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    • What does “Mr. McMahon” say about Vince McMahon’s sexual assault lawsuit?
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    What does “Mr. McMahon” say about Vince McMahon’s sexual assault lawsuit?

    Eira Gwyneth Posted on

    (This story has been updated with new information.)

    Of all the stories mentioned in the documentary series “Mr. McMahon” about WWE founder Vince McMahon, one is particularly interesting: the sexual assault lawsuit filed against McMahon by a former employee of the company.

    The six-episode documentary addresses several of the controversies surrounding McMahon – from steroid use to the deaths of major stars – as well as allegations of sexual abuse over the past few decades.

    In all cases, McMahon addresses the criticism he has received. But when it comes to the lawsuit filed by Janel Grant, don’t expect to hear McMahon talk about it on the show.

    In “Mr. McMahon,” the following is discussed regarding the recent allegations of sexual harassment against the wrestling personality:

    What does Vince McMahon say about the sexual assault lawsuit in “Mr. McMahon”?

    Nothing.

    During the series finale, after discussing when McMahon would step down as CEO of WWE in 2022 amid an investigation into whether he paid a former employee money to keep an affair secret, an empty chair is shown on the screen and it reads:

    “After the allegations became public, Vince McMahon canceled his final interviews for this series.”

    That’s because almost all of the interviews conducted for the series took place before the lawsuit was announced in January. However, the topic is addressed.

    Wall Street Journal reporter Khadeeja Safdar, who first reported on the lawsuit, goes into the details of the allegations, most notably the claim that McMahon used Grant as an incentive for a WWE star to renew his contract with the company. Safdar says the unnamed star is Brock Lesnar, one of the biggest names in the company. Lesnar has not appeared in WWE since the lawsuit was made public.

    Reporters also confirm that Grant was involved in the investigation into McMahon in 2022.

    Was Janel Grant interviewed for “Mr. McMahon”?

    Grant has not participated in “Mr. McMahon.” Ann Callis, Grant’s attorney, did not say whether Grant was asked to participate in the series, but said last week her client “deserves the opportunity to tell her whole story, not to be part of someone else’s story.”

    Following the series’ release, Callis said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports that there was “no difference” between McMahon’s on-air persona and his real self, and that his character’s “violent outbursts, sexual deviance and manipulation” were what Grant experienced during his tenure with WWE.

    “While the docuseries puts McMahon’s obsession with power and control on full display, it only scratches the surface of his criminal behavior and does not tell the full story of his abuse, sexual assault and trafficking of Ms. Grant,” Callis said. “She deserves the opportunity to tell her story, in her own time and in her own way. We look forward to her day in court and to McMahon finally being held accountable for his actions.”

    Statement by Vince McMahon on “Mr. McMahon”

    Although he did not address the recent allegations, McMahon issued a statement about the docuseries just days before its release. He said that after watching an early cut of the series, “it goes down the predictable path of confusing the character ‘Mr. McMahon’ with the real me, Vince.”

    “Much has been misrepresented or left out entirely to intentionally confuse viewers. The producers use typical editing tricks with out-of-context footage and outdated soundbites, etc. to distort viewers’ perceptions and support a misleading narrative,” McMahon said. “To support their misleading portrayal, the producers use a lawsuit stemming from an affair I ended as evidence that I am, in fact, ‘Mr. McMahon.’ I hope the viewer keeps an open mind and remembers that there are two sides to every story.”

    USA TODAY Sports has reached out to McMahon’s representatives and WWE for comment.

    What are the allegations in the sexual assault lawsuit against Vince McMahon?

    In the lawsuit, Grant claims McMahon forced her to sign a non-disclosure agreement about their relationship that included an agreed-upon amount of $3 million. However, Grant claims she never received full payment from McMahon and wants to use the lawsuit to void the agreement.

    Grant, who was hired by WWE in 2019, detailed her experiences with McMahon. During her employment, Grant said she was forced into a sexual relationship with McMahon and he shared explicit photos, videos and details of her with other WWE employees. She added that she was also forced into sexual relationships with other WWE employees, including John Laurinaitis, WWE’s former head of talent relations, who is also named in the lawsuit.

    In May 2020, according to the lawsuit, McMahon began recruiting other men and forcing Grant into sex trafficking. Alleged text messages from McMahon show him telling Grant, “I am the only one who owns and controls who I want U (expletive).”

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    Eira Gwyneth
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