The new McMahons DVD features commentary from Stephanie McMahon where she says that she had to nix potential incest angles. According to her, Vince wanted himself to be revealed as the father of her baby and when she said no, he pushed for Shane to be revealed as the father. She turned that idea down also. She also said no to Vince's idea that her wedding to Triple H be aired on PPV.

I can't wait to see this when I get it from my pre-order. mist 2

Wonder if they would have charged the usual $39.95 for the Marriage PPV or treated it like WM and made it $44.95? Vince will obviously do ANYTHING for money. And people still call him a wrestling genuis?

I don't know--it might have been worth -some- cash to see Michael Hayes make an ass of himself karaoke-style. ^_^

Wonder if HBK would have presided over the ceremony?

You're writing a future RAW segment as you type--someday :HHH: and Nipple H will reunite onscreen too.

From Meltzer today:

[spoiler]This is going to be my "surprised" face from now on.[/spoiler]

Who is that guy? He seems to have Lisa Simpson's hair, whoever he is.

That's the title character of the anime Naruto. It's an anime about ninjas in training.

Ah--it does seem to make for a good surprised face, definitely.

I wonder how many characters will be in the set? I'm assuming Bret, Michaels, Hebner, and Vince. Will it just be the four of them standing or will they recreate the actual moment?

They may design them with enough articulation to recreate the actual moment.

What would be really weird is if they have an "aftermath" version of Vince's head, either as an interchangeable or as a variant, with the black eye Bret gave him.

If they did that, I"d be using your surprised face. ^_^

[spoiler] this was written by a reader from the Torch, but its VERY funny so i thought i would share it[/spoiler]


On July 24, 2006 the McMahon/Levesque family assembled in delivery room #2 of Greenwich Memorial Hospital. The newest member of the McMahon family was about to be born. Details of what went on in the delivery room that day were unknown...until now. A grainy, almost unwatchable tape has leaked to the wrestling media. What follows is a transcript of that tape...

(Timetable in bold/parenthesis)

(3:55:16 p.m.)

(Events/Details in Bold Italic Parenthesis)

(Stephanie McMahon is in Delivery room #2. Doctor Enters.)

STEPHANIE
(Screaming)

DOCTOR
Stephanie, let me give you something for the pain.

STEPHANIE
I don't need it.

DOCTOR
Are you a Scientologist?

STEPHANIE
I'm a McMahon, dammit! The only drugs I need are those allowed by the WWE wellness policy.

DOCTOR
Which are?

STEPHANIE
Everything. If you know how to work the system. Just ask Terry Bollea. I've got enough steroids, weed, and Boonesfarm in my system right now to give the average wrestler a very strong buzz. So you can shove that Tylenol 3 up your...

DOCTOR
...Well! Your family will be here soon to help you through this.

STEPHANIE
My mother Linda is already here.

DOCTOR
Where?

LINDA
(Very, very quietly) I'm right behind you.

DOCTOR
I'm sorry ma'am, I thought you were an IV stand. You must be petrified. You're wide-eyed and stiff as a board.

STEPHANIE
No, she always looks like that.

(3:57:45 p.m.)

(Triple H, the baby's father, enters the delivery room #2)

Paul! This is the most important day of our lives.

TRIPLE H
Yes, my love. And I have only one question for you. Are you ready?

STEPHANIE
Yes.

TRIPLE H
No, no, no. I can't hear you. I said, are you ready?

STEPHANIE
Yes!

TRIPLE H
Then for the handful in attendance and the millions who will watch this later on PPV from the secret camera Kevin Dunn planted in the room...

STEPHANIE
What?

TRIPLE H
...let's get ready to drop it!

DOCTOR
Mr. Levesque, quiet down in here!

TRIPLE H
Doc, If your not down with all that, then I've got two words ya: Suck it!

DOCTOR
Security! Please remove this man from the delivery room,

(Three "security guards" enter the room. They are all dressed in black polos with the word security in white letters on the back and upper right corners of their shirts. Two of them look like generic independent wrestlers. The third is Colt Cabana. Triple H double
clotheslines the first two and Pedigrees Colt Cabana.)

How did you get those fake security guards in here?

TRIPLE H
Unlimited resources. Where's Linda?

LINDA
(Very, very quietly) I'm right here.

TRIPLE H
Sorry. I thought you were wallpaper.

(3:59:02pm)
(Shane McMahon dances into delivery room #2 )

SHANE
Here comes the money!

DOCTOR
Sir, please stop dancing!

