Dusty Rhodes ‘Hard Times’: A Look Back At One Of The Best Wrestling Promos Of All Time

The Dusty Rhodes “Hard Times” promo has risen back to prominence after the unexpected passing of the wrestling legend on Thursday.

While wrestlers cut hundreds of promos throughout their career, most are forgotten about almost immediately after they’re given.

Occasionally, you get a CM Punk “pipe bomb” or an “Austin 3:16 says, ‘I just whipped your a**,'” but for the most part, they’re disposable.

But “The American Dream,” as most of his fans know, rarely ever gave one that was, and Dusty Rhodes’ “Hard Times” promo is simply a masterpiece.

That’s at least how “Stone Cold” Steve Austin felt when he had Dusty on his show to discuss the legend’s Hall of Fame career.

Austin, who grew up watching Rhodes, connected to this promo more than any other because it was like Dusty was speaking directly to him.

Given that so much of wrestling today is scripted, Austin wondered how much of what Dusty had to say was worked out before he took the mic.

Before the legend left us this week, he gave an answer.

“I was booking the show, starring in the show, I walked out to the set, and as I walked through the curtain, with ‘Hard Times,’ I knew our country was going through some hard times, not one thought did I give to this interview until it came out of my mouth, and it became as famous [in wrestling] as Gone with the F***ing Wind.”

Rhodes, who had an unshakeable lisp, made that work for him throughout his career in part because he liked to connect with the common man.

“I wanted [the audience] believing, if you were an attorney, you could sit down and eat with me in a fancy restaurant. If you were a black person, you could invite me over and I would eat in your living room. If you were white, I would do this in your living room,” Rhodes explained.

Here’s the legendary Dusty Rhodes “Hard Times” promo.

And here’s the behind the scenes stuff that he talks about with Austin.

https://youtu.be/umLDHCPSuzY

If you are passionate about the craft of professional wrestling, then I highly recommend watching both of these videos multiple times.

What do you think about the Dusty Rhodes “Hard Times” promo, readers? Where does it rank in the pantheon of great wrestling promos? Sound off in the comments section below.

[Image of Dusty Rhodes “Hard Times” promo via YouTube screen grab, linked above]