According to TMZ, the original man behind Doink the Clown – Matt Osborne – was found dead in his girlfriend's home in Texas. The article states that Osborne has been living with his girlfriend recently, and while police are investigating the incident as a possible homicide, at this point that seems to be purely a case of protocol as all signs point towards an accidental death.
Despite the popularity of his gimmick, Osborne only worked as Doink the Clown in WWE from 1992 to 1993. He was fired for drug abuse, and replaced with Ray Apollo. He made an appearance, reprising his original role, and Raw's 15th Anniversary special in 2007.
