Wrestling in the US has long been considered part of the national pop culture. Staged fights of charismatic characters, unexpected plot twists, scandals, public quarrels of athletes - all this is of great interest to a certain part of the public. The real puppeteer of this grand theatrical performance is the legendary Vince McMahon, CEO of WWE, the leading promotional organization for professional wrestling.
Childhood
The future ruler of the sports empire was born back in 1945. Vince was raised by his mother and stepfather. The latter mercilessly beat his wife, and when the boy tried to stand up for her, he got it too.
The real father, Vince McMahon Sr., left the family when his son was just a baby. Along with other things, he took with him Vince's older brother, Rod. For the first time, McMahon Jr. saw his biological father when he was alreadytwelve years.
Study was not easy for Vince, as he was prone to a peculiar disease - dyslexia. A student suffering from this ailment is simply unable to perceive in a single coherent whole and is able to read only separate simple words.
However, the stubborn teenager tried to overcome an unpleasant illness and was soon cured of it. He received his education at the military Fishburne School, from which he graduated in 1964.
Career start
Vince McMahon chose such an exotic profession as a wrestling promoter for a reason. This craft was also done by his grandfather Jess and continued by his father, McMahon Sr. Vince immediately took an interest in the unusual sight and always accompanied his father on his wrestling tours at Madison Square Garden.
However, he was not happy with his son's hobby and dissuaded him from a career as a wrestler and promoter.
Vince McMahon graduated from the University of Carolina in 1968 and worked as a sales agent for several years. However, the boring work of a traveling salesman did not inspire an ambitious guy, and he decided to get closer to leadership positions in the WWWF, one of the largest wrestling organizations of that time, by all means.
Vince McMahon started off as an announcer for WWWF All-Star Wrestling. He spent two years in this capacity, until fate gave him the opportunity to work independently.
Work in WWWF
In 1971, Vince McMahon was appointed to the positionleader of a small regional organization in Maine. He successfully worked as a promoter, after which he became a commentator on the wrestlers' show, replacing Ray Morgan in this post.
The Carolina native has worked as the voice of wrestling for two decades, becoming a kind of symbol and mascot of the WWWF.
At the same time, Vince McMahon was not satisfied with the role of only a creative worker, actively infiltrating the leadership of the organization. In the late seventies, he takes all the reins into his own hands, and soon, together with his wife Linda, creates his own company - Titan Sports.
After that, Vince McMahon decided to concentrate the scattered parts of the family business under the leadership of one person, that is, himself. To this end, in 1982 he buys his father's promotion company CWC from his father. Vince McMahon Sr. did not live long after that and died in 1984.
From the 80s, the era of the new WWF / WWE corporation and the transformation of wrestling in honor of American popular culture begins.
Hulk Hogan and others
Vince McMahon has seriously changed the rules of the game adopted in American wrestling. Prior to that, autonomous regional organizations operated in the country, which did not interfere in each other's affairs and worked exclusively on their own territory. However, Vince McMahon began to pursue an active offensive policy, spreading the influence of WWE beyond the northeast coast. The company invited employees from other wrestling promotions, such as AWA.
One of the most noticeable steps in promotionthe brand of the organization was the invitation of the charismatic Hulk Hogan as a WWE megastar.
One of the symbols of the eighties, he brought wrestling to the attention of even those people who did not know anything about him.
Vince McMahon was the face of his show during those years, serving as host and commentator. He introduced the stars of the entertainment industry into his performances, thus creating a unique phenomenon of modern television. In 1985, the first Wrestle Mania was held, which took place in Madison Square Garden and was broadcast on cable channels throughout the United States. The third series of Wrestle Mania brought together almost a hundred thousand fans at the Pontiac Silverdome.
Mr. McMahon vs. Ted Turner
The nineties passed under the flag of the struggle with the main competitor of WWE - World Championship Wrestling, which was led by Ted Turner. A seasoned showman and businessman, Vince McMahon subtly caught the new trends of the times and shifted the focus of his TV shows towards a tougher and more cynical spectacle. This concept, designed for an adult audience, is called WWF Attitude.
The ruler of the empire himself, who had previously acted as a neutral commentator, introduced a new negative character into the show - himself. "Mr. McMahon" has become one of the main anti-heroes. According to the plot, he was opposed by a positive handsome man - Steve "Ice Block" Austin. Wrestler fights, Vince McMahon's sinister anthem, intricate intrigues - all this has become part of the popular culture of America innineties. Broadcast WWE events have consistently topped cable programming charts.
In 2001 ended the epic confrontation between Ted Turner and Vince McMahon. The head of WCW admitted his defeat and declared the organization bankrupt. The competitor's remains were immediately bought by Vince, who became the sole master of the wrestling empire.
Vince McMahon: family
The current head of WWE met his future wife as a teenager. Barely reaching adulthood, Vince McMahon immediately became engaged to Linda in 1966, and since then they have been living together for more than fifty years. During this time, the businessman became a grandfather, his children Shane and Stephanie gave him five grandchildren.
McMahon's son and daughter also work in the family business, but Shane left his father's company in 2010, returning to the business six years later.
The life and career of a successful promoter has attracted the interest of the film industry, there was information about the filming of a film about Vince McMahon.
