Why Eric Bischoff Is Cutting Stephanie McMahon Slack For Mike Tyson Gaffe In Netflix Show

Stephanie McMahon has largely skirted any major fallout from the controversies that have consumed WWE and Vince McMahon for much of 2024. In Netflix's new six-part docuseries "Mr. McMahon," Stephanie provided candid insights about her father, though they were captured before the Janel Grant allegations had surfaced. However, there was one cringe-worthy moment involving a video clip from 2015 where she claimed ignorance of Mike Tyson's rape conviction when WWE had worked with the boxer in 1998. On "83 Weeks," Eric Bischoff, a former colleague and on-screen rival of Stephanie, defended her blunder.

"If you start asking me about dates and names from last month, let alone 15 years ago, I'm challenged with timelines," Bischoff said. "It just seems like so much happened in 30 years ... Also, I'm gonna cut her a little slack because I've been in these interviews, and oftentimes the questions kind of force you to go from one time period to another time period to another time period, and back and forth, and it really is hard to keep dates and events and names straight in an interview like this."

Bischoff's co-host Conrad Thompson countered by saying Tyson's conviction was fairly common knowledge, even to middle schoolers, in the late '90s. Bischoff then confessed that it did "look bad" for Stephanie.

Stephanie McMahon resigned as WWE's co-CEO in 2023 when her father Vince had attempted a brief comeback behind the scenes. She largely stayed out of view until WrestleMania 40, when she appeared in-ring to kick off Night 2. How much she may or may not have known about Ashley Massaro's 2016 sexual assault allegations has also been a source of rumor and innuendo.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).