History Wrestling / DoinkTheClown

* PutOnABus: The gimmick was [[{{Jobber}} jobbed out]] into 1995, with the definitive example of the burial happening on the August 14th episode of ''[[Wrestling/{{WWERaw}} Raw]]''. Waylon Mercy[[note]]Dan Spivey doing a gimmick based on Creator/RobertDeNiro's portrayal of Max Cady in the 1991 remake of ''Film/CapeFear''[[/note]], a {{Heel}}, getting a huge {{Face}} reaction amidst chants of "Kill the Clown! Kill the Clown!"

* EstablishingCharacterMoment[=/=]MoralEventHorizon: Doink had been making appearances in the crowd during matches starting back in October and playing simple pranks on wrestlers (dousing Wrestling/BamBamBigelow with [[ImprobableWeaponUser confetti]], leaving {{banana peel}}s on the floor for Wrestling/BobBacklund to slip on after a match, using a tripwire on Wrestling/BigBossman, sticking a mop in Tatanka's face, putting a [[KickMePrank "KICK ME" sign]] on Lance Cassidy [Steve Armstrong]'s jacket and kicking him, etc.) This changed on the January 16, 1993 (taped December 14, 1992) episode of ''WWF Superstars.'' After winning a [[SquashMatch squash]], Crush confronted Doink about the pranks he had been pulling on kids in the audience. Doink [[WoundedGazelleGambit had his arm in a sling]] and pleaded with Crush not to hurt him. Doink offered Crush a flower, which he accepted. As Crush handed the flower to a fan, Doink ''pulled the (fake) arm right out of its socket'' and beat up Crush with it. This was considered so shocking that even commentator [[Wrestling/JerryLawler Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who normally endorsed whatever the [=heels=] did, had to say that Doink had gone over the line, though it DID take some prompting by Wrestling/Randy Savage.

'''Doink The Clown''' is a [[ProfessionalWrestling professional wrestling]] [[TheGimmick gimmick]] that first appeared in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in late 1992 and lasted into 1995. He started out as a vicious {{heel}} played by veteran "Maniac" Matt Borne. The second Doink, also evil, was played by veteran Steve Keirn, who had last been seen as Skinner. Sometime after Doink's first PPV loss, to [[Wrestling/BretHart Bret "The Hitman" Hart]] by DQ at ''Wrestling/{{SummerSlam}} 1993'', the gimmick started becoming popular. Borne left in October 1993 due to drug/alcohol problems, and was replaced. Doink was [[HeelFaceTurn turned face]] around this time, with first Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi and then Ray Licachelli (aka Ray Apollo or Gary Fall) taking on the gimmick full time. The face turn, complete with a guy playing SantaClaus giving Doink his midget wrestler {{Sidekick}} Dink, is generally acknowledged as the moment that killed off everything that had made Doink so effective.

* AxCrazy (as a heel)
* CreepyCircusMusic: his heel entrance theme.

** During Doink's TV in-ring debut, a [[SquashMatch squash]] on the January 31 (taped January 4), 1993 ''Wrestling Challenge'', announcer Wrestling/GorillaMonsoon said that the fake arm "was lined with lead" and "weighed about 35 lbs.," prompting commentator [[Wrestling/BobbyHeenan Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] to say, with no discernible irony, "Now that's not funny."

* PartsUnknown: "The Circus," "Circus City,"

* EstablishingCharacterMoment[=/=]MoralEventHorizon: Doink had been making appearances in the crowd during matches starting back in October and playing simple pranks on wrestlers (dousing Wrestling/BamBamBigelow with [[ImprobableWeaponUser confetti]], leaving {{banana peel}}s on the floor for Wrestling/BobBacklund to slip on after a match, using a tripwire on Wrestling/BigBossman, sticking a mop in Tatanka's face, putting a [[KickMePrank "KICK ME" sign]] on Lance Cassidy (Steve Armstrong)'s jacket and kicking him, etc.) This changed on the January 16, 1993 (taped December 14, 1992) episode of ''WWF Superstars.'' After winning a [[SquashMatch squash]], Crush confronted Doink about the pranks he had been pulling on kids in the audience. Doink [[WoundedGazelleGambit had his arm in a sling]] and pleaded with Crush not to hurt him. Doink offered Crush a flower, which he accepted. As Crush handed the flower to a fan, Doink ''pulled the (fake) arm right out of its socket'' and beat up Crush with it. This was considered so shocking that even commentator [[{{Wrestling/JerryLawler}} Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who normally endorsed whatever the [=heels=] did, had to say that Doink had gone over the line, though it DID take some prompting by [[{{Wrestling/RandySavage}} Randy Savage]].
** During Doink's TV in-ring debut, a [[SquashMatch squash]] on the January 31 (taped January 4), 1993 ''Wrestling Challenge'', announcer Wrestling/GorillaMonsoon said that the fake arm "was lined with lead" and "weighed about 35 lbs.," prompting commentator [[{{Wrestling/BobbyHeenan}} Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] to say, with no discernible irony, "Now that's not funny."

