Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00:00with controversy over the manner in which the events had unfolded leading up to Owen
00:00:05Hart's death. The speculation revolved around WWF's use of a less safe version of the
00:00:10harness and cable which Hart was using at the time.
00:00:37Owen was simply to descend into the ring in superhero-like fashion.
00:01:02First of all, I resent your tone. This was a tragic accident and everything that should
00:01:23have taken place in terms of rigging, to our knowledge at this moment, did take place.
00:01:29As part of Owen's blue blazer character, the performer wanted to move away from the ultra
00:01:54serious, straight faced Owen Hart and move towards the entertainment potential
00:01:59of a comedy-styled superhero. Prior to the event, Owen Hart had played with the formula
00:02:05of a wrestler being repelled towards the ring from the rafters when he would be a few feet
00:02:10from the ground, releasing his safety catch and purposely falling flat on his face,
00:02:15drawing laughs and applause from the crowd. WWF and Hart had tried and tested the stunt
00:02:21and it had proved effective at garnering their required response from the crowd at house shows.
00:02:27However, in order to facilitate the manoeuvre, a different, less safe latch had to be used for the
00:02:33quick release and without a secondary safety cable which was the standard at the time.
00:02:39For a month the accusations flew at WWF and their backroom staff until the Hart family
00:02:45filed a formal lawsuit against the entertainment behemoth as well as the manufacturer of the
00:02:51harness and cable equipment, stating how dangerous and needless the stunt was as well as
00:02:57arguing that the necessary safety checks and requirements were not in place, directly leading
00:03:02to Owen Hart's demise. On November 2nd 2000, after a year and a half in and out of courtrooms,
00:03:09WWF settled with the Hart family being paid $18 million whilst also dropping the lawsuit
00:03:16against the equipment manufacturer.
00:03:47Following their success during the attitude era and victory in the fabled Monday Night War,
00:04:02this wrestling behemoth was still exploding in popularity. With these new heights of success
00:04:08and swathes of growing fan bases around the world, meant that the already gruelling travel schedule
00:04:14within WWF was about to become even more brutal. Vince McMahon wanted to continue his world
00:04:22conquest and part of his plan was to send out his roster of talented men and women to perform in
00:04:28other countries and attract even more viewers. This meant more money for the company, more shows
00:04:34would mean more ticket sales, more advertising revenue and more profit for shareholders.
00:04:39However, this more demanding travel schedule would also mean that the performers would be
00:04:44more tired, more worn down and possibly more reliant on stimulants and depressants
00:04:50to help maintain their schedule and energy. With the ever-growing financial gains of the
00:04:55WWE company and its continued success came many perks and upgrades for the performers and shows
00:05:02producers. One of these benefits came in the way of WWE's own personal plane. A private jet brought
00:05:10to fly company executives and important performers between shows in the United States.
00:05:15The idea was that if the company's top decision makers and employees could travel in luxury and
00:05:21spend less time on the road, they could land in the next town or city feeling refreshed.
00:05:27It was also a huge status symbol for the company's owner, Vince McMahon,
00:05:31and would be just one way in which he would continue to prove his legitimacy
00:05:35to the business world in light of the company's introduction on the stock market.
00:05:52But a set of customised private jets were not the only lavish expense laid out by Vince McMahon at
00:05:58this time, not by a very, very long way. For the media megalith was on his way to amassing
00:06:05$3.5 billion in personal wealth, alongside his 32% controlling stake in one of entertainment's
00:06:13biggest properties. On the way, it is fair to say that he indulged in a fair few vanity projects
00:06:19and displays of his opulent lifestyle. But lavish expenses and personal luxuries
00:06:26weren't the only items on the McMahon's million-dollar shopping list, with an online report
00:06:31stating,
00:06:32McMahon and his wife have donated to various Republican Party causes,
00:06:37including $1 million in 2014 to federal candidates and political action committees
00:06:43such as Kohl Rove's American Crossroads and the research and tracking group America Rising.
00:06:49The McMahons have donated $5 million to Donald Trump's charity, the Donald J.
00:06:54Trump Foundation. The McMahons donated over $8 million in 2008, giving grants to the Fishburn
00:07:01Military School, Sacred Heart University, and East Carolina University. Nonprofit Quarterly
00:07:07noted the majority of the McMahons' donations were towards capital expenditures. In 2006,
00:07:13they paid $2.5 million for construction of a tennis facility in Edinburgh, Pennsylvania.
00:07:19The McMahons have supported the Special Olympics since 1986, first developing an interest through
00:07:24their friendship with NBC producer Dick Ebersole and Susan St. James, who encouraged them to
00:07:30participate. In late 1999,
00:07:55Vince wanted to usher in the new millennium with style. He decided to rent space inside
00:07:59the Paramount Theatre, one of the prime locations in the famed Times Square in New York.
00:08:05The unveiling of the new mega-complex was McMahon and WWF's way of showing
00:08:09their growth to a truly top brand. WWF New York opened its doors,
00:08:16promising wrestling fans a closer look at their favourite brand of sports entertainment.
00:08:21Inside the building consisted of an enormous and well-stocked merchandise shop,
00:08:26selling everything from branded t-shirts and replica belts to minifigures and stationery.
00:08:31There was a pro-wrestling themed arcade, which offered guests a chance to play a
00:08:35whole host of classic WWF video gaming titles. There was a nightclub, which would play hosts
00:08:40to live wrestling events as well as several music shows. And the main attraction for many,
00:09:09the WWF themed restaurant, with a chance for you to dig in some classic American chow.
00:09:14As you wander through this grappling mecca, you'll find rare and unusual artefacts from
00:09:19the industry's past and hear iconic entrance themes played through the speakers.
00:09:30As a lifelong wrestling fan, this sounds like a dream. All my nerdy fandom in one place,
00:09:35where fellow enthusiasts from around the world can travel to,
00:09:39all the while enjoying live pro-wrestling pay-per-views for free,
00:09:42surrounded by like-minded friends. Fantastic. However, as quickly as the WWF had opened the
00:09:48New York operation, key elements began to fall apart. The prime location which was chosen as
00:09:54the location came at a price, and as you can imagine, being in the centre of one of the
00:09:58world's most desirable cities, that cost was astronomical. Rent on the property being at
00:10:04such an inflated price meant either WWF needed to sell an incredible number of
00:10:08wrestling tees and chicken wings, or the prices would have to inflate to compensate.
00:10:13When the fans' reaction to the WWF New York was more tepid than expected,
00:10:18the price of every item on sale skyrocketed. This meant that you now were paying good
00:10:23restaurant quality prices for what was essentially bar grub. You were paying
00:10:28double for merchandise in stores as you could via the WWF catalogue, so sales continued to
00:10:34taper off. The nightclub could only host so many fans, and thus the free entry and free pay-per-views
00:10:40turned into paid tickets and wristbands, further pushing away patrons.
00:10:45In 2001, WWF played host to the Misfits twice, but failed to capitalise on the uptake in interest in
00:10:53their venue. Even a fabled after-party show hosted by Prince and featuring Alicia Keys
00:10:59wasn't enough to give the premise an allure of cool. There was just something about sweaty
00:11:04pro wrestlers screaming arcade-bashing children, body odour-laden teenagers grabbing all the merch,
00:11:10and a $30 plate of microwave spaghetti which failed to attract a crowd.
00:11:16The finances for the new venture spiralled, and Linda McMahon held a press conference in
00:11:21February of 2003 to announce that the company would be closing the restaurant and nightclub
00:11:27and focus on the merchandise and international expansion of their brand.
00:11:31Two months later, however, this was proved to be only the start of the end for WWF New York.
00:11:37The WWE announced that they would be closing all operations inside the building and pulled
00:11:42out of the premises by the middle of the year. The collapse of the business is reported to have
00:11:46cost Vince McMahon $25 million of his own money. In February of 2000, rumours began to circulate
00:11:54about Vince McMahon's plans to create an opposing American Football League to run in direct
00:12:00competition with the NFL. As insane as that may seem, it was far from a mere rumour,
00:12:05as the catastrophe of the XFL played out over the next two decades.
00:12:11Fans watching the XFL will see this game as they have never seen professional football before.
00:12:17You'll see coaches berating players, you'll see players berating players, you'll see certain calls
00:12:22made in the huddle actually as it's being done, and you will see the quarterback and his point of
00:12:27view and hear his passion. It's all about passion, and the players and the coaches and the passion
00:12:32they have for the game. You're going to be able to have a professional football experience.
00:12:38It will be an XFL experience. You won't just be watching a football game. They're all about
00:12:43corporate boxes. You have quiche and champagne and things of that nature. They're all about
00:12:47corporate America, and I think that's not real sport. I think that many times they've lost
00:12:52contact with their real audience, which is mainstream, middle class America, and I think
00:12:57that's a shame. The official XFL website from 2001 explains the planned rosters.
00:13:20Eight teams were announced, three in cities with current NFL teams, New York,
00:13:24Chicago, and San Francisco, and the remaining five without, Las Vegas, Memphis, Orlando,
00:13:30Los Angeles, and Birmingham. Two divisions consisted of four teams each.
00:13:35One of the biggest selling points for the XFL, and a subject which was widely promoted across
00:13:39WWF television and beyond, were the cheerleaders. Viewers and fans were no doubt drawn by the racy
00:13:46cheerleaders, who some people equated as nothing more than strippers. No matter how skimpy the
00:13:51outfits, most came to watch the football games.
00:14:07The inaugural season finale came with the Million Dollar Game, in which the XFL awarded
00:14:26the winning team's players $1 million to be shared amongst them. However, after the initial glitter
00:14:33of the new shiny XFL had worn off, fans left in their droves, as they realised the quality of the
00:14:39product that they were watching. All of the most talented athletes were already signed with the
00:14:44NFL, meaning Vince was left to pick his huge roster from those who were deemed not adequately skilled
00:14:50for the big league, rookies, and those who were way past their prime. The changes which were
00:14:55promised by Vince to the presentation of football in the XFL proved to range from disliked to
00:15:01outright hated. The colourful balls were covered in a dye which made them slippery and hard to
00:15:06handle. They had to be sanded with abrasive paper before matches to avoid major fumbles and mis-throws.
00:15:22The kick-off was changed to have the fastest player from each team race towards the static
00:15:27ball to determine who obtains possession first. However, in the frantic attempt to
00:15:32dive for the start of the match, a player dislocated his shoulder in the very first
00:15:36contest of the season. The cheerleaders proved to be more of a distraction than a titillation,
00:15:42and were universally panned for their over-involvement. So, with a worse product than
00:15:47the NFL, less quality players, much lower viewership, and a dwindling fan retention rate,
00:15:53Vince began hemorrhaging money. While we believe that it is an extraordinary
00:15:57accomplishment to have created a new professional football league in what amounts to less than a
00:16:01year's time, our partners NBC, and especially Dick Ebersole and his team for their perseverance,
00:16:08support, and enthusiasm that did not waver throughout the season. We are all proud of
00:16:13the creative innovations that we introduced in the production of the game as well as in the
00:16:17rule changes that were implemented to increase the excitement and enjoyment of the game and
00:16:22provide a fan-friendly brand of football. On May 11, 2001, the New York Post reported,
00:16:30Vince McMahon, Chairman of the World Wrestling Federation, announced suddenly yesterday that he
00:16:34is terminating the XFL Spring Football League after negotiations between McMahon, NBC,
00:16:40and UPN TV broke down. McMahon's loss on the XFL is expected to reach $35 million.
00:16:48As always, Vince was not willing to give up on what he believed to be a good idea.
00:16:54After all, it was his idea, so why wouldn't it be a good one? In 2020, the XFL was reborn,
00:17:00and like a phoenix rose from the ashes, a company exploding into the mainstream,
00:17:05its highly entertaining matches bringing in tens of millions of new American football fans from
00:17:10around the world. The XFL went on to revolutionise the way in which all sports would go on to be
00:17:16played and presented as Vince McMahon bought every single international sporting franchise
00:17:21and was proclaimed king of the sporting world. Well, we all know none of that happened.
