– Neither Linda or Vince McMahon attended the post-WrestleMania party in Phoenix this year. The original report that Linda attended the Hall of Fame may be false as she was seen arriving at the hotel after the ceremony with her bags. Linda was at Fan Axxess on Sunday morning looking at displays of old wrestler’s gear and chatting with some fans. It’s said that Vince may have been hurt taking all the chairshots from Bret Hart but if he was, he would never sell it or tell anyone, or want anyone to see him walking around hurting. (Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

– Since WWE started the pay-per-view price increase with the Royal Rumble in January, they have not suffered any significant hit on pay-per-view buys.

– MTV.com has an article online where they covered WWE NXT Rookie David Otunga guest hosting Raw. The piece mentioned Otunga’s fiancee Jennifer Hudson signing “One Shining Moment” at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Below is what was written about Otunga:

But Hudson wasn’t the only member of her family to have a big night on Monday (April 5). Fiancé David Otunga had his own set of highlights as the host of “Raw,” WWE’s flagship show. Otunga won a battle royal on last week’s edition of “WWE NXT” that won him the opportunity to run the big show. As host (a role taken on by the likes of Snoop Dogg, William Shatner, Jewel, Timbaland, Ozzy Osbourne and Bob Barker), Otunga booked himself into a tag team championship match (he and John Cena lost to the Big Show and the Miz — the later a former star of MTV’s “The Real World”) and decided that the main event of the next pay-per-view would be Batista against John Cena in a Last Man Standing match.

— When asked on Twitter whether rumors of her daughter Stephanie being pregnant were true, Linda McMahon confirmed the rumor as true.

“Yes it’s true and the family is very excited,” Linda wrote.

Apparently, the rumor was in light of photographs that had surfaced online of Stephanie looking visibly pregnant while attending her mother’s GOP Senate candidates debate this past week.

McMahon already has two daughters; Aurora Rose Levesque (born July 24, 2006) and Murphy Claire (born July 28, 2008).

— Tiffany, Caylen Croft, Trent Barreta and Goldust are now apart of SmackDown as their respective bios have been moved to the SmackDown Superstars section on WWE.com. Talent yet to be assigned to a new brand include Abraham Washington, Byron Saxton, Tony Atlas, Tyler Reks, Vance Archer and Vladimir Kozlov.

— Tickets for next month’s WWE pay-per-view, Extreme Rules, went on sale this morning via Ticketmaster. The event will be held Sunday, Apr. 25, 2010 at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.

Trump Parc tower in Standford, CT

Connecticut’s Stanford Advocate is reporting that Vince and Linda McMahon  purchased a $4.1 million penthouse duplex in Donald Trump’s Trump Parc luxury tower, located in Stamford Connecticut.

The sale was actually finalized back in October. The penthouse unit has 3,900 square feet of living space.

Political blogger Aaron Blake of TheHill.com wrote this week that Linda’s political opponents “will surely be after her for the timing” of purchasing yet another luxury piece of real estate.

Vince and Linda already own eight multi-million dollar real estate holdings and do not plan on living in their latest acquisition.

Linda’s campaign spokesman Ed Patru is defending the purchase by stating, “I’ll remind you that unlike (two of her opponents), Linda didn’t inherit her resources. She was born in a middle class family, started with bankruptcy and earned the money herself through hard work.”

For more on the building, visit TrumpParcStamford.com.

MSNBC reporter Lawrence O’Donnell called out Linda McMahon on World Wrestling Entertainment’s lingering steroid issue during an appearance on Morning Joe last week, claiming she “made money off the blood of people who destroyed themselves for a living for you.”

The former WWE Superstar responded by saying O’Donnell was “behind the times.” She cited the company’s drug testing policy, cardio testing, and even noted padding around the ring. After McMahon finished responding, O’Donnell thanked her for giving him a situation where he can ask a politician about WWE. However, he went back on attack mode moments later by saying WWE gets away with drug problems because “everyone thinks your business is a joke.”

