Honky Tonk Man: Behind the Gimmick
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2021
- Behind The Gimmick returns with a deep dive into the career of the one and only, HONKY TONK MAN! Learn how this journeyman wrestler became one of the greatest heels of the 1980s!
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Say what you will about HTM, but I oddly respect him for carrying a guitar around for 40 years and never bothering to learn a single chord.
Yes bless him. He saved us from some world class bad music.
Ironically Elvis actually never learned to play guitar he only knew a cord or two (more than HTM lol 😆) that would be too much depth though so I doubt it was on purpose
@@InsShogunGage Elvis knew how to play what are you talking about?
@@Gammera2000 i said he knew some cords - but bro he admitted it and one of his last concerts he was like I actually never really was playing I was just strumming along I only know these couple of cords but I'm actually going to play this song and he did
@@Gammera2000 there’s a channel called wings of Pegasus. He’s a professional musician, he reviewed one of Elvis’s live performances. He was impressed with the king’s guitar playing ability.
I will never forget when I was a kid my aunt took me to a WWF event and honky tonk man came out singing my aunt hated him and when he was done singing I yelled “1 more time” as loud as I could and he said “did I hear someone say one more time” and did his routine over and the crowd was mad my aunt was laughing so hard I moment I’ll never forget
Now _that!_ is an _epic_ memory to have forever.
After all, the only 'stand-out" wrestling memories I have are:
№1 - Once received a _high-five_ from Rob Van Dam... but actually, it was more like quick little handshakes to the fans nearest the guardrail, myself included.
№2 - Once saw Randy Orton _outside_ the arena after the show, but soon realized how Orton seemed to be bullying the small group of fans, only to soon discover he was only bullying the men and boys, while calling the girls to come view as he stood atop the plastic outdoor table _posing_ in his classic, signature pose.
I was appalled.
Circa × 2003
_*So yeah, consider yourself daammn lucky!*_. 😆
"Hogan will hang out with anyone, won't he?"
-Jesse Ventura
Except...you know.
@@SouthstanderRSM Yep...
@@SouthstanderRSM no. Who?
@@orinanime He's either talking about Jesse Ventura himself, because Ventura detests Hogan, or he's making a reference to Hogan's racist statements and thus means black wrestlers.
Ventura hates Hogan because Hogan stooged him off to Vince McMahon back when Jesse tried to start a union in wrestling.
I spit my drink laughing when he said "the elvis versus little Richard feud we've been dying for since the 50's"🤣
Are you in a cartoon
I laughed so much at that too 😂
Great line. 😂
Shouldn't it have been chuck berry I mean isnt johnny b good his?
Like #100
vince really invested on this gimmick, the cadillac, peggy sue, the wrestlemania performance, the jackets etc
The cadillac was volunteered by DDP in exchange for being able to drive it at Mania 6
I think honkey had to buy all his own jackets and ring attire.
@@Jasondirt heck, that is standard policy... They design the gimmick, but you pay for it outnof your earnings.
@@richardtherichard26 honey tonk man bought all his own gear. One of the few things I can believe when he talks
@@richardtherichard26 very true...vince spent what? 10 to 30grand on Max Moons outfit.
"Be like if Rhea Ripley put on a wig and hung out with Jackson Riker" - Please don't give Vince McMahon ideas :)
*That's some great shit!* ;P
8:57 GICOAT can save you 15% on gimmick infringement insurance
Well shit, now I actually want to see Honky doing this type of commercial.
@@stfi7566 The Ric Flair AutoShield commercials are great just for the fact they were filmed at the Championship Wrestling From Hollywood studio where NJPW Strong films and they air during all the TV wrestling. AEW, WWE, ROH, IMPACT, MLW, everywhere
Ah, to be old enough to remember watching Behind The Music on VH1 when it first became a thing 23 years ago. That intro was nostalgic to my ears!
They're bringing it back again..for some reason.
Same!
Good times.
Although I'm old enough to remember the original, whenever I hear the music I can't help but think of The Simpsons _"Behind_ _The_ _Laughter"_ episode...