SHANE
Doc, I'm in my late 30s. If I haven't stopped before this, I'm not gonna stop now. Where's Mom?

LINDA
(Very, very quietly) I'm right here.

SHANE
Whoa. I thought you were a WWE financial superstar souvenir cardboard standee.

DOCTOR
Give Stephanie some room, the baby is coming and the head is about to breach...

SHANE
The baby can't come yet, Dad isn't here!

(The Big Show enters delivery room #2)

DOCTOR
Where did this man come from?

SHANE
Unlimited resources.

(Shane sets a chair between Stephanie's legs and climbs on Big Show's shoulders. He gives the baby's breaching head the VanDaminator.)

DOCTOR
My God!

VINCE
Did someone call me?

(4:01:12 p.m.)

(Vince McMahon enters delivery room #2)

STEPHANIE
Daddy, you're here!

DOCTOR
This is madness! Everyone get out of this delivery room right now!

VINCE
Doc, I have two words for you. You're fiiiiired!

TRIPLE H
Vince will take it from here, Doc.

DOCTOR
But he's not a Doctor!

VINCE
I'm a McMahon, dammit!

STEPHANIE
My Daddy can do anything.

VINCE
I'm the genetic jackhammer with balls the size of grapefruits.

STEPHANIE
(Screams)

DOCTOR
Okay, here comes the baby again. Please, no one stop the birth!

TRIPLE H
But this birth angle is brilliant. We can stretch it out longer than the DX-McMahon feud.

STEPHANIE
No, this is it! (Screaming)

VINCE
Here it comes...I've got the baby!

SHANE
That's Jim Ross's head.

VINCE
Gotcha!

STEPHANIE
My Daddy is so funny! Whoa! (Screams again)

VINCE
Here it is!

TRIPLE H
That's a human hand.

VINCE
Gotcha again! The old Mae Young gag.

STEPHANIE
My Daddy is a genius! Whoa! (Screams again)

VINCE
Here it is!

(4:04:57pm)

(The baby is born. Ed Leslie runs in and cuts the cord with a rusty old pair of hedge clippers. Vince slips him a fifty.)

VINCE
Unlimited resources.

DOCTOR
It's a baby girl.

LINDA
(Very, very quietly) She's my precious new granddaughter.

SHANE
She's my precious new niece.

TRIPLE H
She's got really small tits.

DOCTOR
She was just born!

TRIPLE H
Can't we get her a quick boob job, Doc?

STEPHANIE
No, she's beautiful. What should we name her?

VINCE
Vincella McMahon.

TRIPLE H
Katie Vick Levesque.

LINDA
(Very, very quietly) Audra Rose Levesque.

STEPHANIE
I've got it! Audra Rose Levesque.

VINCE
Why the hell isn't my wife here?!

LINDA
(Very, very quietly) I'm right...

(4:06:34pm)

VINCE
This beautiful little girl could be running WWE one day.

AURORA ROSE
Or headlining Wrestlemaina 23, bitch.

ALL
Oh my God!

AURORA ROSE
Picture it. Ford Field. Detroit, Michigan. 57,000 legit paid, we say 78. The devil himself, the evil omnipotent ruler of WWE, Mr. McMahon, faces a symbol of all things good, his very own angelic nine month old baby granddaughter.

VINCE
But you can't work.

AURORA ROSE
Neither can you. And besides...

(Aurora Rose gut kicks Vince McMahon and gives him a Stone Cold Stunner.)

I'm a McMahon, dammit!

(4:08:18 p.m.)

End tape. End transcription.

Oh bloody hell, that was awesome!!

Vince has a mom? I thought he was spawned when Hitler joined Satans kiss my ass club.

Well, there is a reason all the old-timers call him "Junior", you know. ;)

By Mike Informer

My Sportsman: Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon and the WWE are sending wrestlers to Iraq to boost spirits as part of their 'Tribute to the Troops' program.

My choice for Sportsman of the Year is World Wrestling Entertainment Chairman Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

Yes, that Vince McMahon. The guy who brought you the XFL and called Bob Costas an "elitist" during a contentious interview five years ago. The guy who, on multiple occasions, dropped his pants on national television so his wrestlers could join the "Vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club."

While the choice may seem absurd on the surface, here's why McMahon has earned my vote: the WWE's Tribute to the Troops tour.

Dozens of wrestlers, crew members and assorted employees have embarked over the past four years on a five-day USO-style sweep through the Middle East to entertain the troops. According to McMahon, the trip has replaced Wrestlemania as the most important event on the WWE calendar.

