(1949-1984?)

Usually no previous knowledge is needed to enjoy the Wrestling Analyst every Thursday.

This maybe a little different.

Because today we are covering Wrestling's only ever Inter gender Wrestling Champion.

Got a bit of time spare? Try and grab yourself a copy of 1999 film “Man on the moon”

or Bob Zmuda's book

Andy Kaufman Revealed!: Best Friend Tells All,

One of the first celebrities in wrestling and a man who worked out how controversy can create cash many many years before Mr Bishoff

His name was Andy Kaufman and he was involved in the arguably the first mass media sports entertainment angle with the man who sits behind the RAW announce desk every week - Jerry the King Lawler.

Kaufman went out and wrestled Woman each week, he also insulted Memphis and did all the things of today's heel.

Lawler and Kaufman faked a scuffle on American talk show David Letterman and sold Lawler's pile driver as legit.

This was 1982 way before the use of the Internet and in an era where Wrestling was marketed as a sport.

Two things about Kaufman make him stand out.

Firstly he was the first celebrity that really sought out and got involved with Wrestling. Many of today's “guest star's” have very little interest in the product (not all by any means). There were points in his career where agents told Kaufman enough with this Wrestling. But Kaufman did not bend to this. He saw the potential in wrestling as theater and I think there is a lot in that.

Kaufman saw Wrestling as classic piece of performance art.

As we pointed out in the very first column – Andy sold out the Mid South coliseum (a 10 000 seat venue) with a match everybody knew could never really happen.

It is beyond doubt that his on screen antics captured the mood for sports entertainment. The effects of which we see right now every Monday night.

The second reason we here at BTSM like Kaufman's stuff is because he dared to be different. He followed the beat of his own drum and through that became perhaps one of the most creative people in the world.

He created persona's so well that people often doubted they were not separate. How crazy is that? Step into my office.

My point here is that Kaufman's air of creative freedom is something we strive of here at BTSM and something that perhaps Wrestling in an Internet infested world has lost.

In short perhaps when we are looking for the father of sports entertainment we need look no further than Kaufman. Him and that old guy who wears a crown by the announce table every week.

So there it is... That's your legacy Kaufman if your reading this....

Because there is a little doubt.. That you really are dead right?

We are talking about the guy who used Kayfabe on a nation.