In fall 1998, Jeff Jarrett was badly in need of something, or someone, to help him get heat. He had undergone a character change that was not quite clicking with audiences. For him to achieve the success necessary to make that next step, he needed to give the people a reason to care.
Enter Debra McMichael, former wife of Jarrett's WCW rival Steve.
Her arrival in October gave Jarrett's character a breath of fresh air. Now, even if booking and character development were not up to par, he was guaranteed a reaction courtesy of the beautiful piece of arm candy that accompanied him.
A match with "Road Dogg" Jesse James innocently resulted in the coronation of Debra's breasts as "puppies," something that stuck for years to come, becoming a trademark of Jerry "the King" Lawler's commentary for more than a decade.
In December, Debra became the centerpiece of a rivalry between Jarrett and the bizarre Goldust. After entering the ring and blasting the golden Superstar with one of her charge's trademark guitars, Debra found herself forced to strip as part of a pre-match stipulation. This act seemed to help get her over in ways Jarrett only wished he could have.
By the summer of 1999, the issues between her and the then-intercontinental champion began rearing their ugly heads. After weeks of teasing a split, she finally dropped Jarrett during his rivalry with Chyna, no longer able to stand by and watch him so openly criticize and disrespect her fellow Divas.
The end of the Attitude Era saw Debra filling different roles on WWE television. At one point, she was second in command to Commissioner Mick Foley. Together, they would make decisions and book matches in the best interest of the WWE fans.
Leading into WrestleMania X-Seven, she was assigned to manage The Rock, leading to a great deal of tension between the Great One and Debra's real-life husband Steve Austin.
Debra never quite broke out of the mold of the traditional valet. She was much more effective playing second fiddle to a male competitor than she was on her own. A mediocre talker at best, she was still one of the most visible women of the Attitude Era and therefore deserves of a spot on this list.
