Not long before Vince McMahon was interviewed on Netflix’s Mr. McMahon, he was something of an enigma to most people in the world, including WWE superfans.
It’s difficult to separate the two characters of Vince McMahon and Mr. McMahon: the former is a business-savvy intellectual who built an entertainment empire, while the latter is a megalomaniacal sociopath.
For long-time WWE fans, this is the perfect opportunity to learn about the dark and dramatic secrets surrounding one of WWE’s most notorious villains. Instead, something strange happened.
As Vince McMahon left the interview, his story was told, his history with WWE was “revealed” and the mystery remained. This is the huge flaw in an otherwise entertaining spectacle.
For those who are not familiar with WWE, there is some interesting information in the book. To those like that, it’s just a grain of sand on oceanfront real estate.
Netflix’s Mr. MacMahon Is Just Entertainment
Of course, there are articles that promote shocking truths about a business tycoon who built a “professional” wrestling empire from scratch. But for those of us who know a little bit about WWE, there’s nothing here to write home about.
If you’re familiar with Tiger King and Netflix’s colorful documentaries, you’ll feel right at home. In fact, Chris Smith, the executive producer and director of “Mr. McMahon,” also worked on “Tiger King.”
From the beginning, the documentary feels like it’s trying to rip apart the deep underbelly of professional wrestling, with McMahon being the primary target.
Allegations of steroid use, child sexual abuse, the accidental death of one WWE Superstar and the murder-suicide of another have led viewers to believe Netflix’s Mr. McMahon will eventually turn on the bathroom light.
Instead, it ultimately reveals a more sedentary, laid-back image of the man. This is not to say that these accusations and statements are not extremely evil.
But in this day and age, where scary and depressing breaking news happens every hour, McMahon’s exploits seem entirely mundane.
The most egregious example is the timing, which we can partly blame on Netflix’s documentary. Ultimately, this is a stinking retelling of a story that most fans have heard before, and that’s a shame.
Vince McMahon’s POV
In the interest of justice, it’s worth mentioning this: There’s no way Netflix’s Mr. McMahon documentary could have escaped the scrutiny of McMahon himself.
“Much content was distorted or left out entirely, deliberately confusing viewers. The producers used typical editing techniques, including out-of-context footage and outdated soundbites, to distort viewers’ perceptions and support a deceptive narrative.
——Vince McMahon
To be fair, this is true, at least to some extent. Ultimately, a successful documentary is one that entertains. If it’s boring, no one will watch it. It’s simply a sad fact of life that even the most accurate information is often ignored if the presentation is boring.
Vince McMahon, for his part, had the right response to Netflix’s announcement.
“I hope viewers keep an open mind and remember that there are two sides to every story.”
——Vince McMahon
Even more puzzling is the fact that Netflix released Mr. McMahon after the streaming giant struck a deal with WWE. Starting in 2025, WWE Raw will air exclusively on Netflix, along with Smackdown, NXT and major WWE events.
McMahon isn’t without support, and this is where things get interesting. We’re dealing with the juxtaposition of Vince McMahon and Mr. McMahon, something other wrestlers have pointed out, along with Gabby Tufte (Tyler Rex).
One is a fictional villain and the other is a real-life businessman who has been embroiled in controversy from time to time.
The shady history of McMahon’s legacy
While McMahon’s denials focus on incidents on Netflix’s Mr. McMahon, a history of abuse, drug use, sexual assault, rape, pedophilia and hush money hangs around McMahon like a foul fog .
► In 1986, Rita Chatterton accused Vince McMahon of raping her in a limousine.
► In 1992, McMahon was accused of ignoring rampant sexual misconduct in WWE, specifically involving the head of wrestling operations, his assistants and ring announcers.
► McMahon is accused of aiding and abetting Jimmy Snuka in evading murder and domestic violence charges.
► In 2006, McMahon settled a sex charge for $1 million.
► McMahon fired a wrestler over sexual coercion accusations (settled in 2018).
► In 2008, McMahon settled another sex charge for $1 million.
► In 2006, McMahon was accused of sexual misconduct (obscenity).
► The Wall Street Journal reports on sexual assault allegations against McMahon over a 2011 incident.
► Rita Chatterton’s accusations resurfaced in 2022.
► In mid-2022, a whistleblower email exposed allegations of hush payments and improper nondisclosure agreements.
► Paul London accuses Vince McMahon of obsessively pursuing Paul’s ex-boyfriend Ashley Massaro, who committed suicide in 2019
► Janel Grant accuses Vince McMahon of physical and mental abuse, sex trafficking and sexual assault, and later in 2022, John Laurinaitis ), Vince McMahon and WWE filed suit.
► Federal investigators serve a search warrant on McMahon and obtain his cell phone.
Some of the charges are well beyond the statute of limitations. However, places like New York and California have recently passed laws allowing old charges and lawsuits to be refiled.
Overall, the range is pretty wide, and where there’s smoke, there’s usually a fire. But it’s the last and most brutal accusation that Netflix missed (Janell Grant).
Mr. McMahon is a sympathetic historical tale
Much of Netflix’s Mr. McMahon is hard to relate to. However, everything changes once the series touches on his relationship with his son.
A compassionate father figure is harder to quantify than a serial sadist. The biggest flaw is this, combined with the failure to highlight the voices that really matter – the unknown commodity wrestlers.
Anyone who knows anything about WWE knows that there are thousands of hours of footage sitting in the backroom rooms, but none of it has been accessed or used.
They also know that the lesser-known names in wrestling are the ones who most often encounter the seedy side of showbiz.
However, Netflix didn’t interview any of them, instead opting for the big names and the greater viewership they offer. This was all before the latest accusations. This is a huge mistake.
Maybe four people on the planet know who Tiger King is, but the show is a huge success. “Tiger King” proves that a good documentary can do more with less.
Ultimately, this changed the feel and look of the show from a necessary documentary centered on a man who might have gotten away with so much, to a sympathetic retelling of well-known events.
Of course, this is an entertainment extravaganza within WWE Entertainment.
But in the end, that’s all it is – another allegation farm that Vince McMahon can thoroughly salt in before moving on.
What do you think of Netflix’s Mr. McMahon?
Does it reveal anything you didn’t already know? Let us know in the comments!
Watch Mr. McMahon online
