Simmons also chimed in on WWE’s involvement, explaining that they had a deal with the company to have access to their extensive content library, and felt like they tried their best to make the docuseries as balanced as possible.

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“We did have access to their entire library. Everything we wanted. That was part of the deal, and then I think that the most appealing thing to me is that I think a lot of docs have gone that hagiography route, that autobiography route, and I don’t feel like this is it. We really tried to have balance in every direction as much as we possibly could. And whether people agree, that’s how it played out, I don’t know. But there’s just not a lot of documentaries that have balance like that anymore.”

Either way, both Shoemaker and Simmons stress that neither WWE or McMahon himself had any say over the final cut of “Mr. McMahon,” although they do see irony in the docuseries finally releasing, after a lengthy development, right when WWE is enjoying its most successful period in years.

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If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “The Bill Simmons Podcast” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.