Boxing: Antonio’s Reliable Source on Scarlett Johansson, Kanye West, David Letterman, Kathy Ireland and Yes... Boxing!
By Antonio Santiago, Doghouse Boxing (Oct 8, 2009)  
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was a very complex personality. Many of you boxing fans may know him only as one of the men, along with Mao Tse Dung, tattooed on Mike Tyson’s arm. But he was much more than just that. Doctor by trade, the Argentine citizen chose to live between the leper affected in South America rather than in a nice villa or mansion to which professionals of his caliber were almost entitled to during his era. He could have made tons of money by caring for middle and high class patients and friends he knew from his upbringing among them. But he chose to survive off the charity and gifts given him by the many poor Latin Americans he cured.

For a person with such quality characteristics, Che also had a very dark side. As a Latin American from Puerto Rico myself, I am very interested in learning about the history of all the Latino countries, their people and the people in other countries who have ancestors from them. It is interesting to me, among other things, for example, that Latin or Spanish speaking countries go beyond Latin America and Europe and into Africa (Guinea Ecuatorial) and Asia (The Philippines). Because of my interest in Latino topics, I am reading Guevara’s book “The Motorcycle Diaries”, and when I met a Cuban who knew Guevara personally, I asked him about “Che”. That’s when I felt “Che”s dark side. Like I said, Guevara was a compassionate man, but he also allegedly was a cold hearted killer, one who spoke about uniting Latinos from all over the world but who allegedly killed Cubans, who are Latino as well. The latter side, is the part of Guevara that I hate.

But I want to concentrate on the former side of Guevara. The one side that proclaimed, in Peru, the Latinos from Tijuana to Argentina’s furthest corner as a family. I need not say that he meant to include Latinos in the United States, the Caribbean countries and Spain in that description, if not all together the ones in Africa and Asia as well. But I want to expand Guevara’s words and include every citizen in the world, not just Latinos, but non-Latino Blacks, non-Latino Asians, non-Latino Whites, etc, as well.

You can be from Denmark, from China, you could be Australian, or Congolese, or American, or Saudi Arabian, and yet you are still part of this family we call humanity.

Sometimes, our governments pit us against each other. Such were the cases of the Cold War and the Iran-Iraq conflict, for example. Wars lead to severe tragedy and to deep moral wounds that are difficult to let heal.

But if you think about it, who hasn’t had a squirm or even a big fight with their sibling? We all have had.

We need to forget what some politicians may get our countries into and embrace each other as human brothers and sisters. Because in the very end, if you look all the way back to the beginning of history, we’re all actually blood relatives in a way or another anyways. The most human thing to do then is to try to understand and accept each other with all our cultural differences and points of view then.

Welcome to the big family!

West Likes Chickens

Next time you throw a party and invite the famous rapper, Kanye West, don’t forget to go to the supermarket before the event and buy certain items for him. Like chicken. Because Kanye loves his chicken. In fact, he loves chicken so much, he’s apparently willing to fight for it.

According to theboombox.com, West was at a charity concert which included Common, Nas and Queen Latifah among others, when he saw one of the performers eating chicken backstage. Kanye then complained and asked “you want me to perform for free…everybody’s eating, why am I not eating? When answered that he had not requested any food, he allegedly retorted “Well, I’m asking now!”
I just wonder if Mike Tyson had such weakness for chicken also and ate some after his fights. That might have been the real reason behind his 91 second knockout of Michael Spinks and his 30 second blowout of Marvis Frazier!

Scarlett Upstaged?

When I look back at my acting career (“Eight Legged Freaks” as I mentioned here recently) I think to myself “darn I was with Scarlett Johansson, how come I did not try to get ’closer’ to her when I could?” Ok, ok, she was 16. That is why. Johansson surely has come a long way from that rather humble beginning, now being a full blown major Hollywood movie star. And as so, she will be on Glamour Magazine’s November cover.

The same issue where seven plus sized models will appear at, naked, for which they, and not Scarlett, are getting all the media attention. I guess I can say I am officially part of the media now!

The models, who according to Stylelist.com are named Lizzie Miller, Amy Lemons, Jennie Runk, Kate Dillon, Crystal Rens, Anansa Sims and Ashley Graham, are a true testament that large women, that gender (women) God created as a gift-and sometimes a punishment too-to us the ones of the “other” gender, can indeed be tasty.

Me, if I were left with all them alone, I’d try each of the seven flavors presented on Glamour Magazine. It’s almost like trying to decide which of the “Super Six” Middleweight tournament’s fights you will watch come November 17th. No matter which one you choose, you’ll be happy at the end!

As for Glamour’s November issue, with Scarlett on the cover, the seven naked ladies and it’s title (“sex and love”), I’m definitely choosing that magazine over The Ring or any other boxing one!

Letterman The Man

One of the biggest double standards existent is that when a man has been with many women, he is seen as a great conqueror, but when a woman has been with many men, she is seen as rotten. I hate that and felt I needed to raise my voice about it. That said, one of your favorite late night show hosts-not mine because I hate late night shows and would rather watch movies anytime-, David Letterman, seems to be, like his last name implies, “the man!”
Letterman was the victim of an extortion attempt by CBS producer Robert Halderman, according to Wikipedia.org. The site says that Halderman wanted Letterman to give him $2,000,000 dollars for him to keep shush about Letterman’s romantic liaisons with many of his female co-workers. Letterman went to the Manhattan District Attorney and was recommended to give the extortionist a fake check, which he did and Halderman was arrested upon trying to cash it in. Letterman then admitted in a grand jury testimony to sexual relations with many women who worked for him.