00:17:26When the league kicked off for the second time in February of 2020, the league was to be contested
00:17:32by eight teams who would fight for a place in the final match to take place a few months later.
00:17:37However, in April of 2020, the XFL, for the second time, was brought to a close by Vince McMahon,
00:17:44just halfway through its second inaugural season. The rest of the planned games had to be cancelled,
00:17:50this time the reasoning cited was the difficulties faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
00:17:55With the league shuttered and no more games being played or revenue being generated,
00:18:00the COVID-19 pandemic left the XFL facing near-term liquidity issues. With the duration
00:18:06of the pandemic uncertain and the XFL's operating expenses continue unbated, the XFL was left with
00:18:13few viable alternatives. Vince had sold $3.2 million worth of WWE stock to fund a $500 million
00:18:22development of the XFL under another company name called Alpha Entertainment. He had hired almost
00:18:27a thousand staff, including athletes, production crew and management. This money was now lost for
00:18:33a second time on a major gamble with the XFL which just didn't pay off. What also happened
00:18:39was more lawsuits fired in McMahon and the XFL's direction.
00:18:44Mr Luck holdily disputes and rejects the allegations set forth in the termination letter
00:18:49and contends they are pretextual and devoid of merit. WWE replied with a statement on the
00:18:54situation. Oliver Luck's services as commissioner and CEO of the XFL were terminated by a letter
00:19:00sent to him on April 9th, which explained the reasons for the termination. As to the lawsuit
00:19:06he filed, his allegations will be disputed and the position of Mr McMahon will be set
00:19:11forth in our response to his lawsuit. Vince Russo's style of Crash TV always
00:19:23exemplified the idea of living fast and dying young. Working 7 days a week and flying all over
00:19:28the country during one of the most chaotic and intense periods in pro-wrestling history would
00:19:33be enough to burn out anyone, well almost anyone. Vince McMahon, as we all know, is a freak of
00:19:39nature. He doesn't eat, sleep or stand still, and those around him have always been expected
00:19:44to match his attitude and pace at work. This led to several times where Vince Russo felt
00:19:49burnt out and emotionally drained. The reason why I left the WWE was, I'm a dad, I'm Italian.
00:19:55When Vince McMahon had just added Smackdown to our schedule, never spoke to us about it,
00:19:59and to me and Ed Ferrara it was a big deal because we took great pride in writing Raw.
00:20:04Now, all of a sudden, you're telling us to write another show and we don't want to water down our
00:20:09work. So I went into Vince's office and we had a heart to heart. And I said, Vince, listen,
00:20:13I'm not seeing my family at home. My wife is raising my family by herself. I wanted my wife
00:20:19to be able to move my family to her hometown. I said, Vince, if I have to fly back to see them
00:20:24on the weekends, Evansville, Indiana. I said, if I just have to fly there, but my wife is
00:20:29literally raising my three kids on her own. And bro, I'll never forget, without blinking an eye,
00:20:34he looked me straight in the eye and said, Vince, I don't understand what the problem is.
00:20:38Why don't you hire a nanny to watch your kids? I'm paying you enough. Bro, I'm telling you.
00:20:43As soon as the words came out of his mouth, game was over. He told me right then and there,
00:20:47I don't give a shit about you. I don't give a shit about your family. The company is first.
00:20:51Get a nanny. Game over. In October of 99, Russo was replaced by Chris Kresge as WWF head writer
00:20:59after Russo departed the company. So, I immediately, I had some people at WCW,
00:21:04I had Jeff Jarrett, I had Kevin Nash, I had a couple of people down there,
00:21:08they hooked me up with J.J. Dillon. I flew down to WCW that weekend. Now, you gotta understand,
00:21:13I knew the minute I got on that plane to go to Atlanta, I was working for WCW.
00:21:18The conspiracy theory that Vince McMahon sent Vince Russo to WCW to sabotage it from within
00:21:24is interesting and fun to read about, but is a notable piece of wrestling lore that lacks any
00:21:30credible evidence and is largely considered a baseless rumour within the professional
00:21:34wrestling community. Vince Russo was a significant creative force in the WWF during the Attitude Era,
00:21:40a period known for its edgy and groundbreaking content. He left WWE for WCW in 99, a time when
00:21:46the company was struggling against its rivals in the ratings war. The timing of Russo's move to WCW,
00:21:52combined with the subsequent decline of the company and the radical changes he implemented
00:21:57there, fuelled speculation amongst fans. Russo's booking style in WCW, characterised by controversy
00:22:04and often criticised creative decisions, led to further decline in WCW's fortunes.
00:22:09But there's no concrete evidence to support the claim that McMahon sent Russo to WCW
00:22:15just to destroy it. The theory is largely based on speculation and coincidences rather than
00:22:21factual proof. Russo's move to WCW can be more realistically attributed to professional reasons,
00:22:27such as career advancement, creative freedom or financial incentives, common factors in many
00:22:32career changes. Russo has publicly denied the conspiracy theory on multiple occasions.
00:22:38He has explained his move as a career decision driven by his desire for greater creative control
00:22:43than he currently had in the WWF. Vince McMahon has not publicly addressed this conspiracy theory
00:22:49in any substantial way, which is not unusual given his general approach to not giving credence
00:22:55to baseless rumours. Other industry figures and wrestling historians have generally dismissed
00:23:00the theory as a fanciful rumour. While Russo's tenure in WCW is widely regarded as controversial
00:23:07and having a negative impact, it is typically attributed to his creative style and the
00:23:12chaotic environment in WCW at the time, rather than any deliberate sabotage. In the world of
00:23:18pro wrestling, where storylines often blur the lines between reality and fiction, fans are prone
00:23:23to developing and believing in conspiracy theories. The idea of a covert operation to undermine a
00:23:29rival company makes for a compelling story and fits the larger-than-life narrative style of
00:23:34professional wrestling as a whole. The theory provides a simplistic explanation for the complex
00:23:40problems that led to WCW's decline, which involved numerous factors including mismanagement,
00:23:47financial issues, and many internal conflicts.
00:24:18where it was before we got there. Thus, they called me back.
00:24:21Vince, we need you to get back here. Honest to God, at that point, when I went back,
00:24:25I knew we lost the audience. I knew there was no way we were going to get the audience back.
00:24:30We had them. We were building for three months. Then they went backwards three months to the same
00:24:34crap they were doing. It's done. It's over. Obviously, I had to go back because I was
00:24:39contractually obligated, but I knew at that point, bro, we were not going to get these people back
00:24:44again. Tory Wilson, a notable figure in both WCW and WWE, recently opened up about the treatment
00:24:56of female talent during WWE's Attitude Era, a period marked by its controversial approach to
00:25:01women's wrestling. During this time, women were frequently featured in degrading segments,
00:25:06such as mud pit matches, bikini contests, and matches where the objective was to strip one's
00:25:11opponent. These segments, often masterminded by Vince McMahon, highlight a troubling aspect of
00:25:16the wrestling industry's history, reflecting a time when female performers were subjected
00:25:21to objectification and diminished respect, both in and out of the ring. Wilson's insights provide a
00:25:27stark reminder of the challenges faced by women in wrestling, shedding light onto the broader issues
00:25:32of gender discrimination and exploitation within the sport. In 2001, Vince continued his attempts
00:25:40at conquering the world of lowbrow entertainment when he entered into financial discussions with
00:25:45the founder of successful pornography enterprise Girls Gone Wild. WWF had worked closely with the
00:25:52company when they collaborated on a special episode of WWF Gone Wild. Vince McMahon saw
00:25:58the owner, Joe Francis, as an ally. I set up a meeting with Joe Francis and Linda McMahon,
00:26:03because Vince was interested in buying Playboy, and Joe Francis was also interested in buying
00:26:08Playboy for different reasons, so they both had different goals. They were both interested in the
00:26:14same property, so I got those two together, and Linda had a meeting with Joe in Los Angeles because
00:26:19of me. WWE had sent many of its top female stars to Playboy for revealing photo shoots, which
00:26:26reportedly sold millions of copies. The likes of Chyna, Tory Wilson, and Sable all taking off their
00:26:32clothes as part of a cross-promotion between Vince's company and the legendary Smut magazine.
00:26:38But a deal could not be completed for Vince's financial takeover of the brand.
00:26:43The pair of companies continuing their partnership. It wasn't until 2008 when WWE gained a television
00:26:50PG rating when it formally distanced itself from the Playboy brand and pornography in general.
00:26:57They were all mortifying. People don't realise. I went out there and owned it the best I could,
00:27:02and pushed through the fear, but it was mortifying. There were times when I remember
00:27:05specifically a house show that I was in this bikini showdown with Dawn Marie and Sable and
00:27:10someone else. I was standing in the corner watching one of the girls dance in the middle
00:27:14and literally fighting back tears. Like, I cannot believe I'm doing this right now,
00:27:18because it got to like a raunchy point and I'm like, I don't want to be part of this,
00:27:23but that was also my job. Tory Wilson has recently revealed the intense pressures
00:27:28she experienced from Vince McMahon and WWE, particularly after her Playboy photo shoot,
00:27:33to participate in more provocative and sexually charged content, including hardcore pay-per-view
00:27:38events. Never underestimate Vince McMahon when it comes to being ferocious, cutthroat,
00:27:45and most of all, petty in business. When he was unable to finalise a deal to purchase Playboy,
00:27:51he no longer wanted any of his performers appearing in the publication. This made the
00:27:56entire situation rather complicated when China modelled Nude for Playboy in the November 2000
00:28:01issue. They offered her the WWE championship belt, but Vince said, but you can't do Playboy,
00:28:08because she got offered to do Playboy, she chose Playboy over the belt. This is said to have
00:28:13caused friction between China and McMahon backstage in WWE at the time. Vince says,
00:28:18if you do Playboy, you don't get the belt. She said, F the belt, I'm doing Playboy.
00:28:23Soon after, tension behind the scenes between China and Vince McMahon had reached fever pitch,
00:28:28when discussions between Jim Ross, who was at the time head of talent relations within WWE,
00:28:33and China could not agree upon the terms and finances of her new contract,
00:28:38Joni left her China character and her old life within the company behind. Was the fleeting
00:28:43moment of worldwide celebrity with Playboy worth it? With hindsight, I believe even Joni would say
00:28:49no. That part, no, because I thought, it's photos, I know it's gonna look good and it's Playboy.
00:28:54To be honest, this is gonna sound real dumb, but I hadn't really even thought about the fact that I
00:28:59was kind of gonna be nude, because Playboy was such a popular magazine. I was like, this is
00:29:03gonna be awesome, right? Playboy parties and all that. Literally, it wasn't until I was landing on
00:29:08the plane to go to the shoot, that I was like, oh shit, there's going to actually be other people in
00:29:13the room, not just me and the photographer. It was kind of a closed set, so there wasn't more
00:29:17than maybe six people, and I always had a robe, but in between shots, I was always like, this is
00:29:22so weird. Wilson shared that these demands often placed her in uncomfortable positions,
00:29:28pushing her towards a level of explicitness that she later came to regret. McMahon's influence
00:29:33and the WWE's direction at the time significantly impacted her, reflecting the broader treatment and
00:29:38expectations of female talent during the Attitude Era. No, it was like twice that I could remember
00:29:44that I said no. First of all, I'm a major people pleaser, so to say no to people is really hard,
00:29:49even if it's someone you know. I'm recovering from that. There was one time when I had a thing
00:29:53with Sable where Vince wanted me to come out with the paint on my boobs like she did, and I was like,
00:29:58hard no, I can't do that. I mean, it ended up being nearly nothing anyway. Another time was
00:30:04when I did Playboy. Vince wanted me to do a pay-per-view, also the video. That one was
00:30:09very hardcore pressed, and it was really hard for me to say no, but I absolutely didn't want that.
