History Wrestling / HonkyTonkMan

* CaptainErsatz: [[Creator/ElvisPresley ...can you guess of whom, b-b-b-b-baby?]]

* CaptainErsatz[=/=]ElvisImpersonator: [[SarcasmMode Noooo!!!! Really???]]
* CatchPhrase[=/=]TakeThatAudience: "Thank you very much. You've been a lovely audience!" Right after a match.

* GenreSavvy[=/=]NotCheatingUnlessYouGetCaught:
** He won the IC championship in his match against "The Dragon" by shadily using the bottom ropes for extra leverage on his pin, and that was just one of his many... ''MANY'' tricks.
** He also kept the strap for so long by losing some matches, either by disqualification or count-out, whereupon the belt would not switch hands.

* LongRunner: Held the IC title for '''454 days''' (June 2, 1987 - August 29, 1988), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WWE_Intercontinental_Champions which]] '''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WWE_Intercontinental_Champions still]]''' [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WWE_Intercontinental_Champions stands to this day (January 15, 2022) as the longest IC title reign in WWE history.]]
** On September 4, 2023, his record was finally broken by [[Wrestling/{{Walter}} Gunther]], but it took over 35 years for the record to be broken, an impressive length of time for any record to stand in professional wrestling.

** It is not him, but his also famous cousin who bares "The King" moniker due the fact the latter has been the only performer who outsold Elvis himself at the Mid-South Colliseum... ''[[CrossTheLineTwice IN MEMPHIS, TN]]''!!!

* LegacyCharacter: Tried to mold Wrestling/BillyGunn into this as "Rockabilly", which ended up bombing, and Billy turned against his mentor at the same time that [[Wrestling/RoadDogg The Roadie]] did the same to Wrestling/JeffJarrett. Together, they instead formed the New Age Outlaws, completely abandoning their mentors gimmicks.

* OhCrap: Upon hearing the Ultimate Warrior's music at the infamous ''Summerslam 88'' match, his cheery demeanor immediately ceases as Honky Tonk just realizes how ''screwed'' he is.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Accidentally hitting Wrestling/JakeRoberts with a ''real'' guitar instead of a fake one and injuring him would later lead to Roberts abusing painkillers and kick starting his drug problem. Jake Roberts has said on interviews however that he doesn't blame him Honky Tonk for the botch and that both are on good terms.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ...who else if not Wrestling/JeffJarrett?

Roy Wayne Farris (born January 25, 1953), better known by his stage name '''The Honky Tonk Man''', is an American pro wrestler, best known for his run in the then-WWF playing the character of a cocky Music/ElvisPresley's impersonator.

** On September 4, 2023, his record was finally broken by Gunther, but it took over 35 years for the record to be broken, an impressive length of time for any record to stand in Professional Wrestling.

** On September 4, 2023, his record was finally broken by [[Wrestling/Walter Gunther]], but it took over 35 years for the record to be broken, an impressive length of time for any record to stand in Professional Wrestling.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/honky_tonk_man_8.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The greatest Intercontinental champion there ever was! (with manager [[Wrestling/JimmyHart "Colonel" Jimmy Hart]])]]

And do not confuse him with that Creator/ClintEastwood's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honkytonk_Man flick]], Johnny Horton's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honky-Tonk_Man tune]] or the Steve Young's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honky_Tonk_Man_(album) album]]... the NameIsTheSame, though.

* WeaponOfChoice: His trusty six strings, for shure!

* TooDumbToLive: The aforementioned ''Summerslam '88'' incident. ''"GIMME SOMEBODY OUT HERE TO WRESTLE; [[TemptingFate I DON'T CARE]] [[Wrestling/UltimateWarrior WHO IT IS!]]"'' Yeah, uh..... that was [[ShouldHaveThoughtOfThatBeforeX a very bad idea, Honky!]]

* BerserkButton: He did '''NOT''' like people messing with his hair.

* LegacyCharacter: Tried to mold Wrestler/BillyGunn into this as "Rockabilly", which ended up bombing, and Billy turned against his mentor at the same time that [[Wrestling/RoadDogg The Roadie]] did the same to Wrestling/JeffJarrett. Together, they instead formed the New Age Outlaws, completely abandoning their mentors gimmicks.