** The match at ''Wrestling/SurvivorSeries 1993'' with the [=Bushwhackers=] and Men on a Mission dressed as Doinks vs. Wrestling/BamBamBigelow, the [[WildSamoan Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu [Rikishi])]] and Bastion Booger, and the Royal Family ([[{{Wrestling/JerryLawler}} Jerry "The King" Lawler]]/Sleazy/Queasy/Cheesy) vs. Clowns R Us (Doink/Dink/Pink/Wink) from ''Survivor Series 1994''.

'''Doink the Clown''': And then I look at their little smiles... and I like to just take those smiles right away. A-ha-ha-ha."

--->'''Doink the Clown''': And then I look at their little smiles... and I like to just take those smiles right away. A-ha-ha-ha."

--->'''Doink the Clown''': "Bwa-ha-ha-ha. Hey if it's that what it's all about: I just love to come around to the arena, to look around and look at all the little kids' faces: They're all smiling, they're all jumping up and down and they're all wondering what Doink is gonna do next. And I love to go up to them and play with them, give 'em little balloons, give 'em little tricks, do little tricks for them and then... And then I look at their little smiles... and I like to just take those smiles right away. A-ha-ha-ha."
-->-- ''WWF Superstars,'' January 9, 1993

[[caption-width-right:213: A second Doink (Steve Keirn) helps out the first Doink against Crush at Wrestling/WrestleMania IX]]
'''Doink The Clown''' is a [[ProfessionalWrestling professional wrestling]] [[TheGimmick gimmick]] that first appeared in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in late 1992 and lasted into 1995. He started out as a vicious {{heel}} played by veteran "Maniac" Matt Borne. The second Doink, also evil, was played by veteran Steve Keirn, who had last been seen as Skinner. Sometime after Doink's first PPV loss, to [[Wrestling/BretHart Bret "The Hitman" Hart]] by DQ at [[{{Wrestling/SummerSlam}} SummerSlam]] 1993, the gimmick started becoming popular. Borne left in October 1993 due to drug/alcohol problems, and was replaced. Doink was [[HeelFaceTurn turned face]] around this time, with first Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi and then Ray Licachelli (aka Ray Apollo or Gary Fall) taking on the gimmick full time. The face turn, complete with a guy playing SantaClaus giving Doink his midget wrestler {{Sidekick}} Dink, is generally acknowledged as the moment that killed off everything that had made Doink so effective.

* WeaponOfChoice: Fake arm, confetti, bucket of water, mop, big hammer

* LargeHam

* MonsterClown

'''Doink The Clown''' is a [[ProfessionalWrestling professional wrestling]] [[TheGimmick gimmick]] that first appeared in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in late 1992 and lasted into 1995. He started out as a vicious {{heel}} played by veteran "Maniac" Matt Borne. The second Doink, also evil, was played by veteran Steve Keirn, who had last been seen as Skinner. Sometime after Doink's first PPV loss, to [[Wrestling/BretHart Bret "The Hitman" Hart]] by DQ at SummerSlam 1993, the gimmick started becoming popular. Borne left in October 1993 due to drug/alcohol problems, and was replaced. Doink was [[HeelFaceTurn turned face]] around this time, with first Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi and then Ray Licachelli (aka Ray Apollo or Gary Fall) taking on the gimmick full time. The face turn, complete with a guy playing SantaClaus giving Doink his midget wrestler {{Sidekick}} Dink, is generally acknowledged as the moment that killed off everything that had made Doink so effective.

** During Doink's TV in-ring debut, a [[SquashMatch squash]] on the January 31 (taped January 4), 1993 ''Wrestling Challenge'', announcer Gorilla Monsoon said that the fake arm "was lined with lead" and "weighed about 35 lbs.," prompting commentator [[{{Wrestling/BobbyHeenan}} Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] to say, with no discernible irony, "Now that's not funny."

