By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast with Ray Apollo
Host: JP John Poz
Twitter: @TwoManPowerTrip
Website: www.tmptempire.com
Interview available at Tmptow.podomatic.com
On becoming Doink the Clown: Well, it’s really pretty simple. The first Doink the Clown was Matt Osbourne aka Matt Borne had some problems with the WWF office at the time and they wanted the character to go in a different direction. Matt didn’t quite see it the same way they did and he was let go. So I was approached at the time by Vince McMahon, and his talent relations guy at that time JJ Dillon, to play the Doink character. I went up to Stamford, Connecticut for a meeting and was hired for the job.
On replacing Matt Borne as Doink: I didn’t get involved in other people’s business, so I don’t know for sure why they made the change. I just know they wanted to go a different direction with Doink. So, I don’t know about what idiosyncrasies they liked or didn’t like about Matt. Some people liked his version of Doink better and some people liked my version better, it’s all just a matter of opinion. I think a lot of people associate either Matt or myself as Doink, and not both of us, but looking back, I got to play the character twice as long as he did.
Portraying the Doink character: We all have our own personalities. Vince just showed me the character and told me what he wanted to see with the gimmick, but he never said I had to do it that way. So I played the character how I thought it would work with my personality. You have to be your own talent when you climb into the ring, and have to be your own man out there or else it won’t work. The fans will see right through someone who isn’t comfortable with their character.
On Doink being copied so many times: Well, it bothers me because so many fans were being cheated. You see “Doink” is supposed to be at all those independent shows and those fans anticipate that it’s going to be me. I get annoyed at those promoters who screwed the fans because it wasn’t me, it was a fake Doink.
Other topics include the transition to the New Generation Era, turning Doink babyface, WrestleMania 17, wrestling in the Northeast, the travel around the world, being paired with Dink, working with Bam Bam Bigelow, Owen Hart, Jerry Lawler, and IRS, what Vince McMahon is like behind the scenes, playing Sergeant Krueger in WCW, and much more.
You can listen to other shows apart of the TMPT Empire including Shane Douglas’ Triple Threat Podcast, Taking You to School with Dr. Tom Prichard, Talking Tough with Rick Bassman, Taskmaster Talks with Kevin Sullivan and the University of Dutch with Dutch Mantell.
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