Greenwich Post
From Sacred Heart University
Wrestling icon honored with degree
May 24, 2007

When Vince McMahon appears before a packed audience he is usually serenaded by the loud chorus of boos and unprintable words quite befitting his status as one of professional wrestling’s most notorious villains.

But earlier this month, the chairman of the board of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) got a standing ovation from the 994 graduates of the Sacred Heart University Class of 2007.

Mr. McMahon took the stage as commencement speaker at the May 13 ceremony and received a doctor of humane letters degree from the university, which undoubtedly goes along well with the ECW World Title he also currently holds as part of WWE’s ongoing storylines.

In his address, Mr. McMahon told the graduates about his humble beginnings and how he rose from them, albeit with a few stumbles along the way, to lead his company to the top of the sports entertainment industry. He admitted he didn’t have any “pearls of wisdom” for them, but advised the class to never be afraid of failure if its members wanted to be successful.

Mr. McMahon, a longtime Greenwich resident, said he was honored by the chance to address the graduates and receive the degree, but also humbled by the opportunity.

“It is a privilege to receive this recognition from such a distinguished institution and, like most people who receive honorary degrees, I certainly don’t feel worthy,” Mr. McMahon told the Post. “Nonetheless, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to speak to a graduating class, entertain them with some of my life expe-riences and leave them with one message: Don’t be afraid of failure.”

WWE has spent decades building international superstars and Mr. McMahon is one of the company’s best known figures. Like many of the larger-than-life superstars in WWE, at times the character Mr. McMahon plays on television is so iconic that it seems like it could be difficult to separate the real-life man from the ruthless, detestable villain he portrays.

However, Mr. McMahon said this isn’t a problem. He said he’s never concerned with any idea that being known for charity work, which is what led to him being honored with the degree, could hurt his on-screen image as a bad guy.

“I don’t think anyone confuses my on-screen character with me as a human being, although there are some similarities between us,” Mr. McMahon said. “Our audience realizes the difference. It takes a strong protagonist and an equally strong antagonist, which is my character, to tell good stories. Our audience very easily distinguishes between me as a human being and my character, as they do for all our superstars.”

Mr. McMahon admits he does have “the greatest job in the world” because not only does he get to play such a controversial character on WWE’s three hit programs, but he gets the chance to use his celebrity and the WWE brand to support worthwhile community causes. He said moving between the two worlds has been rewarding for him.

“People know WWE for the great entertainment we have provided over the years, but the public is less familiar with all the community-based initiatives we undertake,” Mr. McMahon said. “We don’t ask for anyone to pat us on the back for what we do, but it was great of Sacred Heart to recognize our efforts to bestow this honor on me and WWE.”

The spirit of charity and giving back doesn’t stop with Mr. McMahon. The entire roster is actively involved with community efforts wherever the company travels. In fact, ECW superstar Bobby Lashley, who is engaged in a bitter rivalry with Mr. McMahon for the ECW Championship on television, is currently working as a spokesman for Connecticut’s Click It or Ticket campaign to get drivers to fasten their seat belts. Beyond that, wrestlers on the roster are famous for giving their time whenever they can all over the world.

“It is extremely important to WWE and our superstars to give back to our fans and their communities,” Mr. McMahon said. “Our superstars very willingly engage in these efforts, from meeting Make-A-Wish kids to urging young adults to vote through our Smackdown Your Vote! campaign, to visiting our men and women of the military on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

While professional wrestling has come under a great deal of criticism over the years, those critics have often forgotten to mention the company’s charity work. WWE has a 20-year relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which Mr. McMahon treasures.

“I still find it genuinely humbling to meet these courageous children with debilitating and life-threatening diseases who are so full of life,” Mr. McMahon said. “They are an inspiration. Meeting them definitely puts one’s life in perspective.”

Mr. McMahon was accompanied to the Sacred Heart ceremony by his wife Linda, WWE’s chief executive officer as well as a member of the university’s Board of Trustees. His daughter Stephanie, who was recently promoted to executive vice president for talent and creative writing, was also in attendance along with her husband Paul Levesque, who is better known to WWE audiences as Triple H.

When the ceremony was finished, Mr. McMahon got right back to work. He put his championship belt on the line this past Sunday in a successful defense against Mr. Lashley and will be back in the ring again on June 3 in an “extreme rules streetfight” for the One Night Stand pay-per-view. Before then, he will be regularly featured on Monday Night Raw at 9 p.m. on USA Network and on ECW, which is at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays.