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The "celebrity wing" of the WWE Hall of Fame is a pretty contentious issue among fans. Many fans feel like it takes away from the prestige of the hall from actual pro wrestlers, while others find it more than appropriate to include non-wrestling entertainers into a hall of fame for a business that, let's face it, is all about entertainment.
Also, how can you call it a "wing" if there's no actual building? Come on, WWE, build this stupid thing already. I want to visit it and force my family to spend the whole day there with me. I mean, there's a mustard Hall of Fame and Museum (no, seriously, it's in Wisconsin and I've been there and it's awesome) but not one for WWE. We clearly are living in the darkest timeline.
Anyway, the fact of the matter is that the genie got let out of the bottle when Cincinnati Reds legend and baseball's all-time hits leader Pete Rose was inducted in 2004. That was partly a joke, as Rose had been (and still is) lobbying to get into the MLB Hall of Fame after being banned from baseball for gambling on games while a player/manager.
While not every year since then has seen an entrant into the wing, it can still count among its members personalities such as former TV star and WrestleMania I competitor Mr. T, boxing legend and WrestleMania XIV referee Mike Tyson, movie star and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and current President of the United States Donald Trump.
Since WWE is going to do it anyway, let's look at six celebrities that deserve to be inducted into the Celebrity "Wing" of the WWE Hall of Fame.
#6. Dennis Rodman
OK, settle down, Beavis. Before you start ranting and raving about how NBA legend Dennis Rodman never worked for WWF/WWE in the past, I need you to answer a very simple question.
So the hell what?
First, there's been plenty of actual wrestling personalities who have never worked in WWE inducted (Verne Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel, Gordon Solie, just to name three) in the past. Plus, it's the Celebrity Wing. Who cares?
Secondly, Dennis "The Worm" Rodman was actually an important part of WCW's New World Order faction which, I don't know if you knew this, are being inducted this year. He was involved in a number of high profile matches on WCW PPVs - most visably his match teaming with Hulk Hogan against Diamond Dallas Page and fellow NBA superstar Karl Malone at Bash at the Beach 1998.
Dennis Rodman epitomized the mindset and, dare I say, the attitude of that era in pro wrestling (hmmm... I wonder if they ever came up with a name for that). On top of that... he actually wasn't terrible in the ring. I mean, he wasn't great but he was a hell of a lot better than Jay Leno.
By the way, Jay Leno is not on this list.
#5. Tom "Tiny" Lister - aka Zeus
Let me see if I can, for those of you too young to remember the 1980s, name some of the film roles that Thomas "Tiny" Lister, Jr. made famous.
He was Deebo in the Friday films. He was the President of the United Federation of Planets in The Fifth Element. He was the convict who (spoilers) threw the Joker's bomb out of the ferry in The Dark Knight. If those roles and the photo I posted up above don't jog your memory, I don't know what to tell you.
In 1989, Lister played the role of "Zeus" in the Hulk Hogan film No Holds Barred. But, he did more than that. As part of a cross-promotion with the film, the then-WWF brought him in, as his film character (he was the villain, clearly) to feud with Hogan in real life. Later on in the years, Lister popped back up during Hogan's pre-nWo WCW days, taking him on as "Z-Gangsta."
Lister is actually a pretty darn good actor - personally, he's one of my favorite parts of The Fifth Element - but his role in WWE history is actually pretty important.
SImply put, No Holds Barred was WWE's first foray into making movies - years before they founded WWE Studios. The movie was also the first time that WWE had gone the cross-media route - something they've continued since then.
Also, Lister was a part of a SummerSlam main event. Drew Carrey is in the Hall and he was in the Royal Rumble for, like, ten minutes.
Put Zeus in the damn Hall, you cowards.
#4. Cyndi Lauper
Wendy Richter is in the WWE Hall of Fame and Cyndi Lauper isn't. That's no knock on Richter, who totally deserves to be in there, but that's just ridiculous.
In the 1980s, Cyndi Lauper was one of the biggest stars in the music business. She not only helped put MTV on the proverbial map but, no kidding, the WWF, as well. There would actually be no "Rock 'N' Wrestling Connection" if it wasn't for the singer of "She Bop". She also put Captain Lout Albaino in her most famous music video which is... how about that?... right here.
In 2012, Cyndi returned to WWE - alongside both RIchter and then-Divas champion Layla - for a special segment. It was part of the build-up for Raw's 1000th episode, and it saw her 1980s rival, Roddy Piper, make peace with her, and also... they beat up Heath Slater.
And, I love you, Heath. You're awesome. But, that was hilarious.
The fact of the matter is, and I know this, the Hall of Fame ceremony is not very likely to induct a singer from the 80s - as awesome as she is - that the majority of younger WWE fans simply aren't going to recognize, much less remember. But, that doesn't mean she's not deserving.
#3. David Arquette
Look, let me get this out of the way. As a wrestling fan and a pop culture nerd, let me say - David Arquette is awesome.
