"I don't want to hear no mmm-bops, and I don't give a damn what you really, really want! What I want is a tough, clean fight."
— Mills Lane
Celebrity Deathmatch had two official pilots before being greenlit. The first pilot on Cartoon Sushi consisted of a short animation between Marilyn Manson and Charles Manson, where the two fight to be crowned Most Evil Man in America.
The first full-length episode featured three fights. The first undercard fight sees Kathie Lee Gifford and Howard Stern against each other, after the latter supposedly bad-mouthed the former. The second undercard fight has Pamela Anderson seeking revenge against Ru Paul after the latter had supposedly made a pass at the former's then-husband Tommy Lee. The third fight and main event has pop groups Hanson and the Spice Girls fighting to be crowned the Most Annoying Band in the World.
The Cartoon Sushi pilot provides examples of:
- Adults Dressed as Children: Charles Manson only wears what looks like a diaper during the fight.
- Eldritch Abomination: After Charles bites off a piece of Marilyn's shoulder, he spits it out before it promptly morphs into some sort of arachnid creature and scurries away.
- Evil Versus Evil: The literal premise of the fight.
- Eviler than Thou: Both fighters are competing to be crowned the Most Evil Man in America.
- Man Bites Man: Charles Manson takes a bite out of Marilyn Manson's shoulder during one attack.
- Pilot: Obviously.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: Marilyn Manson is wearing dark red pants with black belts.
- Scoring Points: After biting off Marilyn Manson's shoulder, Mills Lane says he will be deducted two points from Charles Manson. This point-scoring system is never brought up outside of this pilot again, however.
The Deathbowl '98 pilot episode provides examples of:
- Ax-Crazy: Marilyn Manson does not hide his contempt for the Spice Girls or Hanson during his interview with Marv Albert, and takes it up to eleven by killing them himself.
- Berserk Button: Pamela becomes enraged when RuPaul calls out to Tommy Lee (presumably in the audience) and actively flirts with him, allowing her to break out of her chokehold.
- Bitch Slap: Ginger Spice gives one to Taylor during the fight.
- Blind Without 'Em: Kathie Lee punches Howard's sunglasses off of his face, causing him to comment that he's unable to see without them.
- Boob-Based Gag: RuPaul places Pamela in an unusual chokehold where he uses his legs to lift her bust up to her neck and suffocate her. However, when RuPaul then starts audibly flirting with an unseen Tommy Lee, Pamela manages to slide her breasts up her arms and into her hands in order to punch RuPaul away. She then raises her arms in the air and allows them to slide back into her chest when she's free.
- Bystander Syndrome: Once Isaac and Taylor leave the ring to help Zac, neither Posh, Ginger, or Sporty Spice decide to help Scary or Baby Spice when they become outnumbered. For some reason, they decide to stay in the ring and watch until everyone climbs back in.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Marilyn Manson.
- Chainmail Bikini: RuPaul is wearing underwear that's either made of or lined with, steel plating.
- Chainsaw Good: Marilyn Manson ends the fight against the Spice Girls and Hanson by cutting the lighting rig from the ceiling using a chainsaw.
- Chairwoman of the Brawl: Baby Spice is about to hit Zac with a chair before being rescued by Taylor.
- The Comically Serious: Before their fight starts, RuPaul asks Mills Lane if there are bathroom breaks, while simultaneously trash-talking his opponent. As soon as Mills breaks up their argument, he tells RuPaul that there are, in fact, no time-outs during the fight.
- Crossdresser: RuPaul, obviously.
- Custom Uniform of Sexy:
- Pamela is shown to be wearing a lace-up vest that not only bares her midriff but is also partially undone.
- Sporty, Posh, and Scary Spice are also wearing crop tops.
- Death by Looking Up: Both Hanson and the Spice Girls all look up just as the lighting rig comes crashing down on top of them.
- Death from Above: Marilyn Manson cuts the lighting rig from above the ring with a chainsaw, causing it to fall and crush the combatants in the main event.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Following the outcome of the second fight, Marv Albert is mesmerized by the sight of Pamela's breasts sliding back into her chest from her hands, to the point where he continues to replay it over and over again. He completely ignores the main event even after Johnny tries to ask him about the lighting rig being cut loose.
- Everybody's Dead, Dave: The only person to survive the lighting rig crashing down on the ring during the main event is referee Mills Lane, who escapes with only a head injury.
- Eye Scream: Pamela dispatches Rupaul by stabbing him in the eye with his own foot.
- Fartillery: Howard manages to finish off Kathie Lee by using his toxic flatulence to melt her into a puddle.
- Fastball Special: As soon as their fight starts, Isaac and Taylor launch their brother Zac into the air, who manages to clothesline both Scary and Baby Spice out of the ring.
- Fiery Redhead: Kathie Lee, and Ginger Spice.
- Grievous Harm with a Body: In an attempt to rescue Baby Spice from the grips of Isaac and Taylor, Scary Spice grabs Zac by the legs and swings him like a baseball bat, hitting Taylor repeatedly. It doesn't save her bandmate, however.
- Groin Attack:
- Pamela attempts to deliver one to RuPaul.
- Posh Spice attempts this on Isaac while trying to help Sporty Spice.
- Hairstyle Malfunction: Pamela steals RuPaul's blonde wig from him during their fight.
- Half the Woman She Used to Be: Poor Baby Spice is torn by Isaac and Taylor.
- I Can Still Fight!: Despite being torn in half, Baby Spice is still ready to continue fighting.
- I'm Melting!: Kathie Lee is reduced to a puddle of goo after being exposed to Howard's farts.
- Major Injury Underreaction: After managing to escape the ring before being crushed by the lighting rig, Mills Lane is seen walking away with a piece of metal shrapnel sticking out of his head and is completely unfazed.
- Medal of Dishonor: Both Hanson and the Spice Girls are fighting to be crowned the Most Annoying Band in the World.
- No-Sell: RuPaul is unaffected by Pamela when she kicks him in the groin, thanks to his steel-plated underwear.
- Despite being hit repeatedly in the back, Taylor and Isaac still manage to tear Baby Spice in half.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Their names are Mel B, Mel C, Emma, Victoria, and Geri. However, throughout the show, they are only referred to by their nicknames (Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, Baby Spice, Posh Spice, and Ginger Spice).
- Pink Means Feminine: Baby Spice is shown wearing a pink dress.
- Ripped from the Headlines: Kathie Lee and Howard were in a real-life feud prior to this episode's release.
- Sibling Team: The Hanson brothers, obviously.
- [Verb] This!: Pamela delivers one of these in her fight against RuPaul.RuPaul: "Steel-plated, honey. I always wear extra protection."Pamela: "Protect this!"
- Who Needs Their Whole Body?: Despite being ripped in half, Baby Spice is still prepared to continue fighting.
- Wide Eyes and Shrunken Irises: After Howard launches Kathie Lee out of the ring with his first wave of Fartillery, she climbs back into the ring just as Howard is preparing for a second blast. Kathie Lee's irises shrink in horror as she is promptly dispatched.
- Would Hit a Girl:
- Howard attempts three physical attacks on Kathie Lee; the first time is to push her away after she charges him and misses, the second time she manages to dodge, and the third time he manages to accidentally knock her down with an Offhand Backhand while he is distracted.
- The Hanson brothers, especially when their youngest brother Zac is getting his ass kicked.
- Would Hurt a Child: The Spice Girls, considering who they're up against. Exaggerated with Scary and Baby Spice, considering that they were about to hit Zac (who was only 12 years old at the time of this episode) with a chair.
