Accountability.
It’s amazing how few of us refuse to accept it.
In the latest episode of Hulk Hogan’s sinking ship of a career, we find a whimpering, bleach blonde, bandana-wearing icon begging for our forgiveness yet still refusing to take accountability for his actions. Color me not surprised.
With his bank account dwindling and the brand it took him a lifetime to create all but ruined, it must be time to make another grossly, ill-advised and staged apology. How coincidental that his impending bankruptcy coincides with his newfound social acceptance.
In a recent interview with the kinder, gentler Good Morning America, Hogan told a reporter that he’s not a racist, that he grew up in a poorer, rougher part of South Tampa and that his colloquial use of the N-word was a product of his upbringing. This explained his behavior and not the fact that he might, just be, an idiot.
What Hogan and the over-paid publicists who pushed him to make this second apology fail to realize is that it’s not his spiteful, repeated use of the word “nigger” that has us up in arms, although, don’t get me wrong, that’s certainly enough to warrant his ostracism. It’s more that he was wholeheartedly against his daughter being in a relationship with a black man, unless of course he was an eight-foot tall, basketball-playing, multi-millionaire. To keep things in their proper perspective, let’s remember that Donald Sterling didn’t use the n-word on his road to obscurity and was still forced to sell his team. As Chris Rock taught us, it’s not so much the word as it is the context in which it is used.
As a result, the weepy Hogan has resorted to blaming his old neighborhood for his antics. Hulk is 62 years old. It’s about time he stops blaming others and looks deeper inside his self to find his own flaws. Perhaps his publicist should have told him that.
We are all products of our environment. That doesn’t mean we can’t learn to differentiate right from wrong. When I was a child, I heard my father drop some spiteful racial epithets. I didn’t need any learner’s manual to tell me he was wrong. I just knew.
The only thing worse than Hulk Hogan telling someone that he didn’t want his daughter dating a black man is blaming his neighborhood for it. Does that mean everyone who grew up in that area is racist? My guess is probably not.
I know South Tampa. I worked there for years. My mother has lived there for decades. It is a predominantly white area. It is also predominantly liberal.
If Hogan hasn’t realized by now that bigotry is at best shallow and at worst immoral after his forty some odd years of traveling the world as a wrinkled-up, over-tanned, steroid-injecting, international superstar, then he is beyond hope and deserves every last envelope of hate mail he gets. One would think a man who has traveled the world would have learned the value of acceptance. I guess the Hulkster never got that memo.
And before Hulk preaches intolerance of those a different color than his own, he should probably realize that nobody is orange.
I was never a big wrestling fan so I never fully understood America’s fascination with Hulkamania. But then again I don’t understand our fascination with the Kardashians either. At least they like black people.
I’m all for second chances but Hulk’s apology is weak, contrived and a little too late for me to hold any genuine meaning. What I’d really like to hear from Mr. Hogan is why he didn’t want his daughter dating a black man in the first place and why any self-respecting minority should ever patronize his establishment again.
Until then, to the entire Hulkamania camp, please spare us the “I don’t have a racist bone in my body” rhetoric. America is not as dumb as you look. And gratuitous use of the N-word or not, if you don’t want your daughter dating a man because of his skin color, you meet the very definition of a racist.
It is poor form to blame your ignorance on your old neighborhood and all those within it who grew up practicing acceptance. I have little sympathy for a man who has spent his entire life pretending to be something he is not and is only now coming to terms with that fact. If I grew up a Hulk fan, I’d be disappointed that the man behind the yellow curtain was nothing but a sham but not nearly as disappointed as he should be in himself.
What’s the difference between Hulk Hogan , Donald Sterling and Curt Schilling ? Not a fu#king thing , once a racist flea bitten @sshole , always a racist flea bitten @sshole .
You can put lipstick on a pig…but it is still…a pig. Sincere remorse and sorrow for one’s actions is sometimes hard to ferret out. We’re not mind readers. But we do have common sense. Don’t go on GMA. Don’t hide behind your PR machine. Just get out into the community in question and do something – take action – to earn a second look and a second chance. Actions and deeds…not words. There have been enough words.
What’s the difference between those three, Al?
Well, for one, skin tone.
And the most glaring difference that sets Hogan apart from the other two is that this is a man that has used image to create what he is today.
Now that’s coming back to bite him in the ass.
This is a guy that had literally tens of millions of fans for years. He was a cult figure. The other two gentlemen can’t say that.
South Tampa’s pretty up in arms about the whole thing, Burnsy.
That was a pretty weak ploy on his part.
He grew up in Port Tampa–not exactly South Tampa–it’s certainly South IN Tampa but not what people refer to as “South Tampa”–if you know Tampa—not an excuse for this human cartoon just clarifying
No, we get that, Mark.
South Tampa definitely has it hoity-toity parts, at least now it does, and that’s not where Hogan was raised.
