Current:Home > FinanceOpinion: Who is Vince McMahon? He can't hide true self in 'Mr. McMahon' Netflix series -Capitatum
Opinion: Who is Vince McMahon? He can't hide true self in 'Mr. McMahon' Netflix series
View
Date:2025-04-13 08:13:04
If there's only one thing to take from what is said during the "Mr. McMahon" documentary, take it from none other than the WWE founder himself.
During an interview in the final episode of the series, Vince McMahon says in the wrestling business, performers start believing in their on-screen character and lose all sense of who they really are.
"I'm wondering myself now, which is the character and which is me? I guess maybe it's a blend. I would suggest that one is exaggerated a little bit, but I'm not so sure which one," he said.
It's not hard to tell.
Despite the greatness he achieved in making WWE a globally recognized brand and one of the biggest forms of entertainment, all the controversy surrounding McMahon during his rise to power — from claims of drug and steroid abuse to multiple sexual assault allegations — did not take a backseat in the six-part Netflix docuseries.
What to know:How to watch series about Vince McMahon on Netflix
Just days before the series premiered, McMahon ripped it, saying it is a "misleading" and "deceptive" depiction of him. After watching it, it's clear why McMahon didn't like it: because all of his baggage was fully laid out.
Throughout the series, he says the "Mr. McMahon" persona he portrayed on screen — a manipulative, power-hungry and sexually depraved boss — is far from who he really is. But the similarities between who we saw on screen and what we've learned from behind the scenes are hard to differentiate.
There are plenty of moments when McMahon gets praise. The series shows how he got WWE nationalized and won the war it had with WCW, as well as how the "Attitude Era" forever changed the trajectory of wrestling's popularity. WWE legend Tony Atlas called McMahon "the greatest promoter of all time," and The Undertaker said he would take a bullet for him. Other stars said he was like a father to them.
Despite how influential he was in helping wrestlers become stars, there was also fear in how he could quickly change your career. Basically do what I want you to do, or face consequences. The great Trish Stratus said it didn't seem like a coincidence after she denied kissing another woman on screen, she lost the Women's Championship the next week.
"There was a bit of a concern amongst performers that if you didn’t do what you were asked, that you would get punished," Stratus said. "And yeah, it did happen to some on occasion, sometimes."
McMahon also displayed a lack of empathy and self-awareness about things he allegedly did wrong. He was dismissive of sexual assault allegations brought against him, including by former referee Rita Marie. Atlas said in the early days of the company, “we abused the hell out of women. All of us did."
There also appeared to be zero regret about how the death of Owen Hart was handled. Despite falling to his death inside the ring in the middle of a show, McMahon reasoned the show continued because if it were him, "I would want the show to go on" and the crowd came to see a show even though Hart's blood stained the mat. When talking about the Chris Benoit double-murder-suicide, McMahon suggested the wrestler "went nuts" and wrestling had nothing to do with what happened, even though researchers said they found Benoit suffered with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
And there was that odd interview segment when McMahon said he has two brains and one is thinking something different than what he is doing at any given moment. When asked what that other brain is thinking about, McMahon said sex.
However that doesn't come close to when McMahon confirmed arguably one of the most ridiculous WWE pitches of all time. McMahon once was pitched a storyline where his daughter, Stephanie, was pregnant and he was the father of the child. Stephanie McMahon said she instantly shut it down, but the WWE boss couldn't help but chuckle thinking back on that storyline he wanted to do. If he thought something was going to make money, he didn't care if it was morally corrupt.
"This is business, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for business" McMahon said in one episode.
In more than five hours of footage, viewers were probably hoping for McMahon to address the sexual assault and human trafficking allegations from a former WWE employee. After all, McMahon has staunchly defended himself and isn't afraid to do so in front of a camera.
Instead, he canceled his last interviews with the production team.
Multiple people interviewed said what made McMahon so good in his role was he blurred the lines of fantasy and reality, so fans couldn't tell if what they were watching was true or not.
When asked if Vince McMahon and Mr. McMahon are the same person, stars participating in the docuseries were split. Some said they were nowhere near identical, while others said they were the same or close. McMahon said himself nobody really knows who is he is, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Since McMahon took over WWE from his father in 1982, he has spent every second showing the entire world exactly who he is.
Vince McMahon is Mr. McMahon. And Mr. McMahon is Vince McMahon. The two can not be separated.
veryGood! (24)
Related
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Midwest flooding devastation comes into focus as flood warnings are extended in other areas
- Judge allows disabled voters in Wisconsin to electronically vote from home
- 2024 NBA mock draft: Projections for all 30 first-round picks during draft week
- Louisiana high court temporarily removes Judge Eboni Johnson Rose from Baton Rouge bench amid probe
- US court says Smith & Wesson must comply with New Jersey subpoena in deceptive advertising probe
- Detroit is banning gas stations from locking customers inside, a year after a fatal shooting
- 5 people killed, 13-year-old girl critically injured in Las Vegas shooting
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Horoscopes Today, June 25, 2024
Ranking
- Bodycam footage shows high
- Judge alters Trump’s gag order, letting him talk about witnesses, jury after hush money conviction
- E! Staff Tries Juliette Has A Gun: Is This the Brand’s Best Perfume?
- Judge allows disabled voters in Wisconsin to electronically vote from home
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Minnesota Lynx win 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup. Here's how much money the team gets.
- Ulta’s Summer Beauty Sale Is Here—Score Redken, Estée Lauder, Sun Bum & More Beauty Faves up to 45% Off
- Travis and Jason Kelce Detail Meeting “Coolest Motherf--cking Dude Prince William and His Kids
Recommendation
Shilo Sanders' bankruptcy case reaches 'impasse' over NIL information for CU star
US court says Smith & Wesson must comply with New Jersey subpoena in deceptive advertising probe
5 people killed, 13-year-old girl critically injured in Las Vegas shooting
‘Babies killing babies:' Teenagers charged in shooting that killed 3-year-old and wounded 7-year-old
Blake Lively’s Inner Circle Shares Rare Insight on Her Life as a Mom to 4 Kids
Louisville police chief resigns after mishandling sexual harassment claims
Bear euthanized after injuring worker at park concession stand in Tennessee
Tesla issues 2 recalls of its Cybertruck, bringing total number to 4