Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan had something to do with this. So too did the overlooked Captain Lou Albano, who, along with Cyndi Lauper–a live-action cartoon character as unusual as Albano–launched the pop-culture non sequitur ”Rock and Wrestling Connection” that strangely catapulted rather than killed the careers of its participants.

Just as Albano’s partnership with Lauper brought wrestling from UHF to network television, it transformed Albano from in-ring thespian to mainstream actor on such ’80s-era fare as Miami Vice, Wise Guy, and The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Today, I remember Captain Lou at the American Spectator, and dangle rubber bands from my face in his honor. Often imitated, never duplicated, Captain Lou Albano rest in piece.