Chris Jericho Comments on Vince McMahon's Ongoing Investigation
Chris Jericho was recently a guest on the True Geordie Podcast and gave his two cents on the ongoing investigation the WWE Board of Directors is conducting on Vince McMahon. The interview appears to have been conducted prior to The Wall Street Journal's second report as Jericho only ever references the initial accusation of McMahon paying $3 million to a former employee in order to keep her silent about an affair they allegedly had. Since then, new information has come out stating McMahon allegedly coerced a former wrestler into sexual acts then punished her when she rejected future advances, sexually harassed a contractor and kept yet another affair quiet involving an employee who had been with the company for 10 years. As of now, it has been reported that McMahon has paid more than $12 million to keep those four incidents quiet until now.
Jericho admitted he wasn't surprised by the initial report but didn't think that one alone would result in McMahon facing long-term consequences. He has currently stepped back as CEO and Chairman of WWE, but continues to run its weekly shows as Head of Creative.
"Is it a surprise in any industry when it happens? When you look at it, it's really not illegal. He had an affair, paid the lady off to not say anything, and moved on," Jericho said. "It's almost like, 'Okay, and?' People want to jump on it but there is still always an undertone of 'it's wrestling. Oh, it's just wrestling,' If you look, that story came out with a bang, and then you really haven't heard anything about it since. If this was Hollywood, with Harvey Weinstein, that sort of thing...the difference between that is, he was holding women back for getting gigs, Harvey Weinstein. 'Either bang me or you don't get the starring role.' This has never been said in Vince's thing. It was a mutual acknowledgement of the affair, he paid the lady to say nothing, and she took the money. I really know Vince well and it sucks that happened, it sucks that he did it, but is anything really going to happen from it? I don't think so."
Jericho later admitted that in six months he could be proven wrong. Stay tuned for more updates on the McMahon investigation as they become available.