Degenerate88
Occasional Pre-Show
TMZ has reported that Matt Osborne, who portrayed Doink The Clown, has passed.
BREAKING NEWS: Doink The Clown Dead
- Thread starter Degenerate88
- Start date
JustAnotherJames
Dark Match Winner
That's sad to hear. I think everyone who watched wrestling loved Doink the Clown.
Thoughts go out to his Girlfriend and family.
Thoughts go out to his Girlfriend and family.
berlinbrawler
Lovable Curmudgeon
Sad. So young. 
My condolences to the family. Let the HOF debate begin.
My condolences to the family. Let the HOF debate begin.scottyshowman82
Getting Noticed By Management
All those those wrestlers from the New Generation Era, Bret Hart, Razor Ramon, Yokozuna, those guys were the guys I watched so much as a kid as I really started getting hardcore into wrestling. Doink was in that mix for sure he was apart of that. I remember when Doink was in that fued with Crush, I was talking to one of my friends at recess in elementary school and he was so frustrated because he wanted Crush to squash Doink but Doink would always find some underhanded way to get the advantage and beatdown on Crush. My condolences go out to Osborne's family as well.
Hard Hit Prince
Not really working as a
I'm honestly sad about the passing of Matt Osborne - he has my respect for grabbing a shitty gimmick like a freaking clown, and make it work in the world of professional wrestling. Even though I was not, and still ain't a big fan of his, it's always sad to hear those type of news - I recall his feud with Crusher at WrestleMania IX, and his feud with Savage and later on with Bret Hart (even though it wasn't even thought). He had a shot, something that most guys don't have, and he ran with it, despite being a talented worker and he made money out of it. I say that he created such a figure that to this day millions of people in the world know him - I hope he can find peace, and that his family feel that the fans are grateful for his work and life.
RIP
RIP
Sad. So young.
Tell me you didn't just say that. I don't know which is worse... Having Koko B Ware in the Hall of Fame or the idea of discussing putting Doink in the Hall.
JustAnotherJames
Dark Match Winner
Why not? He's a memorable character and entertained us all. I think he should be put into the Hall of Fame for that alone.
Owen 3:16 says I just stole your Slammy!!
Pre-Show Stalwart
The first Doink was awesome. He was a great heel and entertaining. R.I.P Matt Borne an under-rated wrestler and entertainer.
The Butcher
ð¶
It's a sham Hall of Fame. A work. Not legitimate. Matt Bourne/Doink the Clown is as eligible a candidate as anyone that Vince feels like putting in. Not to mention that Bourne pre-Doink and as Doink made his mark in wrestling. He'll never be considered an all-time great, but to dismiss his WWE HOF credibility out of hand is ludicrous. I'd have no qualms with him going in, and that went before he passed as well. May he rest in peace.
Doctor Awesome
Pre-Show Stalwart
Matt Bourne had size, charisma and real wrestling skill along w/being born into the business; seems like it all should have been a slam dunk for a successful career. Lumberjack and Clown gimmicks would kill most people but he did what he could w/them both but was destined to plateau, either way. It's become clear over the years that he has struggled w/drugs and alcohol his entire adult life and that likely held him back from having the freedom to be himself and be looked at as a major player. I always enjoyed his work and his brief ECW stint as Bourne Again could have been outstanding, but alas, there were plenty of reasons he was held back and all likely his own doing.
I never like hearing these stories and though it's unclear his cause of death it's sad because these people all have families that you have to feel for. HOF worthy (sham or not), highly unlikely. But, a very good hand and certainly had he not had demons could have been more. RIP Maniac
I never like hearing these stories and though it's unclear his cause of death it's sad because these people all have families that you have to feel for. HOF worthy (sham or not), highly unlikely. But, a very good hand and certainly had he not had demons could have been more. RIP Maniac
The Butcher
ð¶
I can't help but disagree. We're talking about a wrestling hall of fame that doesn't include Lou Thesz or Randy Savage, but does include Johnny Rodz and Koko B. Ware. All bets are off. If Vince gets a wild hair and decides he wants to induct Doink, he's as worthy an inductee as anyone.