00:30:20As two larger-than-life figures make their way through the smoky fog,
00:30:25left behind by thousands of flashing lights and fireworks, inspirational music and patriotic
00:30:32anthems play over the sound of countless rabid fans' cheers, adorned in their favourite characters'
00:30:39colours, waving signs, encouraging their victory, and denouncing the bad guy. And although I was
00:30:47speaking about a WWE pro-wrestling event, you clearly don't have to try hard to draw huge
00:30:53comparisons between the current way in which politics are presented in America, with its
00:30:58dramatic, energetic rallies, and good old-fashioned wrestling. The pageantry, the emotion, the
00:31:07grandeur and the finances are all key components in both a successful political campaign in the
00:31:14United States, and the modern day of world wrestling entertainment.
00:31:22The Mega Powers
00:31:24Two older white gentlemen, commanding attention with their larger-than-life personalities,
00:31:30and penchant for delivering poetic rhetoric, in the success of winning the hearts of their
00:31:36somewhat cult-like following. Their faces, both known globally as the head of companies
00:31:42listed on the New York Stock Exchange, with net worths of over a billion dollars each.
00:31:48Dressed in sharp designer suits, with a look of readiness in their eyes,
00:31:53the two men's respective teams waiting in the wings, ready to spring into action,
00:31:59as the lights beamed down on two men who came from opposing backgrounds, led very different
00:32:05lives, but somehow ended up in the same room, with so much in common.
00:32:12Born about a year apart, both men had gotten into their father's businesses
00:32:16and taken over, leading to huge global expansions. Vince McMahon had taken a small
00:32:23but successful regional wrestling brand, and seen the potential for exponential growth.
00:32:29Robert Slater, in his book, No Such Thing As Overexposure, wrote about Donald Trump,
00:32:35he respected what his father did, and thought that he was a brilliant man, but he had higher ideals,
00:32:41a bigger picture in mind. This is the exact impression we get from Vince McMahon,
00:32:47when he speaks about what his father and grandfather built, allowing him to stand
00:32:53on their shoulders and become the most successful man in his industry's century-long history.
00:32:59Both Vince McMahon and Donald Trump have a base in and around New York City,
00:33:04with Trump being born there in 1945. Both have since occupied a place amongst its most
00:33:10elite power players, and have been working to accumulate their vast empires for most
00:33:15of their adult lives. It's not difficult to see how their paths could become entwined,
00:33:20at some point in both men's eventful past. The real Donald Trump appeared a few weeks later
00:33:27on WWE's television. Portrayed as the People's Champion, Donald Trump cut off the much-hated
00:33:33Vince McMahon character mid-sentence from the safety of a video link, displayed on the enormous
00:33:38screens in the arena, to question whether McMahon really had the support of the WWE fans,
00:33:44and whether Vince was delivering on his promise of giving the crowd value for money.
00:33:49In an opulent display of wealth, at this moment, Trump showered the live audience with money
00:33:54falling from the rafters, and in a scene reminiscent of the game show in the film
00:33:59Matilda, the fans reached to the ceiling and lapped it up, warming to the business
00:34:04magnate from New York, and not WWE. Trump later went on to explain,
00:34:11the fans appreciated Trump more than they appreciated Vince, because I gave them a lot of
00:34:16money. Battle of the Billionaires
00:34:21The next time Donald Trump would appear on WWE television would be to build towards a match at
00:34:27Wrestlemania 23, which thankfully would be fought by Trump's proxy, ECW Champion Bobby Lashley,
00:34:35against a proxy of Vince McMahon's choosing, which ended up being the Samoan, Umaga.
00:34:41When Donald Trump and Vince McMahon came face to face in this Wrestlemania press conference,
00:34:46they expertly played their hands, and had the world's media outlets perking up their ears.
00:34:51In weeks prior, Trump had expertly provoked the owner of the WWE into going to war.
00:34:58Both men had made it a personal affair with insults slung at one another,
00:35:03building to a stipulation being added to the match during a painfully awkward
00:35:0723-minute contract signing, one that would see the loser, either Trump or McMahon,
00:35:13have their heads shaved in defeat. The Battle of the Billionaires, as it became known,
00:35:18was watched by over 1.2 million homes around the world as part of a Wrestlemania 23 event
00:35:24which made over 5 million dollars in ticket sales alone, some of whom had paid for their entry in
00:35:30the hopes of seeing one of these giants of the business world humiliated on a grand stage.
00:35:35And boy, how the fans weren't disappointed. After Umaga lost the match and Bobby Lashley
00:35:41was declared victorious, the pair of Trump and Lashley, with the aid of special guest referee
00:35:47Stone Cold Steve Austin, strapped the chairman of WWE down. Trump then laid in some of the worst
00:35:54looking punches in pro wrestling history and proceeded to take turns shaving Vince completely
00:35:59bald. Stone Cold Steve Austin then proceeded to flip the crowd on its head and delivered a shocked
00:36:05Stone Cold Stunner to Donald Trump and finished the segment on a high where most fans seemed
00:36:10jubilant with the idea that both the billionaires were defeated and the working class everyman
00:36:16Stone Cold Steve Austin came out on top. Money continued to play a role in the on-screen
00:36:22friction between Trump and McMahon when, whilst accusing McMahon of taking his fans for granted
00:36:27once again, Trump proceeded to announce his purchase of WWE's flagship brand Monday Night Raw.
00:36:34Trump promised to put on a show that was unprecedented and did exactly that,
00:36:39when the next week's episode of Raw was presented without adverts and commercial breaks,
00:36:44and proved extremely popular with fans, bringing in Raw's highest viewership for more than 7 years.
00:36:50So believable was this on-screen storyline that the rise in viewership was tarred with the fact
00:36:55that WWE's stock price took a dip nearly 7% the day after Trump and McMahon made their storyline
00:37:02declaration. In an attempt to rectify the situation, Donald Trump quickly sold the show
00:37:08back to McMahon and in a desperate last-ditch effort Trump stated,
00:37:12I've got a lot of people, a lot of friends, a lot of billionaire friends, a lot of guys
00:37:17who want to buy this from me. I could double my money anytime I want to sell.
00:37:24From 2001 when Vince soon realised that in order to better manage the enormous roster he was now
00:37:30the sole owner of, he would need to split the company into two separate and competing brands,
00:37:36with WWE Smackdown and Raw to air as rival programmes with rival rosters. The brand split
00:37:42meant that in opposition to the dastardly McMahon character, the other show would be
00:37:46run by another on-screen manager. Mere days after it was announced that Vince had purchased WCW,
00:37:53a simulcast took place where both companies' show would air simultaneously under the ownership of
00:37:59WWE. However, on the night, just as Vince was celebrating his business strategy,
00:38:04his son Shane came across the airwave from the WCW portion of the show.
00:38:09As the programme went off air, Shane explained that when Vince was about to purchase the company,
00:38:14Shane managed to somehow sneak in and alter the WCW contract.
00:38:19Where the new owner's name was found on the paperwork, it did say McMahon,
00:38:24but to the shock of audiences around the world, it said Shane McMahon. This led to the beginning
00:38:30of the invasion of Vince McMahon's company at the hands of their long-term Monday Night War
00:38:35rivals. Over the next few years, we saw the likes of Nick Foley, William Regal,
00:38:40and even Stephanie McMahon take up the role of opposing manager to Vince McMahon.
00:38:45Around this time, Ric Flair arrived back in the company after 8 years away in WCW,
00:38:51and took control of Raw. Flair proclaimed himself the joint owner of the company,
00:38:56which caused a huge backlash from McMahon. The pair's feud boiled over on the microphone,
00:39:01and led to a street fight at the 2002 Royal Rumble. Ric Flair won the match,
00:39:06but Vince McMahon managed to maintain control over Smackdown.
00:39:10When Vince defeated Flair in a match in June later in the year,
00:39:14he became the sole owner of the company once again.
00:39:18During this time, Vince's on-screen character began to grow and evolve.
00:39:23With it, he needed a cast of supporting allies to help him in his evil undertakings,
00:39:28and to oppose his devilish deeds. When it was decided by the writing team of McMahon
00:39:32that they would introduce Vince's fictional family, they could find no better actors for the role
00:39:38than the real-life counterparts they were attempting to depict.
00:39:41Linda McMahon appeared on screen as Vince's wife and confidante. However, she regularly
00:39:46foiled her husband's sexual conquests, and at times operated as the co-owner of the company
00:39:52during storylines and in real life. When Vince was caught having a storyline fling with Trish
00:39:57Stratus, his wife Linda fell into a vegetative state due to the shock. Their doting son Shane
00:40:03came to Linda's aid, and was furious at what Vince had caused. Vince spent the following
00:40:09weeks pushing his wife around in a wheelchair, whilst he lusted after Trish in full views of
00:40:14the television cameras, as well as his children and wife. Trish was forced to parade around in
00:40:19her underwear, and even made to act like a dog in the middle of the ring. This led to a match at
00:40:24WrestleMania in 2001 between Shane McMahon and his lecherous father, with Trish Stratus, Stephanie
00:40:30and Linda McMahon ringside, and Mick Foley acting as guest referee. It was a complicated set-up,
00:40:37but at its core, the match told a violent and brutal story of a son gaining revenge for actions
00:40:43by his father on his mother, something which Vince admits was cathartic, taking into account his own
00:40:49interactions with an abusive stepfather. The highlight of the match came when Linda rose from
00:40:54her wheelchair behind Vince's back, and delivered a swift but effective kick to her husband's
00:40:59testicles. A moment which, regardless of how silly it sounds 20 years on, received one of
00:41:05the most emphatic and excitable crowd reactions in recent memory.
00:41:23In 2003, Vince's daughter Stephanie, who would later go on to be the co-CEO and chairwoman
00:41:29of the company, began her ascension to power. On screen, the pair were continually arguing
00:41:34about Vince's infidelity and his romantic involvement with WWE performer Sable.
00:41:40Oh my goodness. Well, I did have to wrestle my father in what may be the first ever father-daughter
00:41:46match, six days before my actual wedding. So that's an interesting moment. My mum was so mad
00:41:53at my dad. If you give her a black eye, if she gets a black eye before her wedding, I'm going to kill
00:41:58you. So that was a very interesting moment. At the No Mercy pay-per-view, Vince McMahon
00:42:04proved to still be the most evil man in the business, as he defeated his own flesh and blood
00:42:08in an inter-gender I Quit match. After his victory, the McMahons were torn apart as they
00:42:14consoled their youngest member in the ring. Vince celebrated his victory in a grotesque manner.
00:42:19This would prove to be Stephanie's last involvement on screen in WWE for the next couple of years.
00:42:28In 2002, WWF had a dispute with the World Wildlife Fund over the use of their identical
00:42:49initials. When we first registered our name in the early 1980s, the Wildlife Fund did not raise
00:42:56any challenges. Then-WWE CEO Linda McMahon told the New York Times in 2002. A press release from
00:43:04the same year continued. The company began considering dropping the word Federation from
00:43:09its name when World Wildlife Fund prevailed in a recent court action in the United Kingdom.
00:43:15The court ruling prevents the World Wrestling Federation from the use of the logo it adopted
00:43:20in 1998 and the letters WWF in specified circumstances. The fund has indicated that
00:43:27although the two organisations are very different, there is the likelihood of confusion in the
00:43:32marketplace by virtue of the fact that both organisations use the letters WWF.
00:43:38The fund has indicated that it does not want to have any association with the
00:43:42World Wrestling Federation. We will utilise the opportunity to position ourselves,
00:43:48emphasising the entertainment aspect of our company and, at the same time,
00:43:52allay the concerns of the fund. WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment
00:43:59and later requested to be known solely as WWE.
