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Don King  | 1. Make Me Big

Don King | 1. Make Me Big

Released Monday, 14th March 2022
Good episode? Give it some love!
Don King  | 1. Make Me Big

Don King | 1. Make Me Big

Don King  | 1. Make Me Big

Don King | 1. Make Me Big

Monday, 14th March 2022
Good episode? Give it some love!
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Episode Transcript

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0:06

This show contains strong language. Listener.

0:08

Discretion is advised.

0:13

Don King. You

0:16

know, I can't remember a time in my when

0:18

I didn't know who Don King was.

0:21

And. He was just always present,

0:23

just they're, even

0:25

folks who don't know why he's famous know

0:27

he's, famous how many

0:30

other boxing promoters does

0:32

the average person you know. Who's not into

0:34

box I feel like it was impossible

0:37

for me not to have any awareness of

0:39

who's dying thing was dying mean

0:41

just listen to? the man listen

0:43

to what the does with the english language

0:46

It's. Gonna be so a lustrous Islam

0:48

be so majestic such regal splendor

0:51

if I'd had opportunities to promote

0:53

you, it would have been something's as easy

0:56

as we say a. Different method of the ghetto something

0:59

sounded different: some guy who loves people I'm an

1:01

American I'm people guy, more promote other

1:03

people for the people in my magic lies. And my people

1:05

ties and if you go dancing you,

1:07

know his signature he's, set

1:10

anti gravity sticking straight

1:12

up frosted tips looks like

1:14

he got electrocuted, here and.

1:16

It didn't stop this everything about

1:19

dancing plus, was Wild Dawn

1:21

asked six foot four of whom would

1:24

roll up in floor, length for Coke

1:26

Flashy Tuxedo Flamed.

1:28

out scenes and rinse and

1:31

he would just take over the

1:33

guys always like front and center so little

1:35

bit ironic because he's promoter

1:37

is not really is to put someone else front

1:40

and center for somehow don king always

1:42

brought the spotlight backs with self and

1:45

when the did and what he did it never

1:47

disappointed So,

1:49

year. Nineteen definitely

1:52

like the flash. The was also

1:54

a marketing genius.

1:56

I mean, a man came up with the rumble in the jungle

1:58

and it's really manila. Who

2:00

are the most legendary Muhammad Ali fights

2:02

of all time? Flash

2:04

forward to him, raising young Mike Tyson in his arms

2:07

appetizer one another fight.

2:09

The war. The to the part where he's out

2:11

there promoting acts like Michael Jackson or

2:14

rubbing shoulders with Nelson Mandela or

2:16

both George Bush's. Lord,

2:18

see the next to James Brown in the middle of Africa.

2:21

There's a reason people flocked to him. Don

2:24

King had it. The genius

2:26

for business and genius for people.

2:29

The made boxes into millionaires. The

2:31

be pretty well for himself, King. The

2:33

on ended up with multimillion dollar states

2:36

all around the country. For your fancy

2:38

cars. The even built

2:40

an eight foot replica of the statue of

2:42

Liberty and one of his homes. Because

2:45

he was rich. Because he could.

2:48

What there was flip side? Down

2:51

with mass of getting attention.

2:53

It. Was also a master of generated controversy

2:56

controversy, that the press was

2:58

all too happy to cover, King

3:01

has been sued more than anyone in boxing history

3:04

set target. Of target federal investigation

3:06

and approximation and for charges

3:08

he spends millions filing lawsuits

3:11

from boxers allegedly seated

3:13

them out. appointment no

3:15

i'm not saying they're wrong In fact,

3:18

that's all true. They didn't

3:20

even mention the part about daunting killing man.

3:22

Well, to men, actually. And

3:25

they left out the part about the mob. But

3:28

look. The boxing road down

3:30

was operating in.

3:31

The wouldn't the kind of place where anybody was

3:33

exactly plane by the rules. Or

3:36

whether even were rules. Like

3:38

nobody Michael Harry, the Culture Rider puts it.

3:41

If you're serious about trying to understand on.

3:44

You kind of gotta look at the whole picture.

3:46

Everybody knows somebody like Don

3:49

King Don King is

3:51

a store front preacher who

3:54

you know is. sleeping

3:56

with the women into shirts We

3:58

still give it out scholarships. The kids

4:00

in we've always known somebody

4:03

like dying team who was.