"The smiles on the faces of those men and women over in Iraq is something that is very dear to our heart," McMahon says. "They are the most appreciative audience that we will play to all year long."

The tour is the brainchild of wrestler-turned-announcer John Bradshaw Layfield, who came up with the idea while visiting Kuwait. He proposed the idea to McMahon and within weeks, the first tour was scheduled. Over five days, the wrestlers visit 25 bases (about eight or nine per wrestler) and spend time with the troops. This is quality time, not a 20-minute "appearance" where a performer poses for pictures before heading to the next destination. Instead, the wrestlers eat with the troops, sleep on the floor of their barracks and get a full taste of military life.

While five days may not seem like much of a commitment, it's five more days than any other professional sports team spent in Iraq this year. More importantly, the company doesn't make a dime off the trip. It's simply a way for McMahon and the rest of the WWE to say thank you to a group of people who are too often overlooked.

I'm not attempting to argue the merits of professional wrestling as a sport or justify what goes on within a WWE ring. Some of it's entertaining. Some if it's absurd. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

What I do know is that every time I see an NBA "Read to Achieve" or NFL United Way commercial, I can't help but wonder how much goes beyond a neatly packaged commercial with a catchy theme song and well-placed images of an athlete and child sharing a laugh.

When I tune into WWE each Christmas, however, I see hundreds of exhausted soldiers, many on their third and fourth tours of duty, forgetting that they have to spend another holiday away from their families and enjoying themselves as they eat, sleep and hang out with professional wrestlers. And for that, McMahon earns my Sportsman of the Year vote.

Thanks for posting that, wills. I tried to find it yesterday but wasn't having much luck.

It is remarkable...and the reason the WWE at it's core succeeds. While many criticise the WWE as using this as a "publicity stunt" and such, it's just a good thing and a hassle for the WWE to do...in these leaner times, the WWE eats a huge expense and just does it because it's the right thing to do. Good for them.

I agree--praise be to JBL for not acting like a jerk for a change, too.

Joe Babinsack looks at the war between promoters and fans




I’ve been debating the subject of this week’s column, bouncing between the
Harley Race book (very good) and the Ballpark Brawl IV (not so very good) and
the trailing off of the Vince vs ECW war, which many seem to debunk, but I’m
not one of them.

As far as I’m concerned, the VKM – Voodoo Kin Mafia – skits by TNA have missed
the boat grandly. Do I digress? Actually, no… The rants by Misters BG and Kip
James, or whatever we’re supposed to call them last night touched upon the war,
and while some have already touched upon the inherent hypocrisy of TNA’s
calling the WWE’s product out of touch with the fans, they do bring up the
notion of the war on the fans.

And nowhere has that war been felt as in the revived ECW.

I speculated on the destruction of ECW as a brand name in response to the first
One Night Only PPV event. At the time, I figured A) Vince couldn’t ignore the
response of the hardcore audience and B) Vince couldn’t tolerate that such a
response was being given to something he owned, but never created.

It is obvious that ECW = Paul Heyman in the mindset of the WWE. Well, that may
be a perspective worth noting, but I’ve never held that belief. If you were a
fan of ECW, on the surface, you saw very little of Paul Heyman as a character
for many years. And mirroring Vince himself, Heyman became a character at that
point where he needed someone on the screen who wasn’t ever going anywhere, and
arguably, someone who wasn’t going to get paid to be that foundation. Heyman
had always been the behind the scenes genius (but business wreck) and that was
very much known to the internet savvy.

But once again, the internet crowd was a subset of the ECW crowd. Sure the
Internet spread the word, but late night wrestling fans in New York, Florida,
Buffalo, Chicago and my home base of Pittsburgh discovered ECW and didn’t
exactly need the internet to visit local shows.

Don’t get me wrong, the work of people like Tom Misnik and Dave Scherer and the
Philly Internet conventions helped to make a hardcore internet fan base that
kept the ECW name alive for a half decade past its real death, and I don’t
dispute the internet’s participation in trading tapes, hyping the product and
making comparisons, but ECW was the alternative voice to mainstream wrestling
fans in the mid to late 1990’s and I’m certain that the “ECW” chants that
sporadically appeared at events (both WCW and WWF/E) were more a reaction to
moribund products.

Because it became hip to certain fans to do the chant AND because of the
internet savvy, hardcore fan base AND because of the reaction to crappy
wrestling – before and after the explosion of pro wrestling popularity and the
benefits of real competition – those chants persisted and existed.

