"I got pulled aside by Stephanie McMahon" - Ex-WWE star on getting 'outed' on live TV
Former WWE Superstar Joy Giovanni recently recalled getting "outed" on live television.
Giovanni participated in the 2004 Diva Search. Despite failing to win the competition, the 45-year-old signed a contract with the Stamford-based company. However, she spent about a year on Vince McMahon's promotion before getting released from her contract in July 2005.
When Giovanni participated in the Diva Search competition, she did not inform WWE that she was a mother. In an interview with Ring The Belle, she explained that, at the time, being a mother was "highly unacceptable" in the industry.
"Back then, the industry was completely different. The film an television idustry and the 'sports entertainment industry,' it was highly unacceptable to have children. It wasn't something that people would out loud tell you just like other types of discrimination but if an agent, if a manager, if a production found out that you have kids, you are undesirable," she said. [4:56 - 5:16]
However, fellow competitor Carmella DeCesare outed Giovanni on live television, which led Stephanie McMahon to pull the latter aside.
"Carmella in all of her glory was the one that outed me to the entire world that I was a mom. Nobody knew. I got pulled aside by production, by Stephanie McMahon, by everyone you could imagine, and they were like, 'do you have kids?!' And I was like 'Surprise, I do. [awkward thumbs up gesture]. And the crazy thing is the only reason she knew that is because of that tiny room that we were in, she would hear my personal phone conversations talking to my kids multiple times a day. So, she took it upon herself to bring my out of the parenthood closet. And to be quite honest I actually got dropped by one of my agents because of it," Giovanni added. [5:34 - 6:14]
Joy Giovanni is one of five former WWE women who are now unrecognizable. Check out the list here.
WWE signed several contestants from the 2004 Diva Search
Christy Hemme won the 2004 Diva Search competition. Hence, she earned a one-year contract and $250,000. Meanwhile, the Stamford-based company had signed several other contestants, including Amy Weber, Maria Kanellis, Joy Giovanni, and Michelle McCool.
Weber, Giovanni, and Hemme left the company in 2005. Meanwhile, Kanellis and McCool had more success in WWE. Kanellis had two runs in Vince McMahon's promotion, during which she won a Slammy Award and held the 24/7 Championship. McCool was even more successful as a full-time in-ring competitor. She won the Divas Championship and the Women's Title during her seven-year run as a full-time wrestler. McCool recently participated in the 2023 Women's Royal Rumble match.
All Diva Search Winners: Where are they now? Check out the details here.
Please credit Ring The Belle and give a H/T to Sportskeeda if you use the above transcription.