00:44:09In 2003, following the invasion of the NWO and the return of Hulk Hogan,
00:44:14Vince McMahon began to interfere in matches to ensure that the invaders from WCW would not
00:44:20dominate his roster. During the iconic match between Hogan and The Rock, McMahon came to
00:44:25ringside and distracted Hogan, allowing for The Rock to attack him from behind with a chair before
00:44:31gaining the victory. This led to bad blood between Hogan and McMahon, and their storyline carried on
00:44:36through much of the year. When it came time for the pair to finally oppose one another in the ring,
00:44:41WrestleMania proved to be the most fitting of stages. After all, if you go back to the very
00:44:47beginning, WrestleMania won almost two decades prior, an event set up in Hogan's name and used
00:44:54as a tool to promote the company's top star, created and funded by Vince McMahon. The pair's
00:45:00careers diverging and combining over the course of almost 20 years to finally come toe to toe on the
00:45:06stage which they were both instrumental in the founding of. Magical moments like these are few
00:45:12and far between, so regardless of my personal feelings on the two men and the quality of their
00:45:17match, it is hard to argue with the magnitude of this encounter. Actually, I've blown the left one
00:45:27out twice, but that was very unique. Not too many people can sever quad tendons at the same time,
00:45:33that takes talent, you have no use of your legs at all, when you sever your quad tendons and again
00:45:38both at the same time, you can't walk, you can't stand, you can't anything.
00:45:43At the Royal Rumble in 2005, the final two competitors were John Cena and Batista,
00:45:50who coincidentally eliminated each other at the same time to create a situation where the match
00:45:55had no definitive winner. Quickly needing to make a decision, Vince rushed from the back and
00:46:01sprinted out along the ramp. But in a cruel twist of fate, before he made it into the ring,
00:46:06he tore his quadricep muscle, rendering his leg completely useless. And, just as Cena and Batista
00:46:13had enacted their final attacks during the match, so did Vince's quads, his other leg giving way
00:46:19as his quadricep muscle ripped in his other leg. In horrific pain and unable to stand,
00:46:25Vince slumped down in the ring without explanation. The commentators and more
00:46:30importantly the performers in the ring had no idea what had just happened,
00:46:34only that they had just witnessed what on the surface is an aging man falling over,
00:46:40and now they must all remain calm, stick to the script and most importantly not laugh.
00:46:47Vince, ever the professional, continued on with the plan and was helped out to the back where
00:46:51he was quickly taken to a nearby hospital. The pair were embroiled in a feud for much of 2006,
00:47:07and had pro-wrestling illustrated match of the year during their no holds barred
00:47:12bout at Wrestlemania 22. Following their much praised fight, the two continued their rivalry.
00:47:19This led to what is probably the most blasphemous match in all of pro-wrestling history, when,
00:47:24at Backlash, Vince would team with his son Shane McMahon to take on the duo of Shawn Michael and
00:47:30the Almighty God. That's right, in the weeks leading up to the event, McMahon and his family
00:47:35attended church, knelt down to pray and generally made a mockery of religion.
00:47:41As God was introduced to the ring, a ray of light represented the most holy entity in the universe
00:47:47as Somebody Call Your Mama played out over the speaker system,
00:47:50accompanied his debut inside of WWE. McMahon's argument was that because he didn't believe in
00:47:56God, Shawn would essentially have to fight two men in a handicap match.
00:48:01In a way it's a shame, as Shane, Vince and Shawn put on a terrific and bloody affair,
00:48:07brutal weapon usage punctuated really engaging wrestling from Michaels. The inclusion of a
00:48:12fictional God character only served to distract from the otherwise stellar display in the ring.
00:48:17I'm not sure why Shawn Michaels agreed to go along with what is, at best, a tasteless joke
00:48:23at the expense of Christianity, and at worst a direct mockery of one of his core, identifiable
00:48:29beliefs. In Florida, where McMahon owned a seasonal residence,
00:48:41he visited a tanning salon, a preparation ritual for one of WWE's marquee events.
00:48:47An employee at the salon reported a distressing encounter to the police,
00:48:51alleging McMahon showed her explicit photos of himself and then made unwelcome physical advances.
00:48:56According to the report, the woman asked McMahon to stop. She described fleeing the situation,
00:49:02while McMahon purportedly dismissed his actions as an attempt at fun.
00:49:06Once the 20-minute session was over, McMahon talked to her again, she told the police.
00:49:10She walked over to the tanning suite and McMahon followed, closed the door and tried
00:49:14kissing her, she told police. She pushed McMahon away and he tried to lift up her shirt, she said.
00:49:19The Palm Beach Post first brought the incident to light, quoting Linda McMahon,
00:49:23Vince's wife at the time, who found the accusations totally bizarre, and their daughter,
00:49:27Stephanie, who confirmed Vince's frequent patronage of Tanzabar's tanning salon.
00:49:32I met with Tanzabar manager Caroline Clear regarding this investigation. She provided
00:49:37a written statement about the allegations. Clear stated that an older gentleman followed
00:49:41me into a room and tried to kiss me. She asked Clear if she should call the cops,
00:49:47but Clear told her not to do anything, that she was on her way in.
00:49:50Clear stated that she called the owner and advised her of the situation.
00:49:54Subsequently, featured in a story included in a witness's account from the police report,
00:49:58who observed McMahon in his car, surveying the accuser and
00:50:02him in the parking lot shortly before the police's arrival.
00:50:05Clear stated that when she arrived at the store, she observed a black-coloured hummer
00:50:09sitting in the parking lot. The vehicle was occupied by an unknown person.
00:50:13Clear walked inside the business and found the accuser and a Papa John's employee inside.
00:50:17The accuser told Clear that she had just placed a customer in a bed with the last name of McMahon.
00:50:22When the accuser got back to the counter, a second customer with the same name as McMahon
00:50:27needed a bed. The accuser asked the customer if he had a wife. The accuser said that she
00:50:32went to clean either bed two or three when he followed her into the room and tried to kiss her.
00:50:37The accuser showed Clear how she pushed him away and then stated to her that this happens to her
00:50:42all the time. The accuser then told Clear that McMahon asked her to take a picture of him with
00:50:46his camera phone, which she did, and then the accuser told her that he began to show her naked
00:50:51photos of himself. In a curious twist,
00:50:54WWE aired a segment on Monday Night Raw on February 13th, just a week later,
00:50:59which many saw as mirroring the real-life allegations. The storyline involved Trish
00:51:03Stratus, Mickie James and a man named Jack, culminating in Mickie James falsely accusing
00:51:08Jack of inappropriate behaviour. This on-screen drama was interpreted by some, including the
00:51:14Pro Wrestling Torch at the time, as potentially reflective of McMahon's real-life legal defence.
00:51:19The parallel, though, noted was officially dismissed as coincidental.
00:51:23Despite the intrigue and potential connections drawn by spectators and commentators alike,
00:51:27the legal cloud over Vince McMahon dissipated on March 25th, when it was disclosed that,
00:51:33due to insufficient evidence, no charges would be officially brought against the WWE promoter.
00:51:39This brief mention, buried within the Digest section of the newspaper,
00:51:42left more questions than answers, particularly regarding the thoroughness of the investigation.
00:51:47The lack of widespread media coverage, save for a passing note in the Montgomery Advisor,
00:51:52kept the incident largely out of the public eye, allowing the WWE universe to move on,
00:51:57albeit with an asterisk of unresolved controversy hanging over it.
00:52:02Despite the allegations, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper reported that McMahon
00:52:07faced no charges, and the incident sank into obscurity until January 2018. One publication
00:52:13suggested police had found sufficient evidence for charges, yet prosecutors deemed it below
00:52:18their threshold for action. SAO Jill Richstone stated that upon
00:52:23review of witness statements, there is a lack of independent evidence to support
00:52:27the allegations against Vince McMahon. The state declines to file charges against McMahon.
00:52:42Ashley Massaro, a former WWE wrestler, made serious allegations against Vince McMahon and
00:52:47the WWE organisation, claiming that she was sexually assaulted while on a WWE tour in Q8
00:52:54of 2006. Her accusations, which came to light in legal documents and through statements from
00:52:59those close to her, included a harrowing account of being drugged and raped by an individual
00:53:05purporting to be a US Army doctor. Massaro, who tragically passed away in 2019 by apparent
00:53:11suicide, alleged that the assault was effectively covered up by WWE's upper management,
00:53:16including Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis. The woman guarded the door.
00:53:21While the man proceeded to inject me with a drug that caused me to be unable to move,
00:53:26my body, or to scream. The man then proceeded to violently rape and sodomise me. I was completely
00:53:31helpless to defend myself against this attack, as the drug he injected rendered me temporarily
00:53:36paralysed. Despite being unable to control my movements, I remained fully conscious for
00:53:41every second of the attack. The implications of Massaro's allegations extend beyond the
00:53:46personal tragedy of her assault and subsequent death. They cast a long and horrific shadow over
00:53:51Vince McMahon's leadership and the ethical conduct of WWE's management at the time.
00:53:56Vince McMahon, who has been a towering figure in the company, faces scrutiny not only for the
00:54:00alleged cover-up, but also for purportedly engaging in inappropriate behaviour towards
00:54:05Massaro himself. Paul London, a former WWE wrestler and Massaro's ex-boyfriend,
00:54:10accused Vince McMahon of obsessively pursuing Massaro during her tenure with his company.
00:54:16Vince told me not to let one bad experience ruin the good work they were doing.
00:54:20The allegations and the purported cover-up have had a profound impact on the WWE,
00:54:25challenging the organisation's credibility and raising serious questions amongst fans
00:54:29and critics alike about its commitment to the welfare of its performers.
00:54:33This controversy surrounding Massaro's claims underscores the need for transparency and
00:54:38accountability within the wrestling industry, particularly in how it handles accusations of
00:54:43sexual assault and harassment. I do remember specifically, many times when she would be
00:54:48crying to me because Vince was positioning her to fly on the jet with them. Kevin Dunn,
00:54:53Buck Tooth Bucky, would be telling her that she has to fly on the jet with them. Every now and
00:54:57then they'd always put the divas up at like the TV hotel or whatever. He'd be knocking on her
00:55:03door and trying to get her to answer. I'm shocked this Vince stuff is just now coming out. I haven't
00:55:08looked up on a lot of it, but I'm surprised it hasn't come out within the last 10 years.
00:55:12But that just goes to show how afraid people are of the power dynamic where they're so fearful of
00:55:17losing their job. What does that say about you if you're protecting this 90 year old fucking
00:55:23corpse with a thong tan line just because he's a billionaire? John Laurinaitis' legal representation
00:55:29contested the term cover-up, but acknowledged that Laurinaitis was aware of Massaro's allegations.
00:55:34This admission stands in stark contrast to WWE's official stance,
00:55:38which maintained that its executives were not informed of the incident.
00:55:42Any allegations that Mr Laurinaitis helped to cover up an alleged rape allegation is an outright
00:55:48lie. Johnny, like most upper-level management, at some time became aware of the allegations,
00:55:53and ensured all proper WWE protocols were followed, including privacy for the alleged victim. We
00:55:59object to the use of the term cover-up, as no such plan or plot ever took place to hide or assist in
00:56:05the alleged rape. Massaro's affidavit and the surrounding allegations have not only tarnished
00:56:10WWE's reputation since, but also highlighted the potential vulnerabilities of individuals
00:56:15working within the entertainment and sports industries.
00:56:19Ashley was in a lawsuit that was part of a case that involved 63 other wrestlers,
00:56:23and they were alleging widespread abusive, exploitative labour practices. The reason
00:56:28the allegations was part of the lawsuit is because we were arguing that it was a totally
00:56:32unregulated workplace, and she had put that into a submission that was required by a federal judge
00:56:37in Connecticut, and it was an affidavit sworn under the penalties of perjury given to a federal
00:56:43judge. So you know, the military at that time didn't launch any sort of investigation, because
00:56:48effectively the issue was covered up by, you know, by the suppression by the report she had made to
00:56:53McMahon to the lawyers. This doesn't come as any surprise to followers of McMahon or the WWE,
00:57:00because the culture was so toxic, so the sexual exploitation was just part of the overall control.
