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Tag: dennis rodman
Late Night Roundup: Ted Cruz And ‘Battlefield Birth’

Late Night Roundup: Ted Cruz And ‘Battlefield Birth’

Trevor Noah had a lot of with Donald Trump’s attacks on Ted Cruz for being born in Canada. After all, Trevor thought that Birtherism was only something that Republicans did to others — not that it could actually get done against them, too.

Larry Wilmore highlighted the worst part of the situation with North Korea: That our only real diplomatic contact with the megalomaniacal dictator Kim Jong Un is our own crazy former basketball player Dennis Rodman. And so, Larry conducted a special interview with “Dennis Rodman” himself.

Seth Meyers held his very own Democratic presidential debate:

Stephen Colbert checked back in on the presidential race, with another installment of his feature “The Hungry For Power Games” — this time paying tribute to the most recent two of the lesser lights who dropped out of the race, Lindsey Graham and George Pataki. “They were both brought low by a shameful chapter in their past: Government experience.”

Rodman ‘Sorry’ After Controversial North Korea Trip

Rodman ‘Sorry’ After Controversial North Korea Trip

Beijing (AFP) – An emotional Dennis Rodman appeared to break down Monday as he apologized on his return from a controversial trip to North Korea, where he sang “Happy Birthday” to regime leader Kim Jong-Un.

The former NBA star was widely criticized for refusing to bring up human rights abuses or the plight of a U.S. missionary detained in North Korea during his week-long visit, but said he would return again next month.

Rodman was also accused of pandering to North Korean authorities during the trip, which featured an exhibition basketball match involving other NBA stars to mark Kim’s birthday.

“I love my country, America, I love it and I will never trade it for nothing in the world,” the pierced and heavily tattooed ex-Chicago Bull told reporters at Beijing airport.

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has described Rodman’s actions as “treason”.

Rodman said he wanted to “show people that no matter what is going on in the world, for one day… not politics, not all this stuff…” before launching into an apology.

“I am sorry. I am not the president. I am not an ambassador. I am Dennis Rodman. Just an individual, just showing the world the fact that we can actually get along and be happy for one day,” Rodman said, before his voice broke and he put his hands to his face.

The player known as “The Worm” was returning from his fourth visit to the reclusive state in 12 months.

“It is amazing that I had the opportunity just to go to North Korea, and for the Marshal (Kim) just to give me an opportunity just to be in his presence and in his city,” he said, adding that he would visit the North again next month for “another game”. He gave no further details.

Rodman has developed an unlikely relationship with the young North Korean leader since making his first trip there last February, when he declared Kim a “friend for life”.

He enlisted an eclectic group of ex-NBA players for the exhibition match last Wednesday, before which he serenaded Kim — in scenes compared to Marilyn Monroe singing to JFK — and appeared to bow.

Former New York Knicks power forward Charles Smith told CNN Sunday that the players had been asked to return to the nuclear-armed state.

Another of Rodman’s teammates, Eric ‘Sleepy’ Floyd, told ESPN that he was “misled” about the trip and he tried to leave the day after the players arrived last Monday as he was “uncomfortable” with not being given “all the information” about the itinerary.

Floyd said he believed he would be working with “kids” rather than attending a “birthday celebration” for Kim.

Rodman was Monday ushered through a heavy media presence by security and his entourage, which includes Joseph Terwilliger, a bearded tuba-playing neuroscience professor from Columbia University in New York.

The former power forward, who was wearing dark glasses, a blue tracksuit top and orange scarf, was asked whether he raised the issue of Kenneth Bae, who was detained by North Korean authorities.

In an interview with CNN last week, Rodman delivered an angry tirade in which he appeared to suggest that the missionary merited his 15-year prison sentence.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything,” Rodman said, in comments echoing those of his publicist last week.

“I’m sorry, it’s not my fault. I’m sorry… I just want to do some good stuff, that’s all I want to do, basketball, that’s all,” he added.

Kim, who was educated in Switzerland, is reported to be a huge fan of basketball and especially of the Chicago Bulls, with whom Rodman won three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s.

Bae was arrested in November 2012 as he entered Rason, a port in the northeast of the hardline Communist state.

North Korea, which bans religious proselytising, says that Bae was a Christian evangelist who brought in “inflammatory” material.

