10 Times WWE Creative Ruined A Wrestler's Gimmick
6. Doink the Clown
Here's a character that got progressively less interesting as the years went on.
When Doink first debuted (the man underneath the makeup was Matt Osborne), he was a scary, evil clown. His circus entrance music turned creepy after several seconds, and Doink himself was sort of mean-spirited and slimy. He was allegedly based of Stephen King's Pennywise, and the first Doink was a bit more serial killer than comedian.
But eventually, the writers turned Doink face, and he became a straightforward clown — not nearly as amusing or subversive. And when Matt Osbourne left the WWE, a succession of other wrestlers put on the makeup and carried on. Ironically, this defanged gimmick increased Doink's popularity, and the character became beloved by children rather than feared by them.
Doink still makes occasional appearances, and when he does, he's cheered as a babyface. Fans tend to forget the wasted potential of the original heel character. Maybe it's time to bring it back — a decrepit Doink with a Glasgow smile and a Joker-esque persona? The possibilities would be endless.