Former NBS star Dennis Rodman disappointed several in US over his denial to help the American citizen jailed in North Korea. His outburst on CNN's New Day has gained him further unpopularity in the country and Rodman is now being critized for his attitude by everyone including the family of the imprisoned American.
Rodman is visiting North Korea along with other former NBA players for a basketball game that is being held to celebrate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's birthday.
In an exclusive interview from Pyongyang on Tuesday, Rodman lost his temper and reacted angrily when host Chris Cuomo of CNN's "New Day" asked him if he would ask North Korean leaders to help Kenneth Bae, a U.S. citizen who was sentenced to 15 years in a labor camp by North Korea last year on charges of trying to topple the government.
The reaction from Rodman suggesting that Bae, a Korean-American had done something terribly wrong, left everyone aghast. "Do you understand what he did in this country?" Rodman asked Cuomo. "No, no, no, you tell me, you tell me. Why is he held captive here in this country, why? I would love to speak on this," Rodman said, before abruptly switching topic.
Later on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, Terri Chung, Bae's sister slammed Rodman for his outrageous accusations. "He was in a position to do some good and to help advocate for Kenneth," she said. "He refused to do so. But then instead he has chosen to hurl these outrageous accusations against Kenneth. He clearly doesn't know anything about Kenneth, about his case. And so we were appalled by that." However, Terri hoped that at least one of players would try to help her brother.
"This isn't some game. This is about a person's life," she added.
Bill Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, criticized Rodman on his comments. "I think Dennis Rodman crossed a line this morning by implying that Kenneth Bae might be guilty, by suggesting that there was a crime," said Richardson, who worked to secure the release of an American held in North Korea in 1996. "There is no crime. Kenneth Bae is an American detainee that's been there a year in bad health, who deserves to come home," he told CNN.
There also have been widespread comments on Twitter mocking Rodman's attitude:
Look who Dennis Rodman toasted on his first trip to North Korea: pic.twitter.com/ZmApshBvWB
— NK NEWS (@nknewsorg) January 6, 2014
"@caseyrobichaud: @sutterink thoughts on the Dennis Rodman rant?" drugs, money, and ignorance are a deadly combination. — kurt sutter (@sutterink) January 8, 2014
Dennis Rodman's derogatory lampooning of himself was offensive to Dennis Rodman & he should apologize to himself.... http://t.co/BbCjoBHAZz
— Doug Stanhope (@DougStanhope) January 8, 2014
In the past Rodman, 52, has visited North Korea three times previously last year and considers Kim as a 'beloved friend'
Watch Rodman Lash Out in Support of North Korea 'his beloved Kim'