Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon slammed the upcoming Netflix docuseries “Mr. McMahon,” calling it a “misleading” and “deceptive” depiction of him.
The founder of WWE said in a statement on Monday he didn’t regret participating in the Netflix documentary set to be released this week. The six-part series chronicles McMahon’s rise to power and the controversies that surrounded him. A trailer for the series hints at the lawsuit brought on by a former WWE employee that accuses McMahon of abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking.
McMahon said the producers had the chance “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,” he said. “A lot has been misrepresented or left out entirely in an effort to leave viewers intentionally confused. The producers use typical editing 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 I ended as evidence 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.”
According to Netflix, the series “delves into the mogul’s controversial reign” during WWE, which ended this year when he resigned as executive chairman and board member of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE. His resignation came just after former WWE employee Janel Grant said she was put through sexual acts by McMahon that were done with “extreme cruelty and degradation.” Grant alleged McMahon made her sign a non-disclosure agreement about their relationship for an agreed amount of $3 million, but she didn’t receive full payment from McMahon and wants to void the agreement with the lawsuit. Currently, the the U.S. Department of Justice is conducting its own investigation into McMahon.
Grant was not interviewed for the docuseries, her lawyers said last week. Ann Callis, an attorney for Grant, said she hopes the series “portrays the realities of (McMahon’s) abusive and exploitative behavior.”
“Mr. McMahon” will be available to stream on Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vince McMahon slams ‘Mr. McMahon’ Netflix docuseries as ‘deceptive’
