Despite its title, "Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson" (8 p.m., Ch. 2) is not just another sleazy, made-for-TV docudrama.
Surprisingly enough, it's a rather good two-hour documentary about the former heavyweight champion, made by Oscar-winner Barbara Kopple."When this was proposed to me, it was terribly exciting because films of this nature never get to show on prime time TV," Kopple said.
Indeed, "Fallen Champ" is a distinct departure from the way network TV usually handles this sort of story. This is a well-researched, well-produced two hours that mix footage of Tyson from his teens to the present along with interviews with those who knew him best.
The documentary does show many different sides to Tyson. From the teenage boxer who bursts into tears before a match to the arrogant, sexist heavyweight champion of the world.
"I think that we tried very hard to be very, very responsible and very honest and show a lot of sides to Mike Tyson and to the situation and to listen to all different kinds of people speak," Kopple said. "And I feel good about what we did, and I think that maybe different kinds of insights might be helpful" so viewers can "draw their own conclusions."
The one present-day voice that's missing from "Fallen Champ" is Tyson's. There are interview segments from earlier in his career, but Kopple said his manager, Don King, prevented her from speaking with Tyson in prison, where he's serving time for rape.
And just because this is a documentary doesn't mean it is impartial reporting. Although Kopple said she came to the project without an agenda, she did draw her own conclusions about the man she was documenting.
"I think that what happens in our society so much - and what probably happened to Mike - is that he became a meal ticket for people. And he felt that he could probably get away with almost anything. That he was above it all," she said.
With very few exceptions, those who surrounded Tyson come off looking pretty bad in "Fallen Champ." His ex-wife, Robin Givens. His manager, King.
Even his mentor, the late Cus D'Amato - who has generally been portrayed as sort of a kindly old man who took the troubled teen under his wing - comes across as just another user, using Tyson for his own ends.
"I think that (Tyson's first trainer) Teddy (Atlas) and (Tyson's foster mother) Camille Ewald, in this film were the two people that loved Mike. And really cared about what happened to him," Kopple said. "And that most of the other people . . . had their own agendas."
Her efforts to portray a rounded portrait of Tyson may have actually betrayed Kopple's final product, to some extent. She admits that she didn't use quite a bit of footage that portrayed him as a teenage thug and as a sexual lout.
"I think she was in some ways probably almost too kind to him early," Atlas said. "Instead of just showing him as a kid that was very sensitive and was very impressionable. And very normal. Which he was. But he also did some ugly things early. I mean, he used to ask people - old ladies - if he could help them with their groceries to the elevator. And then he would knock their teeth out. And take their money."
So as hard as the documentary is on Tyson, perhaps it isn't hard enough. It wouldn't have hurt to let the audience see just how bad the "Fallen Champ" could be.
KXIV QUESTION: Something's going on at KXIV-Ch. 14, although no one is saying exactly what.
Both KXIV President Russell J. Heaton and sales manager Tim Call left the station's offices early Wednesday, and the official line is that they are just out of the office for a few days.
However, that vacation may be a forced one. One eyewitness reported that the two were escorted from the building.
"They are still employees of the station," said KXIV's Margie Hayes. "And the company is not making any comment."