In 1999, during the height of the Attitude Era, The Rock and The Hardy Boyz starred in a wrestling episode of ‘That 70s Show’.
Because WWE‘s Attitude Era helped launch the company to mainstream prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, one might expect to see WWE Superstars appear in other genres of entertainment, be it television or any another thing. Also, since there is currently a buzz surrounding the reboot of the popular sitcom That 70’s Show on Netflix with that 90s showIt’s worth noting that a couple of wrestling personalities starred in an episode of that same sitcom that aired in February 1999, titled “That Wrestling Show.”
Professional wrestling becomes mainstream in the late 1990s
As the wrestling industry was red hot in the late 1990s and early 2000s, due to the success that the Monday Night Wars brought to both WWE and WCW, professional wrestling had a place. in 1990s pop culture. While there are many examples of high-profile celebrities appearing in wrestling, such as Mike Tyson’s WWE run in early 1998 and Dennis Rodman’s wrestling matches in WCW, the wrestlers themselves would cross over into other entertainment genres due to their widespread popularity.
One man who particularly took advantage of transitioning his star power into the entertainment industry was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Not long after winning his first WWE Championship in late 1998, along with other wrestling personalities, The Rock moved onto one of FOX’s most popular sitcoms when he guest-starred on a February episode of 1999’s That 70’s Show.
The Rock guest star and other wrestlers on ‘That 70s Show’
The Rock getting one of his first TV roles That 70’s Show it was a great springboard for his career to take off in the entertainment industry. For those who don’t know much about the concept of the program, That 70’s Show it aired from 1998 to 2006 on FOX and is considered one of that network’s most beloved comedies. Comprised of prominent actors including Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, That 70’s Show follows the lives of six teenagers growing up in a culture of sex, drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll during the 1970s.
In a season one episode titled “That Wrestling Show”, the gang decided to attend a local wrestling show in their area, as they get to see WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson at the front fighting against 20 dwarves all against all. The man who played the character of Rocky Johnson was none other than The Rock, since playing his father in real life on television was one of his first jobs as an actor. Considering The Rock’s rise to fame at the time, it’s worth noting in that episode that Rocky Johnson’s character predicted that his daughter would “grow up to be the most electrifying man in sports-entertainment.”
The Rock wasn’t the only wrestling personality to guest-star on That 70’s Show‘s wrestling-themed episode, as various wrestling figures also appeared throughout the episode. For example, Matt and Jeff Hardy of the Hardy Boyz worked a match against each other at the same show the gang attended, and Matt Hardy was awarded the pinfall victory due to the Backdrop maneuver. Former WWE Attitude Era Superstar and UFC Champion Ken Shamrock also appeared in the episode, as his character had a brief confrontation with one of that show’s main characters. Wrestling and football legend Ernie Ladd also appears near the end of the episode.
Benefits of Pro Wrestling Representation of ‘That 70s Show’
Like this episode from the first season of That 70’s Show is remembered by many wrestling fans who grew up watching the show, it is worth mentioning that the entertainment genre of professional wrestling was presented in a positive light in that episode. Even if professional wrestling is sometimes belittled by some, with its popularity in 1999, it’s no surprise that a FOX sitcom like That 70’s Show he would cash in on the lucha libre craze.
As this was one of The Rock’s first television concerts outside of WWE, not long after the episode aired, The Rock’s career skyrocketed to new heights. With WWE riding a wave of mainstream momentum in 1999, garnering record television ratings and earning massive profits, The Rock would establish a name for himself in the entertainment industry, soon becoming a box office draw in Hollywood in the years to come.