Bret Hart Thinks Predatory Behaviour Is Everywhere In WWE

Bret Hart has given his thoughts on the lawsuit filed against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE by former WWE employee Janel Grant. McMahon has been accused of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and physical and emotional abuse, while John Laurinatis has been accused of sexual assault. The lawsuit alleges that WWE tried to cover up the allegations against McMahon. 

The lawsuit led to Vince McMahon's resignation from WWE and it has emerged he is under federal investigation for multiple accusations of sexual assault and other offences. 

Speaking with The Slate, Bret Hart gave his thoughts on the matter, initially saying: "I'm going to speak my truth. I'm not worried about Vince's feelings. He's never cared about mine. I don't have any problem with everybody kicking his head around the parking lot. I'm OK with the truth coming out."

One of the incidents in the Janel Grant lawsuit alleges that Vince McMahon defected on Grant during a threesome and forced her to continue pleasuring the third person while faeces were in her hair and running down her back.

"When you get that vision in your head, you go, 'That's messed up.' It's too sick and disgusting to really imagine," Hart said about the alleged incident.

Alleged text messages from Vince McMahon were also displayed in the lawsuit and Hart stated "they sound like Vince."  

Hart then added: "I don't think this is the only incident of this kind of predatory behaviour. I think you'll find that it's everywhere in [WWE]. It's kind of like The Godfather: You never know when a guy like Vince will be your enemy again over something you say or do. Plus, it seemed like nothing could stop him, anyway. He's the Teflon guy. You just can't seem to get anything on him. He's just too powerful, got too much money.

"It's like Jeffrey Dahmer, Harvey Weinstein, or Jeffrey Epstein: Vince will be a joke. He'll be used for humour, and you'll shake your head at the shock value of some joke about, 'What did Vince McMahon do?' He'll always be associated with this story, especially as it gets bigger and bigger and bigger."

One of the allegations under investigation is Vince McMahon's alleged rape of former WWE referee Rita Chatterton in 1986, with Chatterton coming forward in 1992. McMahon settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by Chatterton in 2022. 

Hart admitted he had heard rumours of sexual impropriety against McMahon but he generally dismissed them, The Slate noted, including in the case of Rita Chatterton. After hearing about the latest accusations a few months ago, though, Hart apologised to Chatterton after bumping into her at a convention. 

"I just didn't believe it. I figured Vince had too much at stake to ever do something like that. I apologised from the bottom of my heart and I said, 'I believe that what happened to you, happened to you. And I apologise. I was wrong,'" Hart added.

Hart said in a text message about McMahon after the interview: "I think, despite all of the issues I ever had with Vince, I know, deep down, I always respected him; but now, knowing what kind of a weirdo he became, I have absolutely zero respect for him. I do not think I could ever shake his hand if he extended it. Too creepy."