Some Americans remember where they were when JFK died, or the day McDonald's first unleashed its McRib sandwich. But for those of us who grew up watching Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation as a palate cleanser after Saturday morning cartoons, Jan. 11, 1993, was a watershed moment: the USA Network's live debut of WWF's "Monday Night Raw."

Seventeen-plus years later, the since-re-christened WWE (damn panda bears) celebrates "Raw'"s landmark 900th episode tonight. Thus, its touring circus of Herculean grapplers, Playboy-bound divas and soap opera theatrics has broadcast more original TV airings than "The Simpsons" and "ER" combined.

So, to honor this distinction, we've rounded up nine moments from "Raw"'s nearly 20 years where the one-time cult-supported program collided with mainstream pop culture.

9. Opening Night
What's strange in retrospect about the opening minutes of "Raw"'s first episode is how fully realized it seems. Filmed at New York's Manhattan Center with McMahon still in the role of MC/color commentator -- rather than hulking, in-ring antagonist -- the overall staging is intimate, but of significantly higher quality than WWF's dated Fox weekend airings. At least, that's the vibe until Koko B. Ware comes to the squared circle for a match with the late Yokozuna, outfitted in what can most kindly be described as clown pajamas. It wasn't long before Ware and other DayGlo WWF superstars of old were on their way out.



8. Stone Cold and Iron Mike
Catfight! Catfight! The claws were out Jan. 19, 1998, on "Raw" when Mike Tyson made an early appearance of what would become many bizarre cameos that helped the disgraced boxer make a living after getting out of jail. Tyson was announced as the guest referee for "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's Wrestlemania title match with hobbled old-timer Shawn Michaels to give the bout extra juice. But, as you can see in the clip below, Austin is lucky Iron Mike wasn't looking to get more of an earful that night.



7. Insane Clown Posse Puts the E in WWE
What's shocking about revisiting footage of Insane Clown Posse's 1998 run as songwriters/de facto managers/members of Tod Browning–worthy WWE freakshows The Oddities (whose lone female member, Luna, sadly passed away just last week) is realizing ICP is just reaching the height of their mainstream popularity in 2010. Circa '98, though, they were becoming a household name by way of their public war of words with fellow white MC Eminem; so, for better or trashier, their appearances generated a whole new wave of unseemly viewers.



6. Owen Hart and Eddie Guerrero Memorials
On May 23, 1999, Owen Hart -- who was wrestling legend Bret Hart's brother and part of wrestling's greatest royal multi-generation family -- died a horrific death live during WWE's "Over the Edge" pay-per-view event, after a stunt in which he entered the ring via a zip line went horribly wrong. Six-and-a-half years later, Latino wrestling icon Eddie Guerrero -- also part of a storied grappling family -- passed away of heart failure on Nov. 13, 2005. The subsequent editions of "Raw" served as two-hour tributes to their lives, and in the case of Owen's death, his passing caught the eye of national media, resulting in protracted, very public litigation for the WWE.



5. Chris Benoit's Tragic Murder-Suicide
The June 25, 2007, "Raw" that followed Canadian tough guy Chris Benoit's death was no less reverential, featuring an entire broadcast of memorial montages and archival footage. But it wouldn't be long before Vince McMahon and his fellow executives wished they'd been significantly more subdued in their salutation. Shortly after Benoit's death on June 24, it was concluded that the former WWE champion had murdered his wife and son, and then committed suicide, sparking yet another round of speculation about the culture around pro wrestling. It was a discussion McMahon was all too eager to distance himself from by gradually clearing any products or merchandise associated with Benoit from the WWE's inventory.



4. The Rock Goes Hollywood
By the early 2000s, charismatic third-generation pro-wrestler and former NCAA college football champion Dwayne Johnson had reached almost unmatched heights of popularity in the WWE as both a "heel" (bad guy) and "face" (good guy). So naturally, like his equally popular predecessor Hulk Hogan, Johnson went to Hollywood. Although suffice to say, his film career has fared much better than Hogan's did, thanks to "The Scorpion King," "Walking Tall," "The Other Guys" and more than a dozen additional roles, making him easily the most successful wrestler to make that transition. And also unlike Hogan, he's rarely graced the squared circle with his presence since.


3. Edge and Lita Get Laid in the Ring
In what was truly the nadir of recent "Raw" history and likely a catalyst for its return to slightly more family-friendly content, newly crowned champion Edge and his in-ring girlfriend Lita celebrated his victory by simulating oral and vaginal (alas, no anal) sex underneath the covers of a makeshift bed that looked like what Dracula would sleep on, if he lived in a trailer. Whether because Lita's breasts were inadvertently flashed during the segment or the fact that its Skinemax-level production values make it viral gold, it remains one of "Raw"'s most talked-about moments of the aughts.



2. WWE Purchases Rival WCW
In a move that had real, business-world implications and was played out on "Raw" by McMahon and his son Shane as a family feud, WWE successfully absorbed Ted Turner's once-dominant World Championship Wrestling on March 23, 2001. That ensuing Monday, Shane interrupted "Raw" via satellite from WCW's flagship Nitro program, announcing the transition to his father and a shocked audience, under the stroke-of-dramatic-genius guise that WCW was his property alone. Of course, what it really meant was that after decades of building the business his father (and Shane's grandfather) began, Vince ostensibly had a monopoly over sports entertainment.



1. The Celebrity Guest-Host Era
Over the last couple of years, "Raw" has brought in celebrities who've apparently been waiting to exploit their wealth and privilege by emceeing a 120-minute homoerotic mudfight. Such anxious participants have included Vince's good pal Donald Trump, Jeremy Piven (who's actual sleazy persona is similar to several wrestlers' alter egos) and, er, Flavor Flav. The gimmick has helped ensure that "Raw"'s clock doesn't run out.