"I want to set the record straight: I thought the cop was a _prostitute_ " 🤣
Facts, BTM was a classic program. Vh1 was killing it with storytellers, 8 track flashback, and pop up video back then 🍻
The grestest Intercontinental Champion of all time. No questions asked. His promo work, his charisma, his gimmick... Everything was just brilliant.
it's better to be lucky than good :D
The greatest? Why cause Vince let him hold it longest?
I liked when he got absolutely shit on by warrior in a matter of seconds.
@lukeyboy5385Gunther #1 Honky #2
@dbroha Gunther says hi
Didn't think you would bring back the Behind the Music parody after 3MB, but it's pretty fitting for the Honky Tonk Man.
The next one should be for Jeff Jarrett, and in two-three years one for Elias and/or Bugenhagen
@@Mellino438 your wish for Jeff Jarrett has been granted!
One of my all-time favorites, The Honky-tonk Man. I absolutely LOVED how he would always say, "Thank you all, you're a beautiful audience". He had such a unique way of getting heat, and thanking the crowd for adoring him whilst they are booing him out of the building was brilliance on Mr. Farris' part.
Greg Valentine stated that he wishes the 'Rhythm and Blues' tag team had been allowed time to develop because looking back he said it was some of the most fun he'd ever had wrestling and said Wayne was a solid dude to work with.
But at the same time this was the same that complained about having to dye his hair, he didn't really "get" the gimmick and he didn't always get along with honky. Guess he changed his views over the years
I love Honky Tonk Man. He was so enjoyable to watch. That Behind the Gimmick intro is incredible. Please make more of these Brian.
Old Honk was using the genuine_ "Acoustic Equaliser" long before Double J and his plywood guitars came along 🎸🤕
This is great. What a great idea for a clip.
I really love how he chose Honky Tonk Man for a clip. With all the A&E biographies & Dark Side of the Rings that have come out, this fits. Honky has not been covered yet.
100% agree. I love this format.
@@residentelect uì
Imagine being Randy Savage, one of the all time greatest wrestlers EVER and you hear that some Elvis impersonator named Wayne refuses to lose to you.
Tbf he became world champion as a result but yeah its sad that Ted DiBiase didn't because of Honky
at the time that loss would have ended HTM completely... that guy had worked years in this gimmick and if the gimmick fell then he was basically either done or starting from scratch again... which means going from being a top mid carder to rebuilding from bottom card... people misunderstand the situation and even Randy understood the reasons why HTM had to stay where he was..
The Great Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl sounds like an old episode of The Beverly Hillbillies.
You can find footage of it on UA-cam. It is interesting to see.
Or one of those songs like The Battle of New Orleans or Sink the Bismarck.
Tupelo, Mississippi is the birthplace of Elvis Presley. That's awesome that it was the very place were Wayne Farris had his first major match. Years later, Farris would go on to use the Elvis imitation gimmick of the Honky Tonk Man.
Out of context it doesn’t seem like much today but it was totally ahead of its time. 15 years prior to the backstage brawls of ECW and the late 90s becoming common place. It was nothing like you’d see on a wrestling show in the 70s and 80s.
@@foxfireinferno3547 I see what you did there.
I had the pleasure and honor of meeting him twice, a VERY intelligent and interesting man. Few understood the wrestling world better than Wayne Ferris.
Like him or not, this guy turned two of the greatest superstars ever face in the late 80's in Jake Roberts and Randy Savage.
Honky has some of the best shoot interviews.
EHT'S NAWT A HAWLOV FAYM!
Legend heel promos...
All Gimmick and No In ring ability! Every match was the same.
That one with new jack and iron sheik comes to mind.
@@Mvile1 haha! all of this type of wrestling is gimmick and storytelling.
This dude is an excellent host/historian. I highly enjoy stuff like this.
Honky was a brilliant heel, love that he couldn’t play the guitar a bit
“As good as he was at separating fans from their loonies”
Fun fact: Canada adopted the $1 coin in 1986, after GICOAT’s time in Stampede.
