“I mean, I am a racist, to a point… fucking n*****s. I guess we’re all a little racist.”
Those were the words of Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea, spoken in 2007 and first published eight years later. His use of racial slurs and admission of prejudice upended how fans saw him and, after his death, reignited debate over how one of wrestling’s biggest stars should be remembered.
On July 24, 2015—exactly ten years before Hogan died last Thursday—The National Enquirer and Radar Online released quotes from a transcript of a 2007 recording from a sex tape in which Hogan criticized his daughter Brooke’s relationship with a Black man.
This wasn’t Hogan’s first scandal. By his own later admission, he lied on the Arsenio Hall show in 1991 when he greatly understated his steroid use—all while serving as a supposed role model for kids, who espoused training, saying your prayers, and taking your vitamins.
In 1996—in a story that has seldom gotten media coverage—Hogan sued a woman and her attorney for emotional distress after Hogan received a legal demand letter from them. The letter alleged that Hogan sexually assaulted the woman, Kate Kennedy, on September 2, 1995, at a hotel in Minnesota, and that he had been involved in other sexual misconduct.
The more widely known story of his racist remarks initially appeared only in text. The following year, the audio was published by Death and Taxes, when materials were unsealed as part of Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker over the outlet’s publishing of video excerpts of the sex tape in 2012.
In a conversation recorded as part of the sex tape with Heather Clem, the wife of radio host Todd “Bubba the Love Sponge” Clem, Hogan and Heather Clem can be heard having the conversation below. Hogan claimed he was unaware he was being recorded, which is illegal in Florida.
Hogan: I’m getting ready to cut some serious bait. [Inaudible] Brooke—my daughter, Brooke—[redacted], she jumped sides on me.
Heather Clem: Mmm-hmm.
Hogan: ‘Cause I shelled out two, three million bucks for her music, and [inaudible] I’ve done everything. Fucking with him day and night on the radio like a jackass, and he’s working with me to make…make work [inaudible] when [inaudible] really should call it a day and do the shit I did.
[Eight-second redaction]
Hogan: The son, he’s [inaudible] this Black billionaire guy, Cecile [Barker]. He basically did more for her in a year than anybody’s done. [Inaudible], he had one song, and after 10 months it should go to [inaudible] and [inaudible] and [inaudible]. [Inaudible sentence]. I try to be the realist, and ‘This is your option: You got a better option. [Redacted] said you can sign with [redacted].’ He’s gonna put 500 million behind [inaudible]. Right now there’s nothing else. We’re doing the best we can.
Clem: Right.
Hogan: So it gets to the point where…I don’t know if Brooke was fucking the Black guy’s son, or they’ve been hanging out. I caught them holding hands together on the tour. They were getting close to kind of [inaudible] the fucking [inaudible]. I’m not a double standard type of guy. I’m a racist to a point, y’know, fucking n*****s, but then, when it comes to nice people and [redacted]
Clem: We all are that way.
Hogan: Yeah, cool, when it comes to nice people, you gotta…you can’t, you can’t say the…
[Two-second redaction]
Hogan: I don’t give a fuck if she [inaudible] [an eight foot tall?] basketball player.
Clem: [laughs]
Hogan: If we’re gonna fuck with n*****s, let’s get a rich one!
Clem: [laughs]
Hogan: I don’t care if he’s a multi-billionaire. The thing is, now that you start doing these nasty emails…so somewhere, [inaudible] relationship, and now [inaudible] doesn’t want to talk to anybody, nanananana.
WWE’s response
WWE announced Hogan’s firing the same day the quotes were first published.
“WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds,” the company said in its statement, “as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide.”
WWE said Hogan’s contract was “terminated” in its announcement, but Hogan’s attorney, David Houston, said Hogan resigned from WWE.
“He decided to resign from WWE because he didn’t want to put them or his family through this,” Houston said at the time.
WWE removed images and references to Hogan from its website, including from the Hall of Fame, which Hogan had been inducted into in 2005. The company took down some content from the WWE Network, like episodes of the animated show Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n Wrestling, that primarily featured him.
Mattel stopped production on Hogan action figures and major retailers reportedly pulled his items from their online shops.
Hogan’s apology
Hours after his racist comments were publicized, Hogan provided a statement to People, apologizing.
“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,” Hogan said.
He added: “This is not who I am. I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise. I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs.”
How wrestlers reacted
“I’d prefer not to be thrust into this, but as the requests have been significant I feel that I have a responsibility to make a statement of some sort,” Mark Henry wrote in a statement posted to Twitter (now X) on the day the news broke.
