10 Times WWE Worked Their Audience Into A Shoot

2. Vince McMahon's Death (Raw - June 2007)

Vince mcMahon limo
WWE

Working your audience into a shoot is one thing, but doing so to a multitude of mass media sources, all of whom were well aware that professional wrestling is nought but a "fake," scripted drama? Entirely more impressive.

That's exactly what happened when WWE tried to kill Vince McMahon off in June 2007. The Chairman's limousine exploded at Monday Night Raw's conclusion, engulfing him in a ball of flames, with WWE.com reporting the incident as if it were a legitimate occurrence mere minutes after it had happened.

While most fans recognised this was a work, many did not, and the situation was exasperated when a number of news outlets reported the angle as fact the following day. CNBC even went so far as to all but accuse the company of fraud for faking Vince's death, which forced WWE to acknowledge that it was all a storyline, and that McMahon hadn't actually died.

The angle was abandoned in the aftermath of the Chris Benoit tragedy, and Vince returned to television a few weeks later. Even Donald Trump was foxed by the initial angle, which was so believable that panic among investors prompted WWE's stock precises to temporarily fall in the aftermath.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.