Hulk Hogan offers up apology for racial tirade that got him fired by WWE
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who was fired by WWE on Friday, has publicly apologized for the racial rant that earned his pink slip.
Terry Bolea, the wrestler commonly known as Hulk Hogan, came under heavy fire on Thursday when Radar Online and the National Enquirer released a documented transcription of Hogan using racial slurs in a conversation with Heather Clem, former wife of Bubba The Love Sponge. The leaked documents led to the WWE immediately pulling all record of Hogan off of the company’s website and stores, and subsequently to the WWE letting him go this morning.
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Now with the damage done, and his new catch-phrase of “we’re all a little racist” burning up social media, the wrestling legend has issued a statement apologizing for his actions. People magazine was the first with the exclusive statement from Hogan.
"“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.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,” Hogan told PEOPLE. “I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs.”"
However, the conversation between Hogan and Clem, for which the apology is directed at, may be the least of his issues and there may be more to his firing by the WWE. Marc Lamont-Hill, who works as a CNN commentator and also for the BET News network, has released additional information about Hogan’s other tirades. These ones are purportedly toward Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and possibly other members of the WWE locker room.
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
If this latest report is true, the apology issued today and its assertion that it was a one-time incident become null and void pretty quickly. They instead show a steady history of such incidents, some that could in fact create a rift within the WWE itself. With that said, it is pretty clear as to why the WWE chose to immediately and swiftly sever ties with Hogan, clearing the organization and its wrestlers as far from the scandal as possible.
It’ll be interesting to see in the coming days what statements come from the rest of the WWE locker room or even from Hogan himself. There is still a lot of damage control to be done here, and the man’s legacy is truly at stake.
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