Just when you thought you had all the answers, he changed the questions. Just when you had begun to stop reeling from the passing of one legend in Dusty Rhodes, news broke that “Rowdy” Roddy Piper passed away in his sleep at the age of 61…61… another mythical figure in the business gone far too soon. I remember my wife first asking me if I was alright, then saying, “He was so young.” Although losing Hot Rod so early in life is heartbreaking, what may be even worse is the fact that as wrestling fans have become so accustomed to that kind of heartbreak.
I have mixed feelings about the passing of Roddy Piper. I never knew him personally. In fact, I never even met the man. Still, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper has been a part of my entire life. There aren’t many other wrestlers who I can say that about. Even after he was done wrestling, I always found myself being entertained and enthralled by the work that Piper was doing. Movies, television appearances, books, and before his passing, podcasting. Roddy was a true hard working renaissance man, who understood the value of the hustle. I wanted to take some time to write about the moments he created that captured my imagination. I never got to tell him how much I admired his work in life, but perhaps I can still honor him now.
My first memories of the Hot Scot were from his second run in the World Wrestling Federation, where he was a hero to the masses. He certainly was for me. Although I would later discover his classic work from the National Wrestling Alliance and his historic first villainous run in the WWF, forever when I think of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, I see a wide, bright smile beneath a crop of shaggy brown hair. I was immediately enamoured with his frenetic energy in the way he spoke. Rapid fire, yet clear and concise. You could tell immediately he wasn’t a man you wanted to trade barbs back and forth with, because you’d lose. In other words, you would be throwing rocks at a man with a machine gun.
Growing up, when I would rent wrestling VHS tapes from the video store, there was one in particular I always kept coming back to: Royal Rumble 1992. While Ric Flair’s monumental victory in the main event and hilarious commentary from Bobby Heenan are a highlight, the part I kept rewinding was “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s Intercontinental Championship victory over The Mountie. I’ll always remember The Mountie’s arm dropping for a third time while trapped in the sleeper and the crowd’s eruption in the stands matching the own elation in my heart. Even more engaging than the match was his promo beforehand, a speech that I loved so much I ended up committing it to memory and repeating ad nauseum to my friends. I loved doing that impression, not just because I did it pretty well, but because it was of a man who’s work I enjoyed so much.
Just a few short months later I would bare witness to what is my favorite wrestling match ever. The Hoosier Dome was the setting for WrestleMania VIII where two close friends would battle for the Intercontinental Championship. Champion “Rowdy” Roddy Piper versus former champion Bret “Hitman” Hart. In the past I’ve espoused my love for this match, but I really can’t say enough how much I still love it to this day. The pre-match promo between these two gave us the epilogue: Roddy was riding high during his first ever championship run in the WWF, while Bret was looking to regain the belt he coveted more than anything else in the business. Their interview started out friendly with Roddy cracking jokes, but things soon turned serious when Bret told Roddy to keep his hands to himself. Things escalated quickly and by the end fans were left wondering if their friendship could survive their lust for gold. It was perfect.
Somehow, that match not only lived up to the expectations in my head, but they exceeded them as well. For me, that match between Piper and Hart was a masterpiece of storytelling. It wasn’t a technical classic, but the drama and raw human emotion that came through was something entirely off the charts. There is a moment during that match that I will never forget. The referee had been knocked out, so Piper decided to jump outside and grab the ring bell to use as a weapon. He lifted it high above his head, ready to careen it off the skull of Bret, when suddenly he stopped. Roddy had heard something that gave him pause, which was the fans in attendance, acting as his conscience. He struggled to decide which was more important to him, his title, or his morals. In the end he chose the righteous path by throwing down the bell and applying his famous sleeper hold instead. It would end up costing Roddy the match, but saving his soul. There isn’t a match I’ve watched more times than that one.
Once he left the WWF later that year, I started to see and hear the Hot Scot in more television shows like The Outer Limits, Walker Texas Ranger, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and more. It was always a thrill to turn on the television and see Roddy on screen. While The Rock has proven himself to be the most successful wrestler turned actor in history, Roddy was one of the first to pave the way for guys to branch out from professional wrestling and make the transition into an actor. Although I enjoyed Piper in a number of works, the one I and most others will remember him for is They Live.
If you happen to be a fan of horror movies like me, then you are already familiar with the works of director John Carpenter, and you most certainly are familiar with They Live. As with most of Carpenter’s movies, They Live is an allegory for the struggles and hardships we face in the real world. In this case, it’s hidden meaning was quite literal as the story revolved around aliens taking over earth and controlling the masses through means of subliminal messaging. Piper played the lead role of a drifter who finds a pair of sunglasses that enables him to see who is human, and who is an alien overlord. While the film is not a cinematic gem in the classical sense, it is a classic. People relate to the film and enjoy it immensely, and a big part of that comes from Roddy’s performance.
Two scenes in particular always seem to get referenced in conversation or in pop culture circles when talking about They Live. The alley fight, and the bank scene. When it comes to the alley fight between Hot Rod and Keith David, people usually have one of two reactions. They either laugh at it’s sheer over the top nature, or they are amazed by the ambition of it. I was of the second camp who marvelled at the choreography and bold choice to create what might be the longest two person fight ever committed to film. The bank scene is really all about one line, and given the number of witty quips that have left the lips of Roddy Piper, it really says something when it stands above the rest. “I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass…And I’m all out of bubble gum.” It was line thought up and delivered by Piper himself, which should come as no surprise given the litany of one liners and catch phrases he created during his career.
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper wasn’t a perfect man. He would be the first to admit that. He sometimes said and did things that weren’t always particularly well thought out. He obviously had a chip on his shoulder, and a number of issues that he admits to struggling with. He was flawed, just like the rest of us. That’s part of what made Roddy beloved by so many. Even though he was a star, he was just like you and me. In wrestling we use the term everyman to describe someone the people can relate to because we see ourselves in them. That was Roddy Piper. He was both the part of ourselves that we loathed, and simultaneously the man we wished we could be. Maybe that’s why he was such an important figure in my life, because even though I never knew him, it felt like I did. Rest in peace Hot Rod. Thanks for the memories.
