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The New Abnormal

What Trump Learned About Manipulation From Pal Vince McMahon

The New Abnormal

The Daily Beast

News & Politics

4.67.9K Ratings

🗓️ 26 March 2023

⏱️ 35 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The world of pro wrestling used to be sold as real. Viewers were told that the fights, the rivalries, and the storylines were all real-life, otherwise known as a phenomenon called kayfabe. Then, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Vince McMahon turned that on its head. In this episode, author Abraham Josephine Riesman, who recently wrote a biography on McMahon titled Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America, tells The New Abnormal co-host Andy Levy how a manipulation strategy McMahon used made WWE what it is today (and help to deregulate it) and how Trump came to use that same technique to keep his fanbase coming back. Also in this episode: Riesman goes deeper into how McMahon’s strategy was able to leak into the world of politics, the history of McMahon and Trump’s friendship, and if there’s truth behind one of the biggest quote from her book: “Vince McMahon is the closest thing to a friend Trump has.” Plus! Andy and co-host Danielle Moodie talk about the Republican war on oat and almond milk and make the case that if TikTok goes down, Meta and Twitter should go with it.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, I'm Andy Levy, former Fox News and CNN HLN Guy and current cable news conscientious

0:05.4

objector.

0:06.4

I'm a former libertarian who now sits pretty comfortably on the left.

0:09.4

Hi, I'm Danielle Moody, former educator and recovering lobbyist, but today I'm an

0:14.4

unapologetic woke commentator on America's threats to democracy.

0:18.6

And I produce her Jesse Cannon and I'm here to make sure things don't go too far off

0:22.0

the rails.

0:23.0

We're here to have fun, smart conversations with some of the most knowledgeable and entertaining

0:27.2

people in politics, media and beyond.

0:29.9

Our goal is to try and make sense of our current crazy world, our new abnormal, and hopefully

0:35.3

even make you laugh through the tears.

0:37.3

Blow and welcome to another Sunday bonus episode of the new Abnormal.

0:40.4

We thank you so much for being here.

0:42.1

Today we have an extra special guest with Abraham Josephine Reesman, who's the author

0:46.6

of Ringmaster, Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America.

0:50.2

And despite this book being about wrestling, we're going to talk about all its weird political

0:53.9

entanglements.

0:55.2

But first, let's have some fun.

0:57.1

Are you guys ready to listen to some clips?

0:59.1

Yes.

1:00.1

Hell yeah.

1:01.1

Clip me.

...

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