Pat Patterson

At 79 years old, Pat Patterson has this physical status:

Patrick Patterson (born Pierre Clermont on January 19, 1941) is a Canadian–American professional wrestler.

He is currently employed by the professional wrestling promotion WWE as a creative consultant and producer.

He is the inaugural WWE Intercontinental Champion and creator of the Royal Rumble match, Patterson was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 1996.

In 2019, Patterson became the oldest person to ever win a title in WWE history, after winning the WWE 24/7 Championship at 78 years old.

He has been described by journalist Dave Meltzer as "Vince McMahon's right-hand man" and "one of the chief architects of the WWE, playing an integral role in helping it become a global phenomenon.".

Early life

Patterson was born into an impoverished French-speaking family in the Ville-Marie borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada on January 19, 1941. He began training to wrestle at the age of 14 at Loisirs Saint Jean Baptiste. He was raised Roman Catholic, and was an altar boy. He expressed an interest to a priest in becoming one himself, but was advised it would not have worked, because he was "too adventurous".

Personal life

Patterson was openly gay, having come out in the early 1970s. Though Jim Ross made several jokes about Patterson's sexuality on commentary, it was not acknowledged publicly or in WWE storylines until the finale of WWE Legends' House, which aired June 12, 2014. NBC News described Patterson as "the first openly gay pro wrestling star." People magazine described him as the "First Gay Wrestling Star."

In the 1960s, after the end of the main part of the Lavender scare, the Justice Department's Immigration and Naturalization Service spent several years, from the end of 1964 onwards, looking for evidence of "homosexual activity" in order to have Patterson deported back to Canada. Documents disclosed as a result of Freedom of Information Act requests show that, as a part of a Portland Police Bureau Morals Division investigation into the Portland gay community, PPB had reported Patterson's presence at "'gay' parties" and gay bars in the city and that Patterson was known to pick up male prostitutes in Portland. The documents also describe interviewees' suspicions that Louie Dondero was Patterson's romantic partner, as well as his agent, and that they had an open relationship. The same documents reveal that the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations were investigating another wrestler suspected of being gay, with a view to discharging him; this wrestler subsequently denounced Patterson to INS before retracting. In November 1966, the INS initiated deportation proceedings against Patterson, leading to an interview where he was asked about his effeminacy, dyed hair, about whether he was a homosexual and whether "he molested little boys". In December 1966, Patterson was served with a deportation notice, requiring him to leave the United States on or before January 10, possibly as an attempt to dupe Patterson into leaving with an expectation of an easy green card but with the intention of excluding him through psychological exam; however Patterson was fighting again in Arizona 4 days later. After Patterson's application for a green card in 1971, the journalist's dossier of Freedom of Information responses showed nothing further until his successful naturalization in 2002.

Patterson's longtime partner was Louie Dondero. Patterson said on WWE Legends' House he and Dondero were together for 40 years. Dondero died of a heart attack on June 28, 1998, the same night as King of the Ring. In August 2006, Patterson underwent emergency heart surgery to remove a cyst from his coronary artery. In October, Patterson recovered from his operation and was released from the hospital. He legally changed his name to Pat Patterson in 2008.

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Professional wrestling career

Patterson debuted in Montreal, Quebec, in 1958, competing at the Palais des Sports for promoter Sylvio Samson. "Killer" Pat Patterson played early in his career.

Patterson, who was no longer a speaker of English, migrated to the United States in 1962 to continue his professional wrestling career. He became a citizen of the United States. Patterson was previously employed in Boston, Massachusetts, for Tony Santos' Big Time Wrestling promotion. Louie Dondero, Patterson's long-term companion who lived and worked in Boston, met him.

Patterson was recruited by Mad Dog Valiant in 1962 for Don Owen's Pacific Northwest Wrestling promotion in Portland, Oregon. Patterson, an effeminate wrestler who wore lipstick, sunglasses, and a beret, as well as carrying a cigarette holder, was encouraged by PNW promoter Harry Elliot, who was aware of Patterson's homosexuality. Patterson competed for promotions in Texas, Arizona, and Oklahoma as part of Owen's talent swap. In 1964, Patterson returned to Pacific Northwest Wrestling. On two occasions this year, he competed in the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championships. Patterson defeated Pepper Martin in the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship on October 2, 1964. He dominated the championship for six weeks before losing to Martin. Patterson also won the championship in 1965 and 1966.