Which leads me back to the war.

What I’m saying is that Vince declared war on ECW, revived the name as a brand,
and then dismantled its legacy, cut the legs out of its promise, and all but
decapitated Heyman. It is my belief that disrupting the ratings potential of
someone taking the ECW talent base and going to Spike, or going through TNA or
using a new or smaller federation was a core interest in the revival of ECW. I
also believe that diminishing Paul Heyman’s viability as a wrestling genius and
savior was also in the works.

So what is the basis of the argument that ECW was doomed to fail?

I don’t accept that putting Test and other WWE rejects on the roster was part of
that. Heyman, by most accounts, wanted Test. Heyman has always done well with
the rejects, and his security force, his heels and his minimalistic storylines
to start out were all arguably working well. Look back to the first One Night
Stand. Even with the imposition of Raw and Smackdown forces, once Heyman was
allowed to assert creative control, there weren’t overbooked and overblown
scenarios.

ECW got its revenge on Bischoff, and Taz(z) got an ultimate appearance. The show
excelled because of hard work and effort of the wrestlers, even those who never
really excelled at the technical parts of the industry. There was no real heel
and face contingent within the ECW roster, but they played their roles. And the
only disappointment was the Rey Mysterio/Psicosis match which looked far too
much like the WWE product than the crowd wanted to see.

Imagine that, ECW fans crapping on its own talent … that doesn’t exactly support
the notion that Heyman controls his fans like they’re mind-numbed robots.

But to get back to the major point, ECW was warred upon by Vince and the WWE
sycophants in many ways.

It seems to me that one overlooked aspect of the revived ECW roster was the
inclusion of Big Show and Kurt Angle. Angle was already proven unstable, with a
real fear of his health and career and his SummerSlam snub showed that he had
no stroke and there was no confidence in him. Big Show was already winding down
his career, with his body ravaged by a physical sport and his overly large
frame.

We’ve already seen the speculations on how ECW destroyed Paul Wight’s career, to
the point where he very well may not do the Hogan/Giant 20 year rehash angle.
As Wrestlemania approaches, how much more will that story grow?

What would have happened if Angle completely self-destructed or worse, while on
the ECW roster? That he jumped to TNA only suggests that the competition would
be even farther removed from the WWE brands that matter.

The pettiness and/or oversight of removing Sandman’s music has been well
documented. But beyond the obvious, a roster with significant, legendary ECW
talent and a mixture of WWE retreads and potential stars, would have left Paul
Heyman with a veritable wealth of storylines and potential, from which he could
have worked his magic. And thankfully, he would have no budgetary or business
input!

But the old ECW contingent was cut down at every opportunity, and immediately
deprived of the one anti-establishment thing that ECW thrived upon. No rules.

Not that ECW never had rules, but the subtleties of having No DQ’s, of fighting
through the crowds and of going to finishes had no respect from the WWE, and no
future in the revival. Vince, as always, doesn’t seem to want to be tied down
by regulations, but at the same time, his inability to differentiate the ECW
brand, let alone give it some classic flavor, let alone at least have Heyman’s
fingerprints in terms of consistency, seems more than a coincidence.

Add to that the insistence on intermixing the WWE and the ECW crowd, on playing
with dates, on not shooting the tapings at friendly arenas and on providing
crappy main events (for ECW fans, not for WWE fans) all seems so idiotic as to
be on purpose.

Besides, why is it that a Big Show/Batista main event that gets crapped on by
the fans means that ECW isn’t viable. But when the fans crap on a lame stunt on
Raw show, that the presentation wasn’t the problem, the fans were.

The fans… that’s the problem!

But its not really all the fans, since most of them pay their $ and enjoy the
show. Those dastardly hardcore fans are the problem, they criticize too much,
they don’t appreciate the creative effort, and they don’t worship the spew
brought forth by the spawn of VKM himself!

Since the WWE dominates the mainstream internet wrestling world with its own
site, and has now dismantled ECW’s legacy and ties to its core base, what’s
left?

See, that’s where the war, waged long and hard, hasn’t been won, and continues
to bubble.

When St Louis fans start chanting “TNA!” at the latest laughable WWE skit,
there’s a distinct undercurrent of dissent in the wrestling world. That it
happened at one of pro wrestling’s most traditional and historic capitals is no
fluke. That it may spread, that other’s may take up the cause, is something to
look forward to.