Photo: Wang Zhao via AFP

Dennis Rodman Angered By Questions On North Korea Rights

Washington (AFP) – Basketball star Dennis Rodman angrily refused to answer questions about an American compatriot jailed in North Korea on Tuesday, complaining that criticism of Pyongyang’s rights record had overshadowed an exhibition game he has organized.

The former professional basketball star plans to stage a game on Wednesday with several other former NBA players to mark the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Asked by CNN if he would take advantage of the event to make the case that jailed American missionary Kenneth Bae should be freed, Rodman grew angry.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what the hell you think,” Rodman told the interviewer in his tirade, broadcast from the North Korean capital.

Rodman implied that Bae had done something that warranted being thrown into prison, but would not be drawn on what it was.

“Kenneth Bae did one thing… If you understand what Kenneth Bae did,” Rodman said, in disjointed remarks that quickly devolved into a rant, gesturing for emphasis with a cigar in his hand.

“Do you understand what he did in this country? Why is he held captive here in this country. I would love to speak on this,” said Rodman, sporting lip and nasal piercings and dark sun glasses.

The four-time All Star expressed frustration that at the focus of his visit has been North Korea’s rights record, rather than sport.

“You know, you’ve got 10 guys here, 10 guys here, they’ve left their families, they’ve left their damn families, to help this country, as in a sports venture. That’s 10 guys, all these guys here, does anyone understand that?” he said.

Rodman, whose career was marred by bouts of depression and alcoholism, has developed an unlikely relationship with Kim since making his first trip to North Korea in February.

And as he has in the past, Rodman declared to CNN his affection for the North Korean leader, saying: “I love my friend.”

Another member of the basketball group, former NBA player Charles Smith, also defended the tour.

“In our minds, we came to do what we’ve been doing worldwide… that has been our intent,” Smith said, adding that the athletes had looked forward to “playing on the world stage for our country.”

“We did not know that it was going to take this type of negative spin on what we were doing, because we’re not politicians,” he said.

Bae, a 45-year-old tour operator, was arrested in November as he entered the northeastern port city of Rason.

North Korea described Bae as a Christian evangelist who smuggled inflammatory material into the country and sentenced him to 15 years’ hard labor for allegedly seeking to topple the government.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as it is officially known, is a one-party Communist state which has been ruled by the Kim dynasty since its founding.

North Korea often threatens war against South Korea and the United States and is regularly accused of human rights abuses.

Kim, who was educated in Switzerland, is reported to be a keen basketball fan and especially of the Chicago Bulls, for whom Rodman played a key role in winning three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s.

Rodman Back From North Korea Without Meeting ‘Awesome’ Kim

Beijing (AFP) – Former NBA star Dennis Rodman returned from North Korea on Monday, saying he did not meet “awesome” Kim Jong-Un on his third visit to the reclusive state but was unfazed by the lack of contact.

The heavily tattooed Rodman has developed an unlikely relationship with Kim since making his first trip in March, when he declared the leader a “friend for life”, and is organizing an exhibition basketball game on January 8 to mark his birthday.

Asked how he felt about the lack of face-to-face contact with the young ruler after landing at Beijing airport, Rodman said: “I am not worried about it.” He added: “I’ll see him again.”

“He is awesome, man,” Rodman said when asked about Kim as he was being ushered out of the airport by security.

“We’re going to be playing in two weeks,” he added, referring to the match between North Korea and a team of mainly ex-NBA players.

When he left Beijing for Pyongyang last week, Rodman said he would have “a good conversation” with Kim to help the world, without elaborating.

Kim, educated in Switzerland, is reportedly a keen basketball fan, especially of the Chicago Bulls, for whom Rodman played a key role in winning three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s.

There is growing concern over the regime’s stability after the execution earlier this month of Jang Song-Thaek, a high-level official who was the uncle and former political mentor of Kim Jong-Un, but Rodman earlier distanced himself from political events.

He spent much of his time in the North training the country’s basketball team, reports said.

The team of former NBA players was expected to be announced during the trip, but no details have yet been given. The sides will face each other in the first half before they are mixed up for the second half, according to reports.

Pyongyang is holding a U.S. citizen, Kenneth Bae, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail on charges of trying to topple the North Korean regime. But U.S. officials said they had not been in touch with Rodman over the visit and he did not represent the U.S. government.

They also reiterated official warnings by the U.S. government to its citizens not to travel to North Korea.