In 1987, Honky Tonk Man would defeat [[Wrestling/RickySteamboat Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat]] for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/ic.html WWF Intercontinental title]] (by shadily using the bottom ropes for extra leverage on his pin). He would remain Intercontinental Champ for the next year and three months, fending off challenges from wrestlers such as [[Wrestling/RandySavage "Macho Man" Randy Savage]], [[Wrestling/GeorgeSteele George "The Animal" Steele]], and [[Wrestling/BrutusBeefcake Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake]] (often by forcing a loss by disqualification or count-out whereupon the belt would not switch hands).

Throughout 1989 and 1990, Honky Tonk Man would make appearances as a mid-card wrestler and teaming up with Wrestling/GregValentine as the "Rhythm & Blues" tag team. He would also on occasion serve as a heel color-commentator, until leaving the company in January 1991. Farris would bounce around various other promotions, including a short stint in WCW, before returning to WWF as a color commentator and manager in 1997. From that point on, Farris would make sporadic appearance on WWF programmings, including at the 1998 and 2001 Royal Rumble as a JokeCharacter entry, as well as numerous appearances at independent promotions (including one Ultimate Champion Wrestling event where an accident at a photo-op nearly severed Farris' right index finger).

He was inducted into the Wrestling/WWEHallOfFame in 2019.

* {{Fingore}}: As described above.

* ExtremityExtremist: He tended to use his fists more than anything, trading as less locks, holds and throws as possible. Incidentally, his more well known SignatureMove was a Top-rope ''Fist Drop''.

** ''Shake, Rattle, & Roll'', a swinging neckbreaker (after doing a little dance).
** ''El Kabong'', after the famous WesternAnimation/QuickDrawMcGraw's attack.

* LongRunner: Held the IC title for '''454 days''' (June 2, 1987 - August 29, 1988), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WWE_Intercontinental_Champions which]] '''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WWE_Intercontinental_Champions still]]''' [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WWE_Intercontinental_Champions stands to this day (December 28, 2020) as the longest IC title reign in WWE history.]]

* PerkyFemaleMinion: [[Wrestling/SherriMartel "Peggy Sue"]]. [[Wrestling/RandySavage "The Mach"]] would be having a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute of [[{{Kayfabe}} her]] later on.

You can find a little more about his [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honky_Tonk_Man life and career]] on [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} That Other Wiki]].

* DoItYourselfThemeTune[=/=]EarWorm: ''"Cool, cocky and bad."'' It is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUAmfJlgh9s catchy as hell!]]

* SquashMatch: On the receiving end of one by [[Wrestling/UltimateWarrior The Ultimate Warrior]] lasting 30 seconds. This is what happens when you shout "''[[TooDumbToLive I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS!]]''", so he kinda [[LaserGuidedKarma had it coming to him]].

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: ''Don't you'' '''EVER''' say, "''I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS!''" when shouting for someone to fight you for the championship title [[TemptingFate like Honky did]], otherwise you'll be on the receiving end of a ''31 seconds CurbStompBattle''.

* TooDumbToLive: The aforementioned ''Summerslam '88'' incident. ''"GIMME SOMEBODY OUT HERE TO WRESTLE; I DON'T CARE [[Wrestling/UltimateWarrior WHO IT IS!]]"'' Yeah, uh..... that was [[ShouldHaveThoughtOfThatBeforeX a very bad idea, Honky!]]

* LethalJokeCharacter: Became this after he smashed Jake over the head with a guitar, and then won the IC Title later.

Having wrestled in various independent leagues since 1978, The Honky Tonk Man made his debut in the WWF in 1986. Originally planned to be a fan-favorite face, the initial negative reaction to the character caused a reinvention of the character as a smarmy heel, managed by Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart [[note]]Who was then billed as "Colonel Jimmy Hart"[[/note]]. His first major feud would be against [[Wrestling/JakeRoberts Jake "The Snake" Roberts]].

* FaceHeelTurn: One of the more interesting turns of the 80s. Despite no less than Wrestling/HulkHogan endorsing Honky, fans just didn't buy NiceGuy Honky one bit. Eventually, this led to a promo where Honky, being interviewed by Jesse Ventura, thought he'd ask the fans for a "vote of confidence." Fans responded by mail with an [[BigNo overwhelming "nay,"]] ...Jesse (being Jesse), rubbed it in. Honky later responded with a [[StartOfDarkness bitter promo]] promising ''"...no more kissing babies and shaking hands."'', adopting Wrestling/JimmyHart, the Mouth Of The South himself, as his new manager. And the rest is history.

