March 23, 1992
- Years of lies finally caught up to Vince McMahon, as every scandal (steroids, sexual harassment, underage sex abuse) went big time this week. People Magazine, Larry King Live, Phil Donahue Show, and the front page of newspapers around the country picked up on all of it in recent days. It initially started when the San Diego Union-Tribune published a devastating front page story called "Sleaze no illusion in world of wrestling" that detailed drug abuse, sexual harassment, and sex abuse. Entertainment Tonight picked up the story and featured statements from Barry O, Billy Jack Haynes, and Vince McMahon. WWF has denied the charges and claimed they are looking into their legal options against the San Diego newspaper.
- WATCH: Entertainment Tonight piece on WWF steroids and sex scandals
- It was also covered on ESPN SportsCenter, where two of the ring boys spoke out, including one (Tom Cole, now 20-years-old) who said that while he was 13, a WWF employee would film him with a video camera while fondling his feet and masturbating. "He had a foot fetish. He would play with all the young boys' feet for hours at a time." (I'm pretty sure this one was Mel Phillips.) Cole said he was later fired after he was driven to a WWF official's house, asked to smoke marijuana, snort cocaine, and have homosexual sex. After refusing, he was fired the next day. However, a few days after the ESPN story ran, this same kid (Tom Cole) settled his lawsuit with WWF out of court. He received $70,000 back pay and was given a multi-year contract to return to work for WWF in the settlement. He has since gone on record backtracking on his previous statements and refuting the statements of Billy Graham, Barry O, and Billy Jack Haynes and openly supports Vince McMahon and the WWF now (funny how that works).
- In the case of former announcer Murray Hodgson, he claims that soon after starting with the company, Pat Patterson approached him and said, "You're the new guy? So what do you taste like?" Hodgson says he told Patterson that he had the wrong guy. "Not if you want to keep your job, I don't," Patterson allegedly replied. A month later, Hodgson was fired. As he was leaving McMahon's office, Patterson allegedly approached Hodgson and said, "Wouldn't listen to me, would you?"
- The New York Post ran a 7-page story with the headline "Boy Sex Scandal Rocks Wrestling" and repeated much of the same information as the San Diego newspaper story. Then the Los Angeles Times ran a front-page story about Hulk Hogan's use of steroids and cocaine, which also dropped in the little nugget that Hogan was arrested in 1980 for a felony firearms violation. Similar stories appeared in newspapers in major cities around the country this week, and even the front page of the London Daily Mirror in the UK. Other newspapers have talked of Hogan using cocaine before matches and injuring people in the ring and even acknowledged rumors of him agreeing to a contract to leave WWF for New Japan.
- Hogan is telling friends that he is retiring after Wrestlemania and moving to Hawaii to get away from everything. As Dave puts it, "All of this because he lied on the Arsenio Hall Show."
- To get ahead of the stories, Vince McMahon appeared on the Larry King Live show, along with Bruno Sammartino (via satellite) and Barry Orton (via phone). It ended up turning into a shit-show with Vince and Bruno arguing, and with Vince undoubtedly coming out of it looking the worst and most dishonest to those in the know about the business. From here, Dave goes on to detail several of the outright lies Vince told during the interview (this video is must-watch).
- WATCH: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino on the Larry King Live show
- Barry Orton recently took a lie detector test for a deposition in the Tom Cole lawsuit and passed with flying colors.
- And now one of the biggest stories in Observer history: Dave Meltzer's appearance on the Phil Donahue show, where Dave recaps his experience:
- They asked Dave (along with Bruno Sammartino, Billy Graham, Barry O, David Schultz, etc.) to be on the show. Vince McMahon also agreed to appear, to defend himself, but asked for 4 stipulations:
- 12 spots in the studio audience for "plants" (in order to try and sway the crowd live and at home with audience reactions favorable to McMahon);
- McMahon would get to open the show with a 2-minute uninterrupted speech;
- He could bring a doctor (for steroids) and a lawyer on stage with him in case certain questions came up;
- That David Schultz be bounced from the show.
