#3 Andy Kaufman
Celebrity induction or not, this is one of the most glaring omissions in the WWE Hall of Fame. In terms of celebrity involvement in professional wrestling, Andy Kaufman drafted the blueprint. The transition to professional wrestling was, at least psychologically, an easy transition for Kaufman to make.
Kaufman had spent years befuddling audiences with legendary performances that included reading “The Great Gatsby,” to paying audiences or inviting them all out to milk and cookies after a show. Kaufman was known for outlandish acts that befuddled the mainstream.
Kaufman had long wanted to be a professional wrestler. He was finally given the opportunity when he and professional wrestling journalist Bill Apter approached Jerry “The King” Lawler and Mid-South promoter Jerry Jarrett with an idea, that was passed on to then-WWF head honcho Vincent J. McMahon, thereby setting up the course for one of the most legendary feuds in professional wrestling history.
Over the course of the storyline, Kaufman would constantly berate the Memphis audiences, crowning himself Women’s World Champion before Jerry Lawler would become involved. This, of course, led to the incident between the two on “Late Night with David Letterman,” an altercation that would make headlines across the United States and around the world due to the Hollywood star’s involvement.
Celebrity involvement in wrestling will probably never be pulled off as well as it was and that is due in large part to Andy Kaufman’s knowledge of and respect for the industry. Despite receiving “compensation comparable to Jarrett’s main-eventers,” Kaufman didn’t cash a single check given to him by Jarrett, perhaps proving that he really was just in it for the show.