4:06

The unscrupulous. But

4:08

when you add up the losses and.

4:11

the positives you come up on the

4:13

ledger ahead at games and as

4:15

with dieting with was way

4:17

Oh, yeah, yeah. You can always

4:19

trust on T. What demand

4:21

was a genius? And he had to

4:24

be.

4:24

The be the first black promoted or rise to

4:26

the sports entertainment heights that he did. Barking

4:29

journalists, radio raheem puts it.

4:32

added p. You couldn't really

4:34

get anything.

4:36

The I'm at the highest levels of the

4:38

sport without encountering Don

4:40

King one way or another.

4:42

For more than thirty years. Don

4:45

King controlled boxes. That

4:47

kind of power. Oh, that

4:50

power corrupts. It.

4:52

The guy got asked about this in an interview with

4:54

East, yeah? Well.

4:57

He had a very different answer no.

4:59

one can make can griff sound better than daunting

5:02

i have not done anything other than

5:04

Rebels. Mac Sport of boxing pay

5:06

more money to fight as it ever been paid in the history

5:09

of the world, put a new glamour, new

5:11

type of flamboyance to the sport. To give it little

5:13

grandeur, little dignity

5:15

and price to the youngsters that abiding

5:17

made more millionaires out prospect of than anyone

5:20

in the history of would as evidence.

5:23

This season, three of power.

5:27

In the next hour episodes were going to go

5:29

deep and saved lawless

5:31

world of box and, learn how

5:33

does he, do for kids

5:35

in Cleveland Ohio spent his life to

5:38

get. over his come of

5:40

was his own american dream

5:43

Diddy push boundaries did,

5:46

he break the rules, yes

5:50

did he, burned bridges, yes

5:53

with diddy succeed goddamn

5:57

right

6:00

The leverage race. bright

6:02

lights the capitalists of course

6:06

Hi.

6:16

We reached out to Dog Team for an interview for

6:18

this series, but he declined. Now

6:22

Don King didn't start out as the electric

6:24

haired sucks wearing fast talking

6:27

caricature he. started out as

6:29

a poor kid on the east side of cleveland hustler

6:32

Then. Don King and Cleveland was

6:34

different from the Don King in New York or

6:37

any other city in the world because

6:39

in Cleveland, most folks do I miss Donald

6:42

or the kid. That's who he was

6:44

this blast from Das Past as his longtime

6:47

friend who still refers to him as Donald himself,

6:49

my name is Clarence Rogers, an attorney

6:51

from Cleveland Ohio Dad's.

6:54

, died in an accident at the steel

6:56

plant where he when Don was ten and

6:58

Donald his family had to hustle to make ends

7:00

meet. his mom and sister

7:02

would bake pies at dawn and his brothers would

7:04

go out and sell They also

7:06

full bag of peanuts, a local gambling houses.

7:10

Him before Long's dog got into

7:12

the gambling games and self he,

7:14

started moving his way up in the numbers business

7:17

which was basically an unofficial meaning

7:20

illegal version of the lottery, and

7:22

before,. long down was making lot

7:25

of money And.

7:27

attracting the wrong kind of attention like,

7:29

the time and nineteen fifty four when three men

7:31

from Detroit try to Jackal, the

7:34

way dance houses they busted in

7:36

of he. Grabbed his gun in the suited out his

7:38

living, room he ended up killing one

7:40

of, the guy's charges were

7:42

filed but don't claim self defense

7:44

and amazingly, they. We're drugs

7:47

then three years later some

7:50

of his, rivals Firebomb the South but

7:52

even the risk of zeal time we're getting

7:54

killed wasn't, going to. make dad quit

7:58

he was hungry and this

8:02

Dom started looking past the numbers like. Half

8:05

Cleveland even. Try to connect

8:07

with some of the famous people who came through town.

8:10

Like Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Lloyd

8:12

Price. praise from a

8:14

twenty two of interview with Cuny TV,

8:17

you know, Down was very big out in Cleveland with

8:19

numbers. The at nightclub.

8:21

Oh, year. The nightclub.

8:24

That have some

8:26

of that numbers money and opened a new corner

8:28

Tavern Supper Club for would don't

8:30

try to get Pricey do good price

8:32

was so sure that's it you want me to work,

8:34

he club you gotta give me something working

8:37

now that's Lloyd first. Then. Place

8:42

he did six hundred people even had rotating

8:44

states it was part of it's citizen's

8:46

circuit and books all these big names like BBC

8:48

Kenya muddy waters the.

