Dennis Rodman Arrives in Pyongyang with ‘All-Star’ Lineup

As promised, Dennis Rodman arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea on Monday with an eclectic delegation of retired NBA players. It's not clear how Rodman convinced Christie and Robinson and Charles D. Smith to join him in visiting the world's most restrictive and abusive country. But Baker and Anderson are both reportedly broke, so money could have been a factor. Who knows.

In addition to visiting with various North Korean luminaries, on Wednesday the stars will play a game against the North Korean national team to celebrate the 31st birthday of pint-sized psychopath Kim Jong Un. Rodman brushed off any criticism that he has buddied up too closely with Kim, who allegedly fed his uncle to starving dogs last month. (Jesus, that sentence doesn't get any less weird to type.)

From NK News:

“It’s about trying to connect two countries together in the world, to let people know that, do you know what? Not every country in the world is that bad, especially North Korea,” Rodman told The Associated Press prior to departure.

 

Rodman later told a Sky News journalist that it wasn't his job to raise the issue of human rights abuses. Among other things, the North Korean government is fond of sending hundreds of thousands of its citizens to nightmarish prison camps—many times for crimes they didn't even commit.

“The only thing I am doing right now, I am only doing one thing: this game is for his birthday. It’s for his birthday.

“And I hope that if this opens doors and we can actually talk about certain things, then we can do certain things but I am not going to sit there and go in and say “hey guy, you’re doing the wrong thing,” Rodman added.

 

This continues to be, for my money, the weirdest fucking international news story. Think about it: A Chinese newspaper shocks the world by alleging Kim fed his uncle to animals, Hannibal style, and the first Americans to confront him about the story are… the Worm and Vin Baker. 

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