In professional wrestling’s heyday (though this period can be argued, here we mean the 1980s) it was a big no-no to even suggest that what was going on both in and out of the ring was anything but 100% real.

Need proof? On July 29, 1982, comedian Andy Kaufman and wrestler Jerry “The King” Lawler demonstrated their best kayfabe (a staged event that is supposed to come across as real-life) when Lawler smacked the shit out of Kaufman (who retaliated by calling him a “motherfucking asshole”) on Late Night with David Letterman.

Two years later, WWF wrestler Dr. D (AKA David Schultz) assaulted reporter John Stossel (Twice!) during a 20/20 segment on the rise of wrestling’s popularity.

Yes, wrestling was amazing back then because, while we didn’t really believe it was real, we still kind of wanted to believe. It was like believing in Santa Claus... but with more violence.

Of course, Santa Claus never got pulled over with the Easter Bunny while under the influence of alcohol, weed, and cocaine. But back in 1987, that did happen to “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and the Iron Sheik, right in the middle of a hugely publicized feud between them, literally hours before they were set to fight.

And so, the already thinly veiled façade of “real” wrestling vanished, and the term “sports entertainment” was born. Today, wrestling is made up of those two parts: sports and entertainment. When it's at its best, it’s hitting both at the same time. Still, not all great wrestlers are great entertainers, and vice versa.

But sometimes those not-so-amazing wrestlers are fabulous entertainers, which is more than enough. Obviously, the Fabulous Moolah was the most fabulous wrestler ever to live, but listed here are five male fabulous sports entertainers... who also just so happen to be wrestlers.

"Gorgeous" George Wagner

Wagner was an early pioneer of all things fabulous, both inside and out of the ring. He wasn’t a big guy (billed only at 5’9”) or all that athletic, so to make up for his lack of intimidating presence he created a larger-than-life character in "Gorgeous" George. Inspired by a 1930’s wrestler named Lord Patrick Lansdowne Finnegan (who made his way to the ring with two valets), Wagner decided to make "Gorgeous" even more over the top. One of his shticks was to spray down the ring with disinfectant, a concoction he referred to as Chanel #10 because, “Why be only half safe?” Of course, this was the 1940s, a generation of manly men doing manly shit in a manly war. But while his flamboyant shtick made "Gorgeous" a villain, he was a villain fans absolutely loved to hate watch. Entertainment Weekly named George’s November 11^th, 1947 television debut as one of the top 100 televised acts of the 20^th Century.

"Adorable" Adrian Adonis

Lord Lansdowne inspired "Gorgeous" George, who would then go on to inspire "Adorable" Adrian Adonis. Born Keith Franke, Adrian Adonis made his wrestling debut in the late 1970s as a badass biker heel; he’d wear a leather jacket and chains around his neck. But in 1985, after joining forces with manager Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Hart, Adonis’ gimmick started to change. He traded in his leather jacket and chains for leg warmers and scarves, and wore comical amounts of rouge and eye shadow. He also bleached his hair blonde, and borrowed/altered "Gorgeous" George’s old shtick by spraying perfume around the ring. At the peak of his popularity as a heel, WWF gave him his own in-show reoccurring segment called The Flower Shop. People hated him so much that they’d throw shit at him during these segments, which you can see for yourself here:

Rico

Americo “Rico” Constantino had been a paramedic, a Las Vegas cop, a member of a SWAT team, and a personal bodyguard. But in 1991, Constantino got his first taste of celebrity when he placed second on the second season of American Gladiators. (He beat Gemini in the Joust!) In 2002, Rico debuted on SmackDown! as the effeminate stylist of tag-team heels Billy Gunn and Chuck Palumbo. But Rico really shined after he made the switch to RAW a year later. Through a turn of events, Rico became the tag team partner of Charlie Haas, a guy who was reluctant to embrace Rico’s fabulousness... which some could easily argue as being homophobic. Still, Rico gave absolutely zero fucks about his alpha male past, and gave the character his absolute all.

Obviously, Rico quickly became a fan favorite... which bizarrely resulted in the company letting him go in 2004. Today, you can find Rico back in Las Vegas working, once again, as a cop. Albeit, a fabulous cop.

Ric Flair

This man makes his way to the ring in a glittery robe with feathered trim while Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (AKA the theme song from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey) blasts through the arena’s speakers and this video plays behind him.

If that isn’t the absolute zenith of fabulousness, I don’t know what is. I also like to think he enters all rooms this way, even while at home. WOOO!!!

Jesse "The Body" Ventura

Before he became a governor, a conspiracy theorist, or a conspiracy theorist governor, Jesse Ventura was all kinds of fabulous. He never really played the role of being overly flamboyant, but in the late 1970s/early 1980s he most certainly dressed the part. Ventura was known for his style (if not his moves), including glittery bandanas and feathered/colored wigs. He wore pink suits while announcing ringside, and boas while taking a beating in the ring. The man owned more dyed bird feathers attached to roach clips than every state fair midway in America in 1985 combined. And if all of that wasn't fabulous enough for you, he would bedazzle the fucking dimple in his chin. You read that correctly. See that insanely defined butt chin above? He would glue a plastic gem into that divot there, and then go on camera. I don’t know about you guys, but that’s one conspiracy theorist governor who’s getting my vote. Here’s Ventura shooting a promo with “Mean Gene” Okerlund and Adrian Adonis (before he found his "Adorable" fabulousness).