Vince McMahon always had an on-screen presence in WWE, starting as an announcer in the '80s.
Vince would work as a commentator during the '90s before transforming into Mr. McMahon following the Montreal Screwjob in 1997.
Through his feud with Steve Austin and others, Vince became an iconic bad guy on WWE television. Though wrestling is scripted entertainment, what happens on screen and what's going on in real life can be blurred.
In "Mr. McMahon," Vince discussed the blurring of characters in an interview that was recorded in 2021.
"What's my legacy? You know, I don't have one. Everyone has a certain feeling about who they think Vince McMahon is. People really don't know me at all. A lot of people have confused who my character was on television and who I am. When I look in the mirror, I know who I'm looking at. I know the reflection.
"Sometimes the lines of reality or fact and fiction are very blurred in our business. Sometimes what happens is performers start believing in themselves. They start believing in their own character. The individual loses all sense of who they really are personally. They become the character. 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."
Many of Vince's on-screen actions have been looked at under a different light when allegations of sexual misconduct and hush money were revealed in June 2022.
More allegations against McMahon came out in January 2023 when Janel Grant, a former WWE employee, filed a lawsuit in January against Vince McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis. The lawsuit accuses McMahon of sexual assault and sex trafficking. On May 30, Grant agreed to pause the lawsuit for six months while the federal investigation continued against McMahon, who resigned from TKO/WWE following the lawsuit being filed.
Fans can now stream all six episodes of "Mr. McMahon" on Netflix.
Victim Resources:
National Sexual Assault Hotline
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1-800-656-4673