“We all know that we have a history as it relates to the company, me and this unfortunate subject matter of racial slurs and prejudices,” Henry continued, possibly referring to at least two stories involving racism known publicly. In 2014, Henry said he refused an idea from WWE creative to be referred to as the “Silverback,” a reference to gorillas which would’ve played into a racist stereotype. And in 2008, WWE creative executive Michael Hayes was reportedly suspended for two months after telling Henry at a party, “I’m more n****r than you are.”
“I’m disappointed in the comments made by Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan),” Henry wrote in another part of the statement. “I’ve known Terry a 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 the WWE took swift action in response to his comments and I support the position the organization is taking in this matter: a no tolerance approach to racism.”
Booker T tweeted: “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.”
Still, others defended Hogan.
“Kamala” James Harris said on a podcast: “This is me personally now: I do not think Hogan meant harm by saying that, and Hogan is my brother until he decides not to be.”
Mike “Virgil” Jones told TMZ he was saddened when he read Hogan’s comments and that he doesn’t condone racism, but added, “You can only judge a person based on past experience. Hulk Hogan has never given me a reason to believe he is a racist.”
Dennis Rodman, who memorably worked with Hogan in WCW, was also supportive.
“I’ve known @HulkHogan for 25 years,” Rodman wrote on Twitter. He added: “There isn’t a racist bone in that man’s body.”
Hogan’s racist language in a 2008 conversation with his son
Days after quotes from that conversation were first made public, another conversation in which Hogan used the “n” word was published.
On July 27, 2015, Bay News 9 in Tampa published quotes from a May 2008 jailhouse phone conversation between Hogan and his son, Nick Bollea.
As his son was serving jail time, Hogan referred to Nick using the “n” word and mused concern about whether they would be reincarnated as Black people and discussed the possibility of Nick being transferred to a prison with a largely Black population, using “-izz” modified words—a form of speech rooted in both hip-hop slang and wrestling carny language—seemingly to talk around references to Black people.
The following was published by Bay News 9.
“You and me been sitting on some serious phone, phone dialogue here n***a,” Hogan said.
“Yeah, nibb-ah,” Nick said.
“N***a, n***a, that means, that means you (are) my best friend,” said Hogan.
Nick was serving an eight month sentence for a car crash that left his friend, John Graziano, permanently disabled. In another phone call, Hogan talks about God and re-incarnation.
“You know that God gave you this vibe and this, this, energy that you and I are going to live forever, bro,” he said. “I just hope we don’t come back as a couple, I don’t want to say it, blizz-ack gizz-uys, you know what I’m saying?”
“Brutal,” Nick responded after they both laughed.
Hogan also talked to Nick about possibly being transferred from the adult jail to juvenile hall.
“It’s down in St. Pete and it’s mixed-race and we get along with everybody, so that’s fine,” Nick said.
Hulk said, “Your mom went there and said it was mainly blizz, you know what I’m sizz-aying?”
“Mm-hm,” Nick said.
Hulk responded, “And that some of the ladies there that, you know, run the school are nice blizz lizz-adies, you know?”
“Mm-hm…. I would go down there, I would make friends with all those kids down there,” said Nick. “I guarantee it. Because you know how all the blizz pizz love us.”
Hogan’s homophobic language
The next day, on July 28, 2015, Radar Online published a follow up, releasing more quotes from the sex tape, in which Hogan made homophobic comments in a conversation with Heather and Bubba “The Love Sponge” Clem, recorded around 2007 or 2008.
“VH1 wanted me to do a big thing and go back to the house I grew up in,” Hogan says, discussing his reality show, Hogan Knows Best. “So we knock on the door, and a big f-g lives there now.”
“This half-gay was enamored with Linda,” Hogan added, referring to his wife at the time.
Bubba “The Love Sponge” can also be heard saying to Hogan, “Who’s your n***a?” as he gives Hogan a pair of sunglasses as a gift.
Hogan asks for forgiveness on ABC
A month after his use of slurs made news, Hogan was interviewed by Amy Robach of ABC, asking the public for forgiveness. Portions of the interview aired on Good Morning America and Nightline.
“I was at the lowest point of my life,” Hogan said of the time when the comments were recorded. “My personal life was destroyed. I was very mad at my daughter. I was upset over a situation that happened between her and her boyfriend and I had no idea I was being taped.”
Hogan said he was so distraught at the time that he contemplated suicide.
