Fans of the Vice TV docuseries ‘Dark Side of the Ring,’ known for its in-depth explorations of wrestling’s most controversial and tragic events, have noticed the absence of an episode focusing on the ongoing s*xual trafficking lawsuit against former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Now, the reason for this deliberate decision has been revealed by one of the show’s key figures.
Speaking to Riju Dasgupta on WrestleBinge, Dark Side of the Ring producer Evan Husney addressed the question of why the show has yet to tackle the serious allegations against McMahon. According to Husney, the primary reason is the fluid and ongoing nature of the story.
“I think with stories as massive and as, uh, just alarming as that story, you know, and there have been other stories, I mean, not to say that what’s been happening with Vince McMahon in the headlines isn’t the biggest, but as other stories have come up in wrestling that are controversial or breaking news or have gotten into the mainstream, there’s always that knee-jerk reaction of, ‘Dark Side of the Ring, you know?’” Husney stated.
He emphasized that the consistent emergence of new details makes it challenging to present a comprehensive and accurate account at this time. “But honestly, my thought about it has always been, with any of these stories, they’re not done being told yet. They’re still unfolding. We are in the midst of that story, and we’re not sure where it’s going to go from here, right? I mean, every few weeks, every few months, there’s something new about the lawsuit and what’s happening with that.”
Husney explained that while there’s often an immediate expectation for Dark Side of the Ring to cover such significant and serious stories, the production team prefers to exercise patience. Their priority is to wait until a clearer picture emerges.
“So, from the point of view of just a storyteller, whether it’s a Dark Side fit or not, or I should say, whether it’s a story we would cover or not, if you committed to doing that story right now, you may get nothing. You might not get any answers. You might not be able to tell anything because people are unable to talk, or the information isn’t there. And you might just get something very loose, and that could be perceived as exploiting or cashing in on what’s happening now.”
Husney also touched upon the Netflix documentary that was previously in production with Vince McMahon’s involvement. The emergence of the lawsuit has undoubtedly complicated matters for the filmmakers. He expressed understanding for their situation, particularly regarding potential financial constraints in light of the evolving narrative.
“But I would assume the production company has spent all this money, and just knowing how the industry is these days, there might not be more money to keep going. And you probably want to keep going, because the story is taking on a brand-new life. I can sympathize with trying to make something out of what you have. Then the perception from viewers is, ‘Well, now I’m more interested in what’s happening now.’ But when you get that, you can only say so much, because we’re still in the middle of it.”
Ultimately, Husney indicated that a Dark Side of the Ring episode on the Vince McMahon lawsuit isn’t entirely off the table for the future. However, the timing will depend on the progression of the story and the availability of more conclusive information.
“So, whether or not it’s something we would do, time will tell. It’s something we want to see unfold. I think for us, it would be challenging in our format, for sure, to do something like that. But we’ll see. We’ll sort of see where this goes. It’s definitely a wild story, that’s for sure.”
In conclusion, Evan Husney and the Dark Side of the Ring team are adopting a cautious approach to the sensitive and unfolding allegations against Vince McMahon. Their decision to hold off on an episode reflects a commitment to thorough storytelling and a desire to avoid speculation or premature conclusions in a situation where new information continues to surface.
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