WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus explains how her involvement in the obscene storyline with Vince McMahon did not affect her personally.
WWE legend Trish Stratus’s career spanned over 7 years and during her time with the company, she was involved in iconic matches and controversial storylines. Her feud with Lita made both superstars the pioneers of the women’s division. The Canadian female wrestler is truly a trailblazer for the present-day wrestlers and other hopefuls.
Before Trish climbed her way to the top and earned more TV time, she was involved in storylines with the boss that was somewhat uncomfortable to watch. The most deplorable segment that was revolted against and never broadcasted was when Trish was forced by Vince McMahon to get on her all fours and bark like a dog as a punishment for double-crossing the boss.
Vince further added insult to injury by extorting Trish to strip down in the middle of the ring in front of a live audience. Trish was degraded and debased as per the script. The scene was as obscene as it was repugnant and the media had a field day over the storyline.
Unsurprisingly, the angle even cost Linda McMahon her shot at being the senator as she ended up losing the election. Despite the humiliation that Trish underwent, she revealed in an interview that the controversial segment was what led to her successful run in the WWE as a main event female wrestler.
She had no regrets or hard feelings to have played that role. Speaking on For the Love of Wrestling, Trish admitted that although the role was mortifying to her character, it did not affect her personally.
“I get questioned about that a lot, and most people go, ‘oh, remember you had to bark like a dog and you had to do that thing that was so degrading, right? For the character, it was, yeah, because that was what the character had to go through. We don’t talk to Halle Barry when she had to get abused by so and so, you know, it’s a character,” Stratus said. “That, for me, was integral for the character to be at that rock bottom, to have the foresight to say, ‘I can break free from this. I won’t let this happen to me again and let’s move on.’ And you know what? 22 years, we’re still talking about it!”.
Vince McMahon was notorious for orchestrating controversial storylines and most of which even landed the company in trouble with the fans and the media. However, the boss only pushed the boundaries for the entertainment of the fans.
Is Trish Stratus the GOAT of the women’s division?
During her heyday, Trish won the Women’s Championship seven times. Winning the title multiple times and main eventing Monday Night Raw for the first time as a woman easily makes her one of the greatest of all time in WWE history. Stratus was a rare mix of beauty and strength.
She departed from the WWE in 2006 and later became the trainer of Tough Enough in 2011. As a consummate professional, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. The creator of the “Stratusfaction” then wrestled sporadically by returning to the ring in 2018 to participate in the Women’s Royal Rumble and later competing at an all-women Evolution event.
