A new documentary exploring the rise and fall of Vince McMahon, the former head of World Wrestling Entertainment, premiered on Netflix early Wednesday, generating mixed reactions from one of his accusers.
The six-part series titled “Mr. McMahon” includes interviews with McMahon and examines the controversies that have surrounded his long career, including allegations of sexual misconduct by Janel Grant, a former WWE employee. In January, Grant filed a civil suit accusing McMahon of coercing her into a sexual relationship in exchange for employment.
Ann Callis, Grant’s attorney, stated, “I think she’s fearful, but that is her general state of mind. She’s been fearful since she’s been sex trafficked.” Grant did not participate in the documentary but her story is highlighted. Callis noted that Grant has not yet seen the series. “Not having any control over what is said about her does instill some fear… but she’s surviving,” Callis added.
Regarding Grant’s absence from the docuseries, Callis explained, “Janel thinks she needs to tell her story in her own way and at the right time for her. She’s not a WWE storyline. She wants to take ownership of her own story, and I think she deserves the dignity of that.”
In May, Grant agreed to pause her civil case while a federal investigation by the Southern District of New York is ongoing. Reports have indicated that WWE previously revealed that investigators served McMahon with a federal grand jury subpoena and executed a search warrant.
McMahon did not comment on the documentary but stated in a prior release that producers employed “typical editing tricks” to create a “deception narrative.” He emphasized that there are “two sides to every story.”
The lawsuit filed by Grant also includes allegations that WWE executive John Laurinaitis assaulted her, which he has denied. His attorneys have stated they will “vigorously defend these charges in court, not the media.”
Callis mentioned that her firm is looking into other potential claims against McMahon and WWE. “If I could sum it up generally, it is a culture of corruption,” she said. “There is a culture of victimization of women. We’ve heard from women and men that there wasn’t really a safety net there. It was Vince’s show.”
McMahon gained fame as a co-founder of a business empire worth $8 billion, which helped launch the careers of wrestling icons like Hulk Hogan, John Cena, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, all of whom are featured in the documentary.
The series also recounts other accusations, including the claim that former WWE referee Rita Chatterton was sexually assaulted in 1986. In the docuseries, McMahon commented on the impact of such allegations, stating, “Once you’re accused of rape, you’re a rapist. But it was consensual. And actually, had it been a rape, the statute of limitations had run out. So it’s all kind of crap like that that people are digging up and trying to find on you.”