Love the phrase, and the video.
The Loonie actually came out in 1987....
I stand corrected, it was 1987. Thanks for the heads up.
Yup, our pockets have been heavier for 34 years now, never mind the twonie 😂🤣😂🇨🇦
Imagine if there were a match between HTM and the Disco Inferno. 😱
Disco Inferno was supposed to be Honky Tonk Man's Apprentice when he got fired by Bischoff
@@timbartschwolfman shut the front door. Seriously? Disco in the WWF... interesting.
or vs. Johnny B Badd ;)
@@DasKame no, Sable pretty much destroyed what credibility that guy had, lol.
@@timbartschwolfman Yeah but never happened...
There is a paralel universe where The Honky Tonk Man made many songs, one of them being Jailhouse Rock, and there was a wrestler in WWE back in the 80's and 90's named Elvis Presley
Alternate universe:
Singer: “Wayne Farris: the king of rock and roll.”
Wrestler: “Elvis Aaron Presley: The Honky Tonk man!”
Is like the movie Yesterday just Elvis Presley instead of The Beatles
I just remember as a child that honkey tonk man was my favorite wrestler because he looked and talked exactly like my dad and it broke my little 4 year old heart everytime the crowd booed him lol. I even learned the song by heart.
Been watching so many Honky Tonk Man shoots lately. I've grown to really appreciate him more than when I watched him on TV as a kid.
I do too. Looking at it as an adult you really appreciate the nuance of his portrayal.
Life Lesson: Always be friends with Hulk Hogan, you'll always get a job.
Only if you are willing to do the job
First you have to do the job before Hogan gets you a job lol
Getting or carrying Hogans weed helps too.
Oh damn, "swearing vengeance on your enemies after losing a mail-in vote was kind of ahead of its time" almost went past me without me realizing how hilarious a burn it was. Excellent comparison, haha
What is the reference?
@@vidishkarkera2630 I think it's a reference to Ryback who keeps putting polls on Twitter about whether or not he should retire, only to claim foul play when "retire" inevitably wins
@@tafua_a yeah, ¿Why does he keep putting that option? It's obvious that's gonna be the №1 pick
@@djpegao working the marks
@@djpegao He's always like, "This affects my career, so don't pick 'Retire.' "
Wayne Ferris is actually a very interesting to listen to in his shoot interviews.
Was incharge of audio at an Indy show where we brought in Honky.
He gave me a CD with hisbtheme on it. (This was 2001) He told me it was his only copy and if I broke it that I owed him $250. Was a cheap burned copy....so I laughed in his face.
HTM always looking for the payday!!!
Thing's that didn't happen...
@@user-pq6mr6op3p idiot
@@user-pq6mr6op3p Fun Fact: Being "that guy" that sounds like a cynical loser from reddit who herp derps "lol dat didn't happen" at random anecdotes doesn't actually make you any more credible.
@@the-NightStar Fun Fact #2...I was third in line so I can be your Daddy.🤣🤣🤣🤣
HTM: "I politick"
Warrior: "Hold my tassels"
Hold my rocketship!
Also Warrior: *takes off running for exactly no reason*
@@m.d.1395 big muscles mean large amounts of protein. So I’m sure he was running for the can half the time.
HTM: "I politick"
Warrior: *30 minute long string rambling mystical nonsense*
Hogan Let me tell you about politics brother
You outta do more behind the gimmick vids, it’s f**kin awesome
Man was rude af at my local comic con, he kept trying to make us buy a autograph after we bought Hacksaw Jim Duggin's. He kept saying we can cake a picture with him with the raggedy torn up WCW World Title belt
Lies
@@chadzbirdzofficial4631 lol not lies
@@andrewgutierrez5487 ok good just making sure Honky Tonk Man is hot so i thought he'd be a nice guy
Fun fact, Honkey Tonk went behind Jim Duggin's back and trademarked his name, so he actually made money off that Jim Duggin autograph you bought.