Because ECW wasn’t about fans of one promotion, who slavishly responded to a
certain hardcore product, and that’s all there is… ECW history disproves that
fact. ECW merely captured a realistic dissenting percentage of an audience who
outgrew the product that was forced upon them. The dynamics of WCW and WWF, and
the paltry variations in styles on the mainstream stage readily fell prey to
Heyman’s manipulations and presentations, but Heyman never created the dissent,
he rode it for a half-decade, and the association between three letters and
that rebellious fan base grew together.

But now that ECW is all but dead, that doesn’t mean that the revolution is over,
it just means that it’s looking for a new name.

Too bad TNA, and the VKM angle, seem to be far too self-serving, to oblivious to
this swift undercurrent, and too insistent on aping the boring, 800 lb gorilla,
rather than setting their own course and capturing a growing percentage of the
fan base.

Because, as the shirt once read, “Join the Revolution” isn’t just an impotent
call, but one that can and should be heard. If not TNA, if not ROH, perhaps it
will be some concoction of another mad genius in a pro wrestling backwater
city, where fans can go and see the stuff that respects their investment and
breaks the molds of a boring sense of creativity….

Joe Babinsack can be written to at chaosonejoe@yahoo.com. Thank you for your
input.

Y'know, I only WISH that bad booking could always be chalked up to "they were trying to destroy it from the begining."

It's just not the case. Wrestling history shows us that all bad decisions can always be tied to something that SEEMED to make sense to the bookers at the time.

You can look at the CM Punk situation for an example. Arn Anderson is a smart guy, and undeniable legend and one of the most influential wrestlers of all time...but that doesn't mean he isn't off the mark in his assessment of Punk. He is off. But is he doing that MALICIOUSLY? No. He's just wrong.

Is the WWE deliberately trying to make sure ECW tanks? Are they purposely trying to alienate fans with repeated lame skits and "celebrity" spots on Raw? No. By all accounts of anyone who has worked for WWE for the last 30+ years, McMahon just has an odd sense of humor and is genuinely suprised when stuff doesn't work.

Wrestling fans and those who write about wrestling need to use Occam's Razor when looking at things, not the tin foil hat they use to stop the government from reading their thoughts.

Im not trying to start a fight or argument with you Clyde, but from the way I read the reports(of course none of us now if thats 100% accurate) it does almost seem like Arn is being malicious towards Punk on two fronts. One it seems for disagreeing with Arns layout of the match at DtoD and secondly for simply being "Heymans guy" :rolleyes: . Now if it were solely based on "hey your a young guy and you got plenty of time ahead of you, lets slow down your push a little, but still keep you looking strong" the way the match was supposed to end before they all changed it then yeah. But it seems like Arn did make it personal for the reasons listed above and thats not the wise thing to do with one of the few guys the fans are actually accepting as a big time guy without WWE forcing him down peoples throats. Like I said though, thats just what we got from the reports and they could be wrong and we are all just being "internet marks". Thats the thing I always loved about the original ECW, they never held anyone back and Heyman encouraged everyone to give it there all and thats why the fans ate it up like they did.

Yeah I can see it. I should clarify...Arn may be angry at Punk, but his overall intent is for the strongest product possible. He thinks that Punk's "attitude" and "position" only justify him doing so much...and is quick to anger at anything CM Punk...but Arn doesn't wake up in the morning and go "I'm fucking up this kid's career because of malice."

Similarly, this notion that McMahon goes "I didn't invent ECW...so I'll go through the trouble of starting it, giving it air time, and then deliberately fuck it up, costing me millions of dollars and fans" is silly.

It's hard to grasp, but wrestling people often don't think Heyman knows what he's doing. They blame him for the decliine of the in-ring product and wrestling burning itself out in terms of the physical stuff done in the ring.

And they aren't 100% wrong, actually.

I think the Punk de-push and being jobbed out is FUCKING LAME, don't get me wrong. Those that think like Arn (that long time guys need to be protected) and the internet fan (who thinks that anything new is better) need to realize there is a happy medium. It seems so obvious, yet it's screwed up time and time (and time and time and time) again.

Lame. It's too bad, because it's not like Arn HIMSELF earned his push. He was friends with Flair, which helped his career as much as anything. Punk's problem is he didn't ally himself with people that would help his career. That's not a knock, just reality. Being Heyman's boy isn't as valuable as being, say, HBK's or Stephanie McMahon's.

All in all, horrible.

And, for the record, people SHOULD argue with me. I'm not the end all be all by any stretch...I'm wrong all the time.

