leaving their meal ticket only with his swaddling clothes and millions in back taxes.
Tyson, looking more like a super middleweight, appeared at the All-Star Cafe Tuesday and Wednesday and is expected to return again tonight. He has been visiting youths from various charity organizations each day. He signed plenty of autographs, shook many hands and posed for several pictures.
That's all well and good.
But Tyson should have realized by now that mere altruism will not redeem him in the long run. That's because when it matters most -- communicating to the world through the media and not just glad handing a couple hundred fans -- Tyson spits the bit.
Iron Mike committed many benevolent acts, most of which went unpublicized, in between his rape of Desiree Washington in 1991 and his devouring of Evander Holyfield at the MGM Grand Garden last June.
The former transgression led to jail, the latter resulted in the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspending Tyson indefinitely. He can re-apply for his boxing license in July.
Tyson will need more than good deeds to erase his image as a despicable beast. He needs to show the world he has changed.
But what if Misunderstood Mike just wants to do something nice for the kids? Why does everything Tyson do have to be scrutinized by the media?
Probably because the All-Star Cafe public relations department called local media outlets on Tuesday, about 90 minutes before Tyson's appearance, and begged reporters to attend.
That reluctance to attend was appeased with a guarantee from the strip restaurant that there would be five minutes to interview the man, the myth, the legend.
Such a promise did nothing more than augment wariness. No one, not even King, Holloway, Horne or even ex-wife Robin Givens could guarantee a reporter 30 seconds. Now I was trusting someone who had never dealt with the enigmatic man-child.
Dozens of media members showed up at the event, but any chance of an interview session was suspect, especially when Tyson showed up with his new entourage: an attorney, a bodyguard and other assorted security blankets.
Tyson finally walked within earshot of a print reporter, who got off a question. As Tyson politely started to answer, the hoard converged, creating that blitzkrieg atmosphere he never learned to handle.
He was asked the usual inane questions, the ones that let him easily respond about how much it meant to be a role model. The media was being a pawn in Tyson's PR game.
Unfortunately, not every reporter was informed of the mandate that tough questions were not allowed, a move Tyson's people employed to protect him from saying something stupid.
Any reporter who dared ask him about boxing -- reinstatement, possible training, image, King -- received a hand shield from the bodyguard, who would then shout at Tyson to stop talking.
It was just another sign that Tyson still cannot speak for himself.
He eventually was whisked upstairs, where the media -- the same people the All-Star Cafe implored to attend -- was not allowed. In this sanctuary, he played around with the kids in an inflatable romper room, footage of which could only be obtained by the restaurant's staff.
Strangely enough, the kinder, gentler Tyson the media was asked to report on was being shielded nearly as much as the rapist and the cannibal.
Mike Tyson is tired of being a puppet. He stated as much when he split with his parasitic posse.
But it is obvious that Tyson still comes with strings attached.
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