• Vince McMahon Rejected “Stripper Name” For Mickie James
Before achieving success in WWE, Mickie James nearly debuted under her independent name, but Vince McMahon wasn’t a fan.
During her appearance on Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast, James recalled that McMahon rejected the name “Alexis Laree,” which she had used on the indies, right before her WWE debut.
“Vince asked, ‘What’s her name?’ and someone said, ‘Alexis Laree.’ He immediately went, ‘I don’t like that name. Sounds like a stripper name,’” James recalled with a laugh.
Caught off guard, she quickly suggested using her real name. “I just blurted out, ‘Mickie James,’ and he said, ‘Love it!’ I didn’t even tell him it was my real name until later.”
James became one of the few WWE Superstars allowed to use her actual name, something she remains grateful for today.
• Ex-WWF Personality Compares Vince McMahon’s Situation To Bill Cosby, Says Money Helps Him Avoid Consequences
On the Writing With Russo podcast, former WWF/WCW/TNA writer Vince Russo compared Vince McMahon’s recent legal troubles to the late-life downfall of Bill Cosby, saying both men are examples of once-powerful figures whose reputations have collapsed under the weight of their own actions.
Russo made the comparison while reacting to TMZ’s report that McMahon’s reckless driving charge will be dismissed if he donates $1,000 to charity and stays out of trouble.
“It’s crazy – Vince just keeps landing on his feet,” Russo said. “He’s got endless funds to pay lawyers, and when you have that kind of money, you can make almost anything go away.”
Russo said he wasn’t surprised McMahon escaped serious punishment and argued that wealth often shields the rich from real accountability.
“People like Vince live nine lives. The rest of us would be buried under that kind of case, but he’ll just write a check and move on.”
He then broadened the conversation to note the similarities between McMahon and Cosby – both older, once-respected entertainment moguls who are now facing public scrutiny late in life.
“When I think of these guys, I think of Vince McMahon and Bill Cosby,” Russo said. “They both lived incredible lives – powerful, successful – and now they’re both going through it. And it’s all stuff they brought on themselves.”
Russo emphasized that while McMahon’s legal problems are far less severe than Cosby’s, the comparison reflects how fame, ego, and money can create bubbles that collapse when reality finally catches up.
“At the end of the day, Vince has been protected his whole life by power and wealth. And even now, it still saves him.”