00:57:06The wrestlers function in a group subculture, where they're governed by a code of silence called
00:57:11kayfabe, and this basically prevents people from speaking out, because they'll lose their job,
00:57:15and they'll lose their livelihood. And so, my understanding from Ashley,
00:57:19and I think this was, this is well known to anybody with even remote familiarity with the,
00:57:25you know, the ins and outs of the WWE. I think I believe the allegations were that McMahon himself
00:57:31was commonly seen kissing the divas in rooms and so forth, and that when she rejected his advances,
00:57:37she met the fate of many other wrestlers, which was that her career was going to come to an end,
00:57:42and that's essentially what happened. In the wake of Massara's death, and the
00:57:46revelations contained within her affidavit, the wrestling community and its fans have been forced
00:57:51to reckon with the darker aspect of an industry that often celebrates larger than life personas
00:57:56and storylines. These disgusting allegations against Vince McMahon and the WWE's handling
00:58:01of Ashley Massara's assault serve as a stark reminder of the real-world consequences
00:58:07of dismissing or covering up such serious claims. During my time with the WWE, I had observed Vince
00:58:14McMahon making out with other divas in the locker room, but he never paid attention to me, and I
00:58:19assumed I was not his type. This changed after my Playboy cover was released. I was fortunate
00:58:24enough to be allowed to fly on the company jet and stay at the same hotels as the executive for
00:58:29a period of time so that I could get home faster to spend more time with my daughter.
00:58:33On one of these occasions, Vince was attempting to get me alone with him in his hotel room late
00:58:37at night, and I felt extraordinarily uncomfortable. He began calling the hotel room phone and my cell
00:58:43phone non-stop. I called Kevin Dunn to explain the situation, and he said I should tell Vince
00:58:48I was not feeling well and would see him on TV the next day, so I did. Immediately after that night,
00:58:53Vince started writing my promos for me. Vince does not write promos for female wrestlers,
00:58:58that's the job of the creative department, and he certainly wouldn't have, under any normal
00:59:03circumstances, written a promo for me, but he did, and the promos were written with the clear
00:59:07intention of ruining my career. I brought the first script Vince wrote for me to the WWE employee
00:59:13in charge of creative at the time, Michael Hayes, and he said, you're not saying this,
00:59:18who the... wrote this? And I told him that Vince did. He said, well kid, these are the breaks.
00:59:24Meaning that Vince wanted to end my career and destroy my reputation on my way out. He is known
00:59:29for this type of behaviour. In addition, after that night, each time I walked by him, he would
00:59:34make vulgar sexual comments that were clearly designed to make me uncomfortable.
00:59:38In 2007, Vince McMahon had dreamt up one of the wackiest and most convoluted storylines in pro
00:59:44wrestling history, which culminated in an assassination attempt on his life,
00:59:49the WWE at the time reported. Last night on the USA Network, WWE's Monday Night Raw
00:59:55went out with a bang. At the end of his self-anointed Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night,
01:00:00WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon entered his limousine with his wife and children,
01:00:05WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon entered his limousine when it suddenly exploded, the shocking ending
01:00:11raising a myriad of questions. How could Mr. McMahon have survived the fiery explosion?
01:00:17And who could have committed such a heinous act? Although full details have not been disclosed,
01:00:22initial reports indicate that Mr. McMahon is presumed dead. An official investigation into
01:00:28Monday night's events is currently underway, with no one being ruled out as a suspect.
01:00:33Throughout the night, people from Mr. McMahon's past, from Donald Trump to Snoop Dogg to Bob
01:00:38Costas to Stone Cold Steve Austin, had less than flattering things to say about the WWE Chairman,
01:00:45but would any go so far as to actually blow him up? The question of who done it,
01:00:49as well as the fate of Mr. McMahon, will be on everyone's minds as the WWE saga
01:00:56continues on Monday Night Raw. Unfortunate isn't the right word.
01:01:01What happened next was such an awkward and terrible coincidence that it is hard to put
01:01:05the blame on any one single person, of course, except for Chris Benoit. Following the on-screen
01:01:12death of Vince, news broke around the country that Benoit and his family had been brutally
01:01:17murdered inside of their own home.
01:01:31Suicide. The D.A. Scott Ballard said, quote, We don't know yet. This is one of the things that
01:01:37we'll be looking at. And yet almost immediately after the WWE comes out with a statement saying
01:01:43steroids, quote, were not and could not be related to the cause of death. How could you possibly
01:01:49know that the report, the toxicology reports are out? They're not going to come back for
01:01:53several weeks. So how can you so definitively say steroids play no part? And obviously,
01:01:57this is not an act of rage. It's an act of deliberation. When you do something like this
01:02:01over three days, it's not an act of rage, be it steroid rage or roid rage, whatever it's called,
01:02:06or any other rage. Scheduled for a live event in Beaumont, Texas, and was very much unlike Chris
01:02:12not to make live events. And that was on Saturday, correct? Yes, that's correct.
01:02:16And from there, our office contacted Chris to try and rearrange flights and things of that
01:02:22nature. So they would come in on Sunday for the pay-per-view and actually late that Saturday night
01:02:27into the pay-per-view in Texas. And that was the last we heard of him. The flight was changed. And
01:02:34obviously, we didn't show up on Sunday. We knew that there was something drastically wrong because
01:02:38his M.O. was definitely to make all of his engagements. He was a consummate professional
01:02:43from a business standpoint. So we knew something was really wrong. Pops saying in a press
01:02:49conference just a couple of hours ago that they found the wrestler hanging by a pulley
01:02:53on some exercise equipment in his home gym. It's been so devastating as a father and a
01:02:58grandfather and a father figure to all those associated with our brand. This is not what
01:03:04we're about. What we're about is putting smiles on people's faces. This is the opposite of what
01:03:08we do. We're entertainers. We entertain people all over the world. And we put smiles on faces.
01:03:13That's our job description, not something like this to be tainted and smeared with this.
01:03:19Wanting to be the first to break the news and control the narrative,
01:03:23WWE began to release information about the death via its mobile alert service and website.
01:03:29Police now treating the discovery as a double murder suicide.
01:03:33This led WWE's PR teams going into overdrive and releasing the following message on their
01:03:39corporate website. It has been ruled that the deaths of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy,
01:03:45and their son Daniel earlier today were the results of a double murder suicide from within the home.
01:03:52At the time, Tuesday nights for WWE meant ECW. Before it scheduled programming, the company
01:03:59aired a statement from company owner Vincent McMahon, who explained the following.
01:04:05Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Last night on Monday Night Raw, the WWE presented a special
01:04:10tribute show, recognising the career of Chris Benoit. However, now some 26 hours later,
01:04:17the facts of this horrific tragedy are now apparent.
01:04:22Therefore, other than my comments, there will be no mention of Mr. Benoit's name tonight.
01:04:28On the contrary, tonight's show will be dedicated to everyone who has been affected
01:04:32by this terrible incident. The idea of not mentioning Chris Benoit's name is
01:04:37something that, in the time since, WWE have remained very strong-minded about,
01:04:43with the company, understandably, aiming to put as much distance from their brand
01:04:47and this horrific incident as possible. The WWE and Vince were forced to immediately
01:04:54backtrack on the Vince McMahon limousine angle, and the character was magically
01:04:58resurrected by the time the following Smackdown and Raw episodes aired.
01:05:07CM Punk infamously left the WWE after the 2014 Royal Rumble. As his time came to a close with
01:05:19Vince McMahon's company, Punk's relationship with WWE and Vince turned hostile. The bitterness
01:05:26and lack of sincere collaboration between the two meant that contract negotiations stalled,
01:05:31leading to complete chaos. However, the way in which his termination played out
01:05:36was just as chaotic as his notorious on-screen run from 2011 until his departure from the company.
01:05:44The day of my wedding I got a FedEx in the mail. It was my termination papers. I was fired on my
01:05:50wedding day. Very calculated. Very deliberate. As much as I chuckled at it and didn't let it
01:05:55affect my day, I was like once again, you pushed too far. You pushed the wrong guy.
01:06:01The WWE and Vince McMahon have explained their side of the story.
01:06:04I'd like to apologise. Sometimes in a big corporation, the legal people don't necessarily
01:06:10know what Talent Relations are doing, and Punk got his severance papers on the day he got married,
01:06:15and that was a coincidence, so I want to personally apologise for that.
01:06:19But CM Punk remained sceptical of WWE's approach to terminating his employment.
01:06:25I don't want to hear, oh it's coincidence. I don't want to hear, oh the lawyers didn't
01:06:29talk to Talent Relations. I talked to Hunter on the 11th. On the 13th, FedExed overnight,
01:06:34I got a document that was dated the 12th. My wife asked for that time off so she could
01:06:39a. get married and b. go on her honeymoon. The weekend after her honeymoon, she was back on TV.
01:06:45They knew. Now we will never know for sure one way or the other. Was the arrival date and timing
01:06:51of the termination documents merely a cruel twist of fate, unconsciously coincidental in ruining
01:06:57what should have been a beautiful wedding day? Or was the timing perfectly planned by WWE and
01:07:03Vince McMahon in order to inflict the greatest amount of pain to their exiting employee?
01:07:09CM Punk said, let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon alright.
01:07:13We do this whole bully campaign and while we'll never know what that story was,
01:07:18there's certainly enough to choose from when it comes to Vince McMahon.
01:07:26In one corner of the ring was a naked professional wrestler,
01:07:30in the other corner were 9 sheriff deputies all fully clothed plus 2 deputy dogs. It was
01:07:36according to all reports an even match that ended only after 3 dog bites including to a deputy,
01:07:44another injury and the final apprehension of the wrestler on numerous charges.
01:07:49Deputies said they arrived at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge in the town of Salina about 1.40am
01:07:56to check on a report of a woman screaming and found a naked man and a woman covered
01:08:02only by a sheet. The woman was hysterical and shouting that she wanted to get away from the
01:08:07man, deputies said. The woman, identified by deputies as Nancy Argentino, 22, of Brooklyn,
01:08:14was forced back into the room she shared with the wrestler.
01:08:18Jimmy S. Snooker, 39, of New Haven, Connecticut, deputies said. Deputies said Snooker closed the
01:08:25door and refused to talk with deputies, although he continued shouting and appeared very angry and
01:08:30threatening. Deputies said Snooker, billed as the Superfly in wrestling circles, is a professional
01:08:36wrestler with a very muscular build and is very strong. The man remained uncooperative and
01:08:42authorities could not reason with him, deputies said. The victim continued screaming that she
01:08:47wanted to leave the room. I don't believe he's faking it,
01:08:51Lehigh County Judge Kelly Benick said, according to the paper. No offense,
01:08:55but I don't think he's smart enough to fake it.
01:08:57The autopsy report has never been transcribed. However, I was orally advised that Dr. Michalakis
01:09:03concluded that death was consistent with a single fall, whereby the victim struck her head on a hard
01:09:09substance, such as pavement. The doctor did not find any bruises, lacerations, or any other
01:09:16indications of a beating or prior injuries. The doctor did not find any evidence of recent
01:09:22sexual contact. Finally, the doctor did not find any unusual amounts of dirt, gravel or
01:09:28other substances on Ms. Argentino's clothing. With this information, the cause of death
01:09:34would have been termed accidental if a formal autopsy report was prepared.
01:09:39Vincent Mann tried to talk her out of making the complaint against Snooker. Jimmy Snooker said,
01:09:45Shortly after Nancy's death, I was questioned by police and let go. At one point,
01:09:50I went with Vince McMahon Jr. to either a court or law office. I don't remember which,
01:09:55because I was still in shock. All I remember is he had a briefcase with him. I don't know
01:10:00what happened. I think Vince Jr. picked me up from the hotel and took me there. He didn't
01:10:04say anything to me. I don't know if he gave Nancy's family money or anything.