You can watch the 7-minute exchange below, courtesy of MSNBC.com:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

– The Hollywood Reporteris reporting that several Hollywood names have joined the cast of WWE Films’ next project, Brothers Keeper, starring John Cena. THR writes:

Patricia Clarkson, Devon Graye, Madeleine Martin, Danny Glover and wrestling champ John Cena have been cast in “Brother’s Keeper,” a PG-rated family drama from WWE Films. Mel Damski (“Mischief”) will direct a screenplay by John Posey about a teenage boy (Graye) who tries to reunite his mother (Clarkson) and estranged older brother (Cena) 10 years after the death of their father, a state college wrestling legend. A brilliant student with no apparent athletic talents, the teenager decides to join the high school wrestling team as a way to pull the family together.

– Politico.com has an article up that paints former WWE CEO and United States Senate hopeful Linda McMahon in a very negative light. The article includes quotes from several former WWE employees, who say it would be downright wrong for McMahon to reach such a high position of power in the United States government. Here are some quotes:

Joanie “Chyna” Lauer: “If there is a race to Capitol Hill, I hope she gets knocked off before she even starts.”

Bruno Sammartino: “I would not vote for her because I know what she contributed to the wrestling world with her husband. The vulgarity, the nudity, the profanity, all that kind of crap — it bothers me.”

Llarry Zbyszko: “If the people in Connecticut are stupid enough to elect Linda, that’s their problem.”

Superstar Billy Graham: “This campaign is the height of hypocrisy. I believe the voters and citizens in Connecticut deserve to be told the truth. In no way does she have a rightful place in the U.S. Senate. The fact that we were out there experiencing trauma and drawing in untold millions for the company [means] we should have at least had some sort of health insurance.”

The Blue Meanie: “We’re the guys out there sacrificing ourselves. You’d think they’d throw us a bone. Sometimes you wondered if they saw their employees as humans or farm animals It was like being in the circus. You’re shipped here, perform there; it’s almost like you’re disposable.””

WWE’s lack of health insurance is at the heart of the wrestlers’ grievances. They allege that McMahon and her husband, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, ran a billion-dollar company that provided no health insurance for the wrestlers who put their bodies on the line to help turn the WWE into an international phenomenon.

In an interview with political website TheHill.com, former WWE CEO and United States Senate hopeful Linda McMahon spoke about a number of topics pertaining to pro wrestling. McMahon acknowledged that steroids were a “significant problem” in WWE back in 2006 before the company relaunched its drug testing program. She says WWE’s Wellness policy is “as good as it can be for today. But as technology advances and more is known and developed, we’ll continue to develop our policy, as we have done over the years.”

“Unlike football or baseball or basketball, where steroids can actually enhance performance, they do nothing to enhance performance in WWE,” McMahon said. She added that its mostly about a wrestler’s “charisma, the ability to connect with the audience, and how successfully they can act and perform within the storyline.” No mention about the long standing culture of freakishly muscular wrestlers getting pushed or the increasing pressure for wrestlers to stay in shape and maintain an HDTV-friendly physiques.

WWE legends Superstar Billy Graham and Bruno Sammartino have been very outspoken towards Linda McMahon since she began her Senate campaign. Graham recently told the Hartford Courant, “She may look like a Sunday school teacher, [but her] hands are as bloody as her husband’s, because she is aware of every move in the ring.” Linda called Graham a “self-confessed liar” and dismissed Sammartino as someone who has “still got sour grapes because he didn’t make as much money as the guys today are making.”  She said, “You’re going to always have the old-timers who are going to come out and say [things],” she said. “It’s just not like that.”

To read the full interview, visit TheHill.com.

– Linda McMahon is getting some criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike for her wishy-washy response to a question about whether the 9/11 trials should be held in New York. “I’ll probably have more firm policy statements after the first of the year,” she said. Her detractors say that her refusal to pick a side shows her inexperience.  A spokesman for one of Linda’s Republican opponents in the Senate race said, “It is deeply disappointing that when given the opportunity to stand firm against Sen. Dodd’s dangerous and misguided approach, Mrs. McMahon took a pass. It goes to show that slick campaign ads and an army of high-priced consultants can’t buy the experience and judgment necessary to keep our nation safe.”

