Backstage News – How WWE Is Handling The Hulk Hogan Fallout

Jul 24, 2015

UPDATE 14: Here is the latest on how WWE is handling the current fallout of the Hulk Hogan situation with its licensees and promotional partners. According to sources, WWE has told all of its licensees and partners that they currently work with that all references, images and all current licensing projects involving Hulk Hogan have to be dropped immediately.

This would includes projects involving action figures, streaming music or anything Hulk Hogan related under the WWE umbrella. Those projects have been terminated and/or are in the process of getting terminated as we speak.

UPDATE x 13: TMZ has updated its story with comments from former WCW and WWE Superstar Virgil, who has come to Hogan’s defense and says he does not believe Hogan is racist. Virgil says he was saddened when he read about Hulk Hogan’s comments on the tape and said he does not condone racism or racist behavior.

However, he stated on Hogan, “You can only judge a person based on past experience. Hulk Hogan has never given me a reason to believe he is a racist.”

105.3 The Fan out of Dallas, Texas recently spoke to WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan and asked for his thoughts on the recent controversy regarding Hulk Hogan’s racist rant. Below was his response on the matter:

“I’ve never seen that side of him and it’s crazy, all this stuff, like I just …the first time I heard about it was an interview about 20 minutes ago, because I’ve been doing book-signing stuff like all day [laughs]. Yesterday, I got back to my hotel room at about 10-or-11-o’clock last night and then I woke up this morning just in time to start doing phoners, and everyone is like, ‘Hey! What do you think about this thing with Hulk Hogan?’ I’m like, ‘Wait, what thing? What are you talking about?’ And like, I had no idea. So, yeah, not in any of my dealings with him.”

UPDATE x 12: WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper appeared on Rick Eisen’s DirecTV Audience Network talk show today (July 24), and during the interview segment, Piper was asked about the situation regarding Hulk Hogan and the controversy surrounding Hogan’s racist rant. Piper seemed to have gotten off track and made some very strange and bizarre comments in response.

Piper responded that he’s been fired by Vince McMahon five times, “It is an honor.” He then added that he is a family man and his son is his best friend. He then reportedly mentioned that he played bagpipes and placed fifth in the world.

Piper continued: “When I would go into Madison Square Garden, I wasn’t the most popular guy. Madison Square Garden there’s 16,000 Puerto Ricans with knives and great radios and stuff… They pick it up from L.A. …and that’s how they got it, and that’s how they knew that I was there.” He also said that when fans saw him in a kilt at MSG, they would chant homophobic slurs at him. Piper also talked about going into a Mexican restaurant that had a “gringo burger.”

Eisen reportedly tried to get things back on track and asked what was Piper’s point regarding the Hogan story. Piper responded: “That’s a good question. My point is that, boy, you guys are sensitive. Hang on. I know people who have to get up to walk five miles for water first thing in the morning. I’m just saying this literally happens to me my whole life. With Hulkster, I don’t agree with all his choices, you know what, I don’t hear people saying all the great things he does. When he was on the Wheaties’ Box, all those kids that said their prayers and took their vitamins. I don’t hear them saying that. They just want to nail this.”

He then started to rant about a little boy in jail and how Brooke Hogan’s name isn’t Brooke Hogan, and he said: “I just think it is a little… I think everybody needs to get a life. I don’t think that anybody should just go to hurt your feelings for no reason.” After that, Piper spoke about being on the board of Stand for the Silent charity.

Following the segment, Eisen remarked, “Well, that was something.” He also apologized that Piper’s homophobic slur made the air uncensored.

UPDATE 11: WWE Superstar and former world heavyweight champion Mark Henry has issued the following statement to the public on the Hulk Hogan racism scandal, regarding racist comments Hogan made in a tape. The transcripts of the rant were recently released this week. You can read Henry’s full statement below:

“Unfortunately, I’m getting hounded today by media regarding my thoughts and experiences with Hulk Hogan. I’d prefer not to be thrust into this, but as the requests have been significant I feel I have a responsibility to make a statement of some sort. At a minimum to ease my personal burden regarding this topic.

We all know that we have history as it relates to the company, me and this unfortunate subject matter of racial slurs and prejudices. I don’t want to and will not re-hash that, but I do want people to know that I do not condone racist behavior or speech of any manner. Again, I do not plan to speak on what happened in the past, but I would like to offer this statement about the current situation and events that hit the news today.

