Chiefs

‘Kansas City Bomber’ trends during Chiefs parade, people panic. Here’s the real story

Raquel Welch, seen here in 2017 promoting the movie “How to be a Latin Lover,” died Wednesday at the age of 82.
Raquel Welch, seen here in 2017 promoting the movie “How to be a Latin Lover,” died Wednesday at the age of 82. TNS

News that actress Raquel Welch had just died spread Wednesday during the Super Bowl celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, a rally that drew thousands of people downtown.

When the name of one of Welch’s most famous movies began trending on Twitter, people thought something horrific and explosive had happened at the parade.

“Kansas City Bomber” began trending alongside “Chiefs.”

Cue the panic.

The poster of the 1972 Raquel Welch movie, “Kansas City Bomber,” in which she played a roller derby star.
The poster of the 1972 Raquel Welch movie, “Kansas City Bomber,” in which she played a roller derby star. File photo

“Kansas City Bomber trending after the Chiefs had their parade scared me.”

“Bad day for ‘Kansas City Bomber’ to trend while the kc super bowl parade is happening, thought something happened there for a sec.”

“Hopping on Twitter and seeing ‘Kansas City Bomber’ right after the parade will scare you for a second or two.”

One Twitter user scolded Twitter.

“When - 1mi people were at KC’s Union Station today to celebrate the Chiefs Super Bowl win, maybe don’t push “Kansas City Bomber” (due to an actress in the film of the same name dying) as a trending topic.”

Welch became an international sex symbol during the 1960s and ’70s. She was 82 when she died early Wednesday after a brief illness, her agent said.

Raquel Welch had only three lines in the 1966 Film “One Million Years B.C.” But the public did not mind.
Raquel Welch had only three lines in the 1966 Film “One Million Years B.C.” But the public did not mind. SNAP TNS

One of her most iconic images shows her in a brown, doeskin bikini in the 1966 campy flick, “One Million Years B.C.,” in which she had only three lines. The public, though, was more interested in her curves than her acting.

In the 1972 movie “Kansas City Bomber,” she played roller derby star K.C. Carr.

More recently, in the 2001 movie “Legally Blonde” Welch played the pampered socialite mother of a murderous young woman.

This story was originally published February 15, 2023 at 6:02 PM.

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Lisa Gutierrez
The Kansas City Star
Lisa Gutierrez has been a reporter for The Kansas City Star since 2000. She learned journalism at the University of Kansas, her alma mater. She writes about pop culture, local celebrities, trends and life in the metro through its people. Oh, and dogs. You can reach her at lgutierrez@kcstar.com or follow her on Twitter - @LisaGinKC.
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