Pogo the Clown

[Sephiroth]

Yeah, tasteless storylines and gimmicks are nothing new in wrestling; necrophilia, infidelity, implied rape and incest-we've seen it all. But this one stood out to me as especially egregious, so little wonder it came from a trash-fest like XPW. A character based off one of the most heinous serial killers in American history who was made out to be a babyface and feuded with other wrestlers over the ownership of a gay sex slave. The fact that the guy was really just a fat slob who couldn't work the ring to save his life certainly didn't help. Wrestling clowns are nothing new, and of course the evil clown image is a fixture in pop culture-but this one took the taco as probably the worst wrestling character ever. Maybe I am just taking it too seriously, but I do think there is a limit even in the wacky world of pro wrestling.

[theryno665]

I get why people would be offended at the gimmick, but I wasn't. I was actually more offended that he was just a horrible worker that just used an offensive gimmick to get noticed. The guy would stiff everybody yet had no ring skill of his own. I thought Supreme was better, and that's saying a lot.

[NOwave]

I never actually saw this character in action, and so can't comment on his in ring ability. Of course, I purposefully have never watched any of XPW after I learned a little about it.

Is the concept of "Pogo the Clown," based on John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer who used that name and appearance to lure children who he then raped and murdered, out of bounds even for pro wrestling? I don't know-that's obviously a difficult question.

Necrophilia is a sex crime viewed as a taboo by western society, and yet it's been done, as has at least the suggestion of murder. What's acceptable in the context of pro wrestling, which is essentially a performance art similar to theatre, ballet, etc? "Sweeney Todd," based on a serial killer in Britain, is a classic Broadway show by Stephen Sondheim, who is recognized as one of the masters of American theatre-and it's considered perfectly acceptable.

So what's "acceptable" and what's not? I don't know, but in general I've never felt that censorship is good. If some individual and some promotion wants to stoop to doing the Pogo the Clown character, it's their business and none of us have to watch it. I think it's incredibly stupid, and will likely turn off more potential customers than it will attract, but who knows? Another analogy is the visual art piece known as "Piss Christ"-its just a Crucifix upside down in a bottle of urine. The artist's stated purpose is to shock viewers, and it works in that regard. I guess "Pogo the Clown" works in that sense as well. I think both Pogo and Piss Christ are ridiculous and insulting, and I won't watch either one, but they have attracted attention, which is in reality the purpose.

[Deleted]

The only good thing associated with that guy was a feud he had with Sandman, where Sandman drunkenly told his son "Daddy's sorry but he got his ass kicked by that big clown" or something to that extent.

[Talent Name]

I remember one vignette he had where he was in the desert burying a body, I thought it was a horrible gimmick and just took up too much time

[Straight Edge Scrotum]

Good for him. At least he got noticed for a little while.

[bitteroldman]

Jan 10, 2013 18:25:36 GMT -5 NOwave said:

I never actually saw this character in action, and so can't comment on his in ring ability. Of course, I purposefully have never watched any of XPW after I learned a little about it.

Is the concept of "Pogo the Clown," based on John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer who used that name and appearance to lure children who he then raped and murdered, out of bounds even for pro wrestling? I don't know-that's obviously a difficult question.

Gacy never used the clown character to lure children. His victims were either young men who worked for him (he was a general contractor who hired them as laborers) or were young men who he would pick up by offering them a ride home after a concert.

[Tiger Millionaire]

What about Cactus Jack Manson?

[Lance Uppercut]

Jan 11, 2013 14:52:00 GMT -5 Tiger Millionaire said:

What about Cactus Jack Manson?

Mick said in his book that he never felt comfortable with it. I can't remember who it was, but the promoter wanted him to have a last name.

And Pogo by the way was one of the worst things about XPW and that in itself is impressive!

[Cry Me a Wiggle]

It's still more tasteful than John Cena's first character: "Wrestling Hitler"

[El Cokehead del Knife Fight]

Jan 11, 2013 1:36:44 GMT -5 Straight Edge Scrotum said:

Good for him. At least he got noticed for a little while.

It got him noticed as the worst wrestler in XPW.

[Johnny B. Decent]

A horrible wrestler with a horrible gimmick in a horrible promotion.

[Mozenrath]

My dad, uncle, and aunt actually met John Wayne Gacy when he was making an appearance as the "original" Pogo the Clown. He apparently was rather rude.

[kingoftheindies]

Pogo actually had a surprisingly decent run being over during the year 2001 (As a huge XPW hater, 2000-2001 they actually weren't that bad to watch). Now him coming out with a shovel for his matches was a bit much, but otherwise they just played him as an insane clown... feuding with the ICP over who was the one true clown of XPW

[Metalheadbanger Man]

I've only ever seen him in a triple threat match against a drunk Jake Roberts and a 70-year-old Abdullah The Butcher, I think it was a JCW show. It lasted a minute or so, and his pre-match promo was just him swearing a lot.

So yeah, that first impression wasn't good.

[skulldouggory]

Jan 13, 2013 12:03:45 GMT -5 Metalheadbanger Man said:

I've only ever seen him in a triple threat match against a drunk Jake Roberts and a 70-year-old Abdullah The Butcher, I think it was a JCW show. It lasted a minute or so, and his pre-match promo was just him swearing a lot.

So yeah, that first impression wasn't good.

That promo is hilarious. You know when the ICP shit on you for swearing to much, you must be swearing a lot.

That match was more depressing, because Abby doesn't even get in the ring, he just puts his head between the ropes gets beatdown from there , then walks to the back to get his payday.

I know he is a whore for money and too old to work, but it doesn't really do well for his character/legacy that he gets beat up a bit so he just leaves.

Then Jake DDTs a female ref and rubs his junk over her in a disgusting manner.

That match was built up to be some huge battle of the sickest wrestlers and it was sickeningly sad to watch.