Outside of The Rock, David Arquette might be the celebrity that has the most right to claim credibility in the world of wrestling. And, he deserves a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame.
David - part of the accomplished Arquette family that includes Oscar winning sister Patricia - is best known in Hollywood for his roles in the Scream series, as well as roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ravenous, 3000 Miles to Graceland, and the WCW film Ready to Rumble. However, in 2000, while promoting that last movie, Arquette found himself the... no kidding... WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
Did Arquette want to be champion? Absolutely not. He argued vehemently against the idea, not wanting to disrepect the performers he was working with. In fact, he donated all the money he made working with WCW to the families of the late Owen Hart and Brian Pillman (as well as Darren Drozdov, who was paralyzed in the ring). But, the fact remains that he was, technically, a World Champion recognized by the WWE.
Arquette, however, wasn't ready to let that be the end of his wrestling legacy. Unwilling to insult the legends he grew up idolizing, David trained and actually began performing in matches for independent promotions. In 2018, he began to train, for real, with current AEW performer Peter Avalon and even participated in a bloody deathmatch against Nick Gage in 2018.
The former World Champ hasn't been ignored by WWE either. He's made numerous appearances, including teaming with Alex Riley to take on Randy Orton on an episode of Raw, and even appeared on a recent episode of WWE Backstage.
The guy deserves a spot in the celebrity wing, WWE. Let's make this happen.
#2. Lawrence Taylor
The year was 1995. Pro Wrestling's popularity was in a downturn. WrestleMania XI was on the way, and the WWF needed something to sell their biggest event. They believed in the roster of Superstars they had, but they knew that there was nobody in the locker room that could be that box office attraction they needed. At least, not yet. With their biggest event of the year coming up, they needed something special.
Enter NFL legend, Lawrence Taylor. Sitting at ringside during that year's Royal Rumble, the Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker found himself in an altercation with Bam Bam Bigelow (who also deserves a WWE Hall of Fame induction, as well), led to the two headlining WrestleMania.
As mentioned before, WWE was going through a rough patch and was doing everything it could think of to drum up publicity, crowds, and money. They had already worked with NFL players before, during the NFL/WWF battle royal at WrestleMania 2 (which featured eventual WWE Hall of Famer William 'The Refridgerator" Perry), but this would be the first time that someone outside of the WWE would main event their biggest show of the year.
And, you know what? He actually did all right. It was clear by the end of the match that Bigelow carried the load and helped LT to a respectable finish. And Taylor was clearly gassed as he left the ring. But, Taylor didn't slack at all during that bout and you could tell he was giving it all. He may not have been prepared for how difficult a pro wrestling match could be, but you could tell he wasn't taking it lightly.
Most importantly, LT chose to work with WWE at a time when they were really struggling and helped them get a lot of outside exposure. His post-NFL troubles with the law might have kept WWE from honoring him, but it's about time. He deserves to be in there.
In fact, he'd be number one, except this one legend deserves it even more...
#1. Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman wasn't just a comedian. He was an actor. An entertainer. A provocateur. He was, as he once called himself. a "song and dance" man.
I could spend this entire page talking about Andy's appearances on SNL, or his TV specials, or his stage shows, or his role on Taxi, or Tony Clifton or...
Look, here's a trailer for the Netflix documentary about Jim Carrey playing Kaufman in Man on the Moon. Watch this first.
But the main reason that Andy deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame is because he was the one who brought Hollywood to wrestling.
Kaufman would work shows in the Mid-South territories (after unsuccessfully pitching his ideas to Vince McMahon, Sr.), calling himself the Intergender Wrestling Champion - and would challenge women in the audience to pin him. Soon, he would get into a feud with Jerry "The King" Lawler - which would eventually result in this segment on Late Night with David Letterman. (warning: the end of the video has some harsh language that was originally edited out of the TV broadcast.)
As was finally revealed in the Jim Carrey movie (which also starred Lawler as himself), this entire incident was a work and Kaufman and Lawler were actually very good friends.
Kaufman wasn't trying to insult wrestling - he loved pro wrestling. He brought lots of attention to the business, especially to the mid-South region. He was a showman first and foremost and he couldn't have picked a better partner to work with than Lawler at the time.
In 1984, Kaufman died of a rare form of lung cancer at age 35. Because of his clean living lifestyle (he neither smoked nor drank alcohol) and his penchant for hoaxes and pranks, many thought (and continue to think) that Kaufman faked his own death and will reveal himself sometime to be alive someday. That's highly unlikely, obviously, but it would be outrageous to have Lawler induct Andy into the WWE Hall of Fame, only to have Andy come out and accept the accolade in person.
Or have Tony Clifton come out to do it. That would be even more amazing.
We miss you, Andy.
Who other celebrities do you think should be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame - since they're going to do it anyway. Share your ideas in the comments below.
