"The most fragile billionaire I've ever met" - Ex-WWE star addresses his heat with Vince McMahon
Former WWE Superstar Paul London recently addressed having backstage heat with Vince McMahon.
London joined the Stamford-based company in 2003. He spent about five years as an active competitor, during which he held the World Tag Team Championship, the WWE Tag Team Title, and the Cruiserweight Championship. However, the 43-year-old was released from his contract in November 2008.
During his WWE run, London had a rocky relationship with Vince McMahon. In a recent interview with Wrestling Then And Now, the former Tag Team Champion stated that he believed his heat with the executive chairman started before he joined the promotion.
London recalled having an awkward encounter with McMahon while working as a plant in the crowd. After a show, he tried to shake McMahon's hand but grabbed two fingers instead. McMahon seemed unpleased with what happened, according to London.
The former Tag Team Champion also recalled being called into McMahon's office for allegedly leaking his then-girlfriend Ashley Massarro's photoshoot for Hugh Hefner's magazine, which he did not do.
London then disclosed that he got more heat from McMahon for smiling during a backstage segment in 2007 before the latter's car exploded on Monday Night RAW.
"They then pulled everyone they weren't doing anything with around, and they said, 'You know, we have this segment. We need to pre-tape it. Vince is gonna be in the ring and he's gonna be acting very queer, very odd, something is off with him. (...) 'When he comes back here we're gonna have everyone lined up. Now, if he looks in your face just kinda just don't say anything but just kinda play off of him. We don't know what's going on. He's just gonna be acting very queer.' So, that was it. They had filmed the limo explosion the night before. Didn't mention any of that to us. Didn't say anything." [2:25 - 3:21]
All superstars then stood around trying to look mysterious, as London described. Meanwhile, he decided to play the "village idiot role" and put a big smile on his face because he did not know what was happening.
"We did it nine or 10 times. He looked in my face each time. Each time I had the big old grin on my face, and he was like, 'Okay, thank you. We're done.' And then it wasn't until like Khali's manager or something pointed it out, like, 'Oh, excuse me sir, do you think somebody's gonna notice this?' and pointed it out. (...) He power walked over to me, he said, 'Why were you smiling?' [London replied] 'I don't know what's going on. Whatever is going on, you don't kill like the village idiot. Like, I don't know anything.' He's like, 'I don't get that [angry tone],' and he walked off. He was so just upset and bothered. I thought like, 'God, this is the most fragile billionaire I've ever met.'". [4:20 - 5:17]
Paul London on his 'weird' relationship with WWE CCO Triple H. Check out his comments here.
Paul London believes WWE could have easily fixed the segment
Speaking to Wrestling Then And Now, Paul London claimed that WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon seemingly overreacted and could have easily fixed the sequence. The former Tag Team Champion disclosed that they could have filmed it again since everyone was still there.
However, McMahon decided to storm off as he was "so hurt," as London described.
"Everyone's here. 'Guys, we gotta do one more.' You know, you can even throw me under the bus and be like, 'This idiot is smiling. We need to do one more. Don't smile.' Easy fix. But he was so hurt that he stormed off (...) And sadly, it wasn't until the Benoit incident that it kind of erased everything in terms of importance or whatever, and it dissipated all the heat that I had, unfortunately for that situation." [5:24 - 6:17]
Paul London mistakenly received VIP treatment due to having WWE CCO Triple H's same initials. Check out the story here.
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