Additional Coverage:
- Bizarre clip of Linda McMahon watching her husband makeout with another woman while in wheelchair following ‘nervous breakdown’ (irishstar.com)
Before she stepped into the role of Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon was no stranger to the spotlight, having a lengthy career with the WWE. And what a career it was! Her time there included some truly unforgettable, and at times bizarre, storylines.
One particular plotline that has resurfaced in public discourse involved her husband, Vince McMahon, then playing the villainous “Mr. McMahon.” In this dramatic saga, Vince’s character was depicted as cheating on Linda while she was in a comatose state.
The McMahon family, including Linda and their children, were often central figures in Vince’s long-running WWE narratives. However, few were as infamous as Linda’s “nervous breakdown” in December 2000.
This storyline saw her confined to a wheelchair for several weeks. The plot thickened when Vince’s character requested a divorce, leading to Linda’s on-screen hospitalization.
From there, Vince’s character “administered” sedatives, inducing a comatose state that allowed him to openly engage in an affair with WWE Diva Trish Stratus.
For weeks, Linda’s character remained motionless and unresponsive in her wheelchair as Vince’s character interacted intimately with Trish. A recent clip circulating on social media, showing one of these scenes, garnered significant attention. The accompanying caption quipped, “The lady in this video wants to dismantle the Dept. of Education.”
Comments poured in, ranging from a simple “Eww” to more pointed remarks like, “This is the most vibrant I’ve seen her look since she was named secretary. Trump is her new Vince.”
The storyline culminated dramatically at WrestleMania 17 on April 1, 2001. After enduring weeks of his father’s on-screen antics, Vince’s son, Shane, challenged his father to a street fight, with Mick Foley serving as the special guest referee.
In a moment that is still talked about today, as Vince’s character was about to strike Shane with a garbage can, Linda’s character miraculously rose from her wheelchair and delivered a low-blow to Vince. This pivotal action allowed Shane to pin his father and secure the win.
While the “McMahon vs. McMahon” match was critically acclaimed at the time and considered a highlight of the show, the broader storyline has not aged as gracefully. Many fans now look back on it as bizarre and, at times, disturbing.
Online comments reflect this sentiment, with one YouTube user stating, “This is why people don’t take Linda seriously as a politician. Vince gave her a VERY bad image.” Another person simply wrote, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Secretary of Education!”
Since entering the political arena in the late 2000s, Linda McMahon has actively sought to distance herself from her WWE past. She is also now separated from Vince McMahon, to whom she was married since 1966.
Vince resigned from the WWE in January 2024 amidst allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault, which he has consistently denied. He is currently facing a federal probe.