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| Dennis Rodman Meets North Korean Leader | Dennis Rodman Meets North Korean Leader |
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| Photographs of Dennis Rodman laughing while watching a basketball exhibition in Pyongyang with the North Korea leader Kim Jong-un may be some of the strangest sights in the history of accidental American diplomacy. | |
| Not only did Kim attend the game and watch alongside Rodman, but he also invited Rodman, three Harlem Globetrotters and the Vice Media crew filming the trip for a documentary to his palace for a party, said Shane Smith, the founder of Vice Media, who dreamed up and organized this trip. The group landed in Pyongyang on Monday with approval from North Korean authorities to conduct basketball exhibitions and film the documentary, but it was not promised that Kim would meet with them. | Not only did Kim attend the game and watch alongside Rodman, but he also invited Rodman, three Harlem Globetrotters and the Vice Media crew filming the trip for a documentary to his palace for a party, said Shane Smith, the founder of Vice Media, who dreamed up and organized this trip. The group landed in Pyongyang on Monday with approval from North Korean authorities to conduct basketball exhibitions and film the documentary, but it was not promised that Kim would meet with them. |
| “Apparently, he had a blast at the game,” Smith said, after speaking by phone with Ryan Duffy, a Vice Media correspondent who is on the trip. “So he invited them back to his home for a party and they had a grand old time. Speeches were made — Dennis made a very nice one — and they were met with rounds of applause.” | “Apparently, he had a blast at the game,” Smith said, after speaking by phone with Ryan Duffy, a Vice Media correspondent who is on the trip. “So he invited them back to his home for a party and they had a grand old time. Speeches were made — Dennis made a very nice one — and they were met with rounds of applause.” |
| The scene was particularly bizarre because of the tense relations between the United States and North Korea, which has made that relationship even more difficult with a recent nuclear test. North Korea is considered one of the most repressive dictatorships in the world and is largely closed to Americans wanting to travel there. Recently, Google’s chief executive, Eric Schmidt, traveled there in January to help persuade the leadership to allow Internet access for its people, but he did not report meeting with Kim. | The scene was particularly bizarre because of the tense relations between the United States and North Korea, which has made that relationship even more difficult with a recent nuclear test. North Korea is considered one of the most repressive dictatorships in the world and is largely closed to Americans wanting to travel there. Recently, Google’s chief executive, Eric Schmidt, traveled there in January to help persuade the leadership to allow Internet access for its people, but he did not report meeting with Kim. |
| But basketball apparently has the power to thaw most anything, because Kim, like his father, Kim Jong-il, is said to be a devoted fan. | But basketball apparently has the power to thaw most anything, because Kim, like his father, Kim Jong-il, is said to be a devoted fan. |
| Rodman and Kim Jong-un talked without a translator assisting them courtside. Duffy said the two spoke in English, but that Kim Jong-un spoke only a limited amount of English and a translator was used at the dinner. | Rodman and Kim Jong-un talked without a translator assisting them courtside. Duffy said the two spoke in English, but that Kim Jong-un spoke only a limited amount of English and a translator was used at the dinner. |
| Smith said communication with his crew had been difficult, but he spoke with Duffy by phone for a bit and via Skype. He said his crew was allowed to film the party, as well as Kim’s appearance at the exhibition game. The video will be used on the HBO series “Vice,” which will make its debut on April 5. | Smith said communication with his crew had been difficult, but he spoke with Duffy by phone for a bit and via Skype. He said his crew was allowed to film the party, as well as Kim’s appearance at the exhibition game. The video will be used on the HBO series “Vice,” which will make its debut on April 5. |
| The exhibition game featured 12 North Korean players on mixed teams with the American contingent, led by the three Globetrotters: Anthony Blakes, known as Buckets; Alex Weekes, known as Moose; and Will Bullard, known as Bull. Duffy also played. Rodman spent the game watching from a courtside table with Kim. Rodman also gave a speech to the crowd, in which he told the dictator, “You have a friend for life.” | The exhibition game featured 12 North Korean players on mixed teams with the American contingent, led by the three Globetrotters: Anthony Blakes, known as Buckets; Alex Weekes, known as Moose; and Will Bullard, known as Bull. Duffy also played. Rodman spent the game watching from a courtside table with Kim. Rodman also gave a speech to the crowd, in which he told the dictator, “You have a friend for life.” |
| The game was said to end in a 110-110 tie. | The game was said to end in a 110-110 tie. |
| Smith said Duffy told him Kim expressed to Rodman that he hoped this would improve North Korean-American relations. Duffy said he invited Kim to the United States. | Smith said Duffy told him Kim expressed to Rodman that he hoped this would improve North Korean-American relations. Duffy said he invited Kim to the United States. |
| “We just couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Smith said. “It was a long shot, no pun intended. We knew he loves the Chicago Bulls and he was a huge basketball fan, and we hoped he would want to meet a five-time N.B.A. champion Chicago Bull. But we had no guarantees.” | “We just couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Smith said. “It was a long shot, no pun intended. We knew he loves the Chicago Bulls and he was a huge basketball fan, and we hoped he would want to meet a five-time N.B.A. champion Chicago Bull. But we had no guarantees.” |