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- When it comes to all-time great talkers, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes is an all-timer of all-timers. Not only was he ridiculously gifted on the microphone, but his instantly recognizable voice made him stand out amongst even the best promo-deliverers in history. Over the course of his life and career, Dusty delivered some seriously choice lines as both a wrestler and as a commentator, especially in WCW. Some of those classic quotes never made it to this list when it initially went up, so let’s go back and take a look at a few more from The American Dream, including bits of some of the greatest promos ever.
"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes was someone who could only exist in the world of professional wrestling. Only in a line of work as inherently outlandish and over-the-top as wrestling could the "son of a plumber" not only succeed in the ring, but inspire with his words time and time again.
In countless promos throughout the years, Rhodes would use his homespun Texan wit to create many a classic quote or saying, many that wrestlers and fans alike continue to recite to this day. Let's take a look at 10 of the most unforgettable quotes in the career of Dusty Rhodes.
UPDATE: 2023/06/13 07:30 EST BY DANNY DJELJOSEVIC
When it comes to all-time great talkers, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes is an all-timer of all-timers. Not only was he ridiculously gifted on the microphone, but his instantly recognizable voice made him stand out amongst even the best promo-deliverers in history. Over the course of his life and career, Dusty delivered some seriously choice lines as both a wrestler and as a commentator, especially in WCW. Some of those classic quotes never made it to this list when it initially went up, so let’s go back and take a look at a few more from The American Dream, including bits of some of the greatest promos ever.
13 “The View Never Changes”
By 1994, Dusty Rhodes’ in-ring career had mostly slowed down, but he still stepped into the action from time to time. In late August, his son Dustin found himself betrayed by Arn Anderson and feuding with Bunkhouse Buck and Terry Funk. In this classic promo, Dusty delivers one of the great emotional, inspirational speeches in wrestling before offering to team up with his boy against Buck and Funk. The hot line comes when Dusty’s trashing Arn Anderson, saying that “The Enforcer” has always been a follower (“walk-behinder”) — and that when you walk behind someone instead of leading, “the view never changes.”
12 “The Whipping You're Gonna Get Is Gonna Be Shameful!”
In the summer of 1986, Dusty Rhodes was still feuding with Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen, a saga that involved valet Baby Doll going from being Tully Blanchard’s valet to being Dusty’s — that is, until she betrayed him during an NWA World Title match with Flair. In the immediate aftermath, Dusty, hurting from the betrayal, cut a characteristically spirited promo where he addressed each member of the Horsemen one by one, telling each of them “The whipping you’re gonna get is gonna be shameful.”
11 “The Mothership!”
From 1995 to 1999, fans could pretty much hear Dusty Rhodes’ voice every week on WCW Saturday Night, which was once the promotion’s flagship show in the years before Monday Nitro, where he’d do color commentary alongside Tony Schiavone, among others.
Dusty’s various verbal idiosyncrasies were a weekly delight, including his insistence of referring to TBS (or sometimes Saturday Night itself) as “The Mothership.” Besides pointing out that Saturday Night was the main show, it also was in reference to TBS being the original Turner station, with TNT being an offshoot.
10 "If You Will"
It's a classic Dusty-ism, and no impression of him is complete without it. While those three words were usually something that Dusty Rhodes would add to the end of a phrase, it has influenced how Dusty's particular accent is still remembered; a simple call of "eeef you weeeeeee-ll" is enough to remind people of his unique sound. To this day, this simple trio remains the perfect exclamation point to every classic Dusty Rhodes line.
9 "The Man Of The Hour, The Man With The Power..."
Before facing off against WWE Champion "Superstar" Billy Graham at Madison Square Garden in New York in October 1977, Dusty Rhodes would lay down an immortal series of phrases that are among his best. Declaring himself "the hit-maker" and "the record-breaker," and that he would make "your back crack" and "your liver quiver," Dusty's fiery pre-match words are still remembered in video packages and tributes to this day as a testament to the energy and personality he brought to wrestling.