I believe he’s actually the one who said South Tampa in the interview but we get that he wasn’t kicking it in Palma Ceia or Bayshore as a kid.
As you suggest, regardless of the details, that’s really no excuse for his behavior. I do like the human cartoon line though.
I wonder whether business at his restaurant has suffered as a result or whether that place is going strong.
One would imagine it’s had to take a hit, no?
What did Hogan create ? It’s (wrestling) orchestrated . Since when was the WWE meant to be a sport of physical prowess, much less athleticism ? WTF ! Next you will be suggesting Caitlyn Jenner can enter the 2016 Summer Olympics and compete in the heptathlon .LOL,LOL,LOL !!!! Skin tone between the Hogan , Sterling and Schilling ? Last I looked , each are Caucasian males or am I mistaken ? You tell me ?
Tophatal ………….
Great writing, Chris. I fully agree.
Hulk Hogan has sex with one of his ex-wife’s (brags about the sex tape that accompany his deeds) best friends , apologizes for that mea-culpa and then proves himself to be an even bigger arrogant @sshole with his repeated epithets. This was not the first time Hogan has spoken in such terms but it has been the first time where the media placed him firmly within their sights . I wonder Hogan would have the balls to actually go to toe to toe with his daughter’s boyfriend at the time who just happened to be an African American (whom he denigrated with a racial epithet) much less as well the alleged epithets aimed at Dwayne Johnson allegedly ?
Second chances, Chris ? If he (Hulk Hogan) has made such statements more than once , why the ###k would you believe he deserves a second chance ?
Was there any real concern when the wrestler and his son were racing up down the streets of Tampa at high rates of speed with law enforcement giving them both passes ? Yet the moment , Nick Bollea causes his best friend to be paralyzed in a traffic accident , the press become rabid dogs , wanting to report a story, where both Hogan and his son’s actions have been utterly reprehensible in the aftermath of the accident.
Beautifully written my brotha. What I’m curious about, all those years he worked with brotha’s of color (Junk yard dawg, Booker T., Tiny “Zues” Lester Jr), did even once the “N-word” leave his lips around these guys. It’s the kids (old and young) that had the almost respect and admiration for this guy and this is how he repays them, by being a bigot. I’m going to end with this. I thank God that I was born colorblind. At the end of the day, we all bleed red. Again man, awesome piece!
Guess it’s just me or the fact that I don’t live in south FL, but to be honest about it, I haven’t watched or listened or read anything pertaining to Hulk Hogan in years. I knew he was a buffoon from the time he hit the big stage decades ago and tuned him out. Everyone can have their opinions (even pseudo celebrities) – doesn’t mean I listen to them. I live my life like I want within the bounds of society, others can live theirs the same way as long as they don’t invade my liberties / safety. In this case, I accept that he is a piece of trash and go on my way. Peace out!
What did Hogan create, Al?
You’ve heard of him, haven’t you?
Thank you, Coach.
When’s the rant coming back?
Yeah, I was just joking about the second chances thing when it comes to Hulk and his character, Al.
Call it a moment of weakness.
Thanks, Black.
That’s one thing I wondered myself.
For example, in the case of Donald Sterling, we always heard rumblings that people of color felt uncomfortable around him.
Not sure we heard the same about Hulk but by listening to the original recording, one can only assume he’s been putting on a front.
I guess that comes with living a lie for so many years.
Fuck him.
Well said, Moose.
Let’s say Michael Richards, from Seinfeld fame, had himself a restaurant.
After his rant, that all but ruined his career, how long do you think it would take that place to close, or get burned down to the ground for that matter?
I’m guessing not long.
Hulk Hogan’s place here in Tampa does a pretty fair business still. I’m not saying they shut it down but I can’t help but wonder how long that place stays under the same name and if his antics do anything to lesser the value of his brand.
Or if anyone, as you suggest, is even paying attention.
No one is orange?
Uhh…John Boehner…George Hamilton…Ernie.
As for Hulk’s language…Who gives a rats ass. Words are just that, words. Why the “N-word” is considered so toxic is beyond me. Words that are acceptable for one race to use should be acceptable for all races to use IMO. Doesn’t make it right, but if equality is the ultimate goal then it should be universal.
Damn, I stand corrected on the orange clan. George Hamilton is probably more orange than Ernie.
And I get your point on the use of the word. But like I said, it’s the hatred that comes with it.
Why the fuck should he care what race, creed or religion the guy who beds his daughter is as long as he’s not a dick to her. Sounds to me like lil ol Hulk has some issues.
I was so stunned that I had to post to agree… for the first time… with Tophatal. Say it ain’t so. Well actually I only agreed with his first post.. the rest … meh… but still it was a first.
Time for a little bit of the bubbly, I think.
You should cut and paste your other comment from the forum onto here, Tree.
I dug that one and responded to it in kind.