A WWE Hall of Fame Class wouldn’t be complete without at least one non-wrestler, but this year’s inductees will include a man who blurred the lines in a lot of ways in the late Andy Kaufman.
As revealed by Variety, Kaufman will be part of the Class of 2023, joining Rey Mysterio and The Great Muta in a ceremony that will be held the night before WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. Yet while Kaufman was most famous for his unique approach to comedy and his role as Latka Gravas on “Taxi,” he got involved in pro wrestling in a very direct way several decades ago.
It started as part of his comedy acts, with Kaufman naming himself “Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World” and offering money to any woman who could pin him. That notoriety led him to be connected by legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter to Jerry “The King” Lawler.
The two men feuded in Memphis with Kaufman effortlessly playing the heel to Lawler’s hometown hero. Adding to the spectacle, Kaufman accused Lawler of breaking his neck with a piledriver, sporting a neck brace in many appearances, and fought with Lawler on an episode of “Late Night with David Letterman.”
While the whole thing was an ongoing work, Kaufman protected that secret through his death from lung cancer in 1984, and it was only acknowledged to the public years later. In that sense, he was years ahead of his time while also sticking to the kayfabe conventions in place back then.
Variety says no one has been announced yet to induct Kaufman into the WWE Hall of Fame. Lawler would of course be the obvious choice, but he is still recovering from a stroke suffered earlier this year, and his ability to travel is unclear.
Perhaps WWE can have someone on site begin Kaufman’s induction and have Lawler say some words remotely, as that would be a very popular move. The 2023 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is set for Crypto.com Arena on March 31, and will air at 10:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.