As previously noted, a new Vice TV Dark Side of the Ring episode premiered which featured the WWE’s “Plane Ride from Hell” in 2002. One of the stories from the episode involved Ric Flair allegedly exposing himself to an attendant during the flight and making unwanted advances.
During a recent edition of the The Jim Cornette Experience, Jim Cornette commented on the situation:
“The guys entertain each other and they only mean it that way and there’s not malicious intent involved but when you hear stories like this completely from the outside of the world of wrestling, you think ‘my god those guys are completely insane?’ As I mentioned, I think in some cases, what several of these people were trying to say was there was no malicious intent involved in anybody’s actions. Rather it was a combination of alcohol, bad judgment and not realizing that they weren’t in the same old environment they were in. They’re on a big f**king brand new charter plane flying across the ocean with a lot of outside wrestling people involved that don’t take kindly to their antics. It was a recipe for disaster. I hate that Flair has come off looking like this because I know the guy and I genuinely believe that he never wanted to hurt anyone or offend anyone or freak anybody out or make anybody feel like that poor flight attendant felt. It was something that he did that people wanted him to do for so long that he never knew when to stop, I guess.”
“All I say is and all I stand by is it was wrong, he shouldn’t have done it. It wasn’t the time, it wasn’t the place, it wasn’t the people, there’s no excuse for it. But I still just knowing Ric genuinely believe that down deep in his heart or brain or whatever, he didn’t think that he was offending anyone, doing anything wrong that anybody would remember and be pissed about the next day. I’ve seen him treat average people in various ways that he would come in contact with them overly politely. It’s not like he was going around being a raging a** to anybody. I’ve seen guys be d*cks to women at the matches, unnecessarily. I’ve never saw him do that. I never saw him act like a star to people in convenience stores or out in public or being a dick to them or whatever the f**k just unnecessarily. You know, not excusing it but there has to be something to be said for intent. I’m wondering when did he ever figure out that this wasn’t getting over anymore. Maybe when he got sued.”
