Rocky Johnson

Rocky Johnson

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's father, Canadian professional wrestler Rocky Johnson died in January at age 75.  World Wrestling Entertainment confirmed the news on its website on Jan. 15, writing, “WWE is saddened to learn that Rocky ‘Soul Man' Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles), a WWE Hall of Famer, former World Tag Team Champion, and father of Dwayne ‘The Rock' Johnson, has passed away at age 75.”

Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, Rocky began wrestling when he was 16 years old. He started his career in 1964 and went on to join the WWE in 1983 when he began wrestling with Tony Atlas. The duo became a part of the first African-American tag team — known as The Soul Patrol — to win the World Tag Team Championship in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).  After retiring in 1991, Rocky continued to train his son, actor Dwayne, to follow in his footsteps as a wrestler.  “Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side,” Dwayne, 47, said in an emotional tribute on Instagram after his father's passing. “But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back. Im in pain. But we know it's just pain and it'll pass.”

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Did You Know...

I

Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.

II

Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.

III

Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.

IV

Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.

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