I’m disappointed in the comments made by Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan). I’ve known Terry a very long time as both a work colleague and as someone I consider a friend. I’m hurt and offended that he expressed his feelings in the manner and tone that was presented on the tape. I am however, pleased that WWE took swift action in response to his comments and I support the position the organization is taking on this matter: a no tolerance approach to racism.”

UPDATE 10: Hulk Hogan has issued an apology for the offensive language he used in a sex tape years ago. He told TMZ the following:

“Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it.”

“I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs. It is not who I am. I continue to work every day to improve as a person, and this matter is an important learning experience for me in that regard.”

TMZ adds that the part of the sex tape in question featuring Hogan’s racist rant is expected to come out later this year when the Hogan/Gawker lawsuit goes to trial.

UPDATE 9: As of writing this, TNA has not yet pulled Hulk Hogan off of its alumni page. His merchandise is also still available on ShopTNA.

UPDATE x 8: Hulk Hogan’s attorney told TMZ that Hogan was NOT fired but resigned from WWE late last night. WWE sources dispute that claim.

UPDATE x 7: RadarOnline.com has released a report on the developing Hulk Hogan scandal. The alleged racist statements by Hulk Hogan were reportedly made in his unauthorized sex tape with Heather Clem, the ex-wife of Hogan’s former friend Bubba “The Love Sponge.”

The reported vulgar and racist statements were apparently directed at his daughter Brooke, who he accused of sleeping with a black man. Hogan is quoted as saying the following:

”She is making some real bad decisions now. My daughter Brooke jumped sides on me. I spent $2-3 million on her music career, I’ve done everything like a jackass for her. The one option Brooke had, Brooke’s career besides me, is [to] sell beach records.” They claim Hogan was mad because a “black billionaire guy” had offered to fund her music career. They then quoted Hogan as saying, “I don’t know if Brooke was fuc*ing the black guy’s son. I mean, I don’t have double standards. I mean, I am a racist, to a point, fuc*ing ni**ers. But then when it comes to nice people and s*it, and whatever.” They claim he later said, “I mean, I’d rather if she was going to f*ck some n*gger, I’d rather have her marry an 8-foot-tall n*gger worth a hundred million dollars! Like a basketball player! I guess we’re all a little racist. F*cking n*gger.”

The transcripts of the tape were filed in a Florida Court and sealed in order to prevent them from ever being released publicly. However, the contents of the tape still came out from “five independent sources.” RadarOnline is also promising “more” from the tapes to come later on.

UPDATE x 6: CM Punk seemed to be getting a lot of enjoyment out of the Hulk Hogan racist comments scandal that erupted early this morning. He tweeted the following:

@RyanLoco Booker told him he was coming for him. Well, he finally got 'em.

— Coach (@CMPunk) July 24, 2015

Waiting patiently for a Hogan/Cosby meme to further shatter all our memories and innocence from the 80's.

— Coach (@CMPunk) July 24, 2015

@CMPunk Now we know why he doesn't like the BLACKhawks.

— Danny (@Danny_Jackpot) July 24, 2015

Booker T tweeted the following about the story:

I am shocked by the statements made by Hulk Hogan. It's unfortunate, but that's something that he's going to have to deal with.

— Booker T. Huffman (@BookerT5x) July 24, 2015

Jim Ross tweeted the following:

I don't know the details of the Hulk-WWE situation & choose to not comment until the facts are made public.

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) July 24, 2015

Mike “Virgil” Jones also tweeted the following before deleting it: “Don’t be takin @HulkHogan words out of text. That man has done more for me than almost anybody man.”

UPDATE x 5: Ric Flair’s name has come up as a potential replacement for Hulk Hogan as a judge on Tough Enough. While Flair’s name has been discussed, no final decision has been made. The replacement will ultimately be decided by Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn. WWE Tough Enough has been such a high priority for WWE that Vince McMahon has skipped the WWE SmackDown tapings on Tuesday nights to oversee the show’s production at Full Sail University every week.

Flair is also the top prospect to replace Hulk Hogan
on WWE’s tour of Australia.
For what it’s worth, Mick Foley has been campaigning to be a judge on Tough Enough but one source was adamant in saying “that’s simply not going to happen.”