- The show only agreed to get rid of Schultz, but not the other three. Despite not getting most of his demands, Vince agreed to appear anyway. Backstage, Dave says he was nervous and also that Bruno and Billy Graham were telling producers not to sit McMahon next to them because they might snap and hurt him.
- In the end, the show went great and Vince was widely seen as the "heel" by the audience and was mostly booed while all his accusers were cheered by the crowd. Dave said Vince appeared to have aged nearly 10 years since he last saw him and assumes the stress of his empire crumbling around him has taken its toll.
- WATCH: The Phil Donahue Show with Vince McMahon, Dave Meltzer, Bruno Sammartino, Billy Graham, Barry Orton and more
- Dave finally ends all this huge story with a rant about how wrestlers need a union and how Vince needs to allow it to happen if he wants to put an end to the scandals that threaten his empire. Don't reward steroid abuse, reduce the travel schedule so guys won't rely on drugs to get through it, and start being honest, for the good of the company in the long run.
- Aaaaaaaand finally, on page damn 10, Dave finally gets to news other than WWF scandals: Jim Crockett was fired by WCW this week. Dave doesn't know any details at press time other than there were apparently "philosophical differences" with WCW booker Dusty Rhodes.
- After being all quiet for several months, the Mexican wrestlers strike was finally settled this week. If you remember the details, awesome because I barely do. Anyway, the agreement allows TV cameras to film certain arenas in return for financial guarantees to the wrestlers and the union. So basically, the wrestlers will be compensated for any live show business lost due to the shows that air on TV.
- In GWF news, there's rumors that the company is in some financial trouble after they released their TV announcer in a cost-cutting measure (they ain't going anywhere anytime that soon).
- Paul Roma's boxing debut didn't go too well. He lost by KO in the 4th round when his manager threw in the towel.
- The real Karate Kid (Ralph Macchio, star of the movie) was reportedly furious when he found out there's a midget wrestler using the same name.
- SuperBrawl buyrate is estimated to be about an 0.6 which makes it by far the lowest for any WCW PPV ever.
- Jake Roberts was backstage at the recent WCW taping. And that's literally all Dave says about it, which seems like it would be big news. And considering what happens after WM8, I'd say it was indeed pretty big.
- GWF wrestler Scott Anthony is headed to WCW, under the name Scotty Flamingo. Quoth the Flamingo, nevermore....
- Reba McIntyre has been announced as a celebrity guest for Wrestlemania. Meanwhile, rumor is Hogan will announce that Wrestlemania will be his last match the week before the show to try to get last minute buys and ticket sales.
- Kevin Kelly is coming in under the name The Convict for a feud with Big Bossman (close...)
- Miss Elizabeth was apparently in the crowd at the Donahue taping.
- Roddy Piper will remain with the company as a TV announcer after Wrestlemania but won't be working house shows anymore.
- In the letters section, retired wrestler Tom Hankins writes in to tell his experiences with Terry Garvin and Pat Patterson. Hankins claims Garvin approached him and made his interest known, but Hankins declined. He then tells a story of hanging out in the bar with a bunch of the guys and asking Pat Patterson about getting him a job with WWF (Hankins didn't work for the company at the time). He claims Patterson told him in no uncertain terms that if he wanted the job, he'd have to give Patterson a blowjob.
- And finally, another letter that I'm reposting in full because I just find it hilarious that fans from a quarter century ago have the same exact complaints we do now: "I should have known Vince McMahon would get the last word. When they replayed the ending of the Rumble on the FOX show, a new soundtrack had been dubbed in which had the fans in Albany booing Sid and chanting "Hogan! Hogan!." This may seem minor but I'm really sick of them redoing reality. It's isn't enough for McMahon to pretend past WWF champions like Bob Backlund, Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham no longer exist or to pretend that long-time stars entering the WWF are rookies, now he's retroactively deciding who was cheered and booed at a PPV card just three weeks ago."