WWE legend Pat Patterson has come out as gay.
As TMZ first reported, the 73-year-old wrestling icon spoke at length about his sexuality for the first time publicly in a clip from the reality series, “Legends’ House.”
“For once in my life, I’m gonna be me now,” a teary-eyed Patterson says. “I survived all this, being gay … I lived with that for 50-something years.”
Fortunately, the response Patterson then receives from his “Legends’ House” cast mates is truly heartwarming.
The announcement actually is pretty dated by modern standards. The WWE Network filmed the inaugural season of Legends’ House in 2012, notes Bleacher Report, so that means Patterson had to wait a few years before his out-of-the-closet announcement finally was made on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, WWE commentator Jim Ross suggested that Patterson’s declaration came as no surprise to wrestling industry insiders.
“@Jmhixson6932: @JRsBBQ any comment on Pat Patterson coming out on legend house” Happy for Pat but old news. It shouldn’t matter.
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) June 13, 2014
Pat Patterson is one of the greatest minds in the business. As if you couldn’t respect him any more, you watch #LegendsHouse. #WWE — Scott Fishman (@smFISHMAN) June 13, 2014
Professional wrestling’s very first intercontinental champion, Patterson also is credited with being the brainchild behind McMahon’s lucrative Royal Rumble franchise. But he’s not the first big WWE star to announce that he’s gay of late. Last year, modern superstar Darren Young came out of the closet, but that’s technically a year after Patterson made his lifestyle known to his peers.