8:50

Come on Lloyd, by the mid

8:52

Sixties it was the spot for musicians

8:55

and celebrities making the waiting, Cleveland Lloyd

8:58

was cleveland big deal then any was, well connected.

9:01

And he was willing to bring down into that world

9:03

I did isn't a mammoth Ali on

9:06

his daughter's fifth birthday or

9:08

pretty sure my parents took me, to second see.

9:10

I had him sang happy birthday to her,

9:13

and Dallas birthday man it's applicants

9:15

outfitted safe and in Ali was like,

9:18

used to be my promoter a

9:20

dog was like. Absolutely we're,

9:22

going to take over this board not

9:25

vesna how with them In

9:28

fact. There was a lot down

9:30

had to go before he ever came anywhere

9:32

near boxing the, violence

9:34

that swirled around the numbers game, it

9:36

was about to bring Diocese money making

9:39

cadillac driving seeing pin. lifestyle

9:42

to screeching halt

9:48

I thought knew my grandpa better than anyone.

9:51

One day we weren't certain in he told me story

9:53

I'd never heard before. They got me wondering

9:56

what are the stories don't I know? That's

9:58

why got my grandpa story worse. Story

10:00

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10:07

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10:15

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10:17

After one year story worth compiles all

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10:22

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Thanks.

11:10

What

11:15

exactly happened on April twentieth, nineteen,

11:17

sixty six? It depends on who

11:20

you ask. What we do know

11:22

is daunting had a guy who work for him

11:24

running numbers named Sam Garrett

11:27

Sam, o does six hundred dollars for

11:29

Bet was supposed to collect. dawn

11:31

runs at the same at a bar he's

11:33

big man and all hell

11:36

breaks loose

11:37

Now. The way Dawn tells it it,

11:40

was just a fight that got out of hand,

11:43

actually God has his own way of,

11:45

explaining I had explaining got in A. Fistfight

11:48

and where fistfight fall for spaces of the ghetto expressing

11:50

themselves they were expressing themselves

11:53

to the point where dear it's head

11:55

is of slamming into the. sidewalk which

11:58

is right when the cops show up

12:00

Cleveland Police Officer Bob Funny

12:02

says he saw daunting all

12:04

six, four, two hundred and fifty pounds

12:07

of of. The be right over, Gary.

12:10

With a gun in his hand. Honey

12:12

says he yelled eighteen until he drop the gun

12:15

but the way Tiny told it miss night

12:17

see ninety one frontline special even,

12:19

with the cop in his face is gone the

12:21

ground team wasn't done fighting, fighting

12:24

went over medieval grab that gun as

12:26

I. did this gentleman setting up

12:29

as gentleman older man lying down and give one vicious

12:31

teeth again right on the head Honey

12:34

says Gareth last words before he went

12:36

unconscious were done I'll pay

12:38

you the money King, we

12:40

should say, denies this version

12:42

of events always. has but

12:45

however it happened the fight

12:47

was bad enough to send sam garrett to the hospital

12:50

where he died five days later

12:55

Every now and then down would talk about it in

12:57

interviews in a way that made it seem

12:59

like almost bad luck.

13:02

It must have been a pretty bad bro, which adds

13:04

up deep contrition fourth, says it happen,

13:07

but nevertheless I was instrumental in a fatality

13:09

of fellow human beings happened to be one

13:11

of my personal friends. Some

13:13

say business concern your friends against you. Personal

13:16

friend or not. The on killed

13:19

the guy.

13:21

These arrested in and the being found guilty

13:23

of second degree murder. The maximum

13:25

sense for that. Life in

13:28

prison. What

13:30

in a twist of fate? Already speculate

13:32

something little more CD. The

13:34

judge on the case reduces the charts, the manslaughter.

13:38

What happens right after private meeting he

13:40

has with things turn? The

13:42

on and of serving just four years.

13:48

In a nineteen eighty interview with Playboy

13:50

magazine, this is how Da described

13:52

his time in prison quote. It

13:55

was dark and dreary world of confinement

13:58

when. i arrived they still made all Blacks

14:00

walk behind the whites. I got

14:02

a job on the prison far as what to get some fresh

14:04

air. How to clean the pig pig?