Patterson was hired by Roy Shire in January 1965 for his San Francisco, California-based Big Time Wrestling promotion. Patterson dyed his hair blond at Shire's behest to form a tag team with Ray Stevens, The Blond Bombers. In 1965 and 1967, the pair captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which was revived in 1967. Bret Hart said that the Blonde Bombers were "considered by many to be the best tag team of the 1970s." Patterson, a 1968 tenacious wrestler in Amarillo, Texas, as Lord Patrick Patterson, the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship and the NWA Brass Knuckles Championship. He began a six-week tour of Japan in the same year, confronting Antonio Inoki in a series of bouts.

Stevens became a star in the late 1960s, culminating in a Texas Death match in which Stevens captured the title from Patterson. Patterson wore a mask during his matches in 1970 and 1971, and he would cheat by inserting a foreign object under the mask to give him control of his headbutts. Patterson returned to face Walter Anderson, who was formerly debating with Lars Anderson, who was then under his custody, in 1972. He rejoined Rocky Johnson and won the tag team championship later that year. Patterson captured the Cow Palace Battle Royal in San Francisco in 1975 and 1981.

Patterson wrestled for Eddie Graham's Tampa, Florida-based Championship Wrestling from Florida's 1977-1981 championship wrestling from Florida promotions. He competed in the NWA Florida Television Championship and the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, as well as briefly serving as booker during his lifetime.

Patterson was a member of Verne Gagne's Minneapolis, Minnesota-based American Wrestling Association in 1978. Ray Stevens reformed The Blond Bombers, with the pair winning the AWA World Tag Team Championship later this year. Patterson served with the AWA on a few occasions until 1983.

Patterson and the New Japan Pro-Wrestling team toured Japan in 1979.

Patterson returned to Quebec in 1980 after fighting a string of matches for the Montreal, Quebec-based Lutte Internationale Promotion. From 1980 to 1983, he was the Canadian International Tag Team Championship on five occasions.

Patterson debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979, as a heel under the tutelage of Grand Wizard John Mayer. Patterson's first rivalry as a villain came with WWF North American Champion Ted DiBiase and WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund. Patterson defeated DiBiase for the WWF North American Championship by a pair of brass knuckles during a television taping in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on June 19. Patterson was unsuccessful in winning the WWF Heavyweight Championship from Backlund, however.

The WWF would host the WWF Intercontinental Championship in September 1979, a secondary championship for its midcard wrestlers. After a suspected tournament held in Rio de Janeiro, Patterson was named the company's first Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion. Although Patterson's tournament "victory" is often credited in wrestling championship and match history, the tournament itself never took place. Patterson's apocryphal title win would later become something of an inside joke during Patterson's on-screen tenure as one of Vince McMahon's "stooges." Later this year, the fictional tournament was also covered on WWE.com as an April Fool's parody. Patterson lost the North American championship to Seiji Sakaguchi on November 8.

After a botched effort by the Grand Wizard to "sell" Patterson's deal to "captain" Lou Albano for $100,000, Patterson's protégés, the Wild Samoans, assaulted Patterson after he cut a promo insulting Albano. Patterson survived the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship until April 21, 1980, when he was defeated by Ken Patera in New York City, New York, New York. Patterson's right leg was tied on the ropes right before the three count was declared, and the match came to a close. Patterson's feud with Sgt. began on May 4, 1981. In Madison Square Garden, a murderer came to a conclusion in an alley street fighting match. The match was named Match of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Patterson began doing color commentary with Vince McMahon in 1980, coining WWF Championship Wrestling from 1980 to 1984. While Patterson was a face commentator when partnering with Gorilla Monsoon and Vince McMahon, he hosted "Le Brunch de Pat," a French WWF radio show where he would politely ask questions in English but vociferously mock his face guests in French. Patterson appeared on Monsoon's coverage of the Iron Sheik's victory over Bob Backlund for the world heavyweight championship, as well as when Hulk Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik about a month later. In 1983, Patterson was involved in the incident when Jimmy Snuka jumped off the steel cage and splashed Don Muraco in Madison Square Garden.

Patterson stopped wrestling in 1984. Despite being banned, Patterson continued to wrestle on occasion. In a losing bid in a home show in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 26, 1985, he wrestled Nikolai Volkoff. He appeared at two house shows in Canada in the following month, defeating Ken Patera and Big John Studd. Mad Dog Vachon appeared on the WWF skit show Le Brunch on WWF Superstars in Canada until late summer in 1987. Multiple wrestlers, including the Rougeau Brothers and Dino Bravo, were recalled, and Frenchie Martin was a replacement for Le Brunch at Le Studio. He made his second appearance, this time in a royal fight in Montreal on February 24, 1987. On December 27, he appeared in a royal contest at a house show in Buffalo, New York. Patterson made a few appearances in Montreal in 1987, wrestling as a heel (while remaining a face or neutral backstage official in the United States and elsewhere in Canada). On August 10, his best match was a victory over the up-and-coming Brutus Beefcake, which resulted in his dismatch with Beefcake and subsequent haircut in Montreal.

