Fabio is a manly man! His luscious long hair and Italian accent made him a sex symbol of the 90s. But what did Fabio even do? Handsome as he was, there was something very silly and funny about Fabio’s appearance. He was the winking joke for the “bored housewife” who dreamed on a shirtless man on the beach to take her away from suburban life. His benign ubiquity and iconic look made him something of a walking meme.

If he looked like the model on the cover of trashy grocery store romance novels, that’s because he was that guy! Fabio even started writing his own sultry pulp fiction. Eventually Fabio transitioned into acting, music and advertising, most famously for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. His tale is truly an American success story, and if we could learn anything from Fabio, it is how to laugh at ourselves, especially if you are super hot.