S6 E6: WWE, David Bernhardt & the Mueller Report: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

The Mueller Report and its Fallout

• The current Administration had a busy week, with Trump renewing attacks on the Affordable Healthcare Act, threatening to close the southern border, and David Bernhardt's confirmation hearing for Secretary of the Interior, where he was questioned due to his background as a former oil lobbyist (41s).
• During Bernhardt's hearing, a woman in a lagoon creature mask was present to draw attention to his "swampy" background, staying for over an hour (1m7s).
• The week was dominated by the fallout from the Mueller report, which was summarized by Attorney General William Barr and submitted to Congress (1m39s).
• The report did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump's campaign, but did not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice (2m5s).
• Despite this, Trump supporters have been claiming that the report completely exonerates the president, which is not accurate (2m51s).
• The full report has not been released, and only Barr's summary has been made public, leading to questions and qualifiers about its contents (3m18s).
• Trump supporters have been criticizing the investigation, calling it a waste of time and money, despite the report's findings not being fully released (3m41s).
• The Department of Justice could potentially take in more than it spent on the investigation through asset forfeitures, such as those from Paul Manafort. (4m16s)
• Even if the investigation didn't conclude that Trump conspired with the Russians, it doesn't mean the whole thing was a waste of time, as a lot has been learned from Müller's investigation. (4m26s)
• The investigation has revealed several key points, including Russia's interference in the election, the president's campaign manager, lawyer, and multiple advisers being convicted of crimes, and Trump and his team lying about business with Russia and contact with Russians. (4m47s)
• The investigation also revealed that Trump may have committed campaign finance violations to cover up an affair with an adult film star, and that he attempted to continue the affair but ended up watching Shark Week with the adult film star in a hotel room. (4m59s)
• The scandal has been sitting in plain sight for so long that it's stopped being noticed, much like a woman in a sweaty fish mask. (5m20s)

The World of Professional Wrestling and the WWE

• The main story of the night concerns professional wrestling, specifically the WWE, which is the undisputed corporate champion of wrestling. (6m44s)
• The WWE was formerly known as the WWF, but lost a court case to the World Wildlife Fund and had to change its name. (7m1s)
• The WWE has delivered numerous ludicrous and genuinely incredible moments over the years, including Jake the Snake Roberts setting a live cobra on Macho Man Randy Savage and Braun Strowman suplexing the Big Show off the turnbuckle and breaking the entire ring. (7m21s)
• The WWE is a highly popular and profitable company with over a billion fans on social media, two highly rated cable shows, its own streaming network, reality shows, video games, and a movie studio, generating a record $930 million in revenue last year (8m28s).
• The company's WrestleMania event is one of the most valuable sports brands in the world, ranking higher than the World Series (9m12s).

The Dark Side of WWE: Wrestler Deaths and Business Practices

• Despite its success, the WWE has been plagued by stories of wrestlers dying young, including Eddie Guerrero, Randy Macho Man Savage, and King Kong Bundy (9m55s).
• A study found that the rate of deaths among WWF wrestlers is shockingly high, with 538 tracking the rate of deaths among wrestlers and finding it to be significantly higher than the expected death rate among the general population and former NFL players (10m47s).
• The WWE's business practices and treatment of its wrestlers will be examined, with a focus on the company's chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon, who is incredibly powerful and has been running the company since buying it from his father (11m31s).

Vince McMahon's Rise and Controversial Reign

• Before Vince McMahon's involvement, professional wrestling was split into various regional promotions with their own broadcasts, including World Class Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling, and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (11m49s).
• Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Vince McMahon gradually eliminated or absorbed his competitors, resulting in one giant company holding a monopoly on the industry (12m21s).
• McMahon is heavily involved in the WWE, overseeing storylines, scripts, and even playing a fictionalized version of himself as the show's overarching villain (12m32s).
• McMahon's character has been involved in questionable storylines, including forcing female wrestlers to strip, beating up his supposed illegitimate son, and using racial slurs as part of a comedic skit (12m44s).
• Despite being in complete control of the scripts, McMahon has made choices that are widely considered to be in poor taste, and his character has been the subject of criticism from fans and former wrestlers (13m10s).

Wrestlers as Independent Contractors: A Contested Classification

• Many wrestlers, including Brett "Hitman" Hart, have spoken out about the poor treatment they received from McMahon and the WWE, with some comparing their treatment to that of "circus animals" (14m17s).
• The WWE classifies its wrestlers as independent contractors rather than employees, which has been criticized by former wrestlers such as Jesse Ventura, who argue that this classification is unfair and allows the company to avoid taking responsibility for the welfare of its wrestlers (15m1s).
• This classification has been described as "insane" by Jesse Ventura, who points out that wrestlers are signed exclusively to the WWE and have no control over their schedules or working conditions (15m9s).
• The government has been criticized for allowing the WWE to get away with this classification, which has been described as a monopoly (15m29s).
• WWE wrestlers are classified as independent contractors, which means they are exempt from most discrimination and occupational safety laws, and do not receive annual pensions or health insurance (15m31s).
• The classification of WWE wrestlers as independent contractors is disputed, as they sign exclusive contracts and are not free to work when and for whom they choose, contrary to the IRS's criteria for independent contractors (16m10s).
• The success of WWE depends on the services provided by its wrestlers, which further challenges their classification as independent contractors (16m24s).
• WWE's own website states that its performers are the company's greatest asset, and without them, WWE would not exist (16m42s).
• In the past, wrestlers worked for multiple organizations, but now that WWE has a monopoly on the industry, it makes less sense to call them independent contractors (16m55s).

