Mike (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Meal Ticket - full transcript

Saying that the best punch Tyson

ever threw was
at his now ex-wife.

So much for watching
Carson tonight.

- This is bullshit, Don.
- That's bullshit.

They're making up
things about me.

- You know...
- Listen to me, hey, hey, hey.

- Champ, champ, hey.
- Get off me, Don.

Breathe, breathe, breathe.

Just breathe, right?
What did they tell you,

in through your nose,
out through your mouth?

Just breathe.



Yeah, just like you
in the ring now, just breathe.

Now, you need to relax,
now remember, now you home.

You at your house, you
at your castle, you free here.

You okay, you'll be alright.

They can't beat you, alright?

Yeah.

I'ma take care of you,
right champ?

- Yeah.
- Alright?

- Yeah.
- Alright.

What do you see, who you see?

- It's Don.
- You see Don, right?

Yes, Don.

Don King.

Listen, listen, listen.



I was on top of the world.

Rich, heavyweight champion.

Did whatever the fuck I wanted.

Until I sat there for that
Barbara Walters interview.

I didn't have any control.

It didn't matter how
many times I won or

how big my muscles were.

Robin beat me,

and she did it in front
of a national audience.

After all that happened,

there were only two things
that got me through it,

Don King,

- and this video game.
- Oh ho ho!

Nowadays,
you see niggas' faces all

over video games, but back then?

It was major for a Black man
to be the face of one.

You guys want
to talk about power?

Back then, I had the power.

Yeah!

Mr. Tyson, it's so
good to see you again.

How can we help you today?

I always wonder, how you guys
get all the cars out of here?

That big window right there,
it's like a door.

You open it,
drive the cars right in.

That's pretty sweet.

We'll take all of them.

Oh...

We?

Ay, this shit come in turquoise?

Yo, that's my
mama's favorite color.

You guys got a turquoise one?

I will look
into that right away.

After I knocked out
Spinks in the first round...

I figured I owed you guys a bit
of a show with the Bruno fight.

♪ Bad man ♪

♪ I got what ya wanted ♪

♪ Callin' Miss Thing ♪

♪ And learn things about me ♪

♪ I'm a bad man ♪

♪ ♪

I baptize you
in the name of the Father,

the Son,

and the Holy Ghost.

Tyson!

Oh, Tyson!

I'm sorry,
Mr. Tyson we never

put a hot tub
in a limousine before,

I'm not even sure we could...

♪ I'm a bad man ♪

Give me a few days.

We'll be back tomorrow.

Okay.

♪ Calling Miss Thing ♪

Any of you ladies ever
take a champagne bath before?

♪ I'm a bad man ♪

♪ I was born in the bottom ♪

♪ I'm talkin' no man's land ♪

♪ Where she don't come ♪

♪ Less you got
a decent tan ♪

♪ Whoa is me ♪

♪ That's all I would hear ♪

♪ Bad man ♪

♪ I'm a bad man ♪

♪ I'm a bad man ♪

♪ I'm
a bad man ♪

I did some crazy shit back then.

Hell, I even reburied my mother.

Take all the time you need, son.

Uh, Mr. Tyson,
I was wondering if I could...

Yeah, sure.

Thanks.

What'd you used to call me?

A low life thief?

Piece of shit?

Wasn't I supposed
to spend all my days in jail?

You remember that, Mommy?

Now look.

You'll spend all your days
in a box that I put you in,

that I paid for.

No one's just one thing.

We're all a bunch a things.

Now sometimes that thing we are,

at any particular point
in time, isn't that great.

But it's not all we are.

We can be more if we want to be.

♪ ♪

Unless you're Don King.

Then you're just a slimy,
cock sucking motherfucker.

But he was my slimy,
cock sucking motherfucker.

The gun?

He carried
that because he thought

bodyguards made
him look like a thug.

Before him, promoters looked
and sounded a certain way.

