After nearly 50 years, McDonald’s icon Ronald McDonald will be hanging up the clown suit. Chicago native Ronald Brisky, 69, has portrayed the famous fast-food clown since 1961 and has since become a world-recognized figure.

But years of too many free meals from his employer have taken its toll on his figure: Brisky now weighs in at just over 310 pounds and is at risk for diabetes. His girth has swelled so much in recent years that advertising agencies have resorted to using computer graphics programs to make Ronald’s proportions appear more normal in television ads. At the urging of his wife Anna, Brisky has finally decided to retire and enter a rehab facility for eating disorders. He has even received an offer to appear as a contestant on the hit TV show “The Biggest Loser,” which he is currently considering.

But until then, Brisky will try to lead a quiet, normal life. He’s lovin’ it.

“No regrets, though maybe I shouldn’t have wolfed down so many Big Macs and Filet O’ Fish,” said Brisky, from his home in Skokie, Illinois. “Lucky I didn’t eat all the profits, he he.”

In a press release, officials at McDonalds Corp. wished Brisky “the best in his endeavors, whatever the hell those may be.” The company is now conducting a talent search to find a replacement for Brisky, stating that it may look toward “younger, ‘edgier’ candidates.” Until then, the world’s largest burger chain is in no hurry to fill Brisky’s big clown shoes.