The Fight for Wrestler Rights and Unionization

• In 1986, Jesse Ventura attempted to unionize wrestlers, but the effort was shut down by Vince McMahon (17m13s).
• The lack of a union means that Vince McMahon has control over the working conditions of WWE wrestlers, who work year-round with no off-season (17m47s).

Unsafe Working Conditions and Lack of Healthcare in WWE

• WWE wrestlers' contracts contain clauses that allow the company to terminate their contract if they are injured for as little as six weeks, and release the company from liability for damage resulting in permanent injury or death (18m11s).
• The working conditions and contracts of WWE wrestlers create an environment with huge potential for unsafe conduct (18m59s).
• Former WWE wrestlers, including Lance McNaught and CM Punk, have spoken out about the pressure to work through injuries and the lack of support for wrestlers' health and well-being (19m3s).
• A WWE wrestler was given the option to either acknowledge a concussion or travel to Europe for an event, and the wrestler chose to travel despite not being well, resulting in further health issues (19m20s).
• The wrestler experienced severe symptoms, including dry heaving and vomiting, and was prescribed a Z-pack by the WWE doctor, which did not address the underlying issue (19m40s).
• The wrestler's health issues continued, and at one point, they defecated in their pants during a Smackdown event, which was not shown out of common courtesy (19m53s).
• The WWE made the wrestler take down a tweet about the incident, despite it being a lighthearted comment (20m13s).
• The WWE does not provide health insurance for its wrestlers, except for injuries that occur inside the ring, leaving them to deal with cumulative damage and long-term health issues on their own (20m43s).
• Vince McMahon has denied any responsibility for the welfare of his wrestlers, including their untimely deaths, and has instead shifted the blame to the wrestlers themselves (20m55s).

WWE's Limited Welfare Programs and the Need for Improvement

• The WWE has taken some positive steps in recent years, such as banning chair shots to the head and introducing concussion protocols, but more needs to be done to address the underlying issues (22m6s).
• The company's talent wellness program provides for annual physical examinations, cardiovascular and brain testing, and addiction treatment for former wrestlers, but does not address the issue of health insurance (22m19s).
• Many WWE wrestlers have been left with no financial option but to continue wrestling, even when their bodies can no longer handle it, due to a lack of a proper exit plan or pension, as explained by Rowdy Roddy Piper who continued wrestling into his 40s and 50s (22m59s).
• Rowdy Roddy Piper's situation was tragic, as he had to continue wrestling at 49 years old because he couldn't access his pension plan until he was 65, and he ultimately passed away in 2015 at the age of 61 (23m35s).

The Power of WWE Fans and Their Advocacy for Change

• WWE fans have a strong independent voice and have been vocal about various issues, including the company's dealings with Saudi Arabia and its treatment of female wrestlers (24m20s).
• Fans have successfully campaigned for changes, such as the "Give Divas a Chance" campaign, which led to a women's match headlining WrestleMania for the first time (24m33s).
• Fans have also expressed their dislike for certain wrestlers, such as Roman Reigns, who was booed nonstop for 8 minutes despite being portrayed as a "good guy" (25m9s).
• The devotion of WWE fans is evident in their support for wrestlers long after they have retired, as seen in the case of Jake "The Snake" Roberts, who received financial support from fans for his medical expenses through an Indiegogo campaign (26m10s).
• Fans have also started multiple GoFundMe campaigns to cover healthcare and funeral expenses for wrestlers, which is heartwarming but also highlights the responsibility that should be shouldered by the WWE (26m51s).

Comparing WWE to the NFL and the Call for Action

• The NFL, despite its own faults, has been noted to have better support systems in place for its players compared to the WWE (27m2s).
• The WWE offers players Health Reimbursement Accounts and has established a legacy fund for older players dealing with health issues (27m9s).
• The WWE's treatment of its wrestlers is morally questionable, particularly when compared to the NFL, and fans have an opportunity to speak out about this issue at WrestleMania (27m22s).
• Fans attending WrestleMania could make their voices heard by calling for wrestlers to be classified as employees, which would provide them with better benefits, including long-term healthcare (27m33s).
• The WWE's business model relies heavily on the labor of its wrestlers, who are not considered employees, and the company's billionaire owner, Vince McMahon, has a responsibility to provide better support for them (27m54s).
• Providing wrestlers with access to retirement accounts, workers' compensation, and family and medical leave would greatly improve their quality of life and allow them to perform without risking their health (28m22s).
• A system that prioritizes wrestlers' health and well-being could include an off-season, which would reduce the physical toll of performing 200 nights a year (28m56s).
• Fans can join together at WrestleMania to call for better treatment of wrestlers and to push for changes that would improve their lives and careers (29m21s).