Hulk Hogan (Photo Credit: Mike Kalasnik/Flickr)
For the uninitiated, a “heel” in wrestling spaces is someone who generates negative emotions from the crowd during a match.
Every Generation X wrestling fan remembers everything about wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, from when he picked up and slammed Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania to orchestrating the formation of pro wrestling’s most iconic faction, the New World Order (NWO), his match with The Rock, and everything in between.
Unlike WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Hogan, unfortunately, sees color.
Due to Hogan’s real-life heel turn, which includes racist incidents, his wrestling-adjacent persona took a nasty hit earlier this week during the most important moment in wrestling history when WWE debuted “Raw” on the streaming service Netflix.
When Hogan’s “Real American” theme song rang out as he entered the arena, fans booed him with the type of heat he’s probably never heard.
Hulk Hogan getting boo’d out of the arena 🔥
YOU LOVE TO SEE IT!#RAWOnNetflixpic.twitter.com/66aQoLkfPP
— The Movement – Pro Wrestling (@TheMovementXx) January 7, 2025
When you’re connected to a song where the lyrics state: “I’m a real American. Fight for the rights of every man,” those words ring hollow.
Some have said Hogan was booed solely because of his bombastic support for