By Ryan Cook
Pat Patterson says talents who claim they weren't hired by WWE because they're not gay simply couldn't cut the mustard.
WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson, recently published his first ever novel detailing his life and career in professional wrestling as a performer until today behind the scenes in World Wrestling Entertainment. In the book, titled Accepted: How The First Gay Superstar Changed WWE, Patterson makes note of the struggles of having to hide his sexual preference in an age of professional wrestling that was fully enveloped in homophobia. He also makes note about how he had been accused by a number of talents that he did not hire them solely on the basis that they themselves were not gay. Patterson was responsible for scouting and signing major talents, most notably The Rock.
Newsweek has published an excerpt from the novel that comes out August 9th on how he discovered Johnson and his thoughts on talents who said he hadn't hired them because of the sexual preference.
"With some guys, like The Rock, you only had to explain the essence of the business once, and they get it instinctively, and go on to enhance your vision. But on the other hand, there are guys you can explain it to a million times and you’re never really going to get what you need. But it’s your job as a producer to make sure the company’s vision comes across anyway.
There are very good wrestlers who are never going to be the performer that Vince sees as the guy. The reality is: you have to convince the director of the movie that you’re right for the part. Some guys are just not good enough for WWE. It’s hard to meet with so many aspiring Superstars without letting down a few people along the way. I always liked to help the new guys. But I’m never personally on a mission, because if Vince doesn’t hire them, there’s not much I can do.
Over the years, I’ve just ignored all casting-couch innuendo made toward me and my work at WWE. I was smarter than that. It still hurts, but there was really no way for me to defend myself. I became the disappointed wannabe wrestler’s ultimate excuse for why they weren’t offered a contract. And that’s just silly. People who were unhappy used the fact that I am gay to get back at WWE. To all the people who have ever said they weren’t hired because they were not gay, I can only say, “Guys, I’m sorry. You were just not good enough.”
You can purchase Pat Patterson's new book Accepted: How The First Gay Superstar Changed The WWE on Amazon which is available for preorder in hardcover and kindle.