14:07

It was hell, man.

14:10

The gun friend Clears Rogers says

14:12

that prison might have been a blessing in disguise.

14:15

The what you have to understand is that blessings

14:17

come in different forms and I

14:19

think Don King's biggest blessing was gone

14:21

to the penitentiary instead of wasting

14:24

his time don't, read. he

14:26

says thousands of books

14:29

There he is on David Letterman in nights in

14:31

eighty two, describing his reading list.

14:34

Read avidly in the All A Philosopher's

14:36

socrates plato thorough are

14:38

try yoga, braun Marcus Aurelius and

14:40

I went to school by correspondence clear,

14:43

it says this education was transformative

14:45

as a result of that time spent

14:47

in the tenth and it's entry.

14:49

I would say Don King educated

14:52

himself to the equivalency

14:54

of for in excess of the Ph.D. The

14:56

could deal with the classics Greek mythology,

14:59

the Bible, whatever you want to talk about. Like,

15:02

don always liked to say.

15:04

He didn't serve his time, he made his

15:06

time serve him.

15:07

You. Could hear for the rest of his life in the way

15:09

he makes the mask quotes from all those books

15:12

you read and, I was six process we

15:14

other uses of. Adversity, which ugly and venomous

15:16

like to go, that's where the presses Jolla, this

15:19

my sincere, not a burger act when death meet

15:21

him in the courtyard, he said, "You will" Find me sitting

15:23

down. i know you're there

15:26

known bring me known mortal man rang me giants

15:28

and the agenda is criticized one

15:31

who is a muffin proletariat but i'm

15:33

like rajat kipling like can walk with case

15:38

God said he. read thousands

15:40

of books Finally.

15:44

In September, Thirtieth, nineteen, seventy one

15:46

he's released from prison. Soon

15:49

after. This friend Lloyd Price flew

15:51

out and paid on a visit and A took a long

15:54

drive and talked about what could come next for Die.

15:57

The on didn't seem to care what he did. He

15:59

just new. One thing. He wanted

16:01

to take over.

16:03

The'and and used to tell me a man make me big

16:06

me be I don't ever want to go back

16:08

to jail, never never, never. They

16:10

tossed around ideas. New

16:13

the promotion. Maybe film

16:15

production. So business.

16:18

Or of ah. ha

16:23

Now these might have been pretty lofty

16:25

goals for us, the release, felon

16:27

and especially for Black, when in nineteen sixty

16:29

seven when Don went into prison.

16:32

What a lot has happened in the four years he was inside.

16:37

You have bought me one nine hundred people,

16:43

that don't be. afraid to

16:45

say if we want our

16:50

If the non violent fight for civil rights

16:52

has lacked both peacefully demanding respect

16:55

inequality by the late Sixties

16:57

the demands has earned his command and,

17:00

gone the opportunists he is

17:02

gonna ride whatever new wave is out there. on

17:05

that drive down seems to settle

17:07

on boxing These are the asking

17:09

lloyd. The man, all the connections.

17:12

The hook him up. Then not in a

17:14

small, I want to promote some local fight

17:16

between the neighborhood Barbara in gym teacher kind

17:18

of way. Now. Yeah,

17:21

decides he wants to go big. These

17:23

are expressing lloyd the connecting to was all for

17:25

and Muhammad Ali. Lloyd.

17:29

The go along with it. Before

17:31

you know it all, he has said yes to

17:33

something. Though do exactly

17:35

what is unclear. It.

