Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

Heenan was known for his skill in elevating villainous on-screen talent by drawing negative reactions for himself and his wrestlers from the crowd. Known for his quick wit and comedic ability, Heenan also served as a color commentator and is remembered for his on-screen repartee with Gorilla Monsoon. Outside of wrestling, Heenan authored two books. Heenan is considered by many to be the greatest wrestling manager of all time including WWE, who placed him at the top of their 25 greatest managers list in 2011. The Post and Courier columnist Mike Mooneyham said Heenan became a blueprint for managers and fellow manager Jim Cornette said: "He formed in my mind as a fan and performer what I thought a manager should be." Author Brian Shields notes that many consider him "one of the most significant figures in professional wrestling history". For his work in promoting André the Giant's match with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III, often cited as the most famous American professional wrestling match, Heenan received a six-figure payoff arguably the largest pay day in any managerial career. Broadcaster Peter Rosenberg considers Heenan a personal hero and describes him as the best commentator, manager and bad guy in WWE history. Rosenberg stated that Heenan "operated on multiple levels", adding: "If you were a little kid, he was the foil to your hero. As an adult, you look back and appreciate just how much of a comedic genius he was."
His comedic ability was praised by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, who wrote that Heenan could have been a successful television actor. Comedian David Letterman became a fan of Heenan after seeing him in WWA. WWE Hall of Fame commentator Jim Ross selected Heenan as the greatest talent in the history of the wrestling business. Ross praised Heenan's ability as a color commentator, stating:
He was naturally funny and enhanced every single talent, including the heroes, strive to do and that is to make talent bigger stars than they are