I should say that old ECW benefits more from revisionist rose colored glasses history than any group on record. ECW's cards were often HORRIBLE. Thrown together at the last minute horseshit. There was a ton of good, and few groups got more out of less talented performers...but a lot of old ECW stuff was...just awful.

In fact, I was talking with a friend of mine who is an avid ECW mark of the highest order (obssessed until he owned EVERY TV SHOW ECW EVER PUT OUT obsessed) and he talked about all the match-up possibilites that ECW never did. It was a staggering amount of missed money matches for a group that had a small roster.

ECW was fantastic...no doubt. But it wasn't the greatest promotion of all time, even if you remove the factors of the scale that groups operated on.

from PWI:

A number of readers sent word that Forbes just released their annual list of Billionaires. There are 946 people on the list. Donald Trump came in at number 314, with a net worth of $2.9 billion. Vince McMahon, on the other hand, did not make the list so they are one billionaire short in their WrestleMania battle. Thanks to everyone who sent that along.

In the overall buisness aspect of things i am sure that the WWE wich Vince owns is worth more than a billion dollars. But since Vince is not the sole owner of the WWE then i don't think it counts.

Ofcourse i could be worng :lol:

Yeah, I'm sure evn if Vince isn't a billionaire, he's damned close to it.

yeah i wouldn't be complaining if i had his bank account :lol:

taken from http://www.thewrestlingfan.com :

-Cut off all relations to places like Japan, because the majority of the population is under six feet tall.

-Raises taxes 300% to pay for the 350 billion dollar Diva search.

-Changes the country's name to United States Entertainment.

-Hires the Bashams to head up the secret service. He's subsequently assassinated inside 10 minutes.

-Has Stephanie rewrite the constitution and Bill of rights and remove all continuity and add more jokes with “poop” and “asses”.

-Retools the military, replacing hand to hand combat and weapons with moves like the scissors-kick, while desperately hoping the enemy has the decency to stay bent over upward of 30 seconds so they can pull it off.

-Every female in his cabinet will go on a brief leave of absence then return with larger breasts then they previously had.

-Charges 40 dollars plus tax to hear the State of the Union Address. Subsequently schedules 15 addresses for 2006-2007.

-Attorney General Jerry Lawler has the national age of consent lowered to twelve or "whenever it is when they get boobs".

-“Inexplicably” plans nuclear missile testing for Nashville & Orlando.

-Has the United Nations officially disbanded when several of the other countries don’t say “Hello” to The Undertaker and shake his hand.

-Agrees to Canada’s terms over softwood, only to double cross them with the help of Earl Hebner and Shawn Michaels.

-Creates a controversial new economic system: “Thuganomics” where the money of small children and overweight teenaged girls “trickle down”…into his pockets.

-Declares war on both France and Quebec. Just because.

-Misunderstands the 2nd amendment, and changes it to the “Right to Bare Arms”, encouraging people to wear tear-away muscle shirts.

-Hires Jake Roberts to head up the new and approved D.E.A. Drugs subsequently disappear completely from the streets, only to later end up in Jake’s apartment, with his solemn vow to destroy them …eventually.

-At the behest of Jim Ross, Vince reinstates the Government Mule program.

-Finally has the Twin Towers rebuilt…in the likenesses of Big Bossman and Akeem.

-Deals with World Diplomacy by staging a skit where Bin Laden has Saddam Hussein’s head pulled from his ass.

:lol:

Who’s next in line to reign over the ring?
McMahons yet to unveil succession plan for WWE
By ALEXANDER SOULE





Vince McMahon may have had his locks shorn by The Donald, but at least he got paid for the indignity by The Bear.





The World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. chairman and his CEO wife, Linda, have begun accepting salaries once more, set at $850,000 and $500,000, respectively, for 2007.


The celebrity executives declined most compensation from Stamford-based WWE in 2006 and 2005.


The staged “Battle of the Billionaires” between Donald Trump and McMahon at Wrestlemania 23 on April 1 set a record gate for WWE, with 80,000 fans showing up to see Trump shave off McMahon’s coif.


In addition to Vince’s hair cut, the McMahons are taking a pay cut ­ in fiscal 2004, the last full year they accepted pay, Vince McMahon received a $1.2 million salary and an equivalent bonus, and Linda McMahon received $750,000 in each compensation category.


Lowell Weicker Jr., the former Connecticut senator and governor once nicknamed “The Bear,” chairs the compensation committee of WWE’s board of directors.


