One WWE segment might have felt like an acid trip, and for Mideon it actually was.
In early 1999, The Undertaker underwent one of his famous reinventions and tweaked his classic ‘Deadman’ character to become a kind of demonic High Priest. During this period he headed up the Ministry of Darkness and waged war on Vince McMahon, determined to take over the WWF. This caused McMahon to align with long-time rival Steve Austin, and battle lines were drawn.
At various points, the Ministry featured The Acolytes, Mideon, Viscera and The Brood, and Undertaker and Paul Bearer.
As the rivalry progressed, ‘Taker kidnapped and attempted to marry Stephanie McMahon in the darkest televised wedding of all time. However, with Stephanie attached to a cross in the ring, Steve Austin finally interrupted and attacked all involved, taking out Undertaker and the Ministry with a steel chair.
Speaking on the Oh You Didn’t Know podcast, Mideon revealed that he was actually high on acid during the segment and taking LSD backstage.
“So we’re in the back. And Brian was going, him and Tracy were fighting about something. And he throws his phone like towards the wall like he did all the time old phones were indestructible. And I literally stuck my hand out and caught it. And he grabbed it out of my hand and throws it on the ground.
And then we had these sweet tarts that had LSD dropped on them yeah, of course we did. Brian was so mad. He wasn’t working or something that he starts taking them. And another one and another. I’m like Brian, stop. He goes, if you want me to stop you better take them then, and I was like, f*ck, so I’m like, okay.
We’re doing the Minsistry thing and all we’re doing is carrying Stephanie McMahon, I don’t know if you have heard of it. And before this we walk through it and boom and then Stone Cold is gonna hit the ring. We’re all gonna powder. Who’s gonna hit Taker boom, they’re gone. I’m like, Okay, I could probably handle this because I didn’t want him to take like 10 hits of acid. And so I took my boom hits and I’m like, okay, so we go out there and then I’m like I thought we’re gonna carry her out to the ring, get out of there and no problem.
So Vince walks us all through and Austin goes we’re you know, what would be cool is if I hit the ring, I knock the other guys everybody takes the powder. You and me trade boom. And then I go to Taker, he peels off outside, you spin around. I go at you again. I hit you with a chair. You go down, I stun you blah blah blah and it’s just starting to kick in. And I’m like, okay. So I did the Stephanie McMahon marriage to Undertaker, headful of acid and didn’t miss a beat.”
The Ministry eventually united with The Corporation and finally Vince McMahon with the group being known as the Corporate Ministry. Bizarrely, Karrion Kross made a pitch to bring back the group in 2021.
When Did The Undertaker Become The American Badass?
After The Undertaker failed to win the WWF Championship in July 1999, the Ministry and his relationship with McMahon fell apart. The legend went on to team with the Big Show, but injuries began to mount as the year came to an end, and he disappeared from television.
The Undertaker didn’t return until May 2000 at Judgment Day when he made his debut as the “American Badass”
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