Patty Breton, whose real name is Patricia Cornwall, is a former Baywatch actress and NFL cheerleader. Recently, she became famous for another reason – she was caught on video slapping a man on an airplane after an argument about masks.
Breton was arrested and charged with assault for the incident after it exploded on social media. She was traveling on Delta Airlines from Tampa to Georgia on Dec. 23. A fellow passenger posted the video the next day and quickly went viral.
According to an affidavit obtained by The New York Post, Breton was headed back to her seat after using the restroom when she asked a flight attendant for help because there was a beverage cart in the way.
The attendant told Cornwall to find an open seat in the meantime, and that’s when the fireworks started.
“What am I, Rosa Parks?” Cornwall reportedly said. That comment drew ire from a man who didn’t like the implications of Cornwall, a white woman, comparing herself to a Black civil rights legend.
According to the document, he told Cornwall that she “isn’t Black … this isn’t Alabama, and this isn’t a bus,” according to the document.
The video captured the rest of the back and forth. Cornwall tells the gentleman, who appears to be older, “don’t you dare talk to me like that.”
The man says, “Goddammit, I’ll talk to you any fucking way I want to.”
She tells him to “stand your ass up,” while he yells “sit down,” and an attendant grabs her arm.
“You’re a goddamn Karen, sit down,” the man yells again.
Then she says, “sit down, pussy” even though he’s already sitting down.
“No, you’re the pussy, he answers.
“No, you’re the dick,” she fires back.
The incident culminates with Cornwall being told to put on her mask and saying, “what about him,” in reference to the man.
“You got your mask down, bitch” he said.
She slaps him.
“Now you’re going to jail,” the man said. And he was right.
The former actress has worked as a real estate agent in the past and has a profile with Coldwell Banker Realty. However, her license expired in 2017. She also posted online that she wants to move to Florida permanently.
According to IMDB, she was on one episode of Baywatch in 1987 and also appeared on Married … with Children in 1989. She’s also appeared in Playboy.
In the early ’90s, she was a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Raiders.
Cornwall was arrested in Atlanta and taken into custody by the FBI. She posted a $20,000 bond and can only fly back to Los Angeles.