The Dwayne Johnson rock paper scissors meme is a simple pun: three pictures of Johnson labelled "The Rock", "The Paper" and "The Scissors". It was circulating on Reddit by early April 2018, and a few days later Johnson recreated it himself, on camera, at a London press junket for his film Rampage.
Where the meme started
The version most people remember shows Johnson three times, each image captioned with a version of his wrestling name: The Rock, The Paper, The Scissors. Know Your Meme archived it on April 8, 2018, crediting it to the r/me_irl subreddit. I could not trace it back to a single named creator, which is typical for image macros like this; it was reposted widely within days.
The joke works because Johnson's ring name was already half of it. "The Rock" has been his name since his WWE days, so every time anyone says the name of the game, they are, technically, saying his.
Did Dwayne Johnson really recreate it?
Yes. Press Association footage, distributed through Getty Images and dated April 13, 2018, is captioned as Johnson recreating his rock paper scissors meme at the press junket for Rampage in London. The clip is 38 seconds long.
That timing matters: the meme had been going around for less than a week when he did it. That is one reason the moment spread. It was not a celebrity catching up on an old joke; it was him joining in while it was still fresh.
I have not linked to any social media post from Johnson's own accounts about it because I could not confirm one, so I am sticking to the footage that is on record.
Why RPS memes keep working
Rock paper scissors is almost perfect meme material:
- Everyone knows the rules. No setup required. A joke about paper beating rock lands in any language.
- It has a built-in argument. "Why does paper beat rock?" is a debate as old as the game, and it drives endless jokes. Our jokes page collects the good ones.
- The hand shapes are visual. A fist, a flat hand and two fingers are instantly readable in a still image.
- It has three slots. Three-panel formats fit the game exactly, which is how you get "The Rock, The Paper, The Scissors".
Other well-known RPS pop culture moments include Sheldon's five-throw Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock on The Big Bang Theory (the game itself was created by Sam Kass and Karen Bryla) and the 2005 auction where Christie's won a Japanese art collection from Sotheby's by throwing scissors. We collect those on the pop culture and famous moments pages.
Common meme formats you will see
| Format | The joke |
|---|---|
| Three-label celebrity | A famous person captioned as rock, paper and scissors (the Johnson meme) |
| "Paper beats rock?" | Mock outrage that a sheet of paper can defeat a stone |
| The overpowered throw | Someone throws a gun, a bomb or a thumb and "wins" |
| The tie that never ends | Two players throwing the same thing forever |
| Lizard Spock confusion | Someone trying to remember the ten rules of the five-throw version |
Want the real game?
If the meme reminded you that you have not played in years, you can play rock paper scissors online for free against the computer or other people. If you want to win more than a third of the time, start with our strategy guide.
FAQ
When did the Dwayne Johnson rock paper scissors meme start?
It was archived on Know Your Meme on April 8, 2018, from Reddit's r/me_irl.
Did The Rock ever do the meme himself?
Yes. He recreated it at a Rampage press junket in London, in footage dated April 13, 2018.
Why is it funny?
Because his nickname is already one third of the game. The meme simply completes the set.