Pat Patterson

Pierre Clermont (January 19, 1941-December 2, 2020) https://people.com/sports/pat-patterson-wwe-hall-of-famer-and-first-gay-wrestling-superstar-dies-at-79/  better known by his ring name Pat Patterson, is a Canadian former professional wrestler. He works for WWE as a creative consultant, and was the first Intercontinental Champion. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996.

Career
Pat Patterson debuted in Montreal, Quebec in 1958 as "Pretty Boy" Pat Patterson, an effeminate wrestler who wore red lipstick and pink trunks and was accompanied by his pet Poodle. Patterson wrestled frequently for affiliates of the National Wrestling Alliance throughout the 1960s, and was a ten time tag team champion in San Francisco with a variety of partners. His most famous pairing was with Ray Stevens, the two of them forming one of the most notorious heel tag teams of the era, the Blond Bombers. Also, in San Francisco, Patterson was a six-time United States Champion Pat Patterson's WWE Hall of Fame bio states that many people consider Stevens and Patterson the best tag team ever.

After Stevens turned baby face in the late 1960s, he had a classic feud with the heel Patterson, culminating in the 1970s Death Match, in which Stevens won the title from Patterson. (Stevens dropped the belt and went to the AWA where he teamed with Nick Bockwinkel)

In 1970 and 1971 Patterson wore a mask during his matches, and would cheat by placing a foreign object under the mask to add power to his Head butts. In 1972, Patterson turned babyface, after feuding with Lars Anderson, who was managed by Dr. Ken Ramey. Later that year he teamed with Rocky Johnson and won the tag team championship. In 1975 and 1981, Patterson won the Cow Palace Battle Royal in San Francisco. The Battle Royal, an event held annually throughout the 1970s, is often cited as the predecessor of the Royal Rumble.

Pat left the San Francisco promotion in the mid 1970s. It wasn't soon after Patterson left that the promotion began to go downhill, and folded up shop in 1980.

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
In 1979 Patterson debuted in the then World Wide Wrestling Federation, and on June 19 of that year he defeated Ted DiBiase to win the WWF North American Championship. On September 15, 1979, Patterson allegedly won a tournament held in Rio de Janeiro, unifying the WWF North American Championship with the "South American Championship" to create the WWF Intercontinental Championship in the process. It is, however, widely believed that the aforementioned tournament never actually took place and was invented to add legitimacy to the Intercontinental Championship. In later years, Patterson apparently made an inside joke for "smark" fans by wearing a T-shirt bearing the legend "Rio de Janeiro 1979" while on camera. Patterson held the Intercontinental Championship until April 21, 1980 when he was defeated by Ken Patera in New York City, New York. The match ended in controversial fashion after Patterson placed his right leg on the ropes just before the three count was made.

On May 4, 1981, Patterson's feud with Sergeant Slaughter culminated in an "Alley Fight" in Madison Square Garden. The match is regarded as one of the best of the 1980s, and won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter award for Worked Match of the Year.

Patterson retired from active wrestling in 1984, and became a color commentator, as well as hosting an interview segment known as "Le brunch de Pat", where he would politely ask questions in English but furtively mock his guests in French. He began working backstage as a road agent and right-hand man to WWF promoter Vince McMahon, and is credited with inventing and booking the Royal Rumble match.

In 1992 Patterson was accused of sexual harassment by former ring announcer Murray Hodgson, and released from the company until the charges were dropped, when he was promptly rehired.

In 1997 Patterson became an onscreen "stooge" of Vince McMahon, turning heel as a result of his involvement in the Montreal Screwjob. He and Gerald Brisco became comedy heels, aiding Vince in his rivalries with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley and The Rock. Patterson and Brisco were members of both The Corporation and The McMahon-Helmsley Faction, and used the Rick Derringer power ballad "Real American" as their entrance music to mock Hulk Hogan. They would also parody Hogan's flexing routine as they approached the ring.

