One of WWE’s most bizarre and memorable storylines—the revelation that Hornswoggle was Vince McMahon’s illegitimate son—still captivates wrestling fans years later. On the popular “Mic Check with Ken Anderson” podcast, Dylan Postl, best known as Hornswoggle, gave an unprecedented look behind the curtain at how this controversial angle unfolded, revealing that he was only informed minutes before his live debut on Monday Night Raw[5].
The Original Vision and Unexpected Twists
Initially, the “illegitimate son” storyline was set to feature former WWE star Mr. Kennedy (Ken Anderson) in the role of Vince’s secret offspring. The mystery promised major implications for WWE’s storytelling, with speculation running wild about who Vince McMahon’s son could be, raising hopes among fans that this could launch a new main event star[2][1]. However, after Mr. Kennedy was suspended due to a wellness policy violation, WWE was forced to pivot quickly, scrapping the original plan.
According to Postl, after Kennedy’s departure, the idea to cast Hornswoggle in the role came as a last-minute change. He famously did not know he was booked as Vince’s son until moments before the on-air reveal, which took place on the September 10, 2007 episode of Raw in Green Bay, Wisconsin—coincidentally, Mr. Kennedy’s hometown[5][2].
The Live Reveal
The live segment saw Vince McMahon confronted with various WWE superstars and clues about the identity of his secret son. The buildup was deliberately mysterious, involving a storyline paternity lawyer and even other wrestlers like Jonathan Coachman and Triple H playing parts in the lead-up. The final moment shocked the audience when Hornswoggle was unveiled as Vince’s son, an announcement that instantly became one of the most talked-about moments in WWE history[3].
Postl recounted that being cast in this role was “the biggest thing to ever happen” in his career. He emphasized how the storyline increased his visibility and importance on WWE programming, allowing him to wrestle in notable matches like the Mini Battle Royal and granting him a spotlight that was exclusively his own[1].
Reception and Legacy
Despite its impact on Hornswoggle’s career, the storyline itself was heavily criticized for its convoluted and illogical direction. Wrestling analysts and fans have often cited the angle as one of the more puzzling creative decisions by WWE. The storyline’s resolution, which revealed it was all an elaborate scam involving Vince’s children and other WWE figures, did little to clarify the confusing narrative. By WrestleMania 24, the story had ended with a physical confrontation between JBL and Finlay, but the overall arc was seen as a muddled attempt at shock value rather than coherent storytelling[2][4].
WrestleCrap, a notable wrestling criticism site, described the angle as “one of the worst of WWE,” highlighting the absurdity of clues that ranged from Vince’s mutiple romantic escapades to increasingly nonsensical hypotheses about the son’s identity[4].
Hornswoggle’s Perspective and WWE Insider Insights
Sources close to WWE confirm that while the storyline was chaotic from an angle perspective, Hornswoggle embraced the opportunity as a defining moment of his professional life. The sudden shift to feature him as Vince’s son was a gamble by WWE creative, but it granted Postl unparalleled exposure.
According to a WWE insider interviewed by Wrestling News, the company recognized Hornswoggle’s ability to bring humor and unique charm to storylines, which helped sell the bizarre angle despite its polarizing nature. The insider added that the last-minute nature of the change contributed to some of the angle’s awkward details but that Vince McMahon enjoyed pushing boundaries with unconventional stories like this one[5].
Conclusion: A Storyline That Still Resonates
Nearly two decades later, Hornswoggle’s role as Vince McMahon’s illegitimate son remains one of WWE’s most talked-about—and debated—angles. It serves as a window into WWE’s creative processes, where real-life circumstances, last-minute changes, and Vince McMahon’s boundary-pushing ideas often mixed to produce unforgettable moments.
Hornswoggle’s candid recounting on “Mic Check with Ken Anderson” offers fans a rare glimpse at how wrestling storylines evolve behind the scenes, revealing both the spontaneity and pressure involved in live television. While the storyline is widely viewed as a creative misstep, for Dylan Postl, it was undoubtedly a career highlight that opened doors and left a lasting legacy in WWE history[5][1].