17:38

People who try to get them back on a C. Take

17:41

their blind faith and runs with. With

17:44

commitment from Ali. Daniel

17:46

to make this arrangement more fissile. The

17:49

besides he needs lawyer and

17:51

that's how he meets or man Clarence

17:53

Donald, indicated that

17:56

he had commitment from ahmed Ali. workplace

18:00

What to do work or how to best

18:02

use? their commitment

18:04

I mean what do you do with

18:06

the most notable fighter at the time have

18:08

Ali M C a dinner have, make

18:11

an appearance dance nightclub, class

18:13

at dawn result to few smart both the think

18:15

it. through and as at the time

18:17

i had a boat so we called boat meeting

18:20

On my boat clearance comes through

18:22

with the both legs he hosts Dawn

18:25

and few big wigs including George Forbes,

18:27

majority leader of the Cleaver City Council

18:30

and, on my way down had

18:32

stopped and picks up the out cleveland

18:35

plain dealer

18:36

With. The Sunday morning and the Sunday

18:38

Plain Dealer headline was

18:41

Forest, City Hospital to close

18:43

its doors for City Hospital

18:45

was opened by black doctors and nineteen fifty

18:48

seven and still. Mostly serve the Black Community

18:51

George for look at the newspaper

18:53

and said Donald there it is,

18:55

and we all looked at him, like George

18:58

or determined by, you. Crazy he

19:00

repeated he said Donald, there

19:02

it is and. then

19:04

we caught it doesn't get

19:07

mohamad i lead to come from cleveland

19:09

to do lead benefit to save the hospital

19:13

Now whether that's exactly how it all goes down

19:16

with the boat, the headline eureka moment,

19:18

it kind of the matter. It doesn't

19:20

matter is that done really decides

19:23

to build his event around helping the hospital.

19:25

The organize, a series of exhibitions

19:27

with Muhammad Ali, is star headliner. The

19:30

pump, the brakes. Don King

19:33

didn't know them what about boxing. For

19:35

for her second as teenager won match,

19:37

the two. Then he got knocked down was

19:39

like I'm good. That

19:41

he can't fumbled the Ali hook up by trying

19:43

to wing it. Then he reaches out to

19:45

this guy.

19:47

The young as boxing promoter and history

19:49

and been in this game to and thirteen

19:51

years old. This is

19:54

Dawn El Bar.

19:55

That you promoter who back then was pretty much

19:58

the only promoter in Cleveland.

20:00

Now, if the requirement of this job

20:02

is that your personable convincing

20:05

the hero of all your stories and

20:07

a big personality. It done,

20:09

I'll bomb, is that do? The

20:11

personal highlight reel is something else.

20:14

I know Johnny Cash Use, Alva Guy,

20:16

did the only show ever, says the

20:18

playboy mansion Willie Nelson, he

20:20

may remember me spend time with them,

20:23

and A Lana says I was sixteen years old

20:25

and was Supreme's diggory place

20:27

is packed. That was L bomb remembers

20:29

it he's on his grind.

20:31

Putting together an event on a Saturday morning

20:33

at venue in Buffalo, New York.

20:35

Tools and a state senator

20:38

in Cleveland's was quite friendly with

20:40

as and times there's going to Buffalo

20:43

to prep Abbas himself and was

20:45

roughly. eleven o'clock

20:47

in the morning and, that phone

20:49

rings

20:50

Obama pretty well known in Cleveland, so

20:53

it makes sense that is reach except the politicians.

20:55

And then?

20:57

The just a minutes is on

20:59

the suffer you were salaam what and,

21:02

I get on and it was,

21:05

just a, center. is done

21:08

i'm here with a party been in

21:10

of don king he would like to talk

21:12

to you and i said fine and

21:14

the first words I heard.

21:17

The elbow.

21:20

Man what?

21:23

the hell is hell says Don

21:25

King, waste no time going straight for

21:27

his ask. The said.

21:29

Where are you what I said in Buffalo Mr

21:31

didn't call me time I? said or

21:33

said wanted so my back he said you must

21:36

come back today i said chance

21:38

of sony up a soldier and on one

21:40

or states or monday

21:42

Don King said he wasn't going to leave the senator's

21:44

office, he was calling Darnell Bomb from until

21:46

album came back to Cleveland. The

21:49

bomb said, but the senator back on the phone.

21:53

How is this guy is, you saw

21:55

and you don't know I'm where I am stuck

21:57

with him? until monday

22:00

Who? Knows what would have happened if Album tried

22:02

to call things plus but that senator

22:05

did not wanna find out and,

22:07

by seven o'clock that night'so so

22:09

bomb is back in. Cleveland reporting

22:11

is the newest member of Things Dreams, but

22:15

even if he's got a lawyer promoter

22:18

in one of the greatest boxes of all. time there's

22:20

still lot of ways things and go

22:23

sideways

22:26

The remains of for young women were found

22:28

all murder victims it was.

22:30

Miller is famous for his ability to

22:32

locate missing children, the Tim spent every

22:34

day for the past forty years trying to

22:37

figure out what happened to his own daughter,

22:39

and he has every reason to discuss. And

22:41

now. Beginning.

