10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (6 Sept)
10. Donald Trump Helped Dress Willie Nelson At 'Mania VII
You read that headline correctly.
As a child, this writer watched in awe as songwriter, poet and political activist Willie Nelson climbed between the ropes and cracked on with his version of 'America The Beautiful'. The WWF's full pomp and circumstance was on show, and Willie looked like he was having a ball wearing his official 'Mania t-shirt and title belt buckle combo.
There's a quite wonderful story behind that garb. Bruce Prichard laid it out on his 'Something To Wrestle With' podcast, revealing that Nelson was dressed by none other than Donald f'n Trump. According to Prichard, the current United States President got his kicks throwing every kind of gimmick he could at the musician in hopes he'd actually wear it.
Nelson, willingly playing along, went out there dressed like a WWF merchandise stall. He almost (somehow) managed to out-gimmick Jim Duggan, who was providing commentary on the card's opening match dressed as Uncle Sam.
It was a different time in the biz.