Fandango Making the Most of His Ridiculous WWE Character

WWE gave Fandango a crappy hand, and he's playing it like he has a royal flush.

Curtis Hussey once wrestled as Johnny Curtis on NXT, a nondescript gimmick that included strange moments like him pouring milk over his head. Fast forward to the end of 2012 and WWE had big plans for him.

In a company with vipers, wildcats and bare-knuckled brawlers, Hussey was set to become a ballroom dancer.

He could have resisted playing Fandango. After all, it seemed as much of a joke as Dusty Rhodes wearing polka dots or Glenn Jacobs playing a wrestling dentist. Instead, Fandango embraced his character. He lived the "there are no small parts only small actors" adage and has since maximized a gimmick that seemed destined to fail.

The vignettes that aired on SmackDown hyping his debut looked like a joke, like the Saturday Night Live writers had infiltrated the WWE creative team.

Instead of playing his Fandango gimmick with reluctance, like a kid forced to wear a suit, he seems to view the role as an opportunity worth seizing. He brings energy and enthusiasm to the part, nailing the gimmick regardless of its silliness.

He made the character more than just a dancer.

Fandango is a sleazy, arrogant jerk. He speaks in a breathy, over-the-top voice. He has played the part with such fervor that seeing him get cold-cocked by Wade Barrett or take a knee to the head is a cathartic experience.

Having a leggy blond at his side and humming his theme song becoming a fad certainly helped, but credit has to go to Fandango for making the transformation from Hussey to Curtis to Fandango. It could have looked far more ridiculous; it could have bombed.

He's not in line to be the company's next top star, but being pitted against guys like CM Punk, Randy Orton and Rob Van Dam is miles better than what he was doing pre-Fandango. As Curtis, he had no traction. As Fandango, he steamrolled into a feud with Chris Jericho that led to a WrestleMania win.

From his appearance on the second episode of Total Divas, fans could see where the inspiration from the character comes.

He comes off in his interactions with Eva Marie as a slick-talking, lady-loving dude with a sense of humor.

Trying to make a guy like that into an enraged psychotic, a butt-kicking redneck or a Celtic warrior would have been a bad idea. You can’t ask a cheetah to be a flamingo or vice versa.

Fandango found a way to juxtapose his in-ring aggression with the grace he shows in his elaborate entrance. Watch him in this match against Zack Ryder alternating between pitbull-like hostility with effeminate, showy gestures.

Even outside the ring, he wears the character like a second skin.

When Fandango appeared on to the Opie & Anthony Show, he exuded cockiness while greasing himself up. He left the hosts cracking up. He showed off the same commitment to the character when asked to do a segment for Doritos Jacked.

How many wrestlers would have rolled their eyes at being asked to take part in a promotional bit for chips?

Fandango, like he has done since debuting, appeared to be having a blast here.

Not every wrestler can be a heroic character or a disturbed mastermind. WWE needs its jesters and Fandango has accepted and thrived in that role.

WWE has asked him to make a fool of himself and he has done so smiling and shimmying the whole way.