Charly Arnolt, known as Charly Caruso during her tenure with WWE, has revealed that she observed numerous instances of inappropriate behavior while working for the company.
In a recent appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Arnolt, alongside other former WWE personalities, discussed Vince McMahon in light of the recent “Mr. McMahon” docuseries. When asked about her experiences as a female personality in WWE, she shared her insights.
“I’ve always maintained that if you don’t have a thick skin, WWE isn’t the place for you,” she stated. “Were there occasions when I could have reported something minor or even more important to HR? Absolutely. But did I take that step? No.”
She clarified that although she didn’t experience mistreatment personally, the behind-the-scenes dynamics in WWE might appear bizarre to outsiders. “I’m not claiming I was mistreated in any way, but certainly, there were occurrences in WWE that would leave an outsider wondering, ‘What’s happening here?
How can people work in these conditions?’ It’s just something you accepted while employed there. I was interviewing men who were basically in tiny Speedos, so that was part of the job.”
Having moved on to present other sports since leaving WWE, Arnolt emphasized that women often need to develop resilience in various areas of television. Discussing her interactions with McMahon, she noted that numerous allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against him in recent years. Arnolt expressed that her limited interactions with McMahon prevented her from forming a complete understanding of his character.
“From my viewpoint, I didn’t always get a clear picture of who Vince McMahon really was. I didn’t participate in the writers’ meetings like many others did. Typically, I would arrive at work, receive a script, and be instructed on what to do. My communication was mainly with the writing staff and my superiors, particularly Michael Cole,” she explained.
Despite her infrequent contact with McMahon, Arnolt admitted that, like many WWE talents, she sought his approval. She noted that the former WWE Chairman often did not acknowledge individuals in the promotion.
“Even in my role, where my interactions with Vince were rare, I think everyone craved validation from him. When you did encounter him backstage or in the hallway, even a simple greeting from him carried weight—especially since he often didn’t acknowledge you at all.
If he did engage with you, it likely meant he noticed your work or appreciated your approach, and getting a compliment like ‘good job’ was particularly.” She mentioned that some individuals might have compromised their self-respect in their pursuit of McMahon’s approval.