Vince McMahon's Cringeworthy Performance At The 1987 Slammy Awards
Over the last 40 years, Vince McMahon has been one of the most enigmatic figures in the world of professional wrestling. From his takeover of the territory system, to his notorious testimony regarding steroids while wearing a neck brace, to the recent allegations of inappropriate behavior and his ensuing resignation, McMahon has been a lightning rod for controversy. Throughout those same years, he served as a prominent onscreen authority figure for the WWE, becoming beloved by a wide portion of the company's fanbase. However, one thing that almost everyone can likely agree on is the ridiculousness of his performance at the 1987 Slammy Awards.
The Slammy Awards are a concept that WWE brings out on occasion to serve as a wrestling analogue to major awards shows such as the Grammys or the Oscars. The awards are not meant to be taken completely seriously, which explains how McMahon's performance of "Stand Back" came to pass. The song was an original track off the album "Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II," and was produced by rock legend Rick Derringer during an era when the company was tying itself as closely as possible to pop and rock music. Unfortunately, it's not difficult to determine why this particular record didn't become a mainstream hit.
Vince McMahon Takes the Stage
When the 1987 edition of the Slammy Awards rolled around, it seems McMahon couldn't help himself from performing his track off the album live. Backed by Hulk Hogan on bass along with wrestlers such as Jake "the Snake" Roberts and "Macho Man" Randy Savage in the horns section, McMahon tears through his rendition of the song. And while his vocal performance itself is surprisingly decent, his antics on stage are almost shockingly over the top, even for McMahon. The lyrics of the song allude to McMahon taking out any competition in the wrestling business — or any person who gets in his way at all, for that matter. McMahon's dance moves, while well-choreographed, are about as cheesy as they could possibly be, including a moment when McMahon gestures suggestively, either towards the ground or his nether regions.
This was a decade before McMahon would become a regular fixture on TV in his "Mr. McMahon" persona as a foil to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, but this performance serves as a glimpse into that future, while also dating itself to the very specific time period of the late 1980s. Though McMahon may be retired, his 1987 Slammy Awards performance will forever live in infamy thanks to the internet.