On the May 11, 2000 episode of WWE Smackdown!, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon delivered one of the greatest promos in the history of professional wrestling.
Relating to an angle involving Chris Jericho on the May 8 edition of Raw, McMahon berated the WWE Universe; calling them overweight losers in the most scathing way possible.
“You scrimp and you save and you work yourselves half to death and still, you can’t afford what you really want,” McMahon said. “You look into the mirror and you look at yourselves and you say “look at the cellulite hanging from my hips and my buttocks. That’s not fair.” And the men won’t even come close (to looking in the mirror).”
Commentator Jerry “The King” Lawler provided excellent comic relief for the segment, chiming in with McMahon’s every insult with brilliant timing.
McMahon perfected his promo with other scenarios people experience daily, such as being cut in line and losing a parking space to aggressive people, reiterating that “life isn’t fair” after every scalding statement.
McMahon would then go on to tell the audience that they have “inferior DNA” before delivering one of his most famous lines to end the segment.
“Life sucks, and then you die.”
McMahon’s promo is one of the best because it hits everyone in the chest like a shotgun blast. There isn’t a single human being on earth that hasn’t had a moment where they haven’t said “It’s not fair.” People experience “life isn’t fair” moments on a daily basis whether it involves being cut in line, losing a parking space, or just plain having a bad day. McMahon’s brilliant combination of psychology, mic skills, and charisma are what make the “Mr. McMahon” character one of the greatest villains in history.