What about Vince?
HERE'S SOME FUN READING
The Vince McMahon that you should know.
The evil genius behind the World Wrestling Federation's empire is really a softie who donates millions to charities and works tirelessly for the Special Olympics.
WWF mastermind Vince McMahon is living an All-American rags-to-riches story, going from a youth spent in a North Carolina trailor park to a multimillion-dollar mansion in Greenwich, Conn. And along the way he's overcome such adversity as abuse by a stepdad, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder. But he also has his demons and admits he: Used steroids and encouraged wrestlers to use them cheated on his wife Took illegal drugs.
Now he's on the hotseat for promoting sex, violence, and vulgarity on cable's highest-rated shows, but he insists he won't stop. "People should pick on MTV or some of the other shows that are more graphic than us when it comes to sex or violence," he blasts.
Though 53-year-old Vince Kennedy McMahon is the man viewers love to hate----he plays the WWF's evil CEO on-camera to the hilt---he's well-respected by the local community. "The McMahons are extremely generous and community-minded folks and we at the Special Olympics consider them part of our family," says Marylou Iannone, an official with the Connecticut Special Olympics. Wrestling photographer Mike Lano says McMahon is involved in lots of charity work that he tries to keep quiet.
"He's been a major supporter of two organizations for retired wrestlers, the Cauliflower Alley Club and the Ladies' International Wrestling Association, both in terms of money and sending talent to their fund-raisers," adds Lano. And Tony Spinelli, business writer for the Connecticut Post, says McMahon tries to do everything he can for the community. "He and Linda's commitment to us here includes keeping WWF wrestlers involved in charitable fund-raising and boosting the spirits of sick children by visiting hospitals whenever time permits," he explains.
Even though McMahon's net worth is estimated at more than 1.1 billion dollars, he came from humble beginnings, spending his early years in a Pinehurst, N.C., trailer park with his mom and a series of stepdads. He didn't meet his real father, wrestling promoter Vince J. McMahon, until he was 12. "My life as a kid could not have been any more screwed-up than it was," he says. "My mom was married five times."
McMahon, who was dyslexic and also suffered from attention deficit disorder, reveals that one of his stepfathers used to "beat me unmercifully," but the little guy never backed down. "You'd think I would've learned to say to myself: 'Vince, back off,' but I never did." When he was very young, McMahon recalls being awakened one night by his mother's screams, only to see her being pummeled by his then-stepdad. And his stepfather often turned violent toward Vince, using screwdrivers, wore or a pipe wrence to administer frequent beatings.McMahon finally met his real father and was in awe of him---and fell in love with the business of wrestling. After graduating from East Carolina State University with a business administration degree, Vince went to work for his dad, announcing and promoting local shows around New England. When McMahon's father started pondering retirement in 1980, Vince pleaded with him to let him but the business, but his dad didn't think he could raise the money by himself. The scheming son led his father to believe he was lining up investors to back him, but what he and wife Linda were secretly doing was lining up credit at various banks, taking out loan after loan.
In 1982, McMahon became sole owner and chairman of Titan Sports Inc., in Stamford, Conn., and named Linda as its president and CEO. They now have 500 employees and to help out the firm's working mothers, Linda put a day-care center, Titan Tots, right on the premises.
But as the company became more and more sucessful, it took toll on his marriage. "I got wayward from time to time, not just in terms of extracurricular activites as far as my marriage was concerned, but I was dabbling in drugs in the '80s, as well," he admits.
They were also rocked by a steroid scandal, when the government prosecuted him in 1993 on charges of conspiring to provide steroids to wrestlers and possession and intent to distribute steroids. He admittied in the trial that he used steroids and knew of their use by his wrestlers--including top grappler Hollywood Hulk Hogan--but insists "steroids were not illegal at that time." He pleaded innocent to all charges and was only convicted of conspiracy to defraud the FDA.
Meanwhile, McMahon is enjoying his on-camera role as the evil boss who's slowly turning into a good guy. The new man viewers love to hate? Vince's 29-year-old son Shane, who's following in his dad's footsteps and will someday run the company. And keeping the WWF a family affair, 22-year-old Stephanie is also part of various WWF story lines. "Hopefully in the future," declares Vince, "a lot of little McMahons will be involved, too!"
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I would like to thank Nicole for this article. I believe this article came from a NY or NJ paper in early June '99.