And then he tried to pressure you to buy his too so he could make some extra money. Honkey Tonk is a piece of shit.
@@jakefoley9539 😱😦
Jake Roberts' heat with him is hilarious since it's not kayfabe.
Not the PISS JAKE!....
The Snake got El-kabonged the hard way.
Jake's heat is delusional because he is blaming someone else for his years long drug addiction.
Honky said that Jake didn't get neck surgery for 2 years after the guitar hit. If you are in so much neck pain you won't wait 2 days much less 2 years.
Jake the crackhead Roberts
should be noted that there was a falling out between ICP and HTM in 2014 over honky no showing the gathering for a match despite being paid in advance. At least that's the story according to the clowns' youshoot video
The most devastating breakups in wrestling that sent shockwaves: the Montreal Screwjob, CM Punk walking out...ICP and the Honky Tonk Man...
Given Honky's relationship with the truth, I think I'll believe them
ICP deserves to be ripped off, defrauded, and no-showed. This makes me respect Honkey Tonk more
Who gives a fuck about ICP? They're such tough guys, why didn't they get their money back? Like all that fake bullshit they talk in their wackass songs?
Anyone who scams ICP deserves a friggin' platinum medal for their service.
The shoot with Honky Tonk, New Jack, and Iron Sheik was quite something to see...
When New Jack looks like the reasonable one, you're in trouble.
That intro voice sounds like Triple-H impersonating Brian Zane.
🤣
Surreal to think of Honky as being one of the first major stars on the indie scene, but hey, it's not pro wrestling if it's not surreal. Fantastic profile, sir! Thank you
👽 my interview with him is the highest viewed shoot interview on the internet I believe nearing 4 million
*humble brag*
Most of your shoot interviews are great. I'm sad though that we will probably never get to see the steak eating contest between you and Terry Funk.
Ok?
Honky Tonk was a great gimmick.
Great promos.
Honkey Tonk Man was one of my favorite wrestlers when I was a kid. Loved his finisher, shake rattle and roll. Was the perfect heel.
Listen people that Honky Tonk Man was absolutely the Greatest Intercontinental Champion of all times period.
@2:50 Honky Tonk Wayne wrestled in Stampede from 1982-1986 and the loonie wasn't introduced until 1987, so he never "separated fans from their loonies."
Counterpoint: "loonies" is fun to say.
@@WrestlingWithWregret 100% agree. Loony is a funny word to say "EH" 😎
According to many old wrestlers, Jake already had a substance abuse problem long before the honky tonk man guitar incident. Even in A and E treasure hunt series, Jimmy Hart laughed when the host suggested that Jake said that incident was the cause of his downward spiral. But cool story.
He didn't start it there it just got worst afterwords.
Cornette and Last were talking about that on his podcast this week. Last brought up that Jake got JYD on speed during their days in Calgary.
@@darrelsapp1232 yes because you can toooottaaalllyyy trust anything said on that parasites show... keep that shite to his garbage wrestling channel
@@stevenmacaulay8807 I dont think that's a fair assessment. Corny might come off like grandpa Simpson sometime but the man knows his old school wrestling.
He didn't say Jake didn't have problems before this. It's pretty clear from his recent Dark Side of the Ring that Jake had problems with drugs and alcohol due to his childhood abuse. This incident probably just added to it with the need for pain pills.
I was a teenager sitting in the stands for a tv taping in Rochester NY. At the start of the show, they announced that HTM had won the IC belt the night before in Buffalo. At the time it was quite a shock.
It's hard not to like Honky. He's one of the memorable ones.
Love Honky Tonk Man
The man that helped break DDP in the mainstream, the best Intercontinental Champion there ever was, and the man that gave us RockaBilly... ok, he might not have hit the bullseye every time, but nobody bats a thousand.
And Billy Gunn played Mr ass. Wow, he had some weird ass gimmicks
It's interesting that Wayne Farris won his first title and had the epic "Concession Stand Brawl" in Tupelo, Mississippi -- birthplace of Elvis Presley, the inspiration for the Honky Tonk Man gimmick.
