 Runnels debuted in the World Wrestling Federation at the Royal Rumble in 1996 as Marlena , a character modeled after Marlene Dietrich . She debuted as a coolly unconcerned and indifferent manager . With her cigar @-@ smoking , seductive , nonchalant and mysterious gimmick , she acted as the manager of her then real @-@ life husband Dustin , who was wrestling under the gimmick of Goldust . The cigar @-@ smoking aspect of the character came about because Runnels enjoyed smoking them in real life . The risque characters helped bring about The Attitude Era of the late @-@ 1990s and the Diva division . During a feud between Goldust and Triple H over the Intercontinental Championship , on February 16 , 1997 at In Your House 13 : Final Four , Marlena was choked by Chyna , who debuted as a plant from a ringside seat and later became the bodyguard for Triple H. Later , Brian Pillman feuded with Goldust over Marlena . As part of the angle , Pillman won Marlena in a match and sent Goldust a picture of her handcuffed in a bed . Pillman , however , died in the middle of the storyline . Originally , the plan was to have the rivalry culminate in an on @-@ air wedding where Marlena would leave Goldust for Pillman . After the Marlena @-@ Goldust alliance dissolved , Goldust revealed Luna Vachon as his new manager . 