01:10:10I certify the above-named defendant, Jimmy S. Snooker, was convicted in this court of the
01:10:15offence of assault in violation of the law of the State of New York, and judgment was entered the
01:10:2117th day of April 1983, before the Hon. H. L. Harding, a justice of this court, and the defendant
01:10:30was sentenced. Pled guilty to assault third, received a one-year conditional discharge,
01:10:37plus paid a $15 fee. The issuing a bad check was dismissed.
01:10:52Jimmy McDevitt, Vince McMahon's lawyer, sent his response to a
01:10:55documentary maker who had covered the mystery surrounding the Jimmy Snooker case,
01:11:00saying, Your insinuation that Mr. McMahon, in some unspecified way,
01:11:04kept authorities from charging Jimmy Snooker for murder in 1983 is an odious lie.
01:11:21However, Vince McMahon's involvement is not mentioned in any of the legal case files,
01:11:25but Snooker not only remembers going to the court with the owner of the WWE,
01:11:29but also that he had a briefcase with him,
01:11:32mentioning that even Snooker wasn't sure if his boss paid off the murdered woman's family.
01:11:45So, is Jimmy Snooker lying about Vince McMahon's involvement,
01:11:49or are the court records wrong? Or, even more mysteriously, were the legal documents
01:11:55purposeful in the remission of McMahon as a way of distancing the police from the large
01:11:59suitcase full of cash they had just taken as a bribe? There's no real way we'll ever fully
01:12:04know the truth. McMahon told the Argentino family's initial attorney, Richard Cushing, in 1983,
01:12:11Look, I'm in the garbage business. If you think I'm going to be hurt by the revelation
01:12:16that one of my wrestlers is really a violent individual, you're mistaken.
01:12:20Argentino suffered in hospital for four long months before she eventually died from her
01:12:25injuries. Jimmy Snooker admitted he was present and was investigated by police,
01:12:30but not charged with a crime. That is, until 2015, when the case was reopened.
01:12:37Snooker was charged with misdemeanour assault in the third degree, felony assault count in the
01:12:42second degree, and misdemeanour counts of resisting arrest and obstructing government
01:12:47administration. Snooker, however, was deemed unfit to stand trial due to his age and mental
01:12:52health. No formal connection was ever made between Vince McMahon and the Snooker case,
01:12:57with the former Superfly superstar passing away before any conclusion could be made about his guilt.
01:13:06This is Camp WWE, a short-lived animated series which focuses on the lives and stories
01:13:13of several iconic pro wrestlers from the WWE roster,
01:13:17reimagined as school children attending an imaginary summer camp.
01:13:25Undeniably the owner of the WWE in real life and the owner of the camp in the animation,
01:13:31Vince McMahon steals the show. His voice work is excellent, and as he lends his gravelly tones to
01:13:38the dark humour which is written for his 2D persona, it's a perfect fit. As a businessman
01:13:43in real life, Vince McMahon is a person who is reserved about his personal life
01:13:48and respected within his own world. On screen, in both live action and animation,
01:13:53Vince McMahon excels at playing the evil boss, as he delivers offensive and sometimes
01:13:58sickeningly dark humour, to me was a real giggle, and maintained this level through the show.
01:14:04Vince McMahon acts as the head of Camp WWE, and treats it as if he is indeed running a
01:14:10billion dollar company, akin to real life WWE. Throughout the show, stupid studios have thought
01:14:16of creative similarities between the two jobs, and push it further to show McMahon's character
01:14:22as an equal parts evil dictator, and hilariously unaware.
01:14:29Vince McMahon is aware of the leg up he was given with regards to his position within
01:14:33the wrestling landscape, and as such, he has never shied away from his desire to afford his
01:14:39own children the same advantages. WWE financial records show Shane McMahon was paid a total of
01:14:46over $1,300,000 as a performer within the company, despite only entering the ring for a match on one
01:14:53occasion. In the lead up to the Royal Rumble in 2022, Shane was selected as the man who would
01:14:59be responsible for the way in which the action would be scripted during the match. Shane was
01:15:04executive vice chairman of the board of directors, and a minority owner within the WWE, but seemingly
01:15:10he took that power and completely abused it. Shane inexplicably planned the main action
01:15:16points of the match around himself, which made no sense regarding the lead up to the match,
01:15:21nor did it make any of the performers in the bout look good. It created zero memorable moments,
01:15:27and only served to drag the atmosphere of the entire event to a screeching halt.
01:15:31After making it to the final three, Shane made his way to the locker room, where he was greeted
01:15:36by anger and friction in regards to his involvement and production of the Rumble match.
01:15:42Vince had no choice. Shane created chaos, had everyone in an uproar pissed off everyone in
01:15:48the Rumble, openly buried other producers, and was changing things that Vince wanted.
01:15:53Vince had no other choice but to send him home. A few days later, Vince proved that he had to
01:15:59side with the company over his family, and that Shane's privileges had run out,
01:16:03ending Shane's contract and firing him from his duties in WWE. After Shane had left the building,
01:16:09Vince was reported to have shouted,
01:16:12Shane will never get another pop in this company as long as I'm around.
01:16:16Through it all, through the betrayal, heartache and backstabbing, there is something about Vince
01:16:21McMahon which has endeared him to his employees and business colleagues throughout his entire
01:16:25career. My relationship with Vince was great. We were very close the first time I was there,
01:16:31and then we had a falling out in 2006, and we didn't really speak for 11 years. But when I met
01:16:37him back again in 2017, when I came back, it was like nothing ever happened. We were high on
01:16:44it was like nothing ever happened. We were hugging each other,
01:16:47telling each other that we loved one another. We just picked up where we left off.
01:16:51Though there have been many who have sworn to never return to WWE after a life-altering
01:16:57intervention from the owner of the company, there have been only a small number of names
01:17:01who were once scorned by Vince but did not make amends eventually.
01:17:07It wouldn't matter if I was 36. I think that you have to overcome the stereotype sometimes.
01:17:13Vince is not hip. He's not with it. I've never been cool. I could give a shit about that.
01:17:17But you listen to people and you try to give them as much creative ability as possible.
01:17:21It makes them more invested. If there's an idea that I really like and a performer says,
01:17:26I'm not so sure. I don't like that. I say, what's the alternative? If they have an alternative
01:17:31that's better, great. There's no pride of authorship. That's the way to go. Thank you
01:17:35very much. But you do need to lead. You can't just wait. You need to lead. That's for sure.
01:17:41Here's what I'm offering. Not buying it? Here's what I'm offering. Because you can't dictate to
01:17:45the audience what they're going to like. Bruno Sammartino returned to the company
01:17:50and embraced Vince McMahon after decades away. The Ultimate Warrior buried the ill feelings
01:17:55and was celebrated by the company and by Vince before his death. Stone Cold Steve Austin came
01:18:00back after being fired by a man he saw as somewhat of a father figure.
01:18:04There's just something about this business magnate which attracts people in for life.
01:18:08So many have come out in support of McMahon through his countless trials and tribulations.
01:18:13Still to this day, dozens of performers have explained how they cherish their relationship
01:18:17with Vince, owe him their gratitude and in some cases their careers. Vince McMahon may be ruthless
01:18:24and at times even heartless. But it is clear that behind the scenes, his warmth and dedication to
01:18:29his company and its employees has never wavered, even until his final days atop the mountain.
01:18:35I think there is a locker room and an office filled with fabulously wealthy people
01:18:40thanks to the 22 hour work day of Vince McMahon for the past 40 years.
01:18:45I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Vince McMahon. What a hypocrite I would be
01:18:49to say anything less than extraordinarily complimentary things about that man.
01:18:54His work ethic, his willingness to put in 20, 22 hours a day, every day, 7 days a week,
01:19:00365 days a year for 40 years is why we are all fabulously wealthy. He will never get the credit
01:19:06or understanding that he truly deserves and he earned. These relationships with his talent have
01:19:12come at a permanent cost for Vince throughout his entire career. All of the time spent maintaining
01:19:17the status quo and doting on his performers needs meant Vince has admitted to neglecting his wife.
01:19:31A 3 million dollar payment made to a former employee with whom he allegedly had an affair.
01:19:40Vince McMahon has openly admitted to having a highly active and ferocious sexual appetite.
01:19:53In 2022, all of this unusual sex and built up tension came to a head
01:19:58when detailed information about allegations against Vince McMahon became public knowledge.
01:20:19A long list of offences came to light, all of which are as disgusting as they are regrettable.
01:20:25As far back as 1992, a former WWF female referee had made claims that when she denied McMahon's
01:20:32sexual advances, she was raped in a company-owned limousine. Rita Chatterton said that Vince had
01:20:39continually requested oral sex from the young performer and had become aggressive when he was
01:20:44initially shut down. On Geraldo Rivera's Now It Can Be Told show, the former referee's story was
01:20:50backed up by a wrestler by the name of Leonard Inzitari, but no charges were ever brought forth
01:20:56against McMahon at the time. In 2006, Vince was once again accused of sexual harassment by a
01:21:02female whilst visiting a tanning salon in Florida. A young woman claimed that Vince had attempted to
01:21:08grope her while she was working. McMahon denied the accusations, but a police report was filed
01:21:14in late January. However, no charges were processed against Vince at this time.
01:21:20As April of 2022 rolled around, news came to light that $3 million was missing from the WWE's
01:21:28company's financial accounts. The company quickly set to work investigating the missing funds.
01:21:34However, upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the amount which had been
01:21:38removed from the company's accounts amassed to a lot more. But even more interesting was
01:21:44the person responsible for these transactions. What was it that Vince said in his early career
01:21:49about wrestling promoters and stealing? The way that it happened put a really bad
01:22:05mark on what he had done in the industry. He had taken it to the heights that none of us could have
01:22:10ever imagined. But we said privately, if there was one of these payments, there's gonna be more.
01:22:16I think they have done an amazing job from keeping it spiralling out of control.
01:22:22As the news outlets gained wind of this sensational story, a moment which many
01:22:26thought impossible came to pass. Vince McMahon, the infinite and undefeatable cornerstone of
01:22:32World Wrestling Entertainment, stepped down as CEO and Chairman of the company,
01:22:37and announced his retirement in July of 2022. I would like to thank my family for
01:22:44mightily contributing to our success. I would also like to thank all of our past and present
01:22:50superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly,
01:22:56I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your
01:23:01choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations
01:23:07of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our
01:23:12form of sports entertainment. A man so important within the entire
01:23:18pro-wrestling industry, that somehow I had almost forgotten his age, as well as his misdemeanours.
01:23:24When I was born, Vince owned and ran the WWF. As I grew up watching during the Attitude era,
01:23:29Vince McMahon was front and centre with Steve Austin. My teenage years were spent watching
01:23:34the Ruthless Aggression era in the early 2000s, with once again McMahon playing a major role.
01:23:40Through my 20s, Vince had always been there as, once again, WWE evolved to incorporate the very
01:23:46future of the business in NXT and its female roster, and now I am 30 and Mr McMahon has been
01:23:52here my entire life. Like everyone else, I'm mostly just kind of surprised. I don't think
01:23:58anybody's ever made as big a footprint as Vince McMahon. I feel kind of sad about it, actually.
01:24:03I know people probably think I would be gloating or happy to see him go through what he's going,
01:24:08but I don't. I feel bad that it happened, or whatever happened. I think his loss or his absence
01:24:14from the business will be sorely missed. It feels almost surreal to have witnessed his downfall,
01:24:19and, in a way, I'm sad that it ended in such a distasteful manner.
01:24:23I mean, is there a surprise in any industry when it happens? And really, when you look at it,
01:24:29it's not illegal. He had an affair, paid the lady off to not say anything and moved on.