Matt Osbourne aka Doink was entertaining. Hell to this day i still watch his matches the pranks he pulled. Guy was a genius,and really not that bad of a wrestler in his own right. To discuss his HOF i say sure put him in. Was he not entertaining? Yes he was. I dont think its out of hand at all to discuss it. May he R.I.P
Doctor Awesome
Pre-Show Stalwart
Knowing Vince he could easily induct Steve Kiern or Steve Lombardi and give them credit w/the Doink character. Bourne left on very bad terms, hence guys like Savage, Rude and several others not in there. I kinda based my opinion on how he left; doesn't apply to everyone, of course.
The Butcher
ð¶
Well if we're just talking about the Doink character, you're right although I seriously doubt they'd do that. Kiern and Lombardi have characters all their own that could be put in, and I doubt either of them or Vince would low blow a dead guy like that, regardless of how he left WWE.
I was merely speaking on merit. Of course the WWE Hall of Fame is far from a meritocracy, but if we were to play along with them, then Matt Bourne/Doink is as deserving as Johnny Rodz or Koko Ware.
The Dragon Saga
Whale in a Teardrop
There are reasons Thesz and Savage aren't included and guys like Rodz and B. Ware are. Doink the Clown was a good character, great in some respects, but he never blew the world away or contributed in a large form, and considering Borne's shoot interviews bashing everyone and everything he probably will never get a HOF induction, which while being a "sham" means more to a lot of wrestlers than meets the eye.
The Butcher
ð¶
I'm not saying there aren't reasons why certain people are in the WWE HOF and certain people are out. I'm not saying that Doink the Clown "blew the world away." I'm not even saying that I'd cast a ballot for him to get into a legitimate hall of fame. My exact words were "I'd have no qualms with him going in." And I wouldn't; nor do I see why anyone would.
The WWE Hall of Fame is worked. There is no criteria for induction. If there is no criteria for induction, then there's no reason a memorable and entertaining performer is somehow unworthy. He probably won't go in; I don't particularly care if he does or doesn't. I don't care if Randy Savage or Lou Thesz go in. The whole thing is a sham. I'm glad it makes the guys who go in feel good. It should; but let's not pretend that that makes it any more legitimate.
MrMojoRisin
Championship Contender
The truth is... many fans seem to take the WWE HOF a lot more seriously than the WWE does. Some fans view it like they would Cooperstown, and how their should be strict criteria for admission and the members should be exceptional, and that anyone who doesn't fit that criteria doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as the HOF.
In reality though, the WWE HOF is more of a lifetime achievement award from the WWE. It's to honor those that stood out for them, that left their mark, and that they liked.
In that context, I too don't see why anyone should have a problem with Borne's Doink being inducted. Look at what the guy did. He took a lame gimmick of a clown, and got it over so well that it's still remembered very well 20 years later. He got it over so well, that another guy (Ray Apollo), has been able to make a career of playing that character ever since Borne gave it up (you can still see Doink on the indy's today). Others like Steve Lombardi and Steve Keirn (and several others), have been able to make money off of what Borne built on the indy's and even the WWE. That in itself is pretty remarkable, and it's not something that just anyone could have done. One just has to look at all the other lame gimmicks McMahon was churning out at the same time he debuted Doink to see that.
Matt Borne was one hell of a talent, who unfortunately had his demons. In Georgia in the early 80's, he had an exceptional team with Arn Anderson that really could have gone places... but he had to leave the territory over some trouble with the law. Some actually feel that the Road Warriors never would have received that initial mega push that they got if Borne had been able to stick around and continue working with Arn.
He had the exceptional ability (much like Mark Calloway), of being able to fully commit himself to his character... which is how he got Doink over. It was exceptional too, because not everyone can immerse themselves like he could.
He was technically gifted beyond most of his peers. This also helped legitimize Doink, because when he first debuted, it added another layer of menace to the sinister clown when people saw that this guy could actually not only wrestle, but he could do it better than everyone else.
As far as I'm concerned... he absolutely deserves a spot in the HOF. Whether he gets it or not is an entirely different matter. Plus there's always the question of would they even honor just Borne's portrayal of the character, or the character himself? Because even on wwe.com, a lot of their tributes to Doink aren't actually of Matt Borne.