Netflix Mr. McMahon Documentary blurs the lines between the former Wow Chairman and the villain he played on TV. The docuseries tries hard to convince viewers that Vince is just as tyrannical in real life as he was on screen. Then, when the doctor made such shocking revelations as Vince demanding his son Shane stab him at dinner, he didn’t have to try hard to make that impression.
Whether his sins were behind closed doors or in front of the eyes of the public, it is enough to judge Vincent Kennedy McMahon. As much as the high point of his career made him the billionaire he is today, the low point almost made him lose everything. The following are just a few examples of the more questionable Vince McMahon actions, from TV antics to much more serious things, which continue to leave a bad taste in people’s mouths to this day.
10
Richard Belzer Judgment
A look at WWE’s first media run
A first impression means everything, and as the first WrestleMania dawned on the world, WWE had an opportunity to promote itself to the mainstream public. Of course, as David Shoemaker expressed in the Mr. McMahon The first episode of documentary, “Junior,” the wrestlers are not media trained, and “Pro wrestling isn’t quite ready for prime time.” These people are not coached on how to keep their cool in tense situations or to behave properly in front of a live, non-wrestling crowd.
So, when a pre-Law & Order Richard Belzer questioned the legitimacy of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan was quick to show him a legitimate chin lock, one that would legitimately knock the comedian out, and to knock him on the head. on the floor. Belzer would sue Hogan after the fact, but even before the lawsuit, it wasn’t a good look for Vince or the WWE. For many people, this was their first time seeing Hulk Hogan or any wrestler, as it only inspired them to pass further judgment on the business.
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9
role in the ringboy scandal
Did Vince delete it?
In 1992, several WWE officials – namely Mel Phillips, Terry Garvin, and most infamously, inaugural Intercontinental Champion Pat Patterson – were accused of sexually abusing underage boys in the company’s ring crew. Apparently, the boys were only on the promise of sexual favors, and the boys were unemployed. Former employee Tom Cole blew the whistle on the alleged operation.
While Vince McMahon himself is not at the center of the scandal, The chairman was still under the fact that everything fell under his establishment.Seemingly unnoticed. Even worse is the influence that he – at worst – helped and helped those who are in the scandal and – and the worst – showed negligence with a blind eye. McMahon would settle with the lawsuit, firing Garvin and Phillips while Patterson was allowed to resign, but eventually returned.
8
Murray Hodgson’s firing
The case that brought Vince to the Phil Donahue Show
Coinciding with the status of the ring boy scandal, Murray Hodgson was a Detroit radio DJ who won the opportunity to work for the WWE as an announcer through a Billboard Magazine contest. Hodgson went to WWE HQ to sign a two-year deal, but only spent a few weeks with the company. Hodgson would publicly state that the reason for his firing was because He refused to sleep with then Vice President Pat Peterson On request.
Hodgson brought his allegations to the Phil Donahue ShowWhere he would be joined by Vince in a heated conversation. Vince immediately said that Murray was fired because he was not good at his job. Whatever the truth was, Vince was cold as hell as he dismissed Hodgson’s concerns that harassment was taking place under his nose.
7
Rita Chatterton Ripe Case
The overlooked 90s scandal for WWE
Around the same time as the infamous ring boy scandal, Vince himself would be embroiled in the center of another serious allegation. 1992 saw The company’s first-ever female referee, Rita Chatterton (ring name Rita Marie), revealed to talk show host Gerald Rivera that the WWE chairman had sexually abused her, using her contract as leverage to force her to have sex with him. He allegedly threatened to blackball her from the industry if she did not satisfy him to terminate.
Vince would deny the allegations both at the time and in the doc, where in the second episode – “Heat” – He makes a point to say that if there was an assault, the statute of limitations would have run out until she confessed.. He claims that whatever happened between him and Rita was consensual, which is why he and Linda McMahon sued Rita for defamation. However, when the statute of limitations was temporarily lifted for this type of crime in the state of New York in 2023, Vince settled with Chatterton for an undisclosed amount.
6
The Steroid Trail
The case that almost ended Vince’s career
Of all the damning accusations that have occurred and are being mentioned so far, this is the one that caught the attention of the masses of the public. In 1994, Vince McMahon would face the biggest scandal yet, one that almost ended himself and the WWE. He was indicted by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York On suspicion that he is illegally supplying steroids to his wrestlers.
