A few days before Netflix is set to release a new docuseries on the WWE, the professional wrestling organization’s former leader, Vince McMahon, lashed out against the streaming company.
McMahon, who was once the chairman of WWE as well as TKO Group Holdings and is widely credited with building the company into what it is today, said he had issues with how the docuseries has cast him, as well as how the show was edited.
The show, called “Mr. McMahon,” is set to premiere on Netflix starting Wednesday. It’s a mini-series that has six parts.
In commenting on the upcoming series, McMahon said in a statement:
“I don’t regret participating in this Netflix documentary. The producers had an opportunity to tell an objective story about my life and the incredible business I built, which were equally filled with excitement, drama, fun and a fair amount of controversy and life lessons.
“Unfortunately, based on an early partial cut I’ve seen, this doc falls short and takes the predictable path of conflating the ‘Mr. McMahon’ character with my true self, Vince. The title and promos alone make that evident.”
Zara Duffy and Bill Simmons served as executive producers of the program, while Chris Smith was its director.
McMahon continued to express his disgust with the show when he said:
“A lot has been misrepresented or left out entirely in an effort to leave viewers intentionally confused. The producers used typical ending tricks with out-of-context footage and dated soundbites etc. to distort the viewers’ perception and support a deceptive narrative.
“In an attempt to further their misleading account, the producers use a lawsuit based on an affair that I am, in fact, ‘Mr. McMahon.’ I hope the viewer will keep an open mind and remember that there are two sides to every story.”
While McMahon certainly built the WWE into an international powerhouse, he certainly isn’t without controversy. He stepped aside from his position as the head of the company in the wake of one of those controversies recently.
A former employee of the company, Janel Grant, has sued him over allegations of trafficking and misconduct.
Last week, Grant’s lawyer, Ann Callis, read a statement about the upcoming Netflix series that said:
“Janel Grant is a survivor of incomprehensible abuse … and human trafficking at the hands of Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE. It takes immense strength to speak out against Goliaths, and she has courageously come forward not just to address her own suffering, but also to act for those who are afraid to speak out.
“She is also a human being. She is smart, kind and compassionate. But because of the extreme cruelty, degradation, exploitation and violence she was subjected to on a near daily basis for more than two years, she now suffers from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation and the inability to leave her home for weeks at a time.”