UPDATE x 4: WWE Hall of Famer and TV broadcaster Booker T has commented on the controversy surrounding Hulk Hogan’s racist rant. You can read his comments on Twitter below. Booker T also calls back to his infamous promo from WCW Spring Stampede 1997 where he used the “n-word” when referring to Hulk Hogan in a wrestling promo.

20 years ago I made a huge mistake by saying something I shouldn't have on National TV.

— Booker T. Huffman (@BookerT5x) July 24, 2015

It's 2015 and the n-word should be eradicated from the English language in my opinion.

— Booker T. Huffman (@BookerT5x) July 24, 2015

I am shocked by the statements made by Hulk Hogan. It's unfortunate, but that's something that he's going to have to deal with.

— Booker T. Huffman (@BookerT5x) July 24, 2015

UPDATE x 3: WWE has now confirmed to us that it has in fact severed ties with Hulk Hogan and provided us with an official statement on the matter. WWE has terminated its contract with Hogan, and the rest of the statement suggests there is legitimacy to the claims of Hogan making some overtly racist statement. You can read WWE’s full statement on the issue below:

“WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan). WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide.”

This same statement is now posted on the WWE.com website.

UPDATE x 2: The following is from TMZ.com:

Hulk Hogan has mysteriously gone MIA from the WWE’s website at the exact same time reports started swirling about new audio of him throwing around the n-word is about to be released.

Hulk’s image and name have been completely scrubbed from the WWE’s main site … as well as its Hall of Fame site — but the n-word part of this story is complicated. Fact is … Hogan’s been recorded several times using the word … and it’s unclear which, if any, prompted the WWE to take action.

During a 2012 satellite radio interview … he dropped the n-word repeatedly while discussing run-ins he’d had with Birdman, Lil Wayne and fellow wrestler Booker T. But that audio was widely publicized when it first came out … so, seems unlikely that’s it.

More likely … it’s tied to Hogan’s current lawsuit over his sex tape. Audio of him using the n-word while discussing someone working with his daughter is reportedly going to be entered as evidence when the trial begins.

We’ve reached out to the WWE and Hulk … no word back from either yet.

UPDATE: More details are starting to come in regarding this story with Hulk Hogan allegedly making racist statements. The National Enquirer claims to have the tapes of Hulk Hogan making repeated racist statements. Those tapes were shared with WWE, which led to the company distancing itself from Hogan and removing references of him from the official website. The offending tapes will reportedly be released later today.

In addition, The Huffington Post has reported on some more rumored details on Hogan’s rant, which suggest that the statements that have gotten Hogan in trouble may have something to do with The Rock. Sources claim to have seen the transcripts of the audio tapes, where he refers to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in racist terms. Currently, The Rock is one of Hollywood’s top stars, and he is still on very good terms with WWE.

Journalist Marc Lamont Hill has claimed to have seen the transcripts of the audio of Hogan’s rant and posted the following on Twitter:

I haven't gotten confirmed audio yet, but the transcripts that I've seen have Hogan calling The Rock the "N-word" and "sambo" among others.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) July 24, 2015

Hulk Hogan is the iconic wrestling figure of the 20th century, perhaps the biggest ever. For the WWE to disappear him is a BIG DEAL.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) July 24, 2015

After this story broke, a video of an interview with Hulk Hogan using the “n-word” has been re-circulated online. The interview aired on Eminem’s Sirius XM hip-hop channel Shade 45. You can check out a video of the interview below. Keep in mind, the interview is from 2012, and appears to not be the one that has gotten Hogan in trouble for this latest incident.

ORIGINAL: Hulk Hogan is gone from WWE as noted earlier here on the website. Late Thursday night, the company removed all references to Hogan from WWE.com. This includes, in a rare stroke, his profile in the WWE Hall of Fame section of the page. He is also no longer listed among the judges for Tough Enough, nor is his merchandise available in WWEShop.com.

A source has indicated that Curtis Axel’s “Axelmania” gimmick has also been dropped immediately, and that WWE.com’s staff was told to remove every reference to Hogan as quickly as possible. As recently as the end of SmackDown, there were still references to Hogan on the main page.

In possibly-related news, Hogan posted the following, rather vague affirmation to his Twitter account late last night: