Recap of Vince McMahon's Appearance On The Today Show Posted by Ashish on 06.28.2007
McMahon calls Benoit a "monster"...
Vince McMahon appeared on The Today Show this morning and interviewed by host Meredith Vierra. Highlights are below.
- The segment started with a recap of the Chris Benoit story and the link between Benoit and steroids. They also showed Lex Luger commenting on how steroids and alcohol are a bad mix. The Eddie Guerrero and Curt Hennig deaths were also brought up.
- Vince McMahon went over the timeline of last weekend and his role in how WWE handled it.
- The steroid issue came up and Vince was asked why he was so defensive and quick to say that the Benoit situation was not a result of steroids even though steroids were found in his home. McMahon said that Benoit's actions were over three days and that isn't steroid rage and that nobody knows anything until the toxicology reports come back. Vierra again pushed the steroid issue and how steroids can cause depression and paranoia and McMahon brought up how lots of other medications were also found in Benoit's house and they may have played a role as well.
- Vince brought up how WWE puts smiles on people's faces and the wrestlers are entertainers and all the steroid talk is an attempt to smear WWE. He compared it to a postal worker who commits a crime, saying that it wouldn't be the Post Office's fault and that people would still use the Post Office for their mail.
- Vince said that Benoit does not represent what WWE is all about and added that he doesn't know why Benoit turned into a "monster."
- Vince said that the pressure from Benoit's son's illness may have contributed to the incident.
- The steroid issue came up again and Vince said that wrestlers have always been suspected of using steroids but that WWE has now implemented a Wellness Policy. He explained all the tests they now do and added that Benoit was tested in April and came back negative. He also said, however, that the negative test doesn't mean for sure that Benoit was not using or abusing steroids or other drugs.
- The topic of wrestler deaths came up. Vierra asked Vince what he thinks about so many wrestlers passing away so young. Vince more or less ignored the question, saying that only five wrestlers who have been under contract to WWE have died. Vince seemed to be getting a bit annoyed at this point.
- Vierra also seemed to be growing frustrated with Vince dodging questions. She called him "disingenuous" for not believing that there is steroid use in wrestling. Vince said he never said that and that he can only comment on the five deaths that happened in WWE, saying that Benoit's death was from suicide, Owen Hart's was from an accident, and that the other three were from heart failure.
- Vierra asked what Vince would do if the toxicology reports show that Benoit had steroids in his system. Vince again brought up the Wellness Policy, saying it is very effective, and again said that people are rushing to judgment here.
- Vince said he is not trying to hide the fact that Benoit was part of his company. He again called Benoit a monster and said there were never any signs from him that he was capable of this type of behavior. He said WWE performers are well adjusted, family people who go to work like everybody else and that his company is just trying to move on from this.
