The NHL on TNT Face Off studio team likes to have some fun.
When the crew got a look at analyst Wayne Gretzky’s outfit Wednesday night, they probably sensed fun was in store.
The NHL legend wore an all-black outfit that instantly evoked thoughts of the “Man in Black,” Johnny Cash.
Some fans saw him as another pop culture hero. The Dr Pepper No Ice X/Twitter account posted a tweet saying, “Wayne still wearing his Luke Skywalker Halloween costume from last night.” The tweet featured a GIF of the original Star Wars Skywalker, Mark Hamill, giving a symbolic salute to Gretzky.
Someone on the TNT production team quickly created an image of Gretzky posing with a fake light saber.
https://twitter.com/NHL_On_TNT/status/1719867548466892980
Gretzky seemed to get a big kick out of the comparison.
“I’ve got feelings,” he said, smiling broadly.
“You’ve got some Jedi Knight characteristics,” studio host Liam McHugh chimed in.
“Get you an eyepatch and you could be Number 2 from Austin Powers,” fellow studio analyst Paul Bissonnette joked.
Gretzky, who joined the TNT cast in 2021, has learned to roll with the lighthearted atmosphere.
“I think we all admire the chemistry and the show that the NBA does,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022. “They have done such a tremendous job that we are just trying to be one quarter as good as they are, in the sense that they are lighthearted, yet they are serious.”
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.