22:46

Hi, I'm Allie County, a journalist and recently license

22:48

private investigator, I shadowed him as

22:50

he put together evidence against a man, implied

22:52

Hedrick, convicted killer, just. I mean nothing.

23:00

Fits him might not be the hero. He's made

23:02

out to be They're just playing games,

23:04

are there any become? Increasingly clear, it'll

23:06

do anything to get what he wants with

23:08

started off as an excavation the past,

23:10

a certain to present tense thriller one of which

23:12

I feared for my life. My

23:13

I a

23:24

daughter's murderer. Hey

23:27

y'all. I want to tell you about another great

23:29

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And it delves into scandals and controversies

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on the world's biggest stage, the Olympics.

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The show was hosted by Molly Blue. The

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Now. Molly go back to her first

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24:00

The on the edge of your seat, with the Olympics most iconic

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Tourist is available now, wherever you get your podcasts,

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hope you enjoy the show.

24:21

Now. daunting was doing a pretty

24:23

good impression of boxing promoter by this point

24:26

in, Clears had even had meeting where they managed

24:28

to land the Cleveland arena as Benefit

24:30

even, within Claire's got claire's call

24:32

from the arenas owner Nick, Malaria, he

24:35

said about our, meeting

24:37

this morning I cannot

24:40

rent hearing, that the donna. Thing is

24:42

can't do, it, he's a, convicted felon oh

24:45

right that began

24:49

the difficulty of them down even

24:51

entering, into boxing the couldn't. even ren and

24:53

arena or clarence he's

24:55

quick as yes make a

24:57

film at the arena to him and said and

24:59

if agrees is just like that salvage

25:02

is the benefit

25:03

Meanwhile, daunting his en el

25:06

bomb setting of all the fight for Mohammed Ali.

25:08

Her die on one, the boss, three

25:11

or four exhibitions, or three or four

25:13

different playlists, and I wanted

25:15

a pro records as it is done.

25:18

Even though Dawn as fresh outta jail, he

25:20

doesn't seem to have any problem paying for all this.

25:22

He. Used to have a passport,

25:25

it's the back pocket he had

25:27

cold with the inside pockets,

25:29

part is on the sides and he carries

25:31

in every part it's between three

25:33

and. Center novelists and he just

25:35

put his hand in his pockets and the enemy

25:38

fighter's mountains, and he says

25:40

here so flimsy together.

25:43

Now, Da decides he doesn't want the city

25:45

exhibition to just be boxing. The

25:48

wanted to be any vet. The going

25:50

to be a fastened so, and he wants to have concert

25:52

to. Though yes,

25:54

Lloyd Price for another favor. This

25:57

time is the cause of his friends in the music

25:59

business. Lloyd get some big

26:01

names to agree to perform I'm.

26:03

talking wilson pickett lou rawls

26:05

in marvin gaye

26:08

We. We saw him with the big time

26:10

and again Dude, has

26:12

no same in this game, while

26:15

Lloyds pulling in the musical acts dogs

26:17

out and about with the mission. Of his, own someone

26:20

has to give folks to fill those arena seats so

26:23

he calls and a, little help don would,

26:25

go and get fifty thousand

26:27

dollars worth. , tickets on consignment

26:30

given to the numbers hustlers they

26:32

would go out and street silva, tickets comeback

26:35

get more tickets that's how

26:37

tickets was done as our was. Promoted,

26:41

before important people dahmer

26:43

hose them himself one day

26:45

he set up a meeting with them local minister and his

26:47

wife to sell them block of tickets for the congregation

26:50

The number one word. Motherfucker.

26:54

Used night and day mother

26:57

fucker this motherfucker.

26:58

Now this is fine for a lot of folks

27:00

done deals with but. Maybe

27:02

not for minister. The income him.

27:05

And then he starts talking.

27:08

The more recent every word of motherfucker

27:12

am. i shake my head i'm looking

27:14

at the reverend and his wife

27:17

and their and comfortable as can be

27:20

Don keeps this up for a while until

27:22

finally the Reverend is like I.

27:24

need to talk to you The only

27:26

go onto the whole.

27:29

A comeback removing. grabs

27:31

weiss and then awesome

27:34

He said. Every,

27:37

you know. We blacks.

27:39

We have nothing. No one

27:42

says that we've done anything right

27:44

is only one thing that,

27:47

belongs to us and that

27:49

is the word months. of

27:52

stuff near him he said that

27:55

his artwork Dawn

27:57

is selling this hard. Any

27:59

stars?

