The interactions between Jerry 'The King' Lawler and actor Andy Kaufman have become stuff of legend. Lawler received a ton of mainstream press for his part in the rivalry. Kaufman, a lifelong wrestling fan, was delighted to be involved so heavily, and the angle is still fondly remembered today. Stunningly, it nearly never happened. Kaufman approached Vince McMahon Sr. about a similar storyline, but was turned down flat. From there, the entertainer met Jerry Lawler, and the rest is history. Realising he could create something special, Lawler was more than interested. Years later, aboard Vince McMahon Jr's private jet, the WWE head honcho told Jerry of his jealousy over the entire ordeal. McMahon mixed things up once he inherited his father's company, going in a direction which was more entertainment based than the traditional pro wrestling market his dad had cornered. Andy Kaufman's idea would have fit nicely into that, because the younger Vince was fascinated by Hollywood and mixing entertainment with the WWF.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
