The second season ofThat ‘90s Show, a sequel series toThat ‘70s Show, was released on Netflix in late June 2024, with another batch of episodes coming in October 2024. Along with plenty of‘90s pop culture references, the teen sitcom snagged several celebrity cameos from actors and musicians, many of whom were key to the time period. These individuals helped define a generation, making their cameos welcome additions to the show. Not surprisingly, the canned audience “woos” were delivered each time one of them appeared on screen.
The cameos in Season 2 weren’t just from ‘90s figures. Some were surprise guest celebrities who became famous after the ‘90s, and one wasn’t even born until that decade. Who were these individuals, and how did their characters play into the story? Here’s a rundown.
That ’90s Show
Lisa Loeb Only Hears What She Wants To
Episode 2, “Something to Talk About”
Anyone who grew up in the ‘90s just needs to hear two words – “you say…” and they’ll instantly think ofLisa Loeband begin belting out her huge hit single “Stay (I Missed You),” which was released in 1994. From her signature look with a black dress and dark-rimmed cat-eye glasses to her sweeping hairdo, youngwomen in the ‘90stotally related to Loeb’s angsty teenage romance hit. It was about a woman scorned who misses her former love and is trying to deal with the confusing aspects of young love.
Loeb appears in Leia’s (Callie Haverda) dream sequence. Wracked with guilt from almost kissing Nate (Maxell Acee Donovan) in the first season finale, Leia is trying to figure out the best way to break the news to Jay (Mace Coronel) and get him to forgive her. Naturally, she thinks of a pop star she idolizes as an expert in romance.
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In the hilarious sketch, Leia imagines singing the top hit song in Loeb’s home, replicated from the famous music video for the song. Loeb appears in a matching outfit, wondering why this young woman is in her apartment and urging her to get out. She even sings (well, lip-syncs) to a portion of the song herself, bringing back memories for nostalgic parents watching. Loeb shows up again a second time as Leia imagines the pop star in her bedroom giving advice.
Seth Green Is an Emo Retail Boss
Episode 3, “Just a Friend”
Actor and filmmakerSeth Greenwas at the top of his game in the ‘90s. His best-known work at the time was starring as Dr. Evil’s angry and rebellious son Scott intheAustin Powersmovies, the first of which was released in 1997. He also starred in iconic teen movies during that decade, likeCan’t Hardly Wait, and had a role in the popular TV seriesBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
Fans ofThat ‘70s Showwill recall thatGreen notably had a guest-starring role on the series as Mitch, Eric Forman’s (Topher Grace) mortal enemy. He appeared in several episodes through Seasons 5 and 6. The two eventually resolved their beef, but things came to a head again when Mitch showed an affinity for Donna (Laura Prepon). He had a massive crush on her and tried his best to break the soulmates up.
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Green reprises this same role inThat ‘90s Show. He’s now working as a manager for a Hot Topic store in the mall where Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide) works, and he has an ongoing rivalry with the young men who work at Abercrombie & Fitch. When Leia shows up looking for a job and reveals her name, he says he hopes she isn’t related to Eric Forman, who he despises. According to him, Eric took the love of his life, Donna.
Dressed as a total ‘90s Emo kid in black with a collar around his neck, spiked hair, and several earrings, Mitch is devastated when he later learns that Leia is, in fact, Eric’s daughter. He yells after her to please give Donna his regards. The appearance was a lovely throwback to a character fans will recall from the original. But even those who didn’t watchThat ‘70s Showwill find the character hilarious.
Kitty Thinks Red Has Eyes for Carmen Electra
Episode 4, “Hold My Hand”
Carmen Electrais an actor, model, singer, and media personality who was at the top of her game in the ‘90s. Playboy magazine centerfolds, full-sized posters, and photos of Electra were found on bedroom walls throughout the decade. Fans fell in love with her buxom beauty and obvious sex appeal. Electra began modeling for Playboy in 1996, the year this season ofThat ‘90s Showtakes place, making her cameo perfectly timed. Through the ‘90s, she also appeared in movies likeGood Burger,American Vampire, andStarstruck. But the role that most got her attention was starring as Lani inBaywatch.
How does she play intoThat ‘90sShow? While Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) is holed up in bed with a sprained ankle, she learns several women from the neighborhood have been visiting to bring Red (Kurtwood Smith) food. Her jealousy is at an all-time high, manifesting in a warped daydream about what she imagines is happening downstairs. She pictures Electra, the one woman she thinks Red might have eyes for other than her (because he guessed her name way too quicklywhile watchingJeopardy!one night), seducing her husband in a tight red corset tank.
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Electra lays it on thick, seductively dancing around Red as he smiles from ear to ear. He shimmies and shakes in his chair as she whips her hair around and starts making Shake ‘n Bake chicken for him. She does everything short of giving him a lap dance, and Red is all for it. Of course, in reality, the woman in the home is a 90-year-old lady with a walker who has come by to verify Red is taken care of while Kitty is incapacitated. Meanwhile, when Red tells Kitty he only has eyes for her, he sweetly imagines the same scene with Kitty awkwardly performing the same moves Electra did instead.
Kadeem Hardison Found Himself in a Different World
Episode 6, “I Can See Clearly Now”
Kadeem Hardisonis known for his lead role as Dwayne Wayne in the sitcomA Different World, a spin-off ofThe Cosby Showthat aired from 1987 through 1993. Fans might not have placed him as Marcus, the mall security guard in the scene when Gwen is taken into custody by security after she, Leia, and Nikki (Sam Morelos) are caught stealing bras. Leaving no room for questioning, he dons the flip-up glasses that became his character’s signature style onA Different World.
