"The Genius" Lanny Poffo was on WCW payroll for years, despite never once appearing on television. During that same period, WCW's shows were plagued by the allegedly comical antics of a Sonic the Hedgehog-esque mascot called Wild Cat Willie. Many fans suspect that it was none other than Leaping Lanny capering about inside the sweltering suit, trapped somewhere between a Nitro Girl and Ralphus on the WCW totem pole. According to Lanny, however, the fact that his face never appeared on television was due to managerial incompetence, not the grinning death mask of Willie. Apparently the Genius was signed as a condition of Randy Savage jumping to the company, and he was supposed to be the heir to the Gorgeous George gimmick, which Savage had just purchased. After scraping off the ring rust and bleaching his hair, waited by the phone for years to no avail.
