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WWE's Matt Osborne, Who Once Brilliantly Portrayed a Sick Clown, Dies at 55

WWE's Matt Osborne, Who Once Brilliantly Portrayed a Sick Clown, Dies at 55

Posted: Jul 1st 2013 By: mikeiles

History has bastardized Doink the Clown as the harmless, expendable comedy act he seemed to be at face value.

The last time Doink made an appearance for WWE Raw, he was trotted out as a venerable, fun-loving legend as he shared a lighthearted segment with Heath Slater.

Just look at the colorful clown with green hair and face paint. Such a flamboyant portrait of the contemporary male athlete. The kids are going to go crazy for those Doink masks.

That seemed like a safe bet for the thought process behind the clown wrestler who debuted in the WWE in 1992.

Portrayed by Matt Osborne, Doink was a deeper, darker portrait of a man than the average circus act.

Clowns are a common fear among children. A study by the University of Sheffield revealed that clowns are universally disliked by children given a familiar body type paired with an unfamiliar face.

Coulrophobia, or fear of clowns, is a logical fear. The scattered combination of primary colors, lipstick and that haircut being donned by an adult is unsettling.

Osborne's rendition of Doink the Clown preyed upon these fears. Closer to Heath Ledger's Joker than Larry Harmon's Bozo, he was a sick clown with an intent to maim.

Like Heath Ledger, Matt Osborne struggled with substance abuse while playing an evil clown, adding another dark?albeit unintentional?layer to the character of Doink the Clown.

After weeks of ringside tricks that made it seem like Doink would indeed be short-term midcard comedy, he eventually made his mark by bludgeoning Brian "Crush" Adams with a prosthetic arm. If children weren't afraid of clowns before, assault and battery on a 300-plus-pound athlete will do the trick.

After a WrestleMania IX match against Crush, Doink would go on to feud with WWE legends like Bret Hart and Randy Savage. Coulrophobia was running wild in the WWE, but the same substance abuse that seemed to add a measure of evil to the character would be its downfall.

Osborne was fired from the WWE at the end of 1993 due to recurring drug-abuse issues. The fate of the Doink character was even worse. After being portrayed by impostors like Ray Apollo and Steve Keirn, the Doink the Clown gimmick became just that, a gimmick.

Fans were soon introduced to Dink the Clown, a dwarf clown sidekick whose dwarf army teamed with Doink to feud with Jerry Lawler at Survivor Series in 1994. This match upset Dave Meltzer greatly.

Doink became every bit of the stereotypical sideshow clown that Matt Osborne brilliantly avoided. The only layers to this age of the Doink character were the multiple layers of clothing included in his ring gear.

Osborne found sobriety following a once-promising career in the WWE. As details continue to surface regarding his death, per NBCDFW.com, the wrestling world is reminded of the brilliant legacy of Doink the Clown that could have been.

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson became the WCCW American Tag Team Champions
  • 1971 Johnny Valentine def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1976 Jose Lothario def. The Mongolian Stomper for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 2009 Randy Price def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion

Week of Sun 06-21 to Sat: 06-27

  • 06-21 1982 Junkyard Dog def. Bob Roop for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 1987 Al Perez def. The Dingo Warrior for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2003 Kitty def. Manservant for the TPW Womens Title
  • 06-21 2008 Tim Rockwell def. El Super Colibri for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-21 2008 Li'l Joe def. Xavior for the GPCW Cruiserweight Title
  • 06-21 2014 Buster Cherry def. Havoc for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 06-21 2024 Big Sed def. Sam Adonis for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2025 Dan Webber became the LCW Lionheart Champion
  • 06-22 2005 Phillip def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-22 2018 Joe Cuedo def. Brock Baker for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-22 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
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  • 06-22 2025 Billie the Kiid def. Dan Webber for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
  • 06-23 2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-23 2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title
  • 06-24 1972 Stan Stasiak def. Red Bastien for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 1974 Bull Ramos def. Rip Tyler for the TSW North American Title
  • 06-24 1977 John Studd became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 06-24 1985 The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2000 Great Bolo [2nd] def. Ichiban [2nd] for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 2000 Ichiban [2nd] became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2005 Spoiler 2000 became the NWA-U Television Champion
  • 06-24 2006 Prophet SteVens became the AACW Television Champion
  • 06-24 2007 Matt Garza became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 06-24 2016 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2016 Seth Angel def. Steven Cruze for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 06-24 2016 Adrian Dell def. Nathan Estrada for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-24 2017 Drake Gallows became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2017 Excellence Personified (Duke Swellington & Dustin Heritage) def. Shawn Hendrix & Aaron Anders (substituting for Anthony Andrews) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2017 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2018 Shawn Sanders def. Chaz Sharpe for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 06-24 2018 Canadian Red Devil def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 06-24 2020 Warren Powers def. Giganto for the BPW 365 Title
  • 06-24 2023 Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) became the BCW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-24 2023 C. M. Burnham def. Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-24 2023 Lunchador def. C. M. Burnham for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-25 2011 Sam Stackhouse def. Shane Morbid for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2011 The Sons of Ireland (Devan Scott & Shane Scott) def. The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the BYEW Tag Team Titles
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  • 06-25 2011 The Future Hall of Famers (John O'Malley & Brad Michaels) def. Bernie D & Aaron Neil (subbing for Max McGuirk) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2016 Brian Breaker def. Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2017 The Cub Scouts (Grizzly Gates & Brock Landers) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
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  • 06-26 1961 The Bolos (The Great Bolo [1st] & The Mighty Bolo) became the TSW Champion
  • 06-26 1987 Frankie Lancaster & Eric Embry def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 1999 Tarantula def. Original Renegade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2005 Li'l Joe def. Phillip for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-26 2009 Brandon Groom def. The Handsome Spoiler for the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2009 Kevin James Sanchez def. Bobby Starr for the BYEW Entertainment Title
  • 06-26 2009 The Handsome Spoiler became the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-26 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese) def. Los Loco Moscas (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
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  • 06-27 1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson became the WCCW American Tag Team Champions
  • 06-27 1971 Johnny Valentine def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 1976 Jose Lothario def. The Mongolian Stomper for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 2009 Randy Price def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-27 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
06-27
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