Chris Jericho Weighs In On Vince McMahon Allegations, Whether He Was Surprised By Them

Chris Jericho recently shared his thoughts about the WWE Board’s investigations into hush payment allegations against Vince McMahon. As you almost certainly know, McMahon is being investigated by the WWE Board of Directors following the revlation to them of a $3 million payment made to a former employee, allegedly as a hush payment regarding an affair between them. Last week an additional report noted that McMahon allegedly paid an additional $12 million to four women over the past 16 years, including $7.5 million to a former wrestler he coerced into performing oral sex and who was demoted and ultimately didn’t have her contract extended when she refused to do anything else.

In an interview that appears to have been recorded before the latest allegations came out, Jericho spoke with the True Geordie podcast and was asked about the news. You can check out the highlights below, per Fightful:

On if he was surprised by the allegations: “Not really. 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. 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.”

On McMahon’s appearances on TV since the initial report: “That’s Vince McMahon. I think it’ll come and go. Is it morally right? Absolutely not. Is it illegal? No. Is it something that is going to get him into real trouble? I don’t think so. Once again, unfortunately, ‘Oh, it’s just Vince McMahon, it’s just wrestling, of course he’s going to do that.’ Those things come and go, they happen, it’s too bad, but I really think it doesn’t matter in the long run. Six months from now, I’ll either be right or I’ll be wrong.”