The Wall Street Journal Vince McMahon Thread.

[worldcupfever]

44 minutes ago, Greggulator said:

EX: I am pretty sure it is in the lawsuit and not something in the media (I can’t check right this second), but the victim claims the WWE didn’t reach out to her when conducting its own internal investigation. Would the WWE — being looked at by the SEC for Vince’s payoffs along with Vince and who knows who else internally facing a criminal investigation and in the midst of a potential giant corporate merger while shopping around a billion media rights deal — be that stupid to not follow all of the internal investigation stuff to the letter of the law? Or, more accurately, would the very expensive law firm they hired to conduct the investigation put their reputation at risk to help out a wrestling company?

I thought one of the board members who left (I believe forced out) upon Vince's return disputed that and confirmed that they DID reach out to the victim.  I'll try to dig up where I read that.

[(BP)]

I’m not surprised by Nash’s response. He used to tell that story in shoot interviews about Iron Sheik slapping around a woman they brought back to their hotel room because she wouldn’t arch her back like a dog, and he delivered it like it was a lighthearted anecdote. 

[Dolfan in NYC]

3 minutes ago, (BP) said:

I’m not surprised by Nash’s response. He used to tell that story in shoot interviews about Iron Sheik slapping around a woman they brought back to their hotel room because she wouldn’t arch her back like a dog, and he delivered it like it was a lighthearted anecdote. 

Look, I may be in the weird position of 'biting the hand that feeds me' (even though I draw zero compensation from being an admin), but.... this whole board was made (in)famous because of a thread of 'lighthearted anecdotes' that are horrific if you really sit and think about them.  

The whole industry has been (and in a lot of cases continues to be) filled with monsters.   As Jae said...  stare into the abyss to deeply and it will stare back.   

 

[Cobra Commander]

1 hour ago, Curt McGirt said:

I'm sure the vultures that do things like selling serial killer memorabilia are all over the Brock sale. They'd looooove to get ahold of my Benoit Hard Knocks DVD, I bet.

looking at what's on the WWE shop... the shorts would look like Punisher knockoff gear to non-fans and the "Country Ass Kickin" hoodie/t-shirt gives no indicator that it's for Brock Lesnar so you could wear that in any rural area if you wanted to test the locals.

then there's two Brock vs Cody t-shirts, a hat, a plush, a key ring, socks, a lanyard, another pair of socks, and a Framed Collage with a Piece of Match-Used Canvas. Man this company has a variety of ways to merchandise guys.

[(BP)]

Just now, Dolfan in NYC said:

this whole board was made (in)famous because of a thread of 'lighthearted anecdotes' that are horrific if you really sit and think about them.  

 

Sure, but that’s also why when we hear or read something that is uniquely wild or disgusting, even for us, it’s notable. 

[Cobra Commander]

11 minutes ago, Dolfan in NYC said:

his whole board was made (in)famous because of a thread of 'lighthearted anecdotes' that are horrific if you really sit and think about them.  

fortunately for no shortage of people, the pre-2013 board disappeared into the ether years ago... although I think the actual thread you mention disappeared even earlier.

[Elsalvajeloco]

I am pretty sure there is a whole section of the unofficial wrestling YouTube that is dedicated to "Tell Your Absolutely Insane Khosrow Story" and that is before he passed away.

I will never unhear Mark Calaway doing an Iron Sheik impression.

[John from Cincinnati]

Are Nash and the co-host making the assumption that just because a civil suit has been filed that those same people haven’t been in contact with the authorities? What sort of logic is that? 

[AxB]

The Sleaze thread was 19 and a half years ago, and I'm pretty sure that 90%+ of the people who joined to post to it aren't here any more. 

Amusingly, I did see some random on twitter trying to discourse that DVDVR takes "too much credit" for the Sleaze Thread, considering it was immediately reposted to every wrestling forum that existed at the time, and a lot of the posts in their were from people who joined to post to it, rather than existing regulars.

[odessasteps]

47 minutes ago, Dolfan in NYC said:

Look, I may be in the weird position of 'biting the hand that feeds me' (even though I draw zero compensation from being an admin), but.... this whole board was made (in)famous because of a thread of 'lighthearted anecdotes' that are horrific if you really sit and think about them.  

The whole industry has been (and in a lot of cases continues to be) filled with monsters.   As Jae said...  stare into the abyss to deeply and it will stare back.   

 

And it was allegedly started by the owner of the other corporate wrestling company. 

[Robert S]

28 minutes ago, AxB said:

The Sleaze thread was 19 and a half years ago, and I'm pretty sure that 90%+ of the people who joined to post to it aren't here any more. 

Amusingly, I did see some random on twitter trying to discourse that DVDVR takes "too much credit" for the Sleaze Thread, considering it was immediately reposted to every wrestling forum that existed at the time, and a lot of the posts in their were from people who joined to post to it, rather than existing regulars.

I was mostly lurking back then but my impression was that the sleaze thread came and went and was barely a thing for at least a decade, was only brought up here for a side remark here and there.

[The Great ML]

40 minutes ago, AxB said:

The Sleaze thread was 19 and a half years ago, and I'm pretty sure that 90%+ of the people who joined to post to it aren't here any more. 

Amusingly, I did see some random on twitter trying to discourse that DVDVR takes "too much credit" for the Sleaze Thread, considering it was immediately reposted to every wrestling forum that existed at the time, and a lot of the posts in their were from people who joined to post to it, rather than existing regulars.

