dwayne ‘the rock’ johnson
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson declined to endorse either of the two main candidates for the 2024 presidential campaign in an interview.
In an interview on Fox News’ Fox & Friends, pro-wrestler-turned-actor and entrepreneur Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson declared that he wouldn’t be making a public endorsement in this year’s presidential race. In 2020, Johnson used his platform to endorse now-President Joe Biden. “The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was what I thought was the best decision for me at that time,” Johnson said to Will Cain, who interviewed Johnson as he was preparing for the WWE’s Wrestlemania 41 being held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“And I thought back then, when we talked about, ‘Hey, I am in this position where I have some influence, and it’s my job then.’ I felt like that then. ‘It is my job now to exercise my influence and share with, ‘This is who I am going to endorse.’” Notably, Donald Trump has had long-standing ties with the WWE. “Am I going to do that again this year? That answer is no. I’m not going to do that, because what I realized what that caused back then was something that tears me up in my guts, back then and now, which is division,” Johnson continued.
The 51-year-old shared his thoughts on the state of the country. “Am I happy with the state of America right now? Well, that answer is no. Do I believe that we are going to get better? I believe in that. I’m an optimistic guy, and I believe we can get better.” Cain asked him what was most important to him. “To be real…Authenticity. We hear that word a lot, but that is important to me,” Johnson replied, citing “wokeness” and “cancel culture” as things that he feels contribute to the division in the nation.
“I’m not a politician. I’m not into politics,” he stated, adding: “I care deeply about our country. I’m a patriot, and I believe you are too, as well. And right now, my desire and my priorities are my babies and school drop-offs and pickups — that’s important to me.” Johnson has flirted in the past with a potential presidential run, making mention of it during an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon in 2017. It even became part of the core plot of the NBC sitcom based on his life, Young Rock, which ran for three seasons.
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Source: Sean Gardner / Getty / Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson is not playing checkers; he’s playing chess, thanks to his deal with TKO Holdings.
When The Rock asks the millions and MILLIONS of fans around the globe if “they smell what the rock is cooking?” or uses some of his other iconic catchphrases and nicknames, he can do so knowing he owns the intellectual rights to them.
Spotted on Variety, Dwayne Johnson gained the rights to a plethora of nicknames, insults, and catchphrases he famously used during his wrestling career, like “Candy Ass” and “Jabroni.”
Per Variety:
As announced last month, Johnson has the rights to his famous ring name, “The Rock.” In its 10-K filing Feb. 27 with the SEC, TKO revealed two dozen additional names and taglines — previously the property of WWE — that are now in Johnson’s control.
Here’s the full list: “The Rock,” “Rocky Maivia,” “Team Corporate,” “Rock Nation,” “The Nation,” “Roody Poo,” “Candy Ass,” “Jabroni,” “If you smell what The Rock is cooking,” “The Samoan Sensation,” “The Blue Chipper,” “The Brahma Bull,” “The People’s Champion,” “The Great One,” “Know Your Role and Shut Your Mouth,” “Team Bring It,” “The Rock Just Bring It,” “The People’s Elbow,” “Rock Bottom,” “Finally, The Rock has come back to…,” “It doesn’t matter what…,” “Blue Hell,” “The millions… (and millions),” “Rockpocalypse,” “Project Rock” and “The most electrifying man in sports and entertainment.”
As part of his agreement with TKO, the parent company of the Vince McMahon-less WWE, he now also owns the rights to “all other nicknames, caricatures, voice, signature, gestures, routines, costumes or parts of costumes, accessories [and] crowns,” used during his beloved wrestling career.
The Rock laid the smackdown with this agreement.
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Dwayne Johnson, largely known by his pro wrestling moniker The Rock, rose from his time in the square circle to becoming one of Hollywood’s top draws. Johnson recently joined the company board that oversees the WWE and UFC and earned himself millions.
Dwayne Johnson, 51, was announced as the latest board member for TKO Group Holdings, Inc., a sports and entertainment company that recently merged the interests of the WWE and UFC on Tuesday (Jan. 23). The Rock has diversified his holdings via his production company Seven Bucks Productions, Teremana Tequila, ZOA Energy, and the UFL among other ventures. Now as a member of TKO Holdings’ board, Johnson not only earned substantial stock options but also retains full ownership of his stage name.
In a statement, Johnson spoke to the significance of his new role at TKO:
My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come. Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of history and family legacy for me. A table that my family helped to build. Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, ‘The Rock’, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle. At my core, I’m a builder who builds for and serves the people, and Ari is building something truly game changing. I’m very motivated to help continue to globally expand our TKO, WWE, and UFC businesses as the worldwide leaders in sports and entertainment — while proudly representing so many phenomenal athletes and performers who show up every day putting in the hard work with their own two hands to make their dreams come true and deliver for our audiences. I’ve been there, I’m still there and this is for them.
The move puts Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson back next to TKO’s Executive Chairman of the Board, Vince McMahon who said of the move, “Very few people on the planet understand the convergence of sports, entertainment, media, and business like Rock. We are proud to have him join the TKO board to help take our company to new heights.”
Salute to Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock for this latest win.
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Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty
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