Black Widow
01-10-2009, 03:14 PM
WINNIPEG — Professional wrestler Chris Jericho returned Friday to the college where he got his start in front of the camera, picking up the school’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Jericho, whose real name is Chris Irvine, graduated in 1990 from the Creative Communications program at Winnipeg’s Red River College.
He was named as a recipient of the award at June convocation, but was unavailable to travel to Edmonton at the time.
“It was a perfect class to take,” the World Wrestling Entertainment star said at a ceremony at the school. “It gave me a chance to get confidence on camera.”
Born in Manhasset, N.Y., where his father, Ted Irvine was playing left-wing for the New York Rangers, Jericho moved to Winnipeg when his father retired from the National Hockey League.
At 17, Jericho was selected from roughly 150 applicants for 50 seats in the Red River College’s communications program.
For a class assignment, Jericho and his group shot a video to the song “Kings of Metal” by the leather-clad, sometimes nearly-nude metal band Manowar.
“So we all walked around the streets of Winnipeg in loincloths, walking down the median of the street with the cars going by, with Burger King crowns on our head because we’re the kings of metal,” Jericho reminisced.
When his class watched the video, the reaction was unanimous.
“The whole class was howling in laughter because it was so preposterous,” Jericho said.
After the ceremony, Jericho moved on to a scheduled WWE Raw event held at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre.
Larry Partap, now the chairman for the Creative Arts department at Red River College, recalls interviewing the 17 year-old Jericho for the program.
“The fact he got in says something about him at that age.” Partap said.
journalpioneer.com
Jericho, whose real name is Chris Irvine, graduated in 1990 from the Creative Communications program at Winnipeg’s Red River College.
He was named as a recipient of the award at June convocation, but was unavailable to travel to Edmonton at the time.
“It was a perfect class to take,” the World Wrestling Entertainment star said at a ceremony at the school. “It gave me a chance to get confidence on camera.”
Born in Manhasset, N.Y., where his father, Ted Irvine was playing left-wing for the New York Rangers, Jericho moved to Winnipeg when his father retired from the National Hockey League.
At 17, Jericho was selected from roughly 150 applicants for 50 seats in the Red River College’s communications program.
For a class assignment, Jericho and his group shot a video to the song “Kings of Metal” by the leather-clad, sometimes nearly-nude metal band Manowar.
“So we all walked around the streets of Winnipeg in loincloths, walking down the median of the street with the cars going by, with Burger King crowns on our head because we’re the kings of metal,” Jericho reminisced.
When his class watched the video, the reaction was unanimous.
“The whole class was howling in laughter because it was so preposterous,” Jericho said.
After the ceremony, Jericho moved on to a scheduled WWE Raw event held at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre.
Larry Partap, now the chairman for the Creative Arts department at Red River College, recalls interviewing the 17 year-old Jericho for the program.
“The fact he got in says something about him at that age.” Partap said.
journalpioneer.com