8 "That's Hard Times!"
As much as "if you will" is emblematic of Dusty's speaking style, it only takes two words to conjure up the lasting legacy of the Dream: "Hard Times." It is one of the most famous promos in his entire career and has evolved into a symbol of his everlasting appeal as the common man fighting against the injustices of the world.
His message of understanding what hard times meant to the lower class of society continues to resonate with people of all walks of life who find themselves in their own "hard times," and continues to cement Dream's legendary status in wrestling.
7 "Gettin' Funky Like A Monkey"
As much as Dusty Rhodes was a hero to the downtrodden in his day, he was also a fun-loving guy with his own unique sense of style. With a big smile and his distinctive manner of speech, Dusty would coin odd phrases like this that would become part of his and fan's vocabulary for decades simply for how unusual they were.
Whether it was to invite someone to a fight or to a good time, Dusty would make a career out of "gettin' funky like a monkey."
6 "I Have Wined And Dined With Kings & Queens..."
Another classic indicator of Dusty Rhodes' status as working-class hero is this unforgettable line that perfectly illustrated the highs and lows of his career and life. As a multi-time world champion, Dusty had been to the top of the mountain with said royalty, but his own upbringing as a plumber's son had led to times in his life where he'd "slept in alleys and dined on pork and beans."
The rhyming cadence of this line helps it to continue to stick in the minds of those who have seen it, and is an essential Dusty cut.
5 "My Polka Dots!"
Although many fans were left disappointed by his big run in the WWE as a polka-dotted every-man, Dusty's energy and commitment to the character proved that he never took himself too seriously and could have fun in any situation.
Fans still remember one of Dusty's funniest lines in his short tenure, as he named the one thing he was thankful for in a video preceding Survivor Series 1989: "My polka dots!" The wide-eyed, exuberant exclamation may have been ridiculous, but thanks to Dusty's delivery and charisma, it can't help but still stick in the minds of those who have seen it.
4 "He Got A Bicycle!"
Even after his regular in-ring career came to an end, Dusty simply couldn't stop firing out memorable lines. This one in particular, from an episode of WCW Saturday Night, has taken on new life thanks to memes on the internet and popular video series like Botchamania that have introduced it to new generations.
The ridiculousness of Big Bubba using a bicycle as a weapon is accentuated by Dusty's incredulous declaration, and it is still both a go-to quotable line from the Dream and one of his all-time funniest sayings.
3 "That's A Commode Lid!"
Another unforgettable line in Dusty's career as a commentator in WCW is actually one of many, found in a match between Public Enemy and Harlem Heat at Uncensored 1997.
While Dusty's amazement at the use of a toilet seat as a weapon is perhaps the most memorable call, the entire match is filled with Dusty laughing himself silly at the in-ring shenanigans with one of the most infectious laughs the business has ever seen. If you need cheering up, seek out this match, and let ol' Dusty and the "commode lee-id" revive your spirits.
2 "I'll Be Your Huckleberry All Night Long"
Even in the twilight years of his life, Dusty Rhodes could hold court and "crack whip" with the best on the microphone. On an episode of Monday Night Raw in September 2013, Dusty advocated for his sons Dustin and Cody to have their jobs reinstated by The Authority, and proceeded to get in the face of both Triple H and Stephanie McMahon with a spirit reminiscent of the American Dream of old.
This particular excerpt is another line remembered fondly by fans, and given that Rhodes would pass away only two years later, proved that his skill on the mic never faded away, but still burned bright if given the proper attention.
1 "Get A Dream, Hold Onto It, And Shoot For The Sky"
This quote from Dusty's glory days truly represents what he was, in both his youth and in his later career: An inspiration. Whether it was inspiring wrestling fans to believe in someone whose "belly was just a little big," or inspiring the next generation of performers in places like NXT to showcase their true character and ability, Dusty Rhodes' aim was always to be an icon for those who needed someone to believe in.
If the son of a plumber could be the American Dream, all you need is a dream to hold onto and you too could be great.