I am, homeboy. Me and Tommy Rich’s peroxided balls.

[Greggulator]

1 hour ago, worldcupfever said:

I thought one of the board members who left (I believe forced out) upon Vince's return disputed that and confirmed that they DID reach out to the victim.  I'll try to dig up where I read that.

I read that. And I'm also skeptical of that, too. That's just the healthy way to approach this for everyone -- take everything everyone says with a huge grain of salt right now.

[MKERyan]

Add Mick Foley to the list of gross Attitude Era stars whatabouting all the “great memories” Vince helped create. 

“He sure was [a part of my favorite WrestleMania moments]. Man, he was a huge part of it. His belief in me made all the difference in the world, from just being another guy to being one of his main guys during that Attitude Era, and anyone who’s listened to a single episode knows the fondness I have for Mr. McMahon, but…I don’t know all the facts. But man, it’s really ugly. I feel some very similar, just like that dead inside feeling, the way I had in 2007, after the Benoit murders. Man, I hope it doesn’t take away from people’s amazing memories of all the things that Mr. McMahon created or helped create, including my character and the programs that I was in. He was such a big part of it. I wish he’d really just stepped aside the first time we heard a little hint of these allegations. I believe you brought up the RAINN hotline [on other podcasts]. I was a volunteer on the hotline for two years, so I know the great work they do, and if somebody has a workplace difficulty or has a difficulty in their personal life, or have been the survivor of an assault, then RAINN.org is a great place to go to look for help," 

[TimLivingston]

EDIT: Never mind. @Technico Support hooked it up on the Twitter thread for us non-Twitter folks. 

Edited February 5 by TimLivingston

[odessasteps]

Given what she probably experienced in the business, not sure I would have expected  Missy Hyatt to be posting “comedy tweets” (YMMV) about this story. 

[Log]

6 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

Given what she probably experienced in the business, not sure I would have expected  Missy Hyatt to be posting “comedy tweets” (YMMV) about this story. 

Not saying Missy is this way, but I once heard a female executive at an old job bemoan that younger females complained about sexual harassment. “Oh, it’s nothing. You should have seen what I went through.” Some see it as just part of the business, something you just have to deal with. 

[John from Cincinnati]

10 minutes ago, Log said:

Not saying Missy is this way, but I once heard a female executive at an old job bemoan that younger females complained about sexual harassment. “Oh, it’s nothing. You should have seen what I went through.” Some see it as just part of the business, something you just have to deal with. 

“Nothing should ever improve” - all the worst old people you know 

[Cobra Commander]

yeah Missy Hyatt never really strikes me as being a paragon of sensitivity and good taste

[odessasteps]

She also just went on the Jericho cruise, for what it’s worth. 
 

That said, I’d love to have her on the pod to talk about working in Dallas and for Watts.

[Cobra Commander]

could add some questions on her favorite Civil War battles to reenact

I think the whole "I never expected something like this" cliche that pops up after someone is arrested for awful crimes has gone out of style lately but that's sorta what's happening here with the old workers and this Vince situation.

[Curt McGirt]

How the hell has Missy not showed up on Dark Side yet? Waiting for her own episode?

[Zakk_Sabbath]

9 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

could add some questions on her favorite Civil War battles to reenact

I think the whole "I never expected something like this" cliche that pops up after someone is arrested for awful crimes has gone out of style lately but that's sorta what's happening here with the old workers and this Vince situation.

This is the reason that I'm trying to give a bit of grace to your Nashes and Foleys saying things like "I mean, I wasn't there..." or "I don't know all the facts." The entire situation has got to be hard to reconcile for any performer who was part of the machine at the level they were. I think Dolfan was on the money when he used the phrase "bite the hand that feeds" - if you take someone like Nash, who went from bouncing at nipple clubs to main eventing the Garden, or Foley, who grew up in NY with Vince calling matches, I can see the idea of hesitancy or resistance to admitting to one's self "A violent rapist enabled me to buy this house and send my kids to this really good school" or whatever it is - for others it may be a movie career, for some it could be like "I get to charge $5 more for an 8x10 since I was on WWE TV"

Edit: This is all, of course, setting aside the ingrained "One more run" or "Defend the business" aspects we discussed pages back

Edited February 6 by Zakk_Sabbath

[Octopus]

stumbled on this on Reddit. Supposedly women tried speaking out to management in the past, according to unnamed source. 

[Steventon]

4 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

This is the reason that I'm trying to give a bit of grace to your Nashes and Foleys saying things like "I mean, I wasn't there..." or "I don't know all the facts." The entire situation has got to be hard to reconcile for any performer who was part of the machine at the level they were. I think Dolfan was on the money when he used the phrase "bite the hand that feeds" - if you take someone like Nash, who went from bouncing at nipple clubs to main eventing the Garden, or Foley, who grew up in NY with Vince calling matches, I can see the idea of hesitancy or resistance to admitting to one's self "A violent rapist enabled me to buy this house and send my kids to this really good school" or whatever it is - for others it may be a movie career, for some it could be like "I get to charge $5 more for an 8x10 since I was on WWE TV"

Edit: This is all, of course, setting aside the ingrained "One more run" or "Defend the business" aspects we discussed pages back

I think we also have to understand its VERY hard for most people to be objective and detach themselves from a situation when it's so close to home and related to someone they've known, worked with and/or been friends with for decades, which is how I read Foley's comment.