Weicker and other WWE shareholders are getting a bargain ­ under the McMahons, WWE’s stock is up 60 percent in the past 20 months to about $16 per share, valuing Vince McMahon’s holdings today at $750 million. While a publicly traded company, McMahon wields nearly total control of it.


In its most recent fiscal year ending April 30, 2006, WWE bounced back from a 2006 sales decline with a $47 million profit on $400 million in revenue. WWE is in the process of aligning its fiscal year with the calendar year, making past comparisons knotty.


Attendance at WWE events in North America increased 6 percent in fiscal 2006 to 1.7 million, or 5,000 per show, and 6.2 million people watched on pay-per-view, nearly 1 million more than the year before. Overall revenue from live events declined slightly, however, which the company blamed on a lower average ticket price.


WWE closed the year with 560 employees, excluding its “superstars” who are independent contractors. The company expects to pay $16 million this year for “talent” and employment contracts.


Vince and Linda McMahon have been compensated both for their performance running the company and in the ring, as have their children. The McMahons’ employment contracts run through October 2008, and are automatically extended in one-year increments, though the McMahons and WWE both hold opt-out clauses.


Even as McMahon continues to thrive in the limelight, mugging paroxysms of agony for the crowd at Wrestlemania 23 as Trump wielded the razor, he has yet to shed light on a succession plan for the company ­ whether that might involve a sale to a media, sports or private equity company, or keeping the company in the family.


“Succession planning has been undertaken, and is an ongoing process,” said WWE spokesman Gary Davis, in an e-mailed statement. “However, WWE expects that Vince McMahon will be leading WWE for many years to come.”


Son Shane McMahon, 37, is one of five people to hold the title of executive vice president or unit president, not including Michael Sileck, a former Monster Worldwide executive who was elevated in February to chief operating officer. He received $470,000 during the transitional fiscal period between May and December last year.


The McMahons’ daughter Stephanie Levesque is also a WWE employee and received $350,000 in compensation between May and December. Like Shane a past WWE performer, she now does behind-the-scenes work including creative writing. Stephanie is married to Paul Levesque, one of WWE’s top draws who performs under the stage name Triple H.


“You have seen Michael Sileck come in at the (chief financial officer) level, and then get promoted to COO ­ he is seen as a solid operating guy,” said Michael Kelman, an analyst who tracks WWE’s stock for Susquehanna International Group L.L.P. in Bala Cynwyd, Pa. “They have a lot of good managers below that level who run the day-to-day stuff, but this is a business owned by the McMahon family.”

VINCE MCMAHON TO GET A STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
- Several readers sent in word that Vince McMahon is getting a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame as he was chosen as one of the recipients for the
year 2008. He will be the first person related to professional wrestling to
get the famous star on Hollywood Boulevard. McMahon will be part of the
Television category. Announced also for the year 2008 are people such as
Stan Lee, Christina Aguilera, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Howie Mandel and
others. Seems like the Chairman will be required to rise from the dead on
the day he has to appear for the ceremony! According to Wikipedia, when
nominated, the celebrity must attend a presentation ceremony within five
years of selection and pay a $25,000 fee towards the Hollywood Historic
Trust.

--Vince McMahon will be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008 in the television category with newsman Bill Giest, Kate Linder of Young and the Restless, Howie Mandel, Sherwood Schwartz (Brady Bunch creator), Susan St. James (McMillan & Wife) and Brian Keith (Family Affair). Vince will have to rise from the dead at some point to be there when they due the induction.

he is also already on the Madison Square Garden walk of fame :D

True!

Only Vince would do what he does, and totally make a fool of himself on Live TV :lol:

How many people of his stature are willing to do what he did on RAW last night :lol:

ECONOMIC BODYSLAM: Stock notes, WWE without Vince analysis, and more

Submitted by Mr. Tito on Friday, December 28, 2007 at 11:52 PM EST

WWE stock closing history through December 28th:

12/24/07: $15.25
12/25/07: Markets were closed for Christmas holiday.
12/26/07: $15.31
12/27/07: $14.68
12/28/07: $14.90

52 Week High: $18.60
52 Week Low: $13.49

IMPLICATIONS: Despite the rest of the market fluctuating, this week showed that the WWE stock wants to get above $15. The WWE stock has significant competitive advantages heading into early 2008... The Royal Rumble to Wrestlemania stretch is coming up and it's by far, the highest revenue driving time for the WWE. The writer's strike will definitely help boost the WWE, for WWE writers appear to not be in the guild or it doesn't matter when the McMahons write/approve much of the storylines anyway. This stock should show good gains even in spite of what the rest of the stock market does in the upcoming months.