Don came and flipped the script.

Y'all brothers
stayin' out of trouble?

- Oh yeah.
- Yeah brother.

Alright now, be easy now.

Don spoke like a preacher

and thought like a grandmaster.

People knew who he was.

He knew he was
meant for greatness.

He used tell me
about how he was one of

the biggest
number runners in Cleveland,

making thousands
of dollars a day.

Sam!

Don saw himself
as a businessman,

a respected businessman.

But if you made the mistake
of disrespecting him?

♪ Said if you can't
say Re Bop ♪

♪ Keep your big mouth shut ♪

♪ Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop ♪

- Where's my money, Sam?
- I promise, Don!

I'm gonna pay you,
you just gotta give me

a little bit more time!

You want time, get a watch.

Sam Garrett was his name.

He died that night.

And Don's ass
went straight to prison.

But he didn't serve time.
More like time served Don.

Don was always
trying to sharpen his mind.

He read all kinds of books.

Frederick Douglass,
Shakespeare, Voltaire,

Martin Luther King,
Marx, and Hitler.

When he was
coming up for parole,

he pulled some slick deal,
used his connections

to acquire 40 acres of land,
which eventually became...

My 30-room mansion,
complete with swimming pool,

gym, cattle, and of course...

♪ ♪

Cus wanted me to be the best

and I was desperate
to make him proud.

But Don?

He didn't give
a shit about excellence.

All he cared about was money.

So that's all I cared about.

I didn't know
how the world works.

Not really.

And Cus taught me how to box.

But he couldn't teach me how
to be a Black man in America.

But Don could.

Saying that the best punch Tyson

ever threw
was at his now ex-wife.

Aw, shit.
You already saw

my drunk ass do this shit.

- Who do you see?
- It's Don.

- You see Don, right?
- Yes, Don.

Alright, now.

Go upstairs
and get you some rest.

Yeah.

Tomorrow, I want
you to take me to Playboy

so I can beat the shit
out those motherfuckers.

It's Playboy, champ.

A white boy's wet dream
disguised as journalism.

You're the heavyweight
champion of the world,

young, rich, and Black.

The most feared three words
to white America.

You know why?
Because you're free.

You're in the same freedom they
enjoy and take for granted.

And every time
they see a wealthy,

free Black man,
it reminds them of the truth.

Of what they did.

What they continue to do
with us every single day.

Ha ha, naw...

white folks'll never
pay for the truth,

because then they'd have
to reckon with what they did.

But they will pay for a show.

Top dollar.

So they'll pay to see
Jordan drop a triple double

or Michael moonwalk,
or you dominate in the ring.

Because as long as
they're watching that,

as long as they see
a few of you with

money and freedom,

they won't have to think
about the ones that don't.

And it makes them feel good
when they go to sleep at night.

But the minute you get too big,
they gotta cut you down.

They gotta make you out
to be some kind of monster,

because they can't afford
to see you as I see you.

A king.

Don't be their monster.

Be our king.

♪ ♪

With Cus gone, Don was
the only father figure I had.

♪ You say so good ♪

♪ With a smile like yours ♪

He had set up
the Buster Douglas fight.

He hyped it all up.

Team Tyson was going to Tokyo.

It was a huge deal.

♪ ♪

See that fat fuck over there?

Easiest money we ever made.

Don and I were raking it in.

Toyota commercials.

Tyson power!

There was even talk of
me having a match

with Hulk Hogan.

I thought it was
a big win for me and Don.

♪ ♪

Everybody wanted a piece.

Well, everyone except...

No, no no,
put the recliner over there.

My sister Denise.

I loved spending time with her.

You know what, mm-mm.

I think we got
the wrong one, mm-hmm.

Take it back.

Except when
she was bein' a bitch.

I'm just... I'm just...

Why you still got your
sunglasses on? We inside.

T-they're so expensive,
I just don't wanna lose them,

you know?