UPDATE: The McMahon campaign now tells Courant.com: “Linda is opposed to trying Khalid Sheik Mohammad in civilian court. Her position on terrorist trials is crystal clear and unwavering, just as it is with cap-and-trade, card check legislation, government-run healthcare and runaway spending.”

Warning: The following contains a minor spoiler for Friday’s SmackDown:

– The WWE superstar formerly known as Festus has been repackaged and is now aligned with C.M. Punk. During Tuesday night’s SmackDown taping, Festus joined Punk in the ring and announced himself as Luke Gallos.  Gallos acted like a normal guy and blamed his previous mental condition on years of drug abuse. Punk took credit for helping Gallos get off drugs and has taken him under his wing. As we reported several weeks ago, Festus will serve as Punk’s enforcer.

Related News: *Spoilers* WWE SmackDown Taping Results For 11/27

– The Undertaker vs. John Cena is one of the planned main-event’s for WrestleMania 26, according to F4WOnline.com. The groundwork for potential matchup was set on this past Monday’s RAW when Cena received a tombstone after the main-event match had ended.

– According to sources, WrestleMania 27 is looking to be held in Toronto at the Rogers Centre. WWE is still weighing other options including Miami, Indianapolis and Atlanta and an official decision should be made soon.

– During an interview with the Hartford Courant, WWE Hall of Famer “Superstar” Billy Graham hit out at Linda McMahon and her run for senate. “She may look like a Sunday school teacher,” Graham said. “Linda McMahon’s hands are as bloody as her husband’s because she is aware of every move in the ring.” Graham said WWE has changed their colors and deceived the public before Linda’s run for Senate. He cites the lack of blood, Divas posing for Playboy and the lack of bra and panties matches as examples.

Linda McMahon has officially resigned from her position of the Board of Directors of World Wrestling Entertainment, according to documents filed on Tuesday with the SEC. McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO over the summer (with Vince McMahon now taking on that position) but her resignation from the Board marks her complete exit from the company.

“On November 6, 2009, Linda E. McMahon resigned as a Director of the Company due to the continuing demands on her time resulting from her campaign for the United States Senate, representing the State of Connecticut,” WWE stated in the SEC filing.

USA Today lists Linda McMahon as the person spending more of her own money on her campaign than anybody else running for Senate or the House McMahon has donated $3.5 million of her own money to campaign for the U.S. Senate race in Connecticut. Linda’s team says that using her own money keeps her protected from strings-attached donations while her competitors argue that she won’t have to campaign as hard and will have a harder time winning over the people

For more on Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign, visit Linda2010.com.

The Connecticut Democratic party has filed a formal complaint against Linda McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment, alleging that WWE executives provided an illegal “in-kind campaign contribution” by having several embarrassing videos removed from YouTube.

“If Linda McMahon is going to talk glowingly about her role as CEO of the WWE, then she also must answer for the kind of female-degrading, sexually-exploitive, steroid-fueled programming it’s become known for,” said Nancy DiNardo, chairwoman of the Connecticut Democratic Party.

After Linda McMahon’s political rivals drew attention to some of the more outrageous segments featured on WWE programming in recent years (including the infamous scene of Triple H simulating sex with a Katie Vick’s corpse), WWE officials immediately had the videos removed from YouTube and claimed they were protecting their content from piracy. Democrats allege Linda McMahon’s campaign violated federal law when WWE had the videos taken off YouTube.

“WWE has selectively enforced its rights only insofar as they benefit Ms. McMahon’s candidacy. The facts demonstrate that WWE made expenditures in connection with an election, in clear violation of FECA,” the complaint says. “WWE expended its corporate resources – including the time of Mr. Zimmerman and other corporate personnel, and its attorneys – all used in the service of Ms. McMahon’s campaign to force YouTube to remove only the videos that reflected poorly on Ms. McMahon, while ignoring the multitude of other WWE-owned material still hosted on YouTube.”

For more on the Democrats’ complaint, visit Courrant.com.

Linda McMahon’s spokesman Ed Patru calls the Connecticut Democratic party’s formal complaint a “baseless accusation” and says McMahon has complied with rules and regulations established by the federal government.  “This latest attack from Chris Dodd speaks volumes about just how worried he is about Linda’s campaign,” Patru said. “It’s troubling that Chris Dodd’s political apparatus seems more concerned with watching wrestling videos on the Internet than restoring trust in government.”