To which I say, power to “the (letter)man!” I only wish I was him!

Ireland Can’t Dance

If you are like me, one of the grown ups who is actually a product of the 1980’s, “Ferris Bueller”, “Bill and Ted” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” teen movies, then you probably remember the 80’s hit, “The Safety Dance”, sung by a Canadian synthpop group from Montreal called "Men Without Hats" (who were actually one guy and a hot looking babe). That song starts with “We can dance if we want to” and the video shows Irish folk dancing. But according to the judges of television’s “Dancing With The Stars”, Ireland really cannot dance.

As in former top model and movie actress Kathy Ireland, who in 1990 I swore was the finest woman in history.

According to Popeater.com, judges at the show dismissed Ireland and partner Tony Dovolani as being too reserved, and the show’s viewers quickly agreed. As you can see, “Macho” Camacho Sr. would have had no trouble in that area; he could never be confused with a reserved person!

I only wish I can se Ireland “dance” one more time. In front of me. Come on, Kathy! I could never dismiss you!!

Puerto Rican Fury

As much as I enjoy those “Latin Fury” boxing undercards they are putting more and more frequently on Pay Per View, and which showcase usually either Puerto Ricans or Mexicans in boxing action, if you want to see real Latin Fury, just try to make a Puerto Rican person get angry, or interact with one as they are spilling their anger at other people. Us Puerto Ricans are not to be messed with!

The newest example of this is the cast of the Puerto Rican version of “Hairspray”. They are fighting for their money. And no, Zac Efron is not part of that cast.

According to Puerto Rican newspaper El Vocero, actors who were to be featured on the “Hairspray” theatrical production in San Juan are trying to get paid for their efforts. They claim that they practiced for two months and that on the day of their final practice, Thursday, October 1st, there were members of the public in attendance, and that those who attended had been charged entrance fees, of which the actors received “nothing but air“. Ultimately the play got cancelled.

Among the actors claming for money are Anamin Santiago, one babe capable of making “things” stand up.

It looks to me like they are ready to put the gloves on!

Smart Story

In late 2002 and early 2003, millions of United States residents, myself included, prayed for the safe return of Elizabeth Smart, home to her family in Utah. Smart, now 20 years old, is one smoker of a babe who’d make the statue of Liberty look at her if that New Yorker was a man.

But at 14? Dude, you had to be sick to think about her in a sexual way back then, much more so to rape her!

That’s what Smart, a devout Mormon, says happened to her every day at the hands of one Brian David Mitchell while being held captive, according to AOL News.

Smart is due to leave to France in a few months for a Mormon mission there. Because Mitchell has been at a mental institution, he has not been tried for the alleged actions he supposedly took, and Smart was summoned by a judge trying to determine if he is competent enough to stand trial.

Elizabeth Smart is a person we should all look up to, men and women alike. She is an example of courage, will to survive and heart that matches that of any boxer in the world.

Our Condolences

During the last week, Asia has once again been involved in tragedy, with earthquakes and flooding costing hundreds their lives.

To the people of Samoa and of Indonesia, our condolences and prayers in these, saddest of times.

Seen and on the Sceen

ESPN Classics showed a documentary detailing the controversies and rumors around Mike Tyson this last week.

British boxer Audley Harrison won the Heavyweight competition on British boxing reality show, “Prizefighter”.

Middleweight prospect Andre Ward has joined the “Knock Out Dog Fighting” national campaign that aims at eliminating the illegal activity of dog fights.

Our Hearts Are With

Dennis Hopper. The 73 year old actor, famous for being in “Easy Rider”, “The Pick Up Artist” and “Speed”, among other Hollywood classics, has been hospitalized in New York, according to Entertainment Tonight. No causes have been given for his hospitalization.

R.I.P.

Greg Ladanyi, 57. Ladanyi was a music producer. He worked with Jackson Browne, Fleetwood Mac, Toto, Don Henley and Warren Zevon-who is remembered in boxing for his song about Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini-among others. In 1982, he earned a Grammy award for his collaboration with Toto. Ladanyi was nominated 16 times. According to Spinner.com, he died on Friday, September 25th, after falling from the stand before his newest artist, Anna Vissi’s, concert in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Mercedes Sosa, 74. The Argentine singer was known as “The Voice of America”. She was the object of censorship and persecution during Argentina’s dictatorship years from 1976 to 1983. Sosa was also a defender of human rights. Sisa released 51 albums, including 2 in 2009. According to Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia, she died on October 4th, at Sanatorio de la Trinidad hospital in Palermo, city of Buenos Aires, of renal failure.

Abraham Ortega, age unspecified. Ortega was a Peruvian car racer. He was competing at the “Camino del Inca” race near Arequipa, Peru, when his car, a Subaru Impreza, skid off the road and he fell off into the sea. His co-pilot, Tomas Caya, survived the accident after being airlifted to Lima in critical condition, according to Peru21.pe.

Shoichi Nakagawa, 56. Nakagawa was Minister of Finances of Japan. In 2009, he caused an international scandal for looking drunk during a conference in Rome, Italy. During that same trip, he visited a museum at Vatican City, where he made further news by accidentally stepping inside an off-limits room, activating the museum’s alarm system and being escorted off the museum by security detail.

He was found dead on October 4th by his wife inside a room in their Tokyo home, according to Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia. Japanese police are investigating his death, but they said a suicide is not a likely cause, the same newspaper informs. Police will continue investigating his death.

May they all rest in peace.

Please send all Questions and comments to Antonio at TJ69662094@aol.com.


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