Larry Harmon, the self-titled creator of “Bozo” the clown was stripped of the title today by the Clown Hall of Fame.

ABCNews.com columnist, Buck Wolf, reported that Larry Harmon had been lying all these years when he claimed ownership of the character. Harmon has even gone so far as to trademark the BOZO character and go after websites who use “his” image.

The International Clown Hall of Fame will be taking action to correct the previous honoring of Larry Harmon, by removing his plaque from the wall.

From this breaking AP news story about Bozo:

“Kathryn O'Dell, the hall's executive director, said the hall was duped to believe Harmon created Bozo and didn't find out the truth until ABCnews.com columnist and entertainment producer Buck Wolf reported Harmon was wrongly laying claim to the character.

“It was something that was hinted at and hinted at and we started to do research and sure enough the information we were getting from outside sources was true,” O'Dell said.

While Harmon popularized the character since the 1950s, Livingston and Colvig were first to develop it, she said.”

Turns out Vance “Pinto” Colvig was the first to play the character and Capitol Records executive Alan Livingston was the man who created the clown legend.

What a shady thing to do; but what would you really expect from a clown.