Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was known for his strong-handed approach toward several wrestlers who worked under him. Stars who maintained a good rapport with McMahon often enjoyed successful runs in the Stamford-based promotion, while those who didn’t sometimes faced difficult situations.
Despite this reputation, WWE legend Mr. Kennedy recently revealed that he passed up a chance to form a closer friendship with McMahon.
### Mr. Kennedy on Turning Down Vince McMahon’s Offer
Speaking on the Axxess Podcast, Ken Anderson, better known as Mr. Kennedy, shared that he generally had positive experiences working with Vince McMahon. However, he was also aware of the many horror stories other wrestlers told about their encounters with the former WWE head.
McMahon had expressed interest in having Mr. Kennedy hang out with him to learn more about the ins and outs of the pro wrestling business. Despite the offer, Mr. Kennedy admitted he never took it up.
> “All generally positive, like he never messes with me. I’ve seen him mess with people. I’ve heard stories of him messing with people that are like nightmare versions of stories. But I always had pretty positive interactions with him.
> In fact, at one point he was like, I want you to start hanging out with me. This was right when I got on board. I was like, I want you to learn the ins and outs of this business. I just never took him up on it. I don’t know. Hindsight is what it is. I just didn’t feel comfortable. I didn’t want to be a kiss-a**. I felt like I didn’t know any other way to go about doing that without feeling like a kiss-a**,” he said.
> [From 28:31 to 29:26]
Mr. Kennedy’s words suggest that he holds no regrets about that decision. The WWE veteran had a four-year tenure with the company from 2005 to 2009, during which he captured the United States Championship once.
—
### Another WWE Legend Opens Up on Turning Down Vince McMahon
WWE legend Trish Stratus also recently shared her experience with Vince McMahon’s offers. In an interview with Pod Meets World, she revealed that McMahon wanted her to do a photoshoot for Playboy magazine.
Stratus said she immediately turned down the offer, stating that it simply wasn’t something she was interested in.
> “No. Oh my gosh, it’s just not for me. Even though I’m known as a sex symbol, I suppose, it is not me; it is my character. But yeah, no. It was not even an option. I was like, ‘Oh, that is just not me,’” she explained.
The seven-time WWE Women’s Champion also revealed that McMahon was very persistent with this request. He tried convincing Stratus to do the photoshoot for several years, but she declined every time.
—
**Conclusion**
Both Mr. Kennedy and Trish Stratus demonstrate that, while Vince McMahon offered opportunities beyond wrestling, not every star was comfortable accepting them. Their stories shed light on the complex relationships between WWE talent and its former chairman, highlighting personal boundaries amid the business.
—
*Edited by Sanchari Bhattacharya*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-i-didn-t-want-kiss-a-wwe-veteran-says-vince-mcmahon-really-like
