If you were watching HBO on a random Sunday night in November 2013, you might have missed it. Honestly, most people did. A lanky guy in orange short shorts and a blonde wig rolls up to a table at a roller rink. He looks like a lost extra from a mid-90s surf movie. He’s awkward. He’s fumbling with a tray. Then you realize—wait, is that the Antichrist Superstar?
Yes. That was Marilyn Manson Eastbound and Down style.
It remains one of the most bizarre intersections of shock rock and Southern-fried comedy in television history. Manson didn't show up as a dark priest or a goth icon. He showed up as a waiter. Specifically, a waiter at a roller skating rink who gets verbally dismantled by Danny McBride’s legendary character, Kenny Powers.
The Story Behind the Roller Rink Waiter
Manson’s obsession with the show wasn't a secret in Hollywood circles. For years, he had been campaigning for a guest spot. He didn't just want to be on the show; he wanted to be the show. There are famous stories about Manson sending Danny McBride late-night emails. Not scary stuff, either. Just weird clips of him watching Peanuts specials or infomercials in the background, giggling to himself.
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He was a fanboy. Pure and simple.
David Gordon Green, one of the show’s creators, once mentioned that Manson would actually dress up as Kenny Powers in his downtime. Can you imagine that? The guy who wrote The Beautiful People sitting in his house with a prosthetic mullet and a baseball jersey.
When he finally got the call for Season 4, Episode 7 ("Chapter 28"), he didn't get to play Kenny’s long-lost brother or a rival rock star. He was cast as a nameless waiter. It was a 20-second "blink and you'll miss it" moment.
What Actually Happened in the Scene?
Kenny Powers and April are having a massive, tense argument at a roller rink. It's the kind of high-stakes domestic drama only Eastbound and Down can pull off. Suddenly, this pale, wig-wearing waiter (Manson) rolls up to clear the trash.
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Kenny, being Kenny, is incredibly rude. He offers his wife to the waiter in a moment of pure spite. Manson’s character just stares, looking genuinely uncomfortable and inept, before shuffling away.
- The Look: No makeup. No contacts. Just a bad wig and a yellow/orange uniform.
- The Vibe: Completely "un-Manson." He looked like a normal, slightly weird guy from the suburbs.
- The Impact: It humanized a guy who spent decades trying to be the world's boogeyman.
Why Manson Wanted to Play Stevie Janowski
The weirdest part of the Marilyn Manson Eastbound and Down saga is that he actually wanted Steve Little’s job. Manson apparently told MTV that he had an "itch" to play Stevie Janowski, Kenny’s pathetic and loyal sidekick.
McBride’s response was classic: "I imagine he could just cut Steve Little's flesh off and wear it."
While he never got to replace Stevie (thank God, because Steve Little is a genius), the cameo served as a sort of "thank you" to a fan who happened to be a multi-platinum recording artist. It showed a side of Manson that the public rarely saw back then—a guy who didn't take himself nearly as seriously as his stage persona suggested.
The Cultural Legacy of the Cameo
Look, the 2010s were a different time for Manson. This was before the wave of lawsuits and serious allegations that would later define his career in the 2020s. In 2013, seeing him in orange shorts was just peak "random" humor. It fit the vibe of a show that thrived on the unexpected.
It also marked a trend of Manson doing more acting. He went on to have a much larger, darker role in Sons of Anarchy as Ron Tully, a white supremacist shot-caller. But that role felt "on brand." The roller rink waiter? That was the anomaly.
How to Find the Episode
If you're looking to revisit this piece of TV history, here is what you need to know:
- Season: 4
- Episode: 7 (Chapter 28)
- Platform: Max (formerly HBO Max)
Most people find the clip on YouTube first. It’s titled things like "Marilyn Manson No Makeup Cameo." It still pulls thousands of views from people who can't believe it's actually him.
Actionable Insights for Fans of the Show
If you're a fan of the McBride-verse or just curious about these types of cameos, there are a few things you should do to get the full experience:
- Watch for the context: Don't just watch the clip. The scene works because the argument between Kenny and April is so intense. The waiter's interruption is the perfect "cringe" comedy break.
- Look at his other 2013-2014 work: Compare the Eastbound cameo to his role in Once Upon a Time (where he voiced Peter Pan's Shadow). It shows a weirdly productive era for his acting career.
- Check out the interviews: Search for Danny McBride’s interviews about Manson’s emails. They are arguably funnier than the cameo itself.
The Marilyn Manson Eastbound and Down appearance wasn't a career-defining moment, but it was a perfect example of how the show operated. It was a world where anything could happen, and even the "Antichrist" could be forced to wear roller skates and take out the trash.
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To see more of this era of comedy, check out the behind-the-scenes features on the Season 4 DVD or digital extras, which often detail how these weird celebrity friendships resulted in some of the show's best hidden gems.