Lanny Poffo Lanny Poffo ( December 28 , 1954 ) , better known by his ring name " Leaping " Lanny Poffo is a Canadian - American professional wrestler . Poffo was born in Calgary , Canada , to Angelo Poffo , an Italian American Catholic , and Judy , a Jewish American . He is also the brother of wrestling legend " Macho Man " Randy Savage . Poffo grew up in Downers Grove , Illinois . He holds both Canadian and American citizenship . Career . Early career . He began wrestling in the NWA territories in the 1970s before becoming a star in his father ' s promotion , International Championship Wrestling , where he held the promotion ' s title . Over the course of his regional career , Poffo both tag teamed and feuded with older brother Randy . Upon the ICW ' s folding in 1984 , he joined Randy in the CWA before traveling with him again to the World Wrestling Federation in June 1985 . The brother angle was never worked in the WWF and the relationship was never mentioned on - air . While Lanny never attained the popularity of his brother in the WWF , he still managed to find a niche for himself as a minor fan favorite . As Leaping Lanny Poffo , the Wrestling Poet he would bring frisbees to the ring , read a short ode written on one of them that he himself had penned , and throw the frisbees into the crowd . Each poem typically ridiculed the heel that he was about to wrestle against , or angered the heel by building heat for the face that the heel was feuding with at the time . Despite wrestling as a jobber , he was arguably in the " Jobber To The Stars " category as he was usually allowed to get in a fair amount of offense in his matches , and won some matches on occasion . Poffo wrestled a high - flyer style at a time when big , heavy wrestlers still dominated the promotion . He was one of the first wrestlers in North America to utilize such moves as the Senton Bomb and the moonsault in their arsenal , though the announcers referred to it at the time as a " leaping backflip " . He made some publicity in late 1986 and early 1987 by competing in a series of Bunkhouse Battle Royals in full knight ' s armor , though he was eliminated quickly . In April 1989 , Poffo was re - introduced as a heel wrestler and became The Genius , adopting a highly intelligent , sniffy persona and wearing an academic cap and gown to the ring . He officially turned heel at the Boston Garden on March 18 , 1989 still known as Leaping Lanny , he berated Hulk Hogan and stuck up for Randy Savage in his poem . This was a mere two weeks before Wrestlemania V . His poems now ridiculed the face wrestlers , and he now behaved in an even more effeminate manner to infuriate the crowd . During the match , the Genius would construct a mathematical equation that would tilt the balance of the match in his favor . In addition , the Genius also served as a manager ( and occasional tag team partner ) for Mr . Perfect . On the November 25 , 1989 edition of " WWF Saturday Night ' s Main Event " , The Genius beat WWF Champion Hulk Hogan by countout due to Mr . Perfect hitting Hogan with the championship belt . Later in the show , Mr . Perfect and Poffo took a hammer to the belt , shattering it to pieces . Later , The Genius was the manager of the Beverly Brothers ( Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom ) . It was in this capacity that Poffo last appeared in the WWF , at Survivor Series 1992 . World Championship Wrestling ( 1995 - 1999 ) . Poffo signed a WCW contract in 1995 , but he was rarely used . In his autobiography , Chris Jericho commented that he only saw Lanny Poffo work once and probably received the same paycheck as Chris who worked 22 dates a month . He sat at home and collected a paycheck for four years . Although it is rumored that Poffo did in fact work WCW events as WCW ' s mascot , Wild Cat Willie , Poffo disputes this claim in an online interview . In a later shoot interview , Poffo clarified the details of his WCW tenure . He explained that he was contacted by his brother ( Randy Savage ) with the guarantee of a WCW contract . Savage , who had recently purchased the Gorgeous George gimmick , offered the character to Poffo , feeling that his brother would generate some great heat with the character . Poffo signed the contract and then began a strict training regimen ( as well as bleaching his hair blonde ) in preparation for his return to the ring . However , as Poffo recalls , the phone simply never rang . Despite being under contract , he was never contacted with any bookings . Poffo ' s own calls to the office went unreturned , and he was simply never used by WCW . Life after wrestling . Outside of wrestling , Poffo has released a collection of poems and limericks , most of which were related to drug and alcohol awareness , directed toward young children . Poffo is a staunch anti - smoker and has released a book of limericks entitled " Limericks from the Heart ( and Lungs ! ) " He is also a certified credit counselor . He was last seen on television in infomercials as an endorser of Tony Little ' s Gazelle Freestyle exercise machine . Lanny Poffo was a part of Wrestle Reunion in Tampa , Florida on January 28 – 30 , 2005 . Poffo defeated " The Royal Stud " Adam Windsor at that event . He also wrestled in Canada as part of the Supershow in Pembroke and Hawkesbury Ontario Canada . Unlike his brother , Poffo is on good terms with WWE , having written a poem for WWE . com in 2007 for the " Battle of the Billionaires " at WrestleMania 23 between Vince McMahon and Donald Trump . Poffo recently completed a tour of the East Coast of Canada with UCW . He wrestled in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia . Personal life . Lanny has a daughter named Magen with his ex - wife . Lanny is so very proud of his daughter , Magen Poffo , for being a non - smoker at nearly age 21 , turning 21 on May 29 . " That ' s one thing my ex - wife and I can agree on and feel proud of as we , at least , have raised a child that is a non - smoker .