28:00

Going every black man

28:02

woman and sales to walk down

28:04

Euclid Avenue with a head held

28:06

high Saints mother fucker mother

28:09

and, then like then great actors as

28:12

he same mother he stops

28:15

And now. That me hear you

28:17

say. Do.

28:19

It up holding hands and

28:22

we gather and, said mother

28:24

thought they said, was

28:28

to hug team was wild, man album,

28:31

was impressed was just, was takeover.

28:34

Guy and he wants you know, moon

28:36

forget about anyone the

28:39

name let's say anything he just

28:41

took over everything he could mesmerize

28:43

you. any mesmerize everybody

28:46

that was our house

28:58

It's. The night of August twenty eight and Euclid

29:00

Avenue in Cleveland is the place to be

29:03

over, eighty five hundred people packed with Cleveland

29:05

Arena, the benefits exhausted

29:07

a thirty. With the musical, less now

29:10

I don't know the settlers that night, but

29:12

that the time Marburg a was still ride

29:14

the wave of his success with what's, going on. For

29:17

can only imagine the by with, Cedric The, space

29:21

after the concert there were, space couple

29:23

of, preliminary fight, then, the

29:25

main event mohammad Ali.

29:27

, Ali thought this

29:30

just, isn't close to, share bought

29:33

a couple of politician or,

29:36

think the only close to real

29:38

fighter we're fairly Daniels

29:40

determinant. And do as and

29:42

three, rounds the goal was, knockout

29:45

so, I'll either were Ali does this broke

29:48

up foot work faster than

29:50

for as, sensitive. Knocked

29:52

out by guys. who would never be able to knock

29:54

them off real life when he puts

29:56

on cell phone at all So

29:59

what's the point? Oh,

30:01

boy. When

30:04

all the musical acts were back to their hotels

30:06

and I'll he took off his glove the.

30:08

night turned out to be massive success

30:11

Actually, it was record breaking. The

30:14

eighty one thousand dollars they made off the ticket

30:16

sales with the most in history for boxing

30:19

exhibition at that time the, hospital

30:21

came out the big one of the boxing matches

30:23

or Muhammad Ali's. but

30:26

Not all the tears found his

30:28

way to the hospital. The problem

30:30

was.

30:31

There were a lot of folks who took

30:34

advantage of the fact that to there was no

30:36

experience from anybody's point of view. It's

30:39

certainly not put on and defend Don had never

30:41

put on and event. Though they were more

30:43

cost involved and should have been involved.

30:45

The turns out go

30:47

and be had a steep price. When

30:50

it was all things done. whereas handed

30:52

over at SEC for seventeen thousand dollars.

30:55

Do the math right there in well,

30:57

that's sixty four thousand dollar short. In

30:59

a hospital was not happy about that differ.

31:02

Remember very clearly the chairman of the board, a

31:04

hospital was guy named Andrew Johnson.

31:07

Then he was upset that the hospital didn't get.

31:10

You know eighty thousand dollars but.

31:13

but he didn't understand The

31:15

the cost of putting the venom.

31:18

Down and his crew, they did swim

31:20

pretty big.

31:21

Again, this event with it's top tier musical

31:23

acts and fast and so wasn't typical. That

31:26

didn't stop the hospital from film I did been ripped

31:28

off or. One a rip off. That.

31:31

If it was just less than what they expected

31:34

and less than what we had hoped as the race

31:36

for them. In this will become

31:38

kind of a pattern would die. Incredible,

31:41

so. Map of success.

31:44

The not always as much money come back to the people

31:46

they might have expected. The

31:48

on with an hung up on the money issue. The

31:50

was still walking away feeling on top of his game.

31:53

In in fact. The even though the star

31:55

of this whole so we're supposed to be Muhammad Ali.

31:58

If u's s dunno bomb. The real

32:01

star turned out to be Don King

32:04

though, Bomb says King just had an incredible

32:06

natural talent for this kind of work. right

32:09

after the exhibition isis dungiven

32:11

become when the biggest movies ever

32:13

I may just saw that and she slicing

32:16

a young fighter the same, my gone

32:18

five years now human to was him.

32:21

You're like wow joining, dance

32:23

scene for his big break in the success of the benefit

32:25

still me the last album, and

32:27

was woman highlights I guess my

32:30

life said he was and.