01:24:33People want to jump on it, but there's still always an undertone of
01:24:37wrestling. If you look, that story came out with a bang, and then you really haven't heard anything
01:24:42about it since. If this was Hollywood with Harvey Weinstein, but the difference between that was
01:24:48he was holding women back from getting gigs. Harvey Weinstein, either bang me or you don't
01:24:53get the starring role. This has never been said in Vince's thing. There was a mutual acknowledgement
01:24:57of this affair, and then he paid the lady to say nothing and she took the money. I really know
01:25:02Vince well and it sucks that it happened and it sucks that he did it, but is anything really
01:25:07going to happen from it? I don't think so. As of right now, Vince McMahon still holds a
01:25:13controlling 32% stake of the company's shares, but is said officially to have no creative or
01:25:19business control over the WWE. In his enormous wake, Vince left behind a chasm within the boardroom
01:25:25and within creative meetings which, for such an enormous entity, needed to be filled almost
01:25:31instantly or the entire company could risk serious damages.
01:25:44You're touching a lot of lives, mostly negatively. You think it was just supposed to be sexual.
01:25:50We were supposed to have a great time and be better off, but it's always more complicated
01:25:54than that. It can interfere with your own life too. Having an affair, running off here and there
01:25:59can take a lot of energy. It takes a lot of effort, a lot of time. The last 5 or 6 years,
01:26:04I've found that I not only appreciate my wife more, but I can get a hell of a lot more done.
01:26:18We've been married for 34 years now, but we're really different.
01:26:22There comes a time in a person's life when they have to make a decision. They have to choose
01:26:28sides and I have finally chosen my family. My family has always been first with me and
01:26:33always will be. It's not a perfect family. I'm well aware of the flaws in my husband's character.
01:26:38I'm aware that our family is not the normal, average American family, but it is my family
01:26:43and I'm the matriarch of this family and anyone who's against my family is against me.
01:26:49I tease Linda about the sacrifices I've made for my marriage, but she has made enormous
01:26:54sacrifices. When Linda and I got married, I promised her two things, that I'd always love
01:26:59her and that there would never be a boring moment. I've lived up to both promises.
01:27:04I have always been loyal. Not necessarily faithful, I probably lied to myself,
01:27:12thinking she knew who I was when we got married. The wild guy, but I never ever threw anything in
01:27:18her face. I was discreet. And Linda never suffered from a lack of attention, physical or emotional,
01:27:24but one day she asked me point blank, are you having an affair with so and so? And I've never
01:27:29lied to her. Yes. It crushed her. Then she asked, what about such and such? Yes. I went on. More
01:27:38names I said, yes and yes. Some were concurrent, but I didn't think she had to know that. She
01:27:44didn't ask that question, or I'd have to say yes to that too. It's not something I'm proud of,
01:27:49I just didn't realise the impact of messing with other people's lives. Notwithstanding the impact
01:27:54on my wife, I'm talking about the havoc you create in others' lives, just from wanting to have a good
01:28:00time. There's no such thing as an innocent fling. When a woman commits to a sexual encounter,
01:28:05it's generally with a great deal of emotion. With a very few exceptions, it's not just,
01:28:10let's have sex, boy that was great, ok see you. Women don't do that. So I guess, maybe,
01:28:16I hurt a lot of people. The sex was terrific, but from an emotional standpoint, I regret it.
01:28:24I have been not only loyal but faithful for about six years. Linda and I have a great marriage and
01:28:29I don't want to screw it up. I'm not saying I don't look. I'm not saying I won't fall off the
01:28:34wagon one day. I hope not, because all of the complications and because I would have to tell
01:28:39her if she asked me. But other than for the innate, I don't have a desire to go outside of
01:28:45our relationship. So one, first thing I should say is no comment. Second thing I should say about
01:28:58stuff and just Vince in general, and maybe it's more about love, if you love somebody,
01:29:04is that people make mistakes and you love them regardless.
01:29:12This next part feels like a storyline taken directly from a HBO drama like Game of Thrones
01:29:17or Succession. Taking over in Vince's absence is his son-in-law Paul Levesque,
01:29:23better known in WWE as Triple H. And why wouldn't he? After all,
01:29:27can you think of a better man suited for the position?
01:29:34But when we look at the wider, longer picture, we see a real life story which, in my opinion,
01:29:51far outweighs any drama the writers behind the scenes in WWE could ever imagine.
01:29:57If we travel back to the late 90s, just as in some medieval fantasy,
01:30:01pro wrestlers were forbidden for dating the daughter of the king. It would have made things
01:30:06far too complicated. Vince always stuck to his father's advice of keeping a separation between
01:30:11a promoter and a performer. But for young Stephanie, the allure of the forbidden fruit
01:30:16proved too strong. My dad gave us the okay to date, and then took it away, because if we were
01:30:25really going to be together, it would have to be a big deal, and it would have to be the right
01:30:29thing to do. So, he let us come together, and then he made us be apart, and we came back together
01:30:35again, and if it was meant to be, it was meant to be. In secret, she began dating Triple H,
01:30:42whom at the time was still to make his way into the main event. Before anything happened romantically
01:30:47between us, we spoke to Vince about the situation, and he told us he was okay with him.
01:30:52Soon after that though, he changed his mind. He said he gave it more thought and realised,
01:30:56this won't work out. You two cannot do this. He took it away just like that.
01:31:02Their love proved too powerful to hide for long, and soon their relationship became known by the
01:31:06company. In an attempt to separate the pairing, Vince wrote a storyline where Stephanie would
01:31:11be married off to a young stud by the name of Test. However, when Vince spoke to Triple H,
01:31:17and realised that his feelings for Stephanie were genuine, the storyline changed.
01:31:21On screen, we saw Triple H sedate an unsuspecting Stephanie and steal her away from the altar,
01:31:27only to conduct a marriage ceremony of his own in Las Vegas. All of these on-screen antics
01:31:32proved the foundation for the pair's real-life relationship to flourish from.
01:31:36In October of 2003, they would go on to be married for real in New York City.
01:31:41Over the next 15 years, both Paul and Stephanie's stock would continue to rise within WWE,
01:31:47both proving to be dedicated to the company, something which Vince has proved to value over
01:31:52all else. Stephanie has worked tirelessly behind the scenes in order to develop the
01:31:57company's relationships in the US and internationally, as well as contributing
01:32:01massively to WWE's charitable efforts. I really enjoy doing the things I do with
01:32:07WWE. Paul Levesque is the guy, but don't think that Stephanie McMahon is not. That is one of
01:32:13the smartest people in the business, and I'm sure they talk about stuff all the time because
01:32:17that's the element of the couple that they are. Triple H was given the trust of Vince when he was
01:32:23handed the reins of WWE developmental brand NXT, a task which Levesque proved beyond doubt that he
01:32:29was capable of, taking NXT from small-time developmental to a taster of the main stage
01:32:35as WWE's third brand. Triple H and McMahon seemingly share a similar outlook on how
01:32:40things should be run in general within the company, however, both Paul and Vince have
01:32:44many areas where their ideas seem to clash. Chocolate and vanilla. I want chocolate,
01:32:49you want vanilla. One of us has to pick a flavour. Vince would always pick the flavour. Now it's my
01:32:55turn to pick the flavour. It's all good, it's all ice cream, but it's my time to pick the flavour,
01:32:59and I have to be confident in these decisions. I can't look back and say,
01:33:03what would Vince want to have for flavour, because it just wouldn't be authentic then.
01:33:08Look, in some manner, I think for both of us it's a tough situation for him,
01:33:11and I think in some manner, it's even harder for me, even now that he's not in the equation,
01:33:17and he's not in any way, shape or form, but it's hard to think about right? That he's not here,
01:33:21and I think in that moment, it was hard for him to think about somebody coming in
01:33:26and doing what he's done for 50 years successfully, better than anybody in the world. So yeah,
01:33:31there was definitely that moment, definitely giving me advice, but also in some manner,
01:33:36most of that advice was centred around, this is what you've been sitting next to be learning how
01:33:40to do for 25 years, and you got it, just be confident in your decision making, listen to
01:33:46people, be open to ideas, be collaborative with other people, things like that, just wonderful
01:33:51advice. When tragedy struck and Paul Levesque suffered a heart attack, his position atop
01:33:56NXT was vacated. At this time, NXT changed from the much beloved black and gold brand,
01:34:03complete with some indie legends and up-and-comers, to an out-and-out developmental
01:34:07brand once again, the image of the show being overhauled as the title was changed to NXT 2.0.
01:34:14Many of the foundations set by Triple H were removed and his project was reconstructed in
01:34:19his absence, in the image of his father-in-law, whom claimed he had always reserved the final say
01:34:26over all aspects of WWE programming, including NXT. To many, this seemed like a punishment for
01:34:32NXT's performance as it went up against AEW Dynamite, but this has never been confirmed.
01:34:39What is clear to see, however, is that the timing of these huge changes cannot simply
01:34:44be a coincidence. A few years on and now Vince must vacate his throne, his son has been reckless,
01:34:50hot-headed and never looked fully committed to becoming the heir, his daughter is a capable
01:34:54leader in her own right and a well-established businesswoman, but she has never gained a deeper
01:34:59understanding of the promotion and presentation of pro wrestling as she has never acted as a
01:35:04regular in-ring performer. Triple H, Paul Levette, he has it all. Family loyalty, work ethic,
01:35:10industry experience, great connection, he really does seem to be the perfect person to be claimed
01:35:17the new king of WWE, and take on what seems to be one of the most complicated and difficult
01:35:24jobs in the entire entertainment industry. Leaving us with the company we know today.
01:35:43WWE has been responsible for some of the most influential and iconic moments in entertainment
01:35:48history, promoting shows across 150 different countries worldwide, holding more than 300 live
01:35:55events a year with hundreds of millions, if not billions of fans interacting online and watching
01:36:00at home. They created the WWE Network in 2014, a home for an unfathomable amount of historic and
01:36:08legendary wrestling matches and moments from the last century. WWE has its fair share of detractors,
01:36:15many of whom criticise the company for the way in which it has changed over the years.
01:36:19Supporters of the company will respond with the notion that WWE was forced to change with the
01:36:24times in order to be relevant in the present and deliver to fans what they want. The last 20 years
01:36:31have seen WWE steadily increase its revenue to record highs, whilst losing weekly television
01:36:37viewers by the bucket load. Perhaps as everyone transitions from tradition to the new king of
01:36:41wrestling, the company will be able to continue its legacy. Vince McMahon, the infamous founder
01:36:43of World Wrestling Entertainment, has resigned as executive chairman of its parent company.
01:36:47The move came a day after McMahon was accused of sexual assault and sex trafficking in a lawsuit.
01:36:53A former WWE employee, Janelle Grant, claims she was physically and emotionally abused by McMahon.
01:36:59He's denied the allegations and says he's stepping down out of respect for the WWE universe.
01:37:05In 2022, the wrestling world was shaken by profound revelations surrounding Vince McMahon
01:37:10once again, marking a pivotal moment that would forever change the landscape of professional
01:37:15wrestling. On June 15th, it emerged through investigative efforts that the WWE Board of
01:37:20Directors had enlisted an independent law firm to delve into the allegations concerning a $3
01:37:25million settlement Vince McMahon had purportedly paid to a former subordinate a few months prior.
01:37:31The seeds of this investigation were sown in April following the receipt of a series of
01:37:36anonymous emails from an individual claiming to be a friend of a woman who had once worked
01:37:40for WWE as a paralegal. When I see Vince do all the things he's done from the 80s, 90s and early
01:37:472000s, I was not surprised. Some of it a little, but yeah, the guy is a billionaire who owns a
01:37:52company. He's done it all, seen it all, and wants to do more and see more. I don't know,
01:37:57I'm not a billionaire, I'm not surprised. I hear people say they're surprised,
01:38:01I'm not surprised. The guy was a maniac. The investigation unearthed further settlements
01:38:16with other women, casting a shadow over McMahon's conduct. According to the emails,
01:38:21the paralegal's salary had doubled from $100,000 to $200,000 annually after she commenced a sexual
01:38:27relationship with McMahon. Moreover, the emails accused McMahon of passing her like a toy to
01:38:32John Laurinaitis, then the head of Talent Relations, where her professional situation
01:38:37further deteriorated. Text messages that were shared around this time have since been used in
01:38:43these legal allegations and are available online. I'd rather not put them up on the screen right now
01:38:48because they are absolutely disgusting, but you can go and check them out yourself if you're
01:38:51a complete pervert. The friend's emails and texts painted a distressing picture,
01:38:56claiming the paralegal had been compelled to resign out of fear following a multi-million
01:39:00dollar payment from McMahon and lawyer Jerry McDevitt intended to silence her.