Hardison was a fixture in the prime-time TV line-upduring the ‘90s. He also made appearances on popular shows during that decade, likeThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Living Single, andTouched by An Angel. The character onThat ‘90s Showhas a heart-to-heart with Gwen about racism, alerting her to the fact that of the three girls who were stopped for theft, she’s the only one who was brought in. In the hilarious cameo, he handles the situation with humor, joking about avoiding his ex-wife, then snapping Gwen’s photo and putting her face on the wall to ban her for a year. His conversation leads Gwen to raise some important concerns with her mother about the challenges she faces due to her face that her mother doesn’t understand.
Will Forte Is a Guru or a Quack
When Kitty is still suffering from pain in her ankle, she decides that rather than see a doctor, she’s going to see a “medicologist.” This self-professed healer seems to know all the right things to say. Despite skepticism from Red, Kitty goes ahead with the visit because, well, he has a business card so he must be legitimate. The man named Kiefer is played byWill Forte, who gained national attention as a cast member ofSaturday Night Liveand then for starring in the movies and series based on theMacGrubercharacter fromSNL. With a long list of acting and voice acting credits on his resume, Forte is one of the few cameo actors who didn’t become popular untilafterthe ‘90s.
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Kiefer is an eccentric man who claims to be able to tap into Kitty’s chakra and help her deal with the pain. He shows up at the house, much to Red’s chagrin, where he helps guide her to solving her problems. Among his suggestions is to strangely get rid of the mayonnaise in the house, he declares while weirdly downing a bottle of olive oil. Later, Kiefer reveals to Kitty when she catches him frantically packing up his office that he has a major cocaine problem, he’s desperate for money, and he’s running from very dangerous people. Angered and upset at being duped, Kitty admits her failings to Red. Rather than say, “I told you so,” and get upset with her for blowing $700 on nothing, Red forgives and comforts his wife.
The cameo had a purpose: it was designed as a vehicle for Leia to witness this forgiving encounter, prompting her to forgive Jay for his misdeeds. It was the most outrageous, roundabout way to do it, butthe cameo allowed fans to enjoy Forte’s always-entertaining humor.
Wayne Knight Isn’t Newman, But He’s Just as Annoying
Episode 7, Baby-Baby-Baby”
Wayne Knightwas a standout supportingcharacter onSeinfeldin the ‘90s as Newman, Jerry’s neighbor and arch-nemesis. He was always met with an angrily drawn-out “Newww-mannn,” suggesting Jerry was always annoyed to see him. But Knight has a long list of other credits from the ‘90s, including appearing inJFK, Basic Instinct, Jurassic Park,and 3rd Rock from the Sun.
InThat ‘90s Show, Red winds up in the hospital after having heart palpitations when he overhears Leia telling Jay she’s ready to take their relationship to the next level. Knight is Bruce, an annoying patient next to Red who can’t seem to stop talking. He is obsessed with smoking, though doctors tell him it might kill him if he has even one more.
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Later, when Red is discharged and Bruce thinks they should keep in touch, Red lies and says his name is Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark) with a smile. He advises that the best time to call him is between 2 and 4 a.m. As with the others, Knight’s character serves a purpose. After seeing Bruce and hearing about everything he wants to do before he dies, Red is inspired to buy two tickets to Paris and surprise Kitty with the trip she has always wanted.
Matt Rife Is the Pilot No One Wants
Episode 8, “Friends in Low Places”
Matt Rifewasn’t a prominent figure in the ‘90s; in fact, he wasn’t even born until that decade. However, thecomedian and actoris relevant in today’s world of comedy, and with the demographic of kids arguably watching the show. Rife is best known today for his controversial stand-up comedy specials, along with his time onWild ‘n OutandThe Challenge: Champs vs. Stars. He has also appeared in episodes ofFresh Off the BoatandBrooklyn Nine-Nine. His appearance onThat ‘90s Showdoesn’t apply the same way as the others, but it’s just as funny.
At the airport waiting to board their plane to Paris, Red reveals that he has a fear of flying. It doesn’t help that Travis (Rife), the pilot drinking beside him at the bar, keeps talking about all the germs you’ll find on airplanes. In a desperate attempt to get rid of him, Kitty sends Sherri (Andrea Anders) to seduce Travis, and the young man happily obliges. Later, he is seen slumped down in an airport chair, licking its clearly germ-infested handle. It’s revealed that he’s supposed to fly a plane that day, but when he gets up and realizes he’s too intoxicated to do so, he declares that “no one is going to Denver today!”
Jay and Silent Bob
In the final minutes of the mid-season finale, fans relive an iconic ‘90s moment fromthe sitcomFull Housewhen a car drives through the Forman house kitchen. In another throwback moment, Leia declares the obvious, screaming, “There’s a car in the kitchen!” — a cute homage to that show, which had an almost identical scene.
Out from the car comesKevin SmithandJason Mewes, better known as ‘90s pop culture icons Jay and Silent Bob. The characters starred in severalstoner movies in the ‘90s, includingClerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, andDogma. The cameo was perfect in several ways: the duo has often been compared to Cheech and Chong, and in this role, Smith plays Sonny, the son of Tommy Chong’s character Leo, who appeared inThat ‘70s Showas well as a friend of the gang. Mewes, meanwhile, plays his friend Bunch.
The pair seem unaffected by the fact that they just drove their car through the house, while Leo is so blinded by happiness and delight to see his son that he doesn’t even notice (or simply doesn’t care). Meanwhile, Leia and her friends are frantic and unsure how to handle this situation. They have two weeks until Red and Kitty get back, and rectifying this situation is crucial for both them and for Bob to prove that he can be trusted.WatchThat ‘90s ShowonNetflix.