** A non-kayfabe version was at his ''Halloween Havoc'' match with Johnny B. Badd where after the match ended in a draw, he walked out of the ring and never appeared in WCW again. He was scheduled to appear at the next pay-per-view, but he refused to lose to Johnny B. Badd without a contract. When he was denied a contract, he left and never came back.

-->[[MythologyGag "Ladies and gentlemen... The Honky Tonk Man has left the arena."]]

** (in indies):
*** w/The Cuban Assasin.

!! "These tropes here... ♫♪"they're cool, they're cocky and they're b-b-b-b-b-b-baaaaad!♪♫"

* DoItYourselfThemeTune[=/=]EarWorm: "Cool, cocky and bad." It is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUAmfJlgh9s catchy as hell!]]

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: ''Don't you'' '''EVER''' say, "''I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS!''" when shouting for someone to fight you for the championship title [[TooDumbToLive like Honky did]], otherwise you'll be on the receiving end of a ''31 seconds CurbStompBattle''.

* NotSoHarmlessVillain: People tended to forget that Honky was still a pro wrestler due to his comical nature and tendency to be outmatched by the top Faces. He could put up a hell of a fight when he wanted to.

* TemptingFate: The aforementioned ''Summerslam '88'' incident. ''"GIMME SOMEBODY OUT HERE TO WRESTLE; I DON'T CARE [[Wrestling/UltimateWarrior WHO IT IS!]]"'' Yeah, uh..... that was [[ShouldHaveThoughtOfThatBeforeX a very bad idea, Honky!]]

* WeaponOfChoice: Guitar

* ArchEnemy: Jake Roberts, Ricky Steamboat, Randy Savage, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake.

* {{Irony}}: It is not him, but his also famous cousin who bares "The King" moniker due the fact the latter has been the only performer who outsold Elvis himself ''[[CrossTheLineTwice IN MEMPHIS]]''!!!

* TemptingFate: The aforementioned ''Summerslam 1988'' incident. ''"GIMME SOMEBODY OUT HERE TO WRESTLE; I DON'T CARE [[Wrestling/UltimateWarrior WHO IT IS!]]"'' Yeah, uh..... that was [[ShouldHaveThoughtOfThatBeforeX a very bad idea, Honky!]]

* TooDumbToLive: ''Don't'' say, "''I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS!''" when shouting for someone to fight you for the championship title like Honky did, otherwise you'll be on the receiving end of a ''31 seconds CurbStompBattle''.

* WrestlingFamily: He's Wrestling/JerryLawler's cousin.

You can find out a little more about his [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honky_Tonk_Man life and career]] on [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} That Other Wiki]].

!! "These tropes are cool, they're cocky and they're b-b-b-b-b-b-baaaaad!":

* FinishingMove: ''Shake, Rattle, & Roll'', a swinging neckbreaker (after doing a little dance).

** (in Stampede): Foley's[[note]]JR Foley, real name John Foley, no relation to those [[Wrestling/JimRoss other]] [[Wrestling/MickFoley guys]][[/note]] Army
** (in Memphis): [[Wrestling/JimmyHart The First Family]]
** (in Mid-South): [[Wrestling/GeneralSkandorAkbar Devastation Inc.]]
** Sonny King's Army
** (in late 80s' WWF) The Hart Foundation.

** (in Stampede): The Memphis Mafia
** The Blonde Bombers
** Raven's Raiders
** [[Wrestling/TheMidnightExpress Midnight Express Inc.]]
** Rhythm & Blues, with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine

* CurbStompBattle: His record-breaking championship reign was ended in 31 seconds by the Ultimate Warrior, Honky didn't even have time to finish getting out of his leisure suit.

* TooDumbToLive: ''Don't'' say, "''I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS!''" when shouting for someone to fight you for the championship title like Honky did, otherwise you'll be on the receiving end of a CurbStompBattle lasting ''31 seconds''.

Roy Wayne Farris (born January 25, 1953), better known by his stage name '''The Honky Tonk Man''', is an American pro wrestler, best known for his run in the then-WWF playing the character of a cocky impersonator of Music/ElvisPresley.

There's more about his [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honky_Tonk_Man life and career]] on [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} That Other Wiki]].

* EarWorm[=/=]DoItYourselfThemeTune: "Cool, cocky and bad." It is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUAmfJlgh9s catchy as hell!]]