32:32

started that start

32:35

and something obama to become synonymous with

32:38

Like. Most things with daunting it's,

32:40

not that simple on the one about him

32:42

in the boxing of hobbies is a best

32:44

of the worst thing that ever happens to the sport.

32:47

And Fancies talk to, that

32:49

right there is something that will get arched while for, decades

32:52

over the course of his career daunting

32:54

would go on to put together some. Of together most spectacular

32:57

and most profitable spice the world had, ever seen

33:00

as he will betray the trust of countless fighters

33:03

that he pulled it was orbit

33:08

The down, the best thing that ever happened a boxing.

33:11

No.

33:16

The king. He was

33:19

both. Coming

33:21

up on power, daunting.

33:24

The bottom line is no purses

33:26

were awful bag and. it would big

33:28

for a reason

33:29

He. Got the world adventure not

33:31

just north of Boston but,

33:34

the world of business she figured

33:36

out what the right number was in people's said you're

33:38

crazy, there's no way you. Complete a bad

33:40

as that much no one else did before the rumble

33:42

in the jungle, thought it's him

33:45

on the path to becoming

33:47

the biggest promoter in the fight. Games

33:51

on. me my resolve

33:54

is still on the f b still wanted to clean

33:56

up that sports and they wanted to go right through the

33:58

tough and that was done game

34:00

It. hurt a Admob connections, they knew he had my

34:02

connections were right where we wanted to be,

34:04

will get ready to do promotion, thought

34:06

we were ready the launder the drug.

34:08

Money in that promotion Joe Jackson's

34:11

ran it, so he had all the leverage if he

34:13

said Don King's don't be the promotion

34:15

Don King was gonna be to promote it

34:17

was. A major success for the Jackson

34:19

family, like an average.

34:20

It is that I'll never sign

34:24

saying, that all over. the

34:26

years is the donkey

34:27

They already make.

34:30

his live if my son has and

34:32

thousand probably knew this sold

34:34

on the fuck off and that the somebody else

34:36

people would have still road with isis

34:38

and not road with dancing he said he

34:40

burned bridges that but he buys new ones

34:44

If. You love the show follow us on

34:46

Apple Podcasts Spotify

34:49

stitcher Amazon Music but

34:51

wherever you get your podcasts this,

34:53

show was hosted by me panama Jack,

34:56

offer news or. Symphony, Walker associate

34:59

producers are Kyra estimate Bonsu

35:01

in, India, which are editor,

35:03

is Keith Romer additional, editing

35:06

by Lizzie Jacobs mixing and sound

35:08

design by, of. And Arnett smoke media

35:10

access why not sue me I just soccer,

35:13

and production management by Jennifer, Miss Our

35:16

consulting producer is Radio? right executive

35:19

producers are lizzie jake is katie

35:21

our theme song is by norman snyder special

35:24

thanks to grant irving steve accurate

Rate

From The Podcast

Power: Don King

In a sport famed for money and excess, what does it take to get to the top...and stay there? Rising from a life of hardship and crime, Don King became the most successful boxing promoter the sport has ever seen—and the first Black man to do so. He is his own American Dream. His flamboyant appearance and commanding personality made him a star in and out of the ring, as did his promotion of greats like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and even America’s musical dynasty, the Jacksons. But his less-than-honest exploits? They made him legendary. Season two of Power tells the story of Hugh Hefner. Who was Hugh Hefner? Centerfold models, Playboy Bunnies, and other women from the Playboy founder’s inner circle, like TV personality and author Holly Madison, tell journalist Amy Rose Spiegel their side of his story. We hear how Playboy changed their lives, for better and for worse. Beyond the bunny tails are darker questions: What actually went on at the notorious Playboy Mansion? How can we square Hefner's progressive legacy with his abuse of vulnerable people? What can the Playboy saga tell us about sex and power—then and now?Season one of Power tells the story of Ghislaine Maxwell (Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged partner in crime). Everyone’s heard of her, but there’s a shadowy figure who hangs above her who you likely don’t know: her father, media tycoon Robert Maxwell. His rise from nothing to fall… from the deck of his super yacht under mysterious circumstances is straight out of a crime novel. His favourite daughter Ghislaine’s theory: her father was murdered. Power is a Sony Music Entertainment production.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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