2. Mr. T & Cyndi Lauper (WrestleMania 1)
Many wrestling fans would argue that the appearances of Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper are what helped evolve wrestling in a massive way. Their involvement helped shift wrestling from a regional attraction into a global phenomenon, ultimately taking the business to unprecedented new heights.
Lauper’s role was to manage Wendi Richter in her match against Women’s Champion Lelilani Kai, who had The Fabulous Moolah in her corner. Richter ended up defeating Kai, with Lauper getting directly involved in the action when the fight spilled outside the ring. The pop star even famously utilized her “Loaded Purse of Doom” to help secure the victory.
Mr. T played a pivotal role in his own right, teaming with Hulk Hogan in the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania against “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff. However, he was far from the only celebrity in that bout as it also featured boxing legend Muhammad Ali as the special guest referee, Liberace as the guest timekeeper, and Billy Martin as a guest ring announcer.
The match ended when Cowboy Bob Orton interfered, attempting to strike Hogan with his cast, which he wore due to a scripted arm injury. Hogan moved out of the way, and Orton accidentally hit Orndorff instead, allowing Hogan to secure the pin.