“I was to the point where I wanted to kill myself. I sat in my bathroom by myself when my ex-wife was gone and the kids were gone and I was completely broken and destroyed and I said what’s the easiest way out of this. I mean I was lost.”
He denied harboring any bias about who his daughter, Brooke Hogan, chose to date.
“Actually, the guy my daughter was dating, I liked him a lot. I’ve known him for quite a while and I was very mad at a personal situation that happened with my daughter.”
Hogan addressed his use of racist language but didn’t clearly address his homophobic words that were also reported.
He also denied being a racist.
“I’m not a racist. I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I’m embarrassed by it but a lot of people need to realize that you inherit things from your environment and where I grew up was South Tampa, Port Tampa, and it was a really rough neighborhood, very low income and all my friends, we greeted each other saying that word. We teased each other saying that word. The word was just thrown around like it was nothing.”
In response to that part of the interview, 10 News in Tampa spoke with neighbors who say they grew around Hogan and contradicted him.
“That was not the culture where Terry [Bollea] grew up,” Linda Bryant, a neighbor, told the local news outlet, and denied ever hearing the “n” word growing up. “That was not the culture when Terry grew up here.”
Another unnamed neighbor said: “There was a time this area was poor but we didn’t say that word… My daughter’s not like that. My son’s not like that.”
Elsewhere in the interview with ABC, Hogan admitted it was fair to say he inherited a racial bias.
“I would say that is very, very fair, but you can break the cycle, and that’s what everybody needs to know. You can break this cycle and become a better person, who you’re meant to be instead of who you’re supposed to be.”
Hogan expressed disbelief over WWE’s decision to cut ties with him following the release of the recording. He seemed to see the consequences he faced as too severe for what he framed as a private mistake.
“I was totally shocked, because I’ve worked with the WWE for almost 30 years off and on and then all of the sudden, everything I’d done, my whole career and my whole life was like it never happened.”
He reflected on the company’s effort to distance itself from him, saying it was “like I never existed.”
“That had to hurt,” Robach chimed in.
“Oh my gosh, it was devastating. It just, it destroyed me. I mean, I just, I don’t know how to say it other than that it was my whole life.”
He said his daughter Brooke had forgiven him and had offered support, including in a social media post. Hogan said if anyone was right not to forgive her, it was her, as many of the comments were about his frustration with her dating life.
“Just because a person makes a mistake, just don’t throw them away. You don’t throw good people away. If everybody at their lowest point was judged on one thing they said and all of the sudden your whole career was wiped out today because of something you said ten or twenty years ago, it’d be a sad world,” Hogan said, though the remarks in question had been made eight years earlier.
“People get better every day. People get better.”
Hogan’s return to WWE in 2018 and meeting with talent
On July 15, 2018, WWE announced Hogan had been reinstated into the company’s Hall of Fame. WWE referred to his absence as a “suspension,” though the company made no mention of suspending Hogan when he was terminated three years prior, or in the time between.
“This second chance follows Hogan’s numerous public apologies and volunteering to work with young people, where he is helping them learn from his mistake,” WWE’s statement read. “These efforts led to a recent induction into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame.”
The same day, Hogan was given a meeting with all WWE talent in Pittsburgh at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
Paul Levesque reportedly introduced Hogan while mentioning the risks of being a public figure who may be recorded at any time without knowing it.
Hogan followed by apologizing again for his racist comments, he shook hands with many, and was in tears. However, the meeting was poorly received by some for framing the lesson around not getting caught rather than addressing the substance of Hogan’s words.
— Kofi Kingston (@TrueKofi) July 18, 2018
Kofi Kingston posted a lengthy statement on Twitter on behalf of himself and his New Day partners Big E and Xavier Woods.
This will be the only statement we will make regarding Hogan’s reinstatement into WWE’s Hall of Fame. We do not wish to spend the energy debating the point, because between our kids, our external ventures, and this job, our energy is spread thin enough already, lol.
We are only writing this simply to provide an answer to the many who have bombarded us with questions on where we stand on the issue.
We preface this statement by emphasizing that this is our own opinion and may not necessarily reflect the opinion of anyone else affected.
How do we feel? Indifferent. We are not happy, or sad, angry or resentful. Who WWE puts into the HOF is totally and completely up to the company and from a career standpoint, there is no argument on whether or not Hogan should have his place. We have no problem with his re-induction in the slightest degree. It is impossible to even begin to mention the history and evolution of the business without mentioning his name and accolades.
