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Grab your popcorn, folks! We might be witnessing the ultimate plot twist in the wrestling ring of the corporate world. Vince McMahon, the man synonymous with body slams and dramatic storylines, now finds himself embroiled in a lawsuit that alleges he was very much aware of a ringside drama of a different kind—one involving very young “Ring Boys” and a former WWE employee with more than just a peculiarly tight spandex.
The latest episode in the WWE saga involves five former cub reporters to the wrestling stars, alleging that McMahon and his entourage turned a blind eye to the uncanny talent of Melvin Phillips Jr., who seems to have finessed the art of luring in minors with promises of meeting wrestling icons and getting front-row seats to the show. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t exactly the backstage pass they had in mind.
According to the lawsuit, the McMahon family allowed a veritable circus of misconduct to unfold, letting Phillips juggle his responsibilities as both a ringside announcer and an alleged predator in a hospitality suite. But in typical WWE fashion, when the curtains opened on these grave accusations, the McMahons were quick to issue their denial—not with a championship belt, but rather a lawyer’s statement disavowing the claims as “absurd.”
While the rest of us were busy enjoying the “realism” of wrestling plotlines, it turns out that Phil Mushnick, a columnist since the early ’90s, was right all along. As far back as 1992, it seems he was warning fans that WWE’s backstage wasn’t just the staging ground for epic faux battles, but also for dubious behavior that would make even an amateur soap opera writer blush.
Pledging to fight these accusations as vigorously as a heavyweight champ fights for the title, attorney Jessica Rosenberg argued these allegations rely on sensationalist claims that nobody has adequately substantiated—akin to saying there’s nothing fishy about the dripping in-ring theatrics of, well, wrestling.
The lawsuit, filed in Baltimore County, is reminiscent of a wrestling match where nobody wins and everyone is left wondering how the ropes remain intact while everything collapses. Supposedly, Phillips’ reign lasted through the ’90s as a “prominent” figure who somehow managed to surround himself with underage companions—a marvel of corporate welfare that is anything but entertaining.
And guess what? McMahon allegedly had whispers in his ear about Phillips’ “unnatural interest” in the kids way back in the ’80s. Yet, in true wrestling fashion, instead of a swift disqualification, Phillips was simply given a stern warning to “keep his distance” from the kiddie pool—a call that ultimately landed less impact than a feather on the mat.
Despite a slew of scandals, McMahon and the WWE continued their tête-à-tête with the absurd, re-hiring Phillips after just a brief period on the bench. The premise that this multi-billion-dollar entertainment behemoth didn’t notice a thing is harder to believe than a surprise guest entrant at a Royal Rumble.
Today’s headlines scream louder than a wrestling promo: the McMahons are back in the ring—not for a match, but in a complex legal showdown of seismic proportions. As the WWE is embroiled in an avalanche of allegations, we’re left wondering if this is all just part of the gag reel or if the curtains might finally drop for good, marking the end of the corporate wrestling saga.
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