The American Dream Dusty Rhodes has major heat with WWE management for a recent promo which saw him go off script. Yet the result was one of the most compelling RAW segments in months proving once again how misguided the WWE brass are when it comes to promos.
[adinserter block=”1″]Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter broke the story last week on his podcast. Meltzer reported that Rhodes was in serious hot water with WWE officials for giving Stephanie McMahon what was in essence a pie-face. Meltzer elaborated more in this week’s Observer about the troubles for the WWE Hall of Famer.
“The deal with Stephanie and Dusty from TV two weeks back with the palm in the face and Stephanie being upset is only part of the story. She was also upset because in that same segment, Dusty was veering off script and she was trying to steer him back. But the palm in the face wasn’t exactly something she ever expected anyone to do to her.”
I have not heard anything that ridiculous in a long time.
Let’s go back to the segment on RAW where Stephanie and Dusty got into it. Meltzer went in more depth on his podcast about it. Meltzer explained on the podcast that WWE officials were angry because in script Stephanie was supposed to belittle and insult Dusty (because that is how they treat their legends). Instead Dusty would cut her off and go off script, improvising rebuttals. The result of course was an angry McMahon family and oh yes one of the most compelling segments on RAW in months.
Just the idea that someone as legendary on promos as Dusty Rhodes is in hot water because he didn’t follow the direction of Stephanie McMahon in a promo is ludicrous. Sure there are times where you want to script your promos but the Dream is the last guy in the business who needs a script. This is a man that probably drew more money in pro wrestling off his promos than just about anyone other than Rock, Hogan, or Austin. For those of you who are clamoring for the day that Hunter and Stephanie take over the WWE you may think twice after reading this blog.
Steve Austin who some will argue was the greatest promo of all-time talks about scripted promos every now and again on his podcast. Austin (and Rhodes) knows a little something about drawing money off of pro wrestling promos. Austin talks about how they need to allow some latitude for improvising and how bad it is to stick to a word-for-word script. Look no further than this Rhodes-McMahon family angle as proof.
This Rhodes-McMahon family angle has been hot, maybe even hotter than Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan. Why is it so hot? Cody was a mid-carder who has struggled for the last year to find his voice. Goldust is a novelty act who rarely got into the main-events. Yet their father comes along, cuts two promos on RAW, and all of the sudden they are arguably one of the hottest acts in the company. That is no accident! Their segment increased viewership by 358,000 viewers this week according to that same Observer.
[adinserter block=”2″]Dusty Rhodes should not be vilified by the office for his action. Dusty should be praised and acknowledged for the genius he showed in two segments for a total of about 15 minutes. His improvising resulted in the company drawing more attention with this angle than any of the tongue-lashing Stephanie would have laid on Dusty would have. The key to all of this here is that Dusty got everyone over at the sacrifice of a script that was meant to bury him and his family. That my friend is brilliant!
Maybe business would be a little better if the promos on RAW and SmackDown sounded a little more like the authenticity coming from Dusty Rhodes as opposed to the poor man’s soap opera coming from Stephanie McMahon?
Just a hunch.
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"You wanna bash the way I raised my kids, how about I bash the way you raise yours and accuse you of favoritism?" I see nothing wrong with Dusty's improvising. WWE wants ratings? Convince the audience that the back and forth verbal abuse isn't stereotypical soap opera dribble. Have the viewers BELIEVE the people in the ring hate each other. The Amewican Dweam has been doing that for decades.
As much of a cougar as Steph is in my eyes, she ain't a pro on the mic. Just saying. Some consider her belittling people as erotic, I see it as a nudge better than diva promos…but not by much.
There are times I wonder how WWE moves forward when it seems to enjoy shooting itself in the foot weekly.
Great job. Nothing more needs to be said. Very petty on WWE's part
Thanks Terri!