TNA ran a show there in 2013 and Joseph Park visited Elvis Presley’s birthplace on it
The best Intercontinental champion ever!
Best at politicking! But worst of all time by any other measure.
Curt Hennig "Mr. Perfect"
You knew things were doomed for babyface HTM where, during one of his first, if not his first, matches in WWF as a babyface, the crowd was more interested in an apparent fight and ejection that was going on in the crowd then in the match itself. (I *think* the match is still on UA-cam, last I checked).
My favorite moment was when he was wrestling Mr X, and the crowd was chanting "X! X! X!" If people prefer Danny Davis to you, a babyface you will never be!
I love the fact that you used the "Behind the Music" theme. That makes me happy!
Behind The Laughter with The Simpsons
Honky is a IC LEGEND with his long title run & his promos were so good u hated him for it & That means he did his Job!
Gotta say, I love the presentation of these segments
Great video but it contained an error. You mentioned that The Honky Tonk Man was the greatest Intercontinental champion of all time but what you should have said is that The Honky Tonk Man was the greatest Intercontinental champion OF ALLLLLL TIIIIIIIIME. 🎸
God, that shoot interview with Honky Tonk Man, Iron Sheik and New Jack is the most chaotic thing I've ever seen in wrestling
It’d be fun to watch
As a Calgarian, he said it perfectly and the loonie touch was just so well placed, thank you
I love the Honkytonk Man. He’s honestly my favorite 80s guy.
If you didn’t make this video, you’d be GOOOOOONE and you know it!
I live about 45 minutes away from Tupelo, that’s awesome that’s where backstage brawling started
He will always be one of my all time favorite Heels in the WWF/WWE.
He’s a legend
R&B went back to R&D is one hell of a line. Bravo.
We almost got an R&B Greg Valentine Hasbro figure.
Looking back, Honkey Tonk was one of my favorite heels of that time.
Of course, as a kid in the 80s I only loved Hogan and Savage because I was an elementary school age mark.
Well done and entertaining video. I hope you have more Behind the Gimmick videos planned.
Spoiler: he doesnt
@@billblaski9523awww but one on 3 count would be hilarious
@@thehorrorhound6575 gotta reference The Helms Dynasty at Tag Team Apocalypio on Total Nonstop Deletion
I distinctly recall Punk Rock Wayne Farris and was stunned 8 years later when he showed up in WWF.
We REALLY need more of these Behind The Gimmicks stories! I love reviewing anything about wrestling history 👍🏾
Behind The Gimmick 3 Count
Great video - More of these character bio/historical overviews please!
And now Gunther is the GICOAT
Apparently, he was very briefly in Abrams UWF. He was stiffed on pay, but went to the NY Athletic Commission & was reimbursed.
Sherri Martell is a legend of the industry. She put many over !
Gunther is officially the GICOAT move over Honky Tonk Man
That was great, you should definitely do many more of these episodes
I don't know what happened... I've been watching this channel for years. This is my first behind the gimmick video. Such a great job laying out the history as well as sprinkling humor and context along the way. More of these videos Brian!
Met Honky Tonk Man a few years ago at a convention. Much taller than I expected, but still looked exactly the same.
I don't know if it is true or not of course, but according to his story (you can take that for whatever it's worth) He refused to drop the belt to Savage because they basically called him in and instead of discussing dropping the belt, they just pretty much told him what was going to happen and didn't let him have any input and he felt disrespected. Again, take that for what it's worth coming from him.
So where's one of Vince's patented screw jobs when we really needed it.
Cheers Brian, needed this after the releases.
Hope to see more in this series like 3 Count or Double J.
3 Count’s biggest fan Tank Abbott
Used to live near Tupelo. I remember sometime in the 90s WCW ran a PPV there and recreated the concession stand brawl.
Greatest Intercontinental champ of all time 🙌 👏
Cool video as always. Very informative and entertaining. I always enjoy your biographic episodes. I hope that you do a lot more of them.
