10 Insults From WWE's Attitude Era That Haven't Aged Well

The WWE Attitude Era of the late 1990s is remembered fondly by many wrestling fans for its edgy storylines and larger-than-life characters. However, looking back now, some of the things said and done during that time have not aged well at all. Insensitive racial stereotypes, misogynistic tropes, and glorification of violence outside the ring were all common.

While nostalgia makes us want to overlook these issues, it’s important to take an honest look at the harm that some of this problematic content caused. Below, we examine some notorious quotes that promote values we as a society have rightly moved away from.

10 “I Choppy Choppy Your Pee-Pee” - Mr. Yamaguchi

In this ridiculous angle from the Attitude Era, Mr. Yamaguchi along with Kaientai promised to castrate adult film star turned wrestler Val Venis. During one segment, Yamaguchi did a live demo using sausage attempting to show Val what would happen to him if he crossed Kaientai. The tag team was never taken seriously due to the constant racism and Asian stereotyping given to them by creative.

9 “And I’ve Got A $2 Slut For A Wife-Uh” - The Rock

The Rock shuts down Stephanie McMahon in a promo

Stephane McMahon was a perennial target of anyone that feuded with Triple H during this era. From Chris Jericho mocking her breast implants to this line by The Rock, referring to Steph as a slut who slept around. The $2 line was used multiple times to emphasize the type of woman wrestlers saw Steph as.

8 “It’s Time Once Again, For Everybody To Board The HO Train!!” - The Godfather

Less of an insult as it is an inappropriate line that The Godfather would use during his pimp phase. He would frequently offer up a night with his ladies in exchange for his opponent's forfeit.

This gimmick would never fly in today's WWE. Women are treated more legitimately than in any other period in wrestling history, showcasing the growth of the company.

7 “Kiss My A**” - Vince McMahon

The infamous Vince McMahon club. While that line may still be uttered in today's wrestling landscape, what set this apart was that Mr. McMahon would actually make wrestlers pucker up and kiss his rear end. Vince would frequently expose himself and make performers degrade themselves by bending down and making a deal with the devil.

6 “Hey Hey Hey Rock” - X-Pac

One infamous segment from 1998 saw X-Pac mock Mark Henry and the Nation of Domination by doing a Fat Albert impression and saying "Hey hey hey Rock." This played into hurtful stereotypes about Henry's weight and appearance for a cheap laugh. Comments like these diminished performers and promoted an unhealthy culture of bullying in wrestling. Today, tasteless jokes at others' expense are no longer tolerated or encouraged. While issues of representation persist, there is greater recognition that performers should be judged on merit, not appearance.

5 “The Big Red Ret*rd Can Finally Speak” - The Rock

For the first couple of years of Kane's career, he never spoke a word. However, the big red machine did eventually find a way to communicate with fans via a voice box.

Before a match with Kane on Raw is War, The Rock mocked this device, holding an imaginary one to his throat and uttering this line. Obviously the term is no longer acceptable by today's standards and the mocking of the device is offensive to those that use it in real life.

4 “I'm Not Embarrassed To Be Seen With Younger Women, Except When I Drop Them Off At School.” - Jerry Lawler

Leave it to Jerry The King Lawler to creep out millions of people watching each week. For every clever Jerry Lawler one-liners, there are equally as many corny or cringe lines like this one. Lawler would do anything to get a reaction from Jim Ross during the Attitude Era, even if it meant crossing into uncomfortable territory.

3 “If The Japanese Are So Smart, Why Do They Eat With Sticks?” - Jerry Lawler

Honestly, you could devote this entire list to Jerry Lawler. Playing on Asian stereotypes, Lawler questioned the intelligence of an entire nation mocking their use of chopsticks. It was a cheap line that probably cracked people up in the late 90s and early 2000s. Today, this line would result in a public apology from The King.

2 “Try Not To Get One Of Them Paws Stuck In Your Teeth” - Big Bossman

In one of the most deranged angles in wrestling history, The Big Bossman stole Al Snow's Chihuahua. As Snow pleaded for Bossman to return his pet, Bossman sat him down and offered him an unknown dish. As Snow ate it, Bossman revealed that Snow was actually digesting his dead dog. Straight out of the Jeffrey Dahmer playbook.

1 “Bark Like A Dog” - Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon may be the king of professional wrestling, but he also sits on the throne of making his employees uncomfortable. During this infamous segment, Vince humiliated Trish Stratus, making her strip down to her bra and panties and bark like a dog, exhibiting his real-life and character's power. Kudos to Trish for being a good sport about it.

While the Attitude Era represented an exciting time for wrestling, some elements have not stood the test of time. By thoughtfully examining the messages promoted back then, we can continue evolving wrestling into an inclusive form of entertainment that brings people together, not one that divides them. The first step is acknowledging where things went wrong before.