Take 'em off.

You know you can duck
every now and then, right?

What the hell are
those trainers even for?

Nisey.

Ah, I know you didn't
put your sweaty ass body

all over my new clothes.

Nisey...

Oh, I loved my sister.

But once I became champion,

I didn't have the chance
to see her as much.

So I came back home
and took her out

to show her what kind
of life I was living now.

Nigga, you late?

All the money you got
and you can't afford a watch.

Nisey, get in.

Who you yelling at like that?

I ain't like those boys you
play with in the playground.

I'll cut you!

Denise was always
checking me in public.

Trying to make me
look like a little bitch.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Mike, Mike!

I'm ready to go.

What? I like pouring
drinks on bitches too.

Mike, I do not like it here.
Take me home.

Now.

What does that flashy
house nigga even do for you?

Who, Don?

He's my promoter.

A promoter that
controls all your shit.

What are you talking about?

I call your phone,

that nigga picks up.

I get a birthday card, from you,

that nigga signed 'em.

How do you even...

Because your handwriting
is sloppy as shit, Mike!

You keep talkin' about
how much money you got,

but from where I was sitting.

Lookin' up at that shuckin'
and jivin' ass nigga in VIP?

He's the one
with all the power, not you.

You don't know shit.

- Oh yeah?
- Yeah.

You even know
how much money you got?

When's the last time
you signed a check?

You so rich, you got all these

fancy-ass cars...

When's the last time you signed

your name on a
motherfucking check, Mike?

That's his job, Nisey.

I pay him to manage my money.

Oh, so I bet he tucks
you in at night too, huh?

Whatever, you don't get it.

All this shit...

the money,

the ugly-ass girls

you probably fuck
in this small-ass car...

- None of it's real.
- Leave it alone, Nisey.

You want to be naive
and let these niggas

take advantage of you?

Be my guest.

I'm just tellin' you,
this shit ain't real.

Real?

You want to know what's real?

I make more money in a fuckin'
day than you make in a year.

That's what's real.

My real life probably feels
like a fuckin' dream to you.

They build niggas like you up.

Suck you dry,
then tear you down.

That's how it works.

Everybody knows it.

'Cept you.

All she ever
wanted was to protect me.

She didn't care
how it sounded or

how it made me feel afterwards.

She just loved me.

Yeah.

I just wish
I could a stayed longer.

But I had work to do.

The Buster Douglas
fight had arrived.

I guess with all
the shit going on,

it wasn't my top priority.

Besides, I couldn't lose.

Literally, I hadn't lost
one single fight

since I turned pro, not one.

♪ ♪

Champ, how are you, son?

I'm good.

How's your room?

I told them to give you
the one with the best view.

It's not as nice as this,
but it's okay.

My man, my man.

What can I do you for?

I want to talk about my money.

This ain't
about the yacht again.

No, no, it... it's just...

Joseph, give us a minute.

What is it, Champ?

How much money do I have?

- Ha ha. Whatchu mean?
- A lot.

I mean,
how much money do I have,

like the number.
I wanna know the number.

Pshh. You're rich, Mike.

Goddamn wealthy.

You one of the richest
motherfuckers in the world.

I wanna see it.

We can't just walk into
the bank and ask them to

lay hundreds of millions
of dollars on the table.

- Why the hell not?
- Got something to hide?

Hide what, Champ?

This funny to you?

Think this is
a fucking game, Don?

No, I don't.

But look around, Champ.
I'm the only one left.

They all took what they wanted
and got the fuck out of dodge.

Now I'm here
because I care about you.

It's my job to make sure
that everybody sees your face.

You're the greatest
boxer in the world.

I'ma put
your face on lunch boxes,

soda cans,

and video games.

Mike Tyson Punch Out

for the Nintendo Entertainment
System in stores now.

Now,

what you should be focusing
on is that Douglas fight.

Guy's a tomato can, he's easy.

