Mike Tyson Would Like To Help You Carry Those Groceries To Your Car

Meet the new Mike Tyson. He's relaxed, he's sweet; he's whistling a happy tune. Frankly, we'd be less surprised if Kim Jong Ill suddenly began a tour of the U.S. singing old Bobby Sherman hits, but there you have it. There's a bluebird on his shoulder. Are we as a nation ready for this? Tyson appeared chipper and upbeat on Thursday at the official weigh-in for the first fight of the Tyson World Tour, in which he will take on his former sparring partner, 292-pound Corey "T-Rex" Sanders. From AP:

He kicked off his sneakers, stepped on the scale in his white socks and smiled. Seconds later, the man once labeled the baddest man on the planet, the one who could petrify an opponent simply by stepping onto the apron, flexed his biceps for a few photographers and then giggled almost in shame. On Thursday, Tyson ... walked around the podium hugging old friends and young boxers, many of whom just wanted to shake the former champ's hand. Iron Mike is dead. He's Nice Mike now.

As for the t-shirt Tyson was wearing, its for Maryland Republican Senatorial candidate Michael Steele (Karl Rove's head hits desk with audible thud). Off-Wing Opinion has the details:

Tyson, wearing a white and blue Steele for U.S. Senate T-shirt, said he used to believe black Republicans were "sellouts." But Tyson said he changed his mind after researching the Maryland lieutenant governor. "We have to open our eyes more," Tyson said, as he pointed to his T-shirt.

We believe strongly the idea that a man can change his life for the better. Still, it wouldn't surprise us at all tonight if Tyson bit off Sanders' penis.

Mike Tyson: Republican? [Off Wing Opinion] Iron Mike No More, Tyson On World Tour [Yahoo! News]