5 times Vince McMahon crossed the line on television
Vince McMahon recently stepped back as the Chairman of WWE in one of the most shocking pro-wrestling moments of all time.
For the uninitiated, certain controversial allegations have been imposed against McMahon, due to which he has decided to step back as the Chairman. As of now, Stephanie McMahon is the interim CEO and Chairwoman of WWE.
This isn't the first time Vince McMahon has been involved in a controversy. Over the years, he has faced multiple allegations and has managed to handle most of them.
He has also committed several controversial acts on live TV. Here, we have five incidents where he crossed the line on television.
#5 Vince McMahon humiliated several superstars on television
#OnThisDay in 2001: Vince McMahon makes Trish Stratus bark like a dog on WWF TV.
Wrestling can pull off a heel being verbally & emotionally mean to someone, but a crowd cheering for coerced stripping & Vince acting like a slimy abuser made the segment feel dirty & uncomfortable https://t.co/uBg2ibJCWC
Yes, WWE frequently features heels humiliating the babyfaces. However, The Boss sometimes goes out of his way to humiliate superstars on another level.
There have been segments where he has forced wrestlers like Shawn Michaels and Hornswoggle to kiss his exposed backside. These are some of the most disgusting moments fans have ever seen on television.
That isn't it. McMahon has also humiliated stars in multiple other ways. On an episode of RAW in 2001, he made Trish Stratus "bark like a dog". It was one of the most disrespectful things any heel has ever performed on TV.
#4 Wrestled his daughter on TV
In 2003, Vince McMahon was involved in a romantic angle with Sable. Of course, the angle was disliked by some fans as Vince McMahon is married in real life.
The segments would involve Stephanie McMahon interrupting the two, and McMahon getting angry at his daughter. The storyline started to include Linda McMahon as well.
The payoff came at No Mercy 2003 in a "Father vs. Daughter" match. The match featured the former WWE Chairman assaulting his daughter on live television. Surely, the match wasn't suitable for the younger audience who believed pro-wrestling was real and not scripted.
Thankfully, WWE has now made its programming suitable for a wide spectrum of audiences and avoids features of violent intergender matches.
#3 Controversial segment with Stacy Keibler
In 2002, Vince McMahon and Stacy Keibler were involved in a sensual angle where she wanted to get hired as the personal assistant of the WWE Chairman.
They were involved in several such segments, one of which is incredibly popular. To get her job, she performed a sensual dance in the ring for The Boss. The segment crossed several lines.
It featured Mr. McMahon hiring an employee for the wrong reasons and not their talent. The segment gave birth to the iconic Vince McMahon meme template, but on television, it was somewhat unsuitable for a wide spectrum of audiences.
Thankfully, such segments are now avoided in WWE considering its PG product.
#2 Betraying Bret Hart
The Montreal Screwjob will always remain one of the most talked-about moments in professional wrestling history.
Vince McMahon orchestrated a plan to take the WWF Championship off Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1997 after Hart made the decision to leave WWF. His last match was against Shawn Michaels for the title, but he was unwilling to lose the bout.
In the infamous incident, Michaels put Bret Hart into the Sharpshooter and the latter didn't tap out. However, the bell was rung and Shawn Michaels became the new WWF Champion.
"The Excellence of Execution" spat in the face of his boss and destroyed the ringside area in frustration. Thankfully, the real-life conflict has now been resolved and Bret Hart also made a return to WWE in 2010.
If you're wondering if Hart forgave McMahon and Michaels for the Montreal Screwjob, we've got the answer right here.
#1 Staging his own demise
Vince McMahon stages his own death. https://t.co/vfDOrGfbPe
Fans usually get a lot of surprises in WWE like returns, double-crosses, and Money in the Bank cash-ins. However, in 2007, Vince McMahon pulled off a stunt that no one would have ever imagined.
During that time, the product featured a sad WWE Chairman depressed by the pressure of his work. The company held a "Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night" episode of RAW.
Various superstars and legends disrespected their boss instead of appreciating his effort. After the show, a sad McMahon entered his limousine, which shockingly blew up. Fans were worried and some thought it to be Vince McMahon's real death.
However, the plan was later scrapped due to the untimely passing of Chris Benoit. The company accepted that the blast was part of an ill-timed storyline.
Either way, one can never deny that the controversial scene Mr. McMahon pulled off can only be done by him.
The list goes on and on. Let us know which moment was the most humiliating in the comments section.