This was on the heels of the federal government going after George T. Zahorian, WWE’s ringside doctor, for illegally distributing steroids. Had he lost the case, Vince would have faced 11 years in prison and over $500,000 in fines on each count. Vince was famously saved by Hulk Hogan’s testimony. After he received immunity from the government, in the assumption that he would accuse McMahon, Hagan denied all the charges in court.
5
The Montreal Screwjob
The scandal that changed everything
Although not the first “screwjob” to take place in WWE (Mr. McMahon The third episode was sure to remind viewers of Wendi Richter’s feud with the Spiders), This is by far the most infamous and one of the turning point moments in the history of the WWE. The Montreal Screwjob sent a ripple effect of change across the WWE with a lasting impact, including incorporating Mr. McMahon as an on-screen character.
In a business like pro wrestling, cases like this have always happened. Still today, some people put the blame on Bret Hart for refusing to lose the title when Vince asked him to, before his move to WCW. However, the inside and outside of the business nevertheless looked at Vince McMahon’s insistence to go behind his performer’s back in such a public manner as slimy behavior of a boss. It made his character more of a villain, yes, but It was not a great reflection of the real person.
4
The Owen Hart tragedy
Let the show go on
There is a phrase in show business that suggests that no matter what, the show must go on. Ideally, however, there is an unspoken line about this mindset that probably shouldn’t be crossed. The Night Over the Edge 1999 is the night where most people would agree that Vince McMahon crossed the line.. That night, in front of 16,472 fans at Kemper Arena, Owen Hart fell to his death from the rafters in a stunt gone wrong.
Despite the fact that the ring was soaked in Owen’s blood and it became a literal, active crime scene that needed to be investigated, Vince kept the show. There is an uneasy atmosphere in the air from the performers and fans alike that makes for uncomfortable viewing. Vince defended his decision to keep the night going even in the documentary, 25 years later, making it even more controversial.
3
The XFL goes bust
Vince’s public failure
While his grandfather Jess McMahon and his father Vince McMahon Sr. Having done more work in the boxing industry, the McMahon family legacy was firmly rooted in wrestling. Vince McMahon Jr. decided to shake the table and expand his horizons by Establishing his own football league, the Xtreme Football LeagueAdding a wrestling flair to America’s most loved sport.
While the XFL had a great first week, it was also doomed for failure from the start. Few wrestling fans care about football and few football fans care about wrestling, so there was a disconnect from all possible audiences. The quality of the football was very low, and no amount of antics and spectacle could make up for it. It was, at the time, The most embarrassing, public failure that Vince ever experiencedAnd the company ceased operations just one season after opening.
2
First retirement + hash money allegations
The original reports of a “consensual affair”
The case about Janelle Grant is already well documented now, but when the news first broke, there was a lot that people were left in the dark about. Initial reports would suggest that The supposed affair with a then-anonymous employee was a consensual one. The controversy at the center of Vince’s name was “only” about his use of $3 million worth of company money as a hash money payment.
An investigation by the WWE Board of Directors would reveal that Vince paid a total of $12 million in hush money to at least four different women. The hush money and sexual misconduct allegations are enough to put a damper on Vince McMahon’s legacy, Eventually leading to his first retirement from the wrestling business. And then, the allegations got worse.
1
Second retirement + allegations of sex trafficking
Vince’s Legacy is tainted forever
Vince McMahon would return to WWE within six months to begin the process of selling the company to Endeavor, merging with UFC to create the umbrella company TKO. This seemed like another stroke of genius, as Vince apparently played off the same board members who pressured him to leave six months earlier, making an impressive 9 billion profit.
However, in the middle of the process, still Janel Grant’s name and identity were published publicly by tabloidsShe praised Wins along with the US. Vince also allegedly pressured Janelle to sign an NDA, which is illegal under the Speak Out Act.
Once the lawsuit emerged, Vince would resign from TKO, which, for now, is his final retirement from the world of pro wrestling and the company he founded. The investigation is still ongoing, but as graphic details were made public, it left a bitter taste in the mouth of anyone who ever praised Vince for his contributions to Wow.