Mitch Green's better than him.

I whooped his ass twice.

Okay, Champ, okay.

But maybe we could
train a little bit, right?

Get a little cardio in.

♪ Ah baby ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ♪

To be honest,
I wasn't focused on the fight.

I wasn't training,
and I was out of shape.

♪ Oh oh baby ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I'm so ♪

♪ Wrapped up in your love ♪

♪ Every time we touch ♪

That's probably why...

♪ Tell me ♪

♪ Tell me ♪

♪ Tell me ♪

♪ If you love me ♪

- ♪ Tell me ♪
- Four...

♪ Please don't ♪

- Five...
- ♪ Keep me guessing ♪

Four...

♪ Darling, it's not fair ♪

♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪

♪ Tell me ♪

Son, look at me.

Alright?

It's okay, I got you.

Alright?

We'll get you a rematch,

and we gon' get your belt back.

Alright? I promise.
Trust me.

SINGER ♪ Keep telling me ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ♪

When you're young
and you don't have

a relationship
with your father...

whether you realize it or not,

you go around searching
for someone else

to fill that space.

You'll do whatever they say,

just because you
want to make them proud.

And you trust them because,

you're supposed to
trust your dad, right?

But what you don't realize is,

they're not your dad.

They're just some guy
trying to make a buck.

Trustin' Don King was one of

the biggest mistakes of my life.

Not preparing for that
Buster Douglas fight

was the other.

That belt meant
everything to me.

Without it, who was I?

Uncle Mike,

you sure it's a good idea
to buy me a Nintendo?

My mom did say
I was on punishment.

Hey, what's my name?

Uh, Uncle Mike.

Oh, yeah, but what's my name?

Oh, Mike Tyson.

And what is it that I do?

Knock niggas the fuck out.

Precisely, but what'd
I tell you about that?

But yes,
if I wanna buy my nephew

a Nintendo,
that's what I'm gonna do.

Think I'm scared of your mother?

Yeah.

- I got you.
- Ha ha ha ha.

Hey, uncle Mike,
you think you can buy me

your boxing game?

I want to play as you.

Yeah, I'm the boss.

You can't play as me.
You gotta try to beat me.

Oh, I can beat you.

Oh yeah?

Yeah?

You're... you're Mike Tyson.

Shh.

Don't tell nobody.

Got a Nintendo?

- Want one?
- Yes!

I'll see what I can do, come on.

Oh, you're... you're Mike Tyson!

Yeah.

Yo, can I get a autograph, man?

That depends.

How many these Nintendos
do you guys got here?

Oh...

I'll take all of them.
And, uh, throw a copy

of Mike Tyson's Punch Out
in there too.

Oh...

you don't know?

Don't know what?

They took me off the cover,

replaced me with some
white guy named Mr. Dream.

But the truth is, the name
Mike Tyson didn't mean shit

till I started beating people.

I whoop somebody's ass,
they pay me for it.

I fuck my life up
and turn it to a Broadway show,

you guys pay me for it.

Every car, every house,

video game with my face on it.

I thought it meant I had power.

That I mattered,
that a Black man mattered.

But then I lost my belt.

Mr. fuckin' Dream
took everything away.

11 days later, I lost my sister.

- Aw!
- Yeah.

Never got to see Nisey again.

Tell her I love her.

If I wasn't the champ,
who the fuck was I?

I thought I hit rock bottom.

But little did I know,

shit was about to get worse.

♪ ♪

♪ They say the world
is a melting pot ♪

♪ Some bubbles under
and some rise to the top ♪

♪ Shame the devil ♪

♪ And tell the truth ♪

♪ We ain't equal ♪

♪ I'm living proof ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ It's a cold, cold world ♪

♪ It's a cold world ♪

♪ And ah, ah, ah ♪

♪ It's a cold, cold world ♪

♪ It's a cold world ♪

♪ I... ♪