Rocky Steps - Popular Culture

Popular Culture

The Rocky film scene has become a cultural icon. Many tourists visit the steps to recreate the scene themselves. E! Channel ranked it No. 13 in its 101 Most Awesome Moments in Entertainment. During the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay, Philadelphia native Dawn Staley was chosen to run up the museum steps.

The scene is also frequently parodied by the media. In The Simpsons episode "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can," Lisa Simpson runs up a flight of stairs wearing a tracksuit similar to Rocky's. In the film In Her Shoes, Toni Collette's character, Rose Feller, runs up the steps with four dogs. On an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, the character Will, while back in Philly, trains for a big fight against a former childhood bully; the training ends with Will running up the steps to "Gonna Fly Now", and celebrating and passing out, where a passer-by steals his wallet and hat. In the Eddie Murphy movie The Nutty Professor, Sherman Klump runs up the steps to one of his college's buildings, parodying the scene. Also, the closing credits of the 2006 movie Rocky Balboa showed various people running up the steps.

Bam Margera and Brandon DiCamillo parodied the scene to a cover of the song "Eye of the Tiger".

Participants in Philadelphia's monthly Critical Mass bike ride generally finish up by cycling to the Rocky Steps, hoisting their bicycles, running up the steps, then lifting their bikes above their heads.

In a Reebok campaign, Allen Iverson, then with the Philadelphia 76ers, runs up the steps while dribbling a basketball. Other programs such as Viva Pinata, and Hey Arnold! have also parodied it.

In 2004, Presidential candidate John Kerry ended his pre-convention campaign at the foot of the steps before going to Boston to accept his party's nomination for President.

In the opening episode of the 2005 boxing reality television series The Contender (which featured and was executive produced by Stallone), Philadelphia native Najai Turpin ran up the steps.

The steps are the backdrop for the annual Independence Day celebration, and have often been featured in large concerts such as Live 8.

Two journalists from the Philadelphia Inquirer spent a year interviewing people who ran the steps, and published a book called Rocky Stories: Tales of Love, Hope, and Happiness at America's Most Famous Steps in 1996.

Christo Love in the filming of his short Soul Awakening Productions film "Run For Love" ends the piece running up the steps lifting his hands in the air for World Love and Peace on the Love Flow mission to get the world to meditate and live together as one.