For more on Linda McMahon’s response to the Connecticut Democratic party’s complain, visit TPM.com.

— WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan will be hosting a press conference on Tuesday (10/27) in New York City to promote his new book, “My Life Outside the Ring” that is being released the same day. According to a press release, Hogan will “field questions from wrestling fans about his book, his recent personal struggles, his storied career, and the next chapter of his life.”  The press conference is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. next Tuesday in the Mall Area outside of Madison Square Garden at 32nd St & 7th Ave.

You can buy Hulk Hogan’s new book “My Life Outside the Ring” at Amazon.com
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— Linda McMahon has posted a new video to her campaign website discussing WWE – that the McMahons were the first to admit pro wrestling was scripted entertainment and once again trying to hype up that WWE programming is now TV-PG. The video was posted in response to political opponents trying to draw attention to the more “adult-themed” (translation: classless) storylines in WWE history, including Triple H humping Katie Vick’s corpse and Triple H marrying a drugged Stephanie McMahon. This video, which is the first time during the campaign that Linda has linked herself to WWE, can be viewed at Linda2010.com.

— Reader “Lee” sent in word that he called RVD’s Internet radio show the other night to discuss the main topic of the show, which was whether RVD should return to WWE or go to TNA. When he called in, the person who was screening the calls asked whether he thinks RVD should go to WWE or TNA. When he said WWE, the screener responded, “Ok, well I will put you through anyway”.

Lee got the strong impression that they were trying to get more TNA callers and push possibility of RVD going to TNA. Van Dam mentioned during the show that going to TNA would put him closer to his parents, who live in Florida.

— ESPN.com has another an article up that looks at Linda McMahon’s aspirations to be a United States Senator. Aside from the typical argument that her association with pro wrestling will likely hurt her chances, columnist Jeff MacGregor looks at the situation from a different perspective.

He asks why Linda would want to walk away from the money, power and control she has over running a large corporation. “You aren’t the boss anymore. No one has to do what you say. No one has to listen to you. No one cares what you think. The one thing you need to be able to do as a politician is the one thing you never had to bother with in business: build consensus,” he said.

“Why Mrs. McMahon wants to give up the power, money and prestige of professional wrestling to join a sideshow like the U.S. Senate remains a mystery to me.” Visit ESPN.com for more.

The Associated Press issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon reporting that Linda McMahon, who is seeking the Republican nomination in Connecticut for the U.S. Senate, did not vote in several recent significant elections.

McMahon acknowledges on her blog that she didn’t vote in the 2008 presidential primary after Sen. John McCain was the presumptive nominee. According to the AP, She also missed a general election in 2006 and several local elections.

However, McMahon isn’t the only candidate in the race with a spotty voting record. Money manager Peter Schiff, her top Republican opposition, didn’t register to vote when he moved back Connecticut in 2004.

WWE has announced Linda McMahon is leaving her post as Chief Executive Officer to begin her senate campaign:

WWE’s Linda McMahon Resigns to Run for U.S. Senate

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. today announced that Linda McMahon has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer after announcing her candidacy for the United States Senate, representing the state of Connecticut. Vince McMahon assumes the duties of Chief Executive Officer in addition to his current position as WWE® Chairman. McMahon will be supported by the seasoned executive management team already in place and led by Chief Operating Officer and board member, Donna Goldsmith.

Notice how Linda says, “I’ve been in business for over 30 years. I was the CEO of a publicly-traded company that has created over 500 jobs right here in Connecticut” yet does not mention WWE by name. Let the distancing game begin!

Several mainstream media outlets are covering the story of Linda McMahon running for the United States Senate:

Associated Press | New York Times | Wall Street Journal | The Greenwich Post

Most of them are pretty neutral in the coverage, Politico.com says Linda will have a hard time escaping WWE’s marketing of sex and violence. Politico also includes a link to a YouTube video of Linda getting tombstoned by Kane on Raw from several years back, which you can see here.  That footage should make for some nice anti-Linda campaign videos.