On June 12, 2000 the McMahon-Helmsley Faction briefly gained control over Kane after they unmasked him, enabling Patterson to photograph his "hideously scarred" face, and threatened to "expose him to the world" if he did not comply. Kane was forced to wrestle The Rock (then his ally) in a no holds barred match. However, the film did not develop properly, and Kane turned on the Faction.

Patterson became the oldest WWF Hardcore Champion ever on June 19, 2000 after blinding reigning champion Gerald Brisco with Champagne and then breaking a second bottle over Brisco's head. On June 25 at King of the Ring 2000 Patterson defended the Championship against Brisco in an hardcore evening gown match booked by Vince McMahon after Patterson and Brisco brawled in the women's locker room. In the course of the match, Crash Holly attacked both men and pinned Patterson to become Hardcore Champion.

The Intercontinental Championship, unified with the World Heavyweight Championship on October 20, 2002, was resurrected on May 18, 2003 at Judgment Day in a Battle Royale. Patterson, as the first ever Intercontinental Champion, was at ringside to present the belt to the victor. Booker T eliminated Christian for the win, but the referee was unconscious. As Patterson attempted to give the belt to Booker T, Christian attacked him, stole the belt and used it to knock out Booker T. The referee then recovered and awarded the match to Christian.

In October 2004 Patterson retired from World Wrestling Entertainment. One of his last acts was a report for the WWE which claimed that too much time was being devoted to Triple H, the son-in-law of Vince McMahon. Patterson returned to the WWE in a limited capacity in May 2005. On August 7, 2006 WWE.com reported that Patterson had undergone emergency heart surgery to remove a large cyst from his main artery. On October 15, 2006 WWE.com further reported that Patterson had recovered from his operation and would soon be released from hospital. After retiring as a producer for WWE, he acted as a consultant. He died at his home in Florida on December 2, 2020.

Championships and accomplishments

 * American Wrestling Association
 * AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ray Stevens
 * Championship Wrestling from Florida
 * NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ivan Koloff
 * NWA Florida Television Championship (1 time)
 * International Wrestling Alliance
 * IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Art Nelson
 * Lutte Internationale
 * Canadian International Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Raymond Rougeau (2) and Pierre Lefebvre (3)
 * NWA Hollywood Wrestling
 * NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * NWA San Francisco
 * NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) (5 times)
 * NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (9 times) - with "Superstar" Billy Graham (1), Pedro Morales (1), Pepper Gomez (1), Peter Maivia (1), Moondog Mayne (1), Rocky Johnson (3), and Tony Garea (1)
 * NWA Western States Sports
 * NWA North American Heavyweight Championship(Amarillo version) (1 time)
 * New Japan Pro Wrestling
 * NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version) (1 time) - with Johnny Powers
 * Pacific Northwest Wrestling
 * NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
 * NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Tony Borne (1) and The Hangman (1)
 * World Wrestling Federation
 * WWF Hardcore Championship (1 time)
 * WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time) (First)
 * WWF North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
 * Pro Wrestling Illustrated
 * PWI Stanley Weston Award (2004)
 * PWI Ranked him #110 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
 * Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
 * Match of the Year (1981) vs. Sgt. Slaughter on April 21
 * Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
 * Worst Match of the Year (2000) vs. Gerald Brisco

Personal life
Patterson is openly gay. He first came out in the early 1970s, but his sexuality was not acknowledged publicly or in WWE storylines until the season finale of WWE Legends' House, which aired June 12, 2014.

His longtime partner was Louis Dondero. Patterson stated on WWE Legends House that they were together for 40 years and that Dondero died of a heart attack.

In August 2006, Patterson underwent emergency heart surgery. In October, Patterson recovered from his operation and was released from the hospital.

Patterson is a Roman Catholic, and was an altar boy. He expressed an interest to a priest in becoming one himself, but was advised it wouldn't work, because he was "too adventurous".