WWF Boss McMahon defends himself on ESPN

Two days after Wrestlemania XV, and less than 24 hours removed from “Raw’s” all time ratings record, ESPN aired “Outside The Lines: Pro Wrestling’s Hold on America.” The show centered on the success of pro wrestling, combined with the negative aspects the industry can not shake.

The one hour special, hosted by long time ESPN anchor Bob Ley, stated that during the pivotal February sweeps, 21 of the top 25 rated cable shows were pro wrestling programs. This is a little misleading. Each hour of each wrestling program draws a rating.

For example, for the March 29th “Nitro” show, the first hour earned a 4.3, the second 3.1, and the third 3.2. The Nitro composite rating was 3.5, however, each hour will earn a slot in the cable Nielsen ratings for the week. It is very possible for the three hour “Nitro” show and two hours of “Raw” to claim five spots in the cable ratings.

According to the show, “each week, 40 million Americans watch some variation of this small wonder [pro wrestling]. This entire industry now boasts annual estimated revenues over $1 billion.”

“Hollywood” Hogan gave his summation, “We deliver. We don't sell anybody short. Whether it's a 3-hour program, or a 3-hour PPV for 59 bucks or 39 bucks. We don't knock somebody out in 20 seconds. You get 3 hours of entertainment.”

The show also claimed that TV Guide increased sales by a half of a million in December when they ran different covers featuring pro wrestlers from WWF and WCW. For the week of Wrestlemania XV, the publication again dawned the cover with four WWF superstars.

Ley tied wrestling to violence with athletics. Bret Hart stated he is, “the Robert DeNiro of wrestling.” Mick Foley, AKA Mankind, described wrestling, “kind of like Larry Bird in tights.”

The program did correctly point out that several wrestling stars have athletic backgrounds. The Rock and Goldberg played college football on the 1-A level, Kevin Nash was a center on the Tennessee Volunteer’s basketball team, and “The Macho Man” Randy Savage was a minor league catcher.

A segment narrated by Mark Schwartz focused on the impact pro wrestling has on children. A thirteen-year-old from California was interviewed. The youngster has been suspended from school three times as a result of aggressive behavior including in appropriate sexual gestures and language. He most recently was suspended for telling a female classmate to “suck it.”

The WWF was the focal point of the sexual aspects addressed on the show. Schwartz interviewed WWF Chairman Vince McMahon, who has been defending his promotion regularly in recent months.

McMahon replied, “How bad is it? How bad can it be? My god, they say a few colorful words. A few expletives. Oh my god they flipped the finger! How bad is it compared to everything that's out there on television today? When did you last watch an afternoon soap opera? Oh my god! Compared to afternoon soap operas, we're Sunday school teachers.”

It was noted the WWF has switched television ratings from TV PG to TV 14 started in February, for the second hour of “Raw Is War.”

Vince McMahon’s number one critic New York Post and TV Guide columnist Phil Mushnick was also interviewed. Mushnick contends that the WWF markets their explicit product to kids. “T-shirts with vulgar expressions written on 'em. These are being worn and purchased by kids or by adults for kids. The WWF would cease to exist without children,” said Mushnick.

McMahon claimed, “We market to children. We market to that 15% which is the teenage compliment. We'll market to the other 70%, which are 18 and above.”

The program also examined the early deaths of pro wrestlers Brian Pillman and Louie Spicolli. Pillman’s wife and Spicolli’s sister were interviewed. Brian’s widow Melanie, now remarried, said, “I mean I could sit here and name names of who it could have been, but it was just Brian Pillman, and sadly enough ... And I don't want it to be anyone else. I don't want anyone else to have to go through what I went through.”

Pillman died in his sleep in October 1997, on the road in Bloomington MN. He was 35. The autopsy revealed that Pillman died of complications due to an enlarged heart, there were prescription drugs and cocaine found in his system. Spicolli mixed muscle relaxers with alcohol, and died at the age of 27.

The show was a fair portrayal of the industry, interviewing many wrestlers from the WWF and WCW, and used actual, instead of the usual inflated, figures to state their case.

Bob Ley hosted the program from Killer Kowalski’s training facility in Boston.

The much talked about 'Outside the Lines' Wrestling special will be replayed on ESPN on April 8 at 3:30 A.M. EDT. Check your local listings for time & channel number.

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