HONKY is a legend period!
He’s the GICOAT!
HTM and Dusty had some of the best back and forth promos, Dusty telling him he cant dance, Honky saying "dont be cruel" 😂😂😂😂😂. You gotta do Doink next. "Making kids cry bruh" 😂😂😂😂
Brian...there is something about you!!! You are a bright shining star man!! Thank you....
I keep hearing, "I got my pink Cadillac, I got my ass slicked back."
I got Peggy Sue beside me, the Colonel's in the back
I'm comin to your town in a pink Cadillac
LMAO!
I thought it said the same lol
Love this new show, Brian! Can't wait to see more wrestlers profiled in the future.
Seeing Corny in the middle of the Tupelo brawl is kinda neat.
Wayne Farris wrestling in Stampede Wrestling from 1982 to 1986. The "loonie" came out in 1987. He truly was a man ahead of his time!
Great Scott
He’s Hulk Hogan’s friend maybe it was one of those 400 day years Hulk Hogan’s had 😂
I've always gravitated to heel wrestlers as a fan, and Honky Tonk Man was one of my favorite gimmicks back in the day. Truly one that Vince got right leading up to his IC Title run and storylines with the belt along the way. Leading up to the eventual rise of The Warrior (whom I was never a fan of) except when he beat Hogan for the strap at WMVI. Great video and of course awesome VH1 BTM intro repurposed.
I would love it if you could do more "Behind the Gimmick" segments. I'd love to see some on:
Bam Bam Bigelow
Gangrel
Demolition
Nikolai Volkoff
Mr. Fuji (both as a wrestler & as a manager)
Bad News Brown / Bad News Allen
Big Boss Man / Big Bubba
The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers
The Genius / Leaping Lanny Poffo
Ravishing Rick Rude
Behind The Badge for Big Bossman
He could show clips from Major Payne in Bam Bam Bigelow one
I hope this becomes a regular series! Great stuff as always, Brian!
These are some of my favorite type of vids you do. Keep it up!
Yeah it is true the thing that Brian said about Elvis, there was this episode of ALF with the neighbor that supposedly was elvis
Aaron King!
Also the Married with Children where Al sweated a picture of Elvis on his shirt.
Honky tonk Man was a great wrestler, a great champion, a great composer, a great singer, a great guitar player and great moves. I always liked Honky Tonk Man. I don't think there will be another Honky Tonk Man. He was immensely talented. Thank you thank you very much. Honky Tonk Man has left the building.
He couldn’t play guitar 🤦♂️🤦♂️
3 Dubs is bringing it back to when VH1 was actually good tv. Great throwback vid.
I love Honky.
Such a Genius heel
This is a perfect template I always loved behind the music. Great work Brian as usual! If anyone wants to watch a cool behind the music watch Chris Gaines. This was the gimmick Garth Brooks tried to get over as a way for him to do a different style of music. It didn't flop totally but they did a whole BTM with actors and a fake backstory and everything. Come to think of it, it was almost like a long vingette so people could understand the new gimmick.
You did a great job on this! Very balanced, although I feel you were a little hard on him in his earlier days. But, overall, excellent wrestling journalism! This is a great way to present your retrospectives! Love it!
This is a great change-of-pace from your other videos I hope you do more of these because these are pretty cool ways to introduce people to certain wrestlers
This was great! I hope you do more of these; I enjoyed it. Well done.
Honky Tonk Man is a great heel wrestler.
One of my favorites and a legend. A man who was unbeatable until he came up against pro wrestlings true one and only unbeatable legend The Ultimate Warrior.
Um, wrestling is scripted. The WWF didn't want someone like him "beating" the Ultimate Warrior.
@@largol33t1 lol you talk as if you know anything about it. Get lost for the power of the warrior is FLOATIN THROUGH THE VEINSSSS!!!!!!!!!
My favorite HTM story is Eric B gushing over firing him, basically saying if he could fire HTM everyday he would, is hilarious
This is a great video! The Z Man did a great job! Thank you!