With a few weeks to go in the CT Senate Race, more and more articles have been written covering some of the scandals within the WWE, during Linda McMahon's tenure as CEO. While some articles are undignified low-blows (such as Talking Points Memo's unearthing of an ancient harassment case), others have been clearly helpful in calling attention to some of the disturbing policies within the WWE as it relates to its wrestlers.
However, no article has covered the disturbing comments made by former WWE Management officials, who worked for the 2nd highest ranking executive there, Executive V.P. Stephanie McMahon-Levesque. The daughter of the G.O.P. nominee in CT has been groomed to take over the WWE for years, and has been paraded around power meetings within the WWE more than Kim Jong-Il's son, Kim-Jong Un, has been in North Korea.
A book first published in 2008 (and updated in 2009) details on-the-record quotes by former WWE officials who discuss sexism, racism, nepotism, and other scandalous behavior within the WWE's top power structure. "Ring of Hell," by Matthew Randazzo V, is the only book to date to quote ex-management sources detailing these allegations.
Randazzo, an organized crime investigative journalist, is no hack: one of his books is being published by Simon & Shuster's paperback division next month, and his newest book is being published by Harper Collins next year.
Some of these allegations he has complied in "Ring of Hell," mostly on the record, took place within the past 5 years, while Ms. McMahon was CEO. These include:
RACISM ALLEGATIONS:
- The Head WWE Writer for the show Smackdown, Michael Hayes, routinely using the N-Word, including against President Obama; punishment by the WWE, after once wrestler complained, was a one-month paid suspension. To this day, the Hayes continues to be employed, and is among the top 5 power-players within the WWE.
(Compare this to CNN, which immediately fired Rick Sanchez for his Anti-Semitic comments.)
Why has Linda McMahon never been questioned about this??? (since then, many other African American wrestlers, including the wife of Bobby Lashley, has brought up Hayes alleged racism)
- Another Senior WWE Official (named in the book, read it for yourself), telling a wrestler from Puerto Rico to "Spic It Up", before being filmed for a segment to air on national television
SEXISM ALLEGATIONS:
- A WWE V.P. of Creative Writing in charge of the women's division, and current Head Writer on WWE RAW, routinely writing women into "bra and panty" matches, and the like -- while he himself has never had a serious relationship, and according to one former writer, has "never known the love of a woman."
- many other lurid stories too objectionable to be quoted here
9/11 INSENSITIVITY
- The Kim-Jong Un like daughter of Linda McMahon, Stephanie, going on tv a week after the terrible 9/11 attacks, and saying that 9/11 was almost as bad as her family being questioned by the federal government for allegedly encouraging steroid use
HUMAN RESOURCES NIGHTMARES ALLEGATIONS : FIRED FOR CHECKING ON ILL WIFE, ETC.
- WWE Wrestlers fired for simply using the WWE Chiropractors, who are there to be used only by Main Event talent
- WWE Writer fired for taking time off to visit his wife, after she suffered a miscarriage
And many, many other very troubling allegations. Is this how Linda McMahon wants businesses to behave if she is elected to the US Senate? She can not claim ignorance of these facts, since she was CEO of the company during the time these allegations were made.
Whether or not Blumenthal is ahead by 11 points, or only by 6, his campaign should pick up "Ring of Hell" immediately.