* EstablishingCharacterMoment[=/=]MoralEventHorizon: Doink had been making appearances in the crowd during matches starting back in October and playing simple pranks on wrestlers (dousing Wrestling/BamBamBigelow with [[ImprobableWeaponUser confetti]], leaving {{banana peel}}s on the floor for Wrestling/BobBacklund to slip on after a match, using a tripwire on Wrestling/BigBossman, sticking a mop in Tatanka's face, putting a [[KickMePrank "KICK ME" sign]] on Lance Cassidy (Steve Armstrong's) jacket and kicking him, etc.) This changed on the January 16, 1993 (taped December 14, 1992) episode of ''WWF Superstars.'' After winning a [[SquashMatch squash]], Crush confronted Doink about the pranks he had been pulling on kids in the audience. Doink [[WoundedGazelleGambit had his arm in a sling]] and pleaded with Crush not to hurt him. Doink offered Crush a flower, which he accepted. As Crush handed the flower to a fan, Doink ''pulled the (fake) arm right out of its socket'' and beat up Crush with it. This was considered so shocking that even commentator [[{{Wrestling/JerryLawler}} Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who normally endorsed whatever the [=heels=] did, had to say that Doink had gone over the line, though it DID take some prompting by [[{{Wrestling/RandySavage}} Randy Savage]].

* EstablishingCharacterMoment[=/=]MoralEventHorizon: Doink had been making appearances in the crowd during matches starting back in October and playing simple pranks on wrestlers (dousing Wrestling/BamBamBigelow with [[ImprobableWeaponUser confetti]], leaving {{banana peel}}s on the floor for [Wrestling/BobBacklund to slip on after a match, using a tripwire on Wrestling/BigBossman, sticking a mop in Tatanka's face, putting a [[KickMePrank "KICK ME" sign]] on Lance Cassidy (Steve Armstrong's) jacket and kicking him, etc.) This changed on the January 16, 1993 (taped December 14, 1992) episode of ''WWF Superstars.'' After winning a [[SquashMatch squash]], Crush confronted Doink about the pranks he had been pulling on kids in the audience. Doink [[WoundedGazelleGambit had his arm in a sling]] and pleaded with Crush not to hurt him. Doink offered Crush a flower, which he accepted. As Crush handed the flower to a fan, Doink ''pulled the (fake) arm right out of its socket'' and beat up Crush with it. This was considered so shocking that even commentator [[{{Wrestling/JerryLawler}} Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who normally endorsed whatever the [heels did, had to say that Doink had gone over the line.

* BadassDecay
* DorkAge: As a face

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks[=/=]RuinedForever: Doink's face turn is pretty much the UrExample, TropeNamer and TropeCodifier all at the same time.

[[caption-width-right:213: A second Doink (Steve Keirn) helps out the first Doink against Crush at Wrestling/WrestleMania IX

'''Doink The Clown''' is a [[{{ProfessionalWrestling}} professional wrestling]] [[{{TheGimmick}} gimmick]] that first appeared in [[{{Wrestling/WWE}} WWE]] in late 1992 and lasted into 1995. He started out as a vicious {{Heel}} played by veteran "Maniac" Matt Borne. The second Doink, also evil, was played by veteran Steve Keirn, who had last been seen as Skinner. Sometime after Doink's first PPV loss, to [[{{Wrestling/BretHart}} Bret "The Hitman" Hart]] by DQ at [=SummerSlam=] 1993, the gimmick started becoming popular. Borne left in October 1993 due to drug/alcohol problems, and was replaced. Doink was [[{{HeelFaceTurn}} turned face]] around this time, with first Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi and then Ray Licachelli (aka Ray Apollo or Gary Fall) taking on the gimmick full time. The face turn, complete with a guy playing [[{{SantaClaus}} Santa Claus]] giving Doink his midget wrestler {{Sidekick}} Dink, is generally acknowledged as the moment that killed off everything that had made Doink so effective.

There is a good writeup about the gimmick's history at [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doink_the_Clown The Other Wiki]].

[[caption-width-right:213: A second Doink (Steve Keirn) helps out the first Doink against Crush at [[{{Wrestling/WrestleMania}} WrestleMania]] IX]]


!!! Tropes associated with Doink the Clown:
* ArchEnemy: (as a heel): Crush, [[{{Wrestling/CurtHennig}} "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig]]; (as a face): [[{{Wrestling/BamBamBigelow}} Bam Bam Bigelow]], [[{{Wrestling/JerryLawler}} Jerry "The King" Lawler]]