He began working backstage as a road agent and right-hand man to WWF promoter Vince McMahon, and he is credited with inventing and booking the Royal Rumble match. He spent time in the career-relations branch in the late 1990s. Patterson served as a WWF referee following his release from retirement. He was chosen as the in-ring referee for the first WrestleMania in 1985, as well as the main event of WrestleMania XI. Ex announcer Murray Hodgson accused Patterson of sexual assault in 1992. He was briefly suspended from the company before the charges were dismissed, but the charges were soon reinstated.

Patterson and Gerald Brisco made a name for themselves as Vince McMahon's on-screen stooges, assisting their boss in his rivalries with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mankind, and The Rock in 1997. The Corporation's founding members, Patterson and Brisco, were among the founding members. They used "Real American" as their entry music and parodied Hogan's flexing routine as they approached the ring in an attempt to mock Hulk Hogan. On the 1998 episode of Raw, Patterson, and Brisco, Vince McMahon and Dude Love attacked Austin, resulting in a no contest when Vince McMahon and Dude Love assaulted Austin.

The two became involved with the McMahon-Helmsley Faction later in 1999. Patterson and Brisco assisted Test, who had been injured by D-Generation X on December 16, 1999 episode of SmackDown. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon then compelled Patterson and Brisco to compete for the WWF Tag Team Championship against The New Age Outlaws or be dismissed. Patterson and Brisco both missed the match. Patterson and Brisco were introduced to Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in 2000. Patterson was disqualified after Patterson struck Rikishi with a chair on May 8 in a 3 on 1 handicap match. Patterson then lowered his drawers to produce a Stink Face in Rikishi with stained underwear, which commentary Jim Ross described as a "tractor-size skidmark." Patterson, who was uninhibitedly apprehensive, shot Kane's "hideously scared" face and threatened to "expose him to the world" if he did not comply on June 12, 2000. In a No Holds Barred match, Kane was compelled to wrestle The Rock (then his allies) for the first time. Kane turned on the Faction when Patterson's film didn't develop properly.

Patterson helped Brisco win the prestigious WWF Hardcore Championship from Crash Holly on June 19, 2000, but the success parade turned on his ally, blinding him with champagne and then cracking a second bottle over Brisco's head and crowning the (kayfabe) unconscious champion. Patterson was pursued by Brisco into the women's locker room, where Patterson was hiding in drag. Vince McMahon announced that they would fight over the Hardcore Championship in an Evening Gown match at King of the Ring 2000; during the match, Crash Holly assaulted both men and pinned Patterson to become the Hardcore Champion. When the Mean Street Posse came in and assaulted Shane and Vince McMahon on June 21 in Raw, Patterson and Brisco, it resulted in a no contest.

The Intercontinental Championship, which was unified with the World Heavyweight Championship on October 20, 2002, was revived on May 18, 2003, in a war royal. Patterson, the first Intercontinental Champion, was on ringside to present the belt to the winner. Christian was defeated for the victory, but the referee was uninhibited. Christian, who attacked Booker T, stole the Intercontinental Championship belt and knocked out Booker T. The referee then recovered and awarded the match to Christian, who was then able to give the championship belt to him. Patterson resigned from World Wrestling Entertainment in October 2004. Patterson returned to WWE in May 2005 in a limited capacity. Though he was no longer a WWE producer, he also served as a creative consultant. Patterson appeared in his hometown of Montreal in an in-ring interview with Dolph Ziggler at Breaking Point. Patterson appeared on the WWE Network original reality show Legends' House as a regular cast member.

Patterson defeated Drake Maverick backstage during the WWE 24/7 Championship on July 22, 2019. Gerald Brisco would lose the title off-screen later that night. He became the first man to win a championship in WWE history at 78 years old, defeating The Fabulous Moolah's fourth reign with the original WWF Women's Championship at 76 years old. It was also Patterson's first title appearance since June 19, 2000, when the WWF Hardcore Championship, which also used the phrase "24/7 rule," was used. He was the second person to win both the 24/7 and Hardcore Championships. From 2005 to his death in 2020, he was on backstage as a WWE executive.

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