01:39:05McDevitt countered these claims, insisting that no payment had been made to the paralegal upon
01:39:10her departure and no allegations of sexual harassment were made by her. However, the
01:39:15claimant had not suggested the settlement was made at the time of her departure, indicating
01:39:19she left WWE after receiving the settlement. I have pledged my complete cooperation to the
01:39:24investigation by the special committee and I will do everything possible to support the
01:39:28investigation. I have also pledged to accept the findings and outcomes of the investigation,
01:39:33whatever they are. A WWE spokesperson later asserted that the relationship was consensual,
01:39:39though this does not address the broader ethical questions about the power dynamics
01:39:43and consent in such relationships. Several hours later McMahon opened Smackdown Live with a
01:39:48great fanfare. It is a privilege as always to stand before you here tonight, the WWE universe,
01:39:54he said during the June 17, 2022 broadcast. I'm here simply to remind you of the four words
01:40:00we just saw in what we call our WWE signature. Those four words are then, now, forever,
01:40:07and the most important word is together. Welcome to Smackdown.
01:40:11In July of 2022, even graver allegations were brought to light. The board's investigation found
01:40:17three additional settlements totaling over $12 million. Among these, a $7.5 million settlement
01:40:23was paid to a former wrestler who alleged McMahon coerced her into performing sexual acts,
01:40:29followed by professional retaliation when she resisted further advances.
01:40:33These settlements, particularly from the era post-MeToo movement, underscored a troubling
01:40:37pattern of behaviour and the challenges of accountability in powerful circles.
01:40:42This led to widespread views from the wrestling fandom that whilst McMahon was under such
01:40:46scrutiny, he should step away from his role within WWE, regardless of if he was guilty or not.
01:40:52Out of respect for the WWE universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board
01:40:56members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all the employees and
01:41:01superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign
01:41:06from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately.
01:41:12The investigation also revealed settlements with a WWE contractor who accused McMahon of sending
01:41:17unsolicited nude photos and broader sexual harassment, leading to a $1 million settlement
01:41:23in 2008, and a former manager who alleged a sexual relationship initiated by McMahon
01:41:28resulted in a $1 million settlement to maintain her silence in 2006.
01:41:34As the saga unfolded, the broader implications for Vince McMahon and WWE became clear,
01:41:39highlighting a critical moment of reckoning within the world of professional wrestling.
01:41:44Further reports revealed more about the paralegal's connection with McMahon,
01:41:48including their shared living situation and her unorthodox recruitment into WWE.
01:41:53The narrative that unfolded was one of complex personal and professional entanglements,
01:41:57with additional details shedding light on the environment within the WWE legal department.
01:42:03It wasn't long before more rumours began to spread about Vince's involvement with WWE,
01:42:08amidst the deafening calls for the business magnate to step aside.
01:42:12However, WWE was in the process of a huge sale,
01:42:15with licensing rights and television deals in the works with Netflix.
01:42:19The only way for WWE to fully capitalise on this opportunity is for me to return as
01:42:23executive chairman and support the management team in the negotiations for our media rights,
01:42:28and to combine with a review of strategic alternatives.
01:42:31My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties,
01:42:36to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder.
01:42:42Alright Brian, thanks for those numbers.
01:42:45And happening right now in the WRA Live Center, former WWE CEO Vince McMahon is now the focus of
01:42:51a federal criminal investigation. And this all comes as prosecutors try to determine if he broke
01:42:56federal law surrounding recent allegations of sex abuse and sex trafficking. Those allegations were
01:43:02made public after a former employee came out and filed several lawsuits against him. McMahon said
01:43:08that federal officials have confiscated his phone. He did release a statement last week
01:43:12denying all of the allegations against him. In the tumultuous year that followed,
01:43:18the leadership landscape of WWE underwent significant transformation.
01:43:22Vince McMahon, the company's long-serving CEO, stepped down amid escalating scrutiny
01:43:27over grave accusations of misconduct. This shift in leadership unfolded as investigations
01:43:32into McMahon deepened, revealing patterns of behaviour and financial transactions
01:43:37designed to suppress allegations of inappropriate relationships.
01:43:40I stand by my previous statement that Ms. Grant's lawsuit is replete with lies,
01:43:45obscene, made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I
01:43:51intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations and look forward to clearing
01:43:55my name. Amidst these challenges, WWE found itself at a crossroads, with Stephanie McMahon
01:44:01stepping in as the interim CEO to steer the organisation through troubled waters.
01:44:06The backdrop to these internal upheavals was a series of financial settlements.
01:44:10The revelations about McMahon's conduct came to a head with the lawsuit filed by Janelle Grant,
01:44:16a former WWE employee. The lawsuit brought forward in Connecticut Court,
01:44:20WWE's home base, outlined the harrowing details of McMahon's allegations.
01:44:25Grant accused McMahon of coercing her into a sexual relationship, sharing sexually explicit
01:44:30photos and videos of her with male colleagues, and making increasingly aggressive sexual demands.
01:44:35These demands purportedly involved McMahon, John Laurinaitis, the former head of talent relations,
01:44:40and many others. The organisation is well aware of McMahon's history of depraved behaviour,
01:44:45and it's time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership.
01:44:50As McMahon announced his resignation, he highlighted his reverence for WWE and the TKO
01:44:55group. The latter, emerging from a strategic merger, created a $21.4 billion sports entertainment
01:45:02powerhouse, encompassing WWE and the entity behind the UFC. This merger coincided with a
01:45:08groundbreaking $5 billion broadcasting agreement with Netflix, marking a new era for WWE within
01:45:14the expansive TKO conglomerate. In the lawsuit's aftermath, Ann Callis, representing Grant,
01:45:20voiced her client's intent to protect other women from similar experiences. Grant's legal pursuit
01:45:25encompasses not just a quest for unspecified monetary demands, but also aims to invalidate
01:45:30a non-disclosure agreement. Over the past few weeks, federal investigators have been
01:45:37conducting interviews with several women who have brought forward allegations of sexual misconduct
01:45:42against Vince McMahon amidst a new complaint directed at John Laurinaitis. Authorities
01:45:47undertook a comprehensive investigation over the past summer, which included seizing McMahon's phone
01:45:53and issuing a subpoena for documents. These documents were connected to various accusations
01:45:57including rape, sexual trafficking, sexual assault, commercial sex transactions, harassment,
01:46:03and discrimination involving current or former WWE staff, the individuals interviewed in The
01:46:08Probe and Compass, a WWE contractor who claims McMahon sent her unwanted nude pictures and
01:46:14subjected her to sexual harassment, a former WWE wrestler who alleges McMahon forced her into
01:46:19performing oral sex on him, an ex-WWE referee who has openly accused McMahon of rape, and a
01:46:25spa manager who accuses McMahon of assaulting her at a spa in Southern California, all of whom
01:46:30we have discussed at length in this video. All the news coming out is horrible. Many of us
01:46:36experienced or heard rumours of different levels of evil for years. Some tried to speak up to build
01:46:42momentum to change the culture in WWE. Many times we have been called bitter or crazy. Others have
01:46:47been paralysed by fear. I just hope justice is served, and I hope this brings some people peace.
01:46:53I pray for all the victims, the ones that have spoke up,
01:46:56the ones no longer with us, and the ones that suffer in silence.
01:47:00Regarding John Laurinaitis, federal prosecutors have spoke with a former WWE employee who
01:47:05asserts she was demoted by Laurinaitis, who was then the head of talent relations, after she ended
01:47:10a romantic relationship with him. We are shocked and disheartened with the recent allegations
01:47:15against members of the WWE. It has been a locked process since we found out this past week as you
01:47:19all did. This is something we don't stand for or condone from anyone, no matter who they are.
01:47:25We want all women to feel safe and supported in the workplace and in their everyday lives.
01:47:29Corporate sponsors have shown their distaste at the situation, with many companies such as
01:47:33Slim Jim holding off on their long-term partnerships with WWE until the final legal
01:47:38proceedings are brought forward. Slim Jim values integrity and respect in all of our partnerships.
01:47:44Given the recent disturbing allegations against Vince McMahon at this time,
01:47:47we have decided to pause our promotional activities with the WWE.
01:47:51The reputation of not only those who stand accused, nor simply WWE, for its alleged
01:47:56involvement and numerous reported cover-ups, but these disgusting and sickening actions have,
01:48:01and will forever, tarnish the professional wrestling world and the legacy of those
01:48:05within its rich history. Vince McMahon has officially parted company with what in many
01:48:10ways must feel like his child. His downfall must feel to many, who have known about his
01:48:15behaviour for years, a relief, and to those people, I hope the crumbling of Vincent K.
01:48:20McMahon's facade of power and success brings you some small comfort after years of being ridiculed
01:48:26and called a liar. In the annals of sports entertainment,
01:48:34Vince McMahon's legacy is as complex as it is colossal. From the heights of global prominence
01:48:40with WWE, to the depths of personal and professional scandal and despair, McMahon's
01:48:45narrative arc, in both real life and on screen, embodies the quintessential tragedy of a titan
01:48:51brought low by his own hubris and moral failings. This video has traversed the labyrinthian saga
01:48:57of McMahon's empire, spotlighting not only the brilliance of his innovations, but also
01:49:01the horrible shadow cast by his alleged transgressions. As we conclude this exploration,
01:49:06it is imperative to synthesise the multifaceted dimensions of McMahon's downfall, reflecting on
01:49:12the impact of his actions on the industry he reshaped and the culture he influenced.
01:49:17The sex scandals, allegations of illegal activities and general depravity that surfaced over the years
01:49:23are not merely personal failings, but reflect a broader pattern of behaviour that was, at the time,
01:49:29enabled and perpetuated by the culture of the industry that Vince McMahon dominated.
01:49:34The allegations of sexual misconduct that have marred McMahon's reputation are particularly
01:49:38damning, suggesting a deep-seated abuse of power that is both morally reprehensible
01:49:43and legally questionable. These accusations, ranging from harassment to assault, paint a
01:49:47picture of a man who exploited his position of authority, betraying the trust of the employees,
01:49:53the fans and the public. The impact of these allegations extends beyond the individuals
01:49:57directly involved. Moreover, McMahon's alleged involvement in illegal activities underscore
01:50:02the extent to which the pursuit of success and dominance in the industry may have led to
01:50:06questionable if not outright unlawful decisions. On one hand, Vince McMahon's visionary leadership
01:50:12revolutionised professional wrestling, creating unforgettable moments and superstars that have
01:50:17left an indelible mark on popular culture. On the other, his personal and professional misdeeds
01:50:23have prompted a critical reassessment of the values and practices that underpin the very
01:50:28industry he helped to shape. The legacy of McMahon's empire is thus a mirror, reflecting
01:50:33the best and worst of sports entertainment, the spectacle and the scandal, the triumphs
01:50:38and the transgressions. Vince McMahon's story is a cautionary tale about the perils of unchecked
01:50:44power, the complexities of human character and the thin line between genius and depravity.
01:50:50As WWE and the world of professional wrestling move forward, the lesson of McMahon's reign
01:50:55looms large, serving as a reminder of the need for integrity, accountability and ethical leadership in
01:51:01the quest for greatness. The saga of Vince McMahon, fraught with achievement, will undoubtedly
01:51:06continue to provoke debate and reflection, serving as a compelling chapter in the history of sports
01:51:11entertainment, a chapter that is as instructive as it is cautionary, as fascinating as it is
01:51:18fraught with moral complexity.