On a personal level, when someone makes racist and hateful comments about any race or group of people, especially to the degree that Hogan made about our people, we find it difficult to simply forget, regardless of how long ago it was, or the situation in which those comments were made. But we also do not respond with more feelings of hate. Instead, we just do not associate with people who convey or have conveyed this negative and hurtful mindset. This instance will be no different. Perhaps if we see him make a genuine effort to change, then maybe our opinion will change with him. Time will tell.
Through the course of our lives, people have used racist comments towards us and it doesn’t feel good. But if we stopped moving forward every time we were met with prejudicial hatred, then we would have never achieved our current accomplishments.
We know we are worth it, we know our kids are worth it, and most importantly, we know that people that look like us are worth it and always have been. There isn’t a person on this planet who will ever be able to say anything to make us think otherwise because we believe in ourselves as a people and don’t need anyone’s approval on that, regardless of who they are.
My TRUTH!! pic.twitter.com/3HgsmXOOEg
— Titus O'Neil (@TitusONeilWWE) July 18, 2018
Titus O’Neil, who went on to co-host WrestleMania with Hogan three years later in Tampa, also posted a message.
As to the reinstatement of Mr. Bollea, I can only communicate that I am a proponent of second and even third changes for individuals that show true remorse, acknowledgment of wrongdoing, fulfill their punishment, if applicable, and otherwise put forth sincere efforts to correct the issues.
Unfortunately, I must echo the sentiment and dissatisfaction express by many of my fellow contemporaries concerning Mr. Bollea’s apology and its lack of true contrition, remorse and a desire to change. Mr. Bollea’s apology “that he didn’t know he was being recorded” is not remorse for the hateful and violent utterances he made which reprise language that has caused violence against blacks and minorities for centuries.
I stand firm in my position that Mr. Bollea is entitled to reinstatement; he was and is a role model, hero and icon to countless people. I hope that Mr. Bollea’s missteps in communicating to the WWE talent in Pittsburgh are not repeated to his fans and I expect that he shall pursue an agenda that clearly communicates to all third parties that his language was inappropriate, wrong and should not be tolerated in a civilized and inclusive society.
As the father of two young black men, I have spent their entire life and the majority of my adult life with a singular focus; being a role model for my children and young black boys and girls. I take tremendous pride in my charity work and the community outreach programs that I have fostered via the platform I have been given. I teach my sons love and tolerance for everybody, but I also teach them to operate in truth and respect.
Hogan’s return to WWE programming was as a surprise on November 2, 2018, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, removed from a U.S. crowd who might not have received him as warmly.
In 2024, amid his endorsement of Donald Trump’s run for U.S. President, Hogan was seen on video mocking opposing candidate Kamala Harris’s race.
In a promotional appearance at a bar in Ohio, Hogan asked the crowd if they wanted to see him body slam Harris, then said: “Is Kamala a chameleon? Is she Indian?” making reference to Harris’s biracial identity as both Asian American and African American.
Hogan then made a stereotypical Native American greeting gesture, uttered, “How!” and quipped into the microphone that he was “going to get heat for that one.” He added, “That was the beers talking.”
In what turned out to be his final appearance at a pro wrestling event, Hogan was booed by the crowd in Los Angeles last January during the Netflix debut of WWE Monday Night Raw. It wasn’t the reaction WWE and Hogan intended, as he was on the premiere to promote his new “Real American” beer brand.
The next month, he appeared on the Pat McAfee Show. At one point in the lengthy interview, McAfee seemed to give him an opening to address his past comments and how his attempts to apologize were received.
“And obviously there’s a lot of fans that have experienced a lot of things with you over the years,” McAfee said. “You know, because like I mentioned earlier, 40 years in the spotlight, there’s a lot of shit. You regret a lot? You regret a lot of the shit?”
Hogan responded: “Yeah, you gotta ride the highs and survive the lows. The first thing I regret is being so stupid in the ring at the time.” He pivoted into an oft-repeated notion that he’d wished he’d not used the leg drop as a finisher because of the damage it did to his spine.
Discussing the crowd’s response to Hogan in LA at the Raw premiere, Mark Henry revealed he previously invited Hogan to join him in public appearances that might’ve changed how he was viewed, but Hogan wasn’t interested.
“[Hogan] never wanted to go forward and fix it,” Henry told TMZ earlier this year. “That’s what happens when you think that everything is gonna go away. It’s not gonna go away.”
“He thinks it’s gonna go away.” Henry said. “That it’s not gonna be that dark cloud over his career. I offered to say hey, ‘Let’s do a tour of the Black colleges and law schools, and explain what happened.’ He didn’t want to do that.”
