People Playing Doink After Matt Bourne’s Death?

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Alabama Doink has to be the most infamous one.

Apparently Ray Apollo, who played the character in the WWF after Bourne was released, also played Doink at least one more time after Bourne died. All cagematch.net has listed is a match from 2014 where he beat The Banana. Not sure if that is a wrestler, an actual banana, or something more dirty.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Thousands and thousands of shindy and backyarders.

The thing that pissed me off about Alabama Doink was that he claimed he was the original Doink from wwf, at least the other fake Doinks admitted that Borne was the original one.

[Joe Neglia]

Dusty Wolfe aka Dale Wolfe is the most flagrant one. Even claims Matt gave him permission.

[Macho Pichu]

May 29, 2019 8:57:59 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

Dusty Wolfe aka Dale Wolfe is the most flagrant one. Even claims Matt gave him permission.

I heard that he was working at the college that I was going to at the time Matt Borne died. I should have talked to him about it, but i never bothered to ask.

[Crappler El 0 M]

After Borne died, I thought WWE should retire the character. I guess it's been enough time to where I wouldn't care if Ray Apollo played the character for a special appearance or two since he played the character for much of the initial WWE run.

[I'm Team Bayley and Indi]

May 29, 2019 10:20:26 GMT -5 Crappler El 0 M said:

After Borne died, I thought WWE should retire the character. I guess it's been enough time to where I wouldn't care if Ray Apollo played the character for a special appearance or two since he played the character for much of the initial WWE run.

I don't think WWE have had Doink show up after Borne died, last Doink appearance was 2012 and Borne passed away in 2013

It's shady indies still using the Doink name

[Crappler El 0 M]

May 29, 2019 11:21:53 GMT -5 I'm Team Bayley and Indi said:

May 29, 2019 10:20:26 GMT -5 Crappler El 0 M said:

After Borne died, I thought WWE should retire the character. I guess it's been enough time to where I wouldn't care if Ray Apollo played the character for a special appearance or two since he played the character for much of the initial WWE run.

I don't think WWE have had Doink show up after Borne died, last Doink appearance was 2012 and Borne passed away in 2013

It's shady indies still using the Doink name

I realize that. I'm saying if WWE did use it with Apollo, I wouldn't cry foul.

[Paul]

Matt "gave permission' for someone else to use a gimmick that he himself didn't own? What a guy.

[XaviersSS2015hair]

May 29, 2019 11:51:24 GMT -5 Paul said:

Matt "gave permission' for someone else to use a gimmick that he himself didn't own? What a guy.

Cocaine is a helluva drug.

[Deleted]

May 29, 2019 11:21:53 GMT -5 I'm Team Bayley and Indi said:

May 29, 2019 10:20:26 GMT -5 Crappler El 0 M said:

After Borne died, I thought WWE should retire the character. I guess it's been enough time to where I wouldn't care if Ray Apollo played the character for a special appearance or two since he played the character for much of the initial WWE run.

I don't think WWE have had Doink show up after Borne died, last Doink appearance was 2012 and Borne passed away in 2013

And I'm 100.1% certain that WWE flat out said on its website "Doink the Clown dies at 55." They id'd him as the character first (then by name in the article). That was as clear a message as possible that Doink the character was no more.

[I'm Team Bayley and Indi]

May 30, 2019 12:07:40 GMT -5 @knapp said:

May 29, 2019 11:21:53 GMT -5 I'm Team Bayley and Indi said:

I don't think WWE have had Doink show up after Borne died, last Doink appearance was 2012 and Borne passed away in 2013

And I'm 100.1% certain that WWE flat out said on its website "Doink the Clown dies at 55." They id'd him as the character first (then by name in the article). That was as clear a message as possible that Doink the character was no more.

wonder how indies get away with the Doink knock-offs since WWE still own the copyright (I checked to make sure, which I think would debunk Borne selling the gimmick to Ray Apollo as well), do they just not care to chase them up?

[Joe Neglia]

May 30, 2019 12:12:50 GMT -5 I'm Team Bayley and Indi said:

May 30, 2019 12:07:40 GMT -5 @knapp said:

And I'm 100.1% certain that WWE flat out said on its website "Doink the Clown dies at 55." They id'd him as the character first (then by name in the article). That was as clear a message as possible that Doink the character was no more.

wonder how indies get away with the Doink knock-offs since WWE still own the copyright (I checked to make sure, which I think would debunk Borne selling the gimmick to Ray Apollo as well), do they just not care to chase them up?

What basically happened was a whole bunch of late 90s indies started stealing the gimmick almost all at once, once Borne started doing the same. Who would know, right? It was incredibly widespread and WWE just didn't go after each and every one, instead setting some sort of unstated "can't be advertised on TV as such" rule. Even that fell by the wayside. It was almost like how some trademarked names enter the common vernacular and lose their protection to a degree. Adding to that, pretty much everyone at WWF were so ****ing done with the clown they just didn't care anymore to fight it.

I have a friend who is convinced the outfit design played some sort of role into it. Clown makeup is a SRS thing in the clown entertainment industry, and clowns get their designs trademarked and such. It's a big thing, and he's convinced WWF/WWE discovered there was some sort of element to the costume design that kept them from enforcing ownership, and they just kinda bluff it ever since.

[Deleted]

May 30, 2019 12:12:50 GMT -5 I'm Team Bayley and Indi said:

May 30, 2019 12:07:40 GMT -5 @knapp said:

And I'm 100.1% certain that WWE flat out said on its website "Doink the Clown dies at 55." They id'd him as the character first (then by name in the article). That was as clear a message as possible that Doink the character was no more.

wonder how indies get away with the Doink knock-offs since WWE still own the copyright (I checked to make sure, which I think would debunk Borne selling the gimmick to Ray Apollo as well), do they just not care to chase them up?

Cuz Doinks gonna Doink.

[Mozenrath]

May 30, 2019 12:12:50 GMT -5 I'm Team Bayley and Indi said:

May 30, 2019 12:07:40 GMT -5 @knapp said:

And I'm 100.1% certain that WWE flat out said on its website "Doink the Clown dies at 55." They id'd him as the character first (then by name in the article). That was as clear a message as possible that Doink the character was no more.

wonder how indies get away with the Doink knock-offs since WWE still own the copyright (I checked to make sure, which I think would debunk Borne selling the gimmick to Ray Apollo as well), do they just not care to chase them up?

They probably feel it just isn't worth it, kind of like how Road Dogg and Billy Gunn couldn't use the names in TNA, but were doing the full "oh, you didn't knowwwwwwwwww?" routine in indies with less spotlight on them, and competing as the New Age Outlaws instead of 3 Live Kru or Voodoo Kin Mafia or whatever.

[Mozenrath]

May 30, 2019 12:32:23 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

May 30, 2019 12:12:50 GMT -5 I'm Team Bayley and Indi said:

wonder how indies get away with the Doink knock-offs since WWE still own the copyright (I checked to make sure, which I think would debunk Borne selling the gimmick to Ray Apollo as well), do they just not care to chase them up?

What basically happened was a whole bunch of late 90s indies started stealing the gimmick almost all at once, once Borne started doing the same. Who would know, right? It was incredibly widespread and WWE just didn't go after each and every one, instead setting some sort of unstated "can't be advertised on TV as such" rule. Even that fell by the wayside. It was almost like how some trademarked names enter the common vernacular and lose their protection to a degree. Adding to that, pretty much everyone at WWF were so ****ing done with the clown they just didn't care anymore to fight it.

I have a friend who is convinced the outfit design played some sort of role into it. Clown makeup is a SRS thing in the clown entertainment industry, and clowns get their designs trademarked and such. It's a big thing, and he's convinced WWF/WWE discovered there was some sort of element to the costume design that kept them from enforcing ownership, and they just kinda bluff it ever since.

I could totally buy that. I often forget there's a registry for that kind of thing, and I can't imagine '90s WWF was being that careful.

[Ultimo Gallos]

May 29, 2019 8:57:59 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

Dusty Wolfe aka Dale Wolfe is the most flagrant one. Even claims Matt gave him permission.

Up until the early 2010s Dusty was working all over the south as Doink and Mr Wrestling. More than a few times he would work 3 matches on the show. Starting off as Mr Wrestling,then Dusty Wolfe,Then main event as Doink.

I need to get a good pic of the flyer for a 2010 show in my current town. Has Doink and Mr Wrestling on the poster,along with Kid Kash and Brian Christopher,none of whom were at the actual show.

[Ultimo Gallos]

If WWE had sued shindies like say Alabama DOink's AWF,what the hell would they win? A run down old 16 foot,if you are lucky,ring? If AL Doink made money off a show he hid it well.

[chazraps]

Is it true that Alabama Doink was the Doink from the 2007 Saturday Night's Main Event match?

Also, did he really pass on last year?

[wildojinx]

Didnt most of the Doink knockoffs use names like The Funny Clown, The Wrestling Clown, etc to bypass the WWE copyright?

[chazraps]

Doink is such a great f***ing name.

An unsung wonderful element of the original incarnation was that it got an entire audience to go "BOOOOOOOO DOINK!"