Much has been made over Michael Grimm’s threats toward a New York reporter. And, indeed, it was pretty amazing stuff. You offer to throw someone over a railing and snap him in half like a little boy, well, you’re money.
Still, the greatest moment in the history of televised anger-insanity belongs to John Horne, who somehow landed a gig managing Mike Tyson around the time of his second fight with Evander Holyfield. In case you’ve forgotten, that was the bout where Iron Mike gnawed off a huge chunk of Evander’s earlobe. It was amazing, riveting, gross, odd, disturbing television—but Horne’s post-fight interview exceeded it … by 1,000.
Why, for years I’d walk around the Sports Illustrated offices, bellowing, “A nip in his ed!” and everyone knew whereof—and who of–I spoke. In fact, while working for Newsday a decade a ago, I actually had the chance to interview Horne, who was producing some sort of romantic comedy. I told him how his meltdown was the stuff of legend, and I even offered up my impression. He was very good about it.
“That,” he said, “is some funny stuff.”