The 4th quarter should be an interesting one... This time around, the WWE won't have a poorly grossing film (Steve Austin's Condemned) to eat on their earnings. However, the WWE may see a merchandising and house show hit with John Cena out with an injury. Say what you will about Cena, but he's been a major hit with merchandise moved and a drawing point with children at house shows. 4th quarter earnings numbers should be released around February and the 2007 overall earnings should be released by March or April (or at least we'll hear the annual WWE conference call by then, a great source of news!).

2007 has appeared to be a good financial year for the WWE. WWE 24/7 has been a major hit, DVD sales continue to grow, internet revenues have increased, and business with USA Network has been a plus. WWE has done well on accounting measures, cutting costs when necessary (multiple wrestlers were cut this year) and the merging of the rosters for the Pay Per Views also helps save on costs. The WWE was flooding the market with their Pay Per Views and were beginning to lose out on costs. The WWE remains to have a virtual monopoly in the wrestling world with TNA failing to increase their footprint despite their Spike TV show. Lost WWE talent to TNA has not mattered one bit.

But in 2007, the WWE had a severe reputational hit with Chris Benoit's death and ongoing online HGH drug busts with multiple WWE stars on the lists. The WWE stock took multiple hits over this and one could argue that it could stunt the stock's growth for the future. Benoit's death put the WWE in a bad light and they received very negative mainstream media coverage for weeks. Benoit's killing of his own family was one of the most brutal stories to ever hit pro wrestling and the attempts to place blame on both the business's weak drug program or their tough schedule was not good for the WWE in 2007. Add to that, the HGH busts that made the WWE "Wellness Policy" a laughing stock. Another incident involving illegal performance enhancers or another wrestler dying young could definitely hurt the WWE in the equity markets, not to mention the federation as a whole.

--------------------------

Economic Bodyslam Question of the Week: What will happen to the WWE, financially, when Vince McMahon passes away?

Great question, especially when you have to consider that the WWE has been completely ran by Vince McMahon. One could argue that there's never been a more influencial board chairman than Vince. He's involved in personnel, storyline, marketing, acquisition, and other decisions. The whole company's image was built on his back and his hard work. WWE is defined by Vince McMahon who took his daddy's company to a whole new level. He's taken the whole industry by storm by his moves with cable television and the way he competes against competitors.

What would happen to the WWE if Vince passes away? Let's face it, Vince is no young-pup and he has years of steroid abuse under his belt in addition to high amounts of stress from competing with other feds and almost getting indicted in 1994. The WWE must Business Continuity Planning in the form of organizational charts within the company. If Vince goes, who will run the WWE?

Linda has been acting as CEO and would probably continue to act as that figurehead. I believe that Stephanie McMahon would take over. She's been dominant as a writer backstage and is an Executive Vice President of the company. Shane is involved with the media end of things and is considered a lightweight. I figure that Stephanie would act in Vince's role as hands-on with the talent and writing, but I figure that Kevin Dunn would continue to his role as the producer of television and Johnny Ace (I hate spelling out his last name) could continue to be the talent evaluator (though I suspect he could get nailed by politics). Don't doubt that Jim Ross would step in, too...

But one needs to consider the case of Vince Russo. When he went to WCW, he was without a Vince McMahon leash to filter out his bad ideas. Ditto with Stephanie. Who knows how many bad ideas get shot down by Vince that are from Stephanie.

HOWEVER, from an accounting side, the WWE could be better off... Vince is a very controversial individual and can tend to receive bad press on his own. Additionally, he has produced some severe financial disasters. XFL anyone? After a huge financial success seen in 2000, it was followed up by 2001's disasterous attempt to create a pro football league. WWE, Universal/NBC, and Viacom took major losses from this league's failure. Also, consider the WWE's failure of a bodybuilding federation. Plus, Vince was very stubborn to change in 1995-1996 when WCW began to seriously compete with them on Monday nights. Oh yeah, how about those Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Scott Steiner, and Bill Goldberg failure signings of late? Vader in 1996? Mark Henry, Big Show, and other financial blunders...

At first, investors could be scared because business without Vince McMahon could create severe uncertainty with the WWE. But Vince historically rolls the dice and without him, the WWE might not take the absurd financial risks that it has done for the past 25 years. Plus, absent of any real competition, the WWE could remain profitable and keep the revenues coming in.