By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon continues to be defensive when faced with criticism of WWE's TV programming and historical health issues by pointing to PG-programming and the current Wellness Policy, respectively. During a radio interview this week, she did address WWE's lax drug-testing during their boom period when WWE made its fortune, helped put WCW out of business, and became a publicly-traded company.

"WWE over the years has had drug-testing always in place for cost-testing. When WWE didn't feel that it was necessary during a certain time frame because there were not these particular issues - and also because there was great competition at that particular time and no other organization was doing any testing that we did - we backed off and did put the testing back in place," McMahon said.

At times during the interview on WNPR's "Where We Live" show, McMahon fell back into her standard WWE talking points, adding "we" and "us," while forgetting she resigned as CEO to run for Senator in Connecticut.

"WWE has a very strict Health & Wellness policy for its Superstars and there is drug testing as part of that policy for an entertainment company - not a sports program - but an entertainment company that does all this voluntarily," she said, with a tone that almost screamed out 'how dare anyone criticize WWE when the company doesn't even have to test talent.'

Later in the interview, she responded to wrestling author Irv Muchnick's criticism of WWE's history of health hazards and the federal steroid trial in the 1990s.

"I just would like to make it very clear that WWE is very concerned about the health and well-being of the men and women who are the actors in the soap opera storyline that operates every single week and does tour the country and also internationally," she said. "Therefore, a full Health & Wellness Policy is in place that not only - one aspect of it is drug testing to make sure they are maintaining a healthy lifestyle while they are part of WWE - but also Impact testing that is relative to concussions."

McMahon, after initially coming across agitated that WWE would even be questioned after seemingly doing the wrestlers a favor by "voluntarily" drug-testing, recognized the talent being WWE's most important assets. defiant about WWE

"They are our primary assets and their health and well-being is absolutely paramount to WWE. So, our policies have evolved and they continue to evolve as we protect these men and women over the course of their performance and while they are with WWE," she said. "They do not get health insurance, however they are fully covered for their performance in the ring."

McMahon was asked about the secondary issue in-play (but most visible to the general audience and voters) about the WWE TV content through the years. McMahon declined to address questionable programming in the past and focused on PG-TV today.

"We could go back and try to pick things apart, but I will stick to things to generally say that there has been programming I'm glad we've evolved from TV-14 to PG-TV. It's better for our sponsors; it's better for keeping with audience demand," she said.

"I can tell you over 70 percent of the audience of WWE is 18-years and older. I believe it's up to parents at their discretion to what they let their children watch on television."

McMahon wrapped up the WWE portion of the interview by saying, "The evolution of WWE will continue, the programming will continue to change, and we will be mindful of those individuals who continue to work."

Caldwell's Analysis: It was good to hear McMahon address the key WWE topics more than she has in any other interview, but McMahon continues to be misleading with her responses. The line about suspending drug testing in the 1990s - "WWE didn't feel that it was necessary during a certain time frame because there were not these particular issues" - does not take into account the number of wrestlers who died during or after the Monday Night Wars when the bill came due after wrestlers ravaged their bodies and tried to find ways to "make the next show" to provide for their family and make more money for WWE.

McMahon is essentially saying WWE was willing to look the other way and it was more important to compete for profits - the same profits McMahon is using to fund her Senate campaign - rather than effectively monitor the health & well-being of their wrestlers as they formed life-endangering habits that might not come up immediately, but certainly set them up for death or their bodies being ravaged post-wrestling.

The interviewer, John Dankosky, pressed McMahon on key issues and didn't let up when McMahon showed a bit of strain having to answer so many WWE questions, so it's worth listening to at the link above.

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