The wrestling world is shocked this evening as TMZ reports the death of sports entertainment legend “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
Piper was a key figure in the growth of the WWF, particularly the first WrestleMania which was a make or break event for the company. Despite his long stint in the company, he was only a one-time Intercontinental champion and one-time tag team champion with Ric Flair in 2006. He will be remembered as one of the greatest heels in the industry, with his Piper’s Pit segments bringing classic moments from wrestling history.
Roddy Piper also featured in John Carpenter’s They Live, which spawned the catchphrase, “I’m here to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and I’m all out of bubble gum” – a line Duke Nukem would steal in the game Duke Nukem 3D. In recent years, he’s featured as the lead role in several straight-to-DVD movies including Alien Openent, Fancypants and the forthcoming Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies.
Piper has had a rough time in his final days. He had launched a podcast series at Podcast One, but was dropped when he advertised he was going to have Stone Cold Steve Austin as a guest, but instead had comedian Will Sasso doing a Steve Austin impersonation.
We here at Flickering Myth send our condolences to the family of Rowdy Roddy Piper. He will be missed.
Originally published July 31, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