* {{DorkAge}}: As a face
* EstablishingCharacterMoment[=/=]MoralEventHorizon: Doink had been making appearances in the crowd during matches starting back in October and playing simple pranks on wrestlers (dousing [[{{Wrestling/BamBamBigelow}} Bam Bam Bigelow]] with [[{{ImprobableWeaponUser}} confetti]], leaving [[{{BananaPeel}} banana peels]] on the floor for [[{{Wrestling/BobBacklund}} Bob Backlund]] to slip on after a match, using a tripwire on [[{{Wrestling/BigBossman}} The Big Bossman]], sticking a mop in Tatanka's face, putting a [[{{KickMePrank}} "KICK ME" sign]] on Lance Cassidy [Steve Armstrong]'s jacket and kicking him, etc.) This changed on the January 16, 1993 (taped December 14, 1992) episode of ''WWF Superstars.'' After winning a [[{{SquashMatch}} squash]], Crush confronted Doink about the pranks he had been pulling on kids in the audience. Doink [[{{WoundedGazelleGambit}} had his arm in a sling]] and pleaded with Crush not to hurt him. Doink offered Crush a flower, which he accepted. As Crush handed the flower to a fan, Doink ''pulled the (fake) arm right out of its socket'' and beat up Crush with it. This was considered so shocking that even commentator [[{{Wrestling/JerryLawler}} Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who normally endorsed whatever the [=heel=]s did, had to say that Doink had gone over the line.
** During Doink's TV in-ring debut, a [[{{SquashMatch}} squash]] on the January 31 (taped January 4), 1993 ''Wrestling Challenge'', announcer Gorilla [=Monsoon=] said that the fake arm "was lined with lead" and "weighed about 35 lbs.," prompting commentator [[{{Wrestling/BobbyHeenan}} Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] to say, with no discernible irony, "Now that's not funny."

* FinishingMove: Stump Puller, [[{{AssKicksYou}} Whoopie Cushion]]

* TheOtherDarrin: Steve Keirn, then the deluge, including many in [=WWE=] and the independents.

* WeaponOfChoice: Fake arm, confetti, bucket of water, mop

** During Doink's TV in-ring debut, a [[{{SquashMatch}} squash]] on the January 31 (taped January 4), 1993 ''Wrestling Challenge'', announcer Gorilla [=Monsoon=] said that the fake arm "weighed 35 lbs." and "was lined with lead," prompting commentator [[{{Wrestling/BobbyHeenan}} Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]] to say, with no discernible irony, "Now that's not funny."

* EstablishingCharacterMoment[=/=]MoralEventHorizon: Doink had been making appearances in the crowd during matches starting back in October and playing simple pranks on wrestlers (dousing [[{{Wrestling/BamBamBigelow}} Bam Bam Bigelow]] with [[{{ImprobableWeaponUser}} confetti]], leaving [[{{BananaPeel}} banana peels]] on the floor for [[{{Wrestling/BobBacklund}} Bob Backlund]] or [[{{Wrestling/BigBossMan}} the Big Bossman]] to slip on after their matches, putting a [[{{KickMePrank}} "KICK ME" sign]] on Lance Cassidy [Steve Armstrong]'s back and kicking him, etc.) This changed on the January 16, 1993 (taped December 14, 1992) episode of ''WWF Superstars.'' After winning a [[{{SquashMatch}} squash]], Crush confronted Doink about the pranks he had been pulling on kids in the audience. Doink [[{{WoundedGazelleGambit}} had his arm in a sling]] and pleaded with Crush not to hurt him. Doink offered Crush a flower, which he accepted. As Crush handed the flower to a fan, Doink ''pulled the (fake) arm right out of its socket'' and beat up Crush with it. This was considered so shocking that even commentator [[{{Wrestling/JerryLawler}} Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who normally endorsed whatever the [=heel=]s did, had to say that Crush had gone over the line.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks[=/=]RuinedForever: Doink's face turn is pretty much the UrExample, TropeNamer and TropeCodifier all at the same time.

* FinishingMove: Stump Puller, Whoopie Cushion

* EstablishingCharacterMoment[=/=]MoralEventHorizon: Doink had been making appearances in the crowd during matches starting back in October and playing simple pranks on wrestlers (dousing [[{{Wrestling/BamBamBigelow}} Bam Bam Bigelow]] with [[{{ImprobableWeaponUser}} confetti]], leaving [[{{BananaPeel}} banana peels]] on the floor for [[{{Wrestling/BobBacklund}} Bob Backlund]] or [[{{Wrestling/BigBossMan}} the Big Bossman]] to slip on after their matches, putting a [[{{KickMePrank}} "KICK ME" sign]] on Lance Cassidy [Steve Armstrong]'s back and kicking him, etc.) This changed on the January 16, 1993 (taped December 14, 1992) episode of ''WWF Superstars.'' After winning a [[{{SquashMatch}} squash]], Crush confronted Doink about the pranks he had been pulling on kids in the audience. Doink [[{{WoundedGazelleGambit}} had his arm in a sling]] and pleaded with Crush not to hurt him. Doink offered Crush a flower, which he accepted. As Crush handed the flower to a fan, Doink ''pulled the (fake) arm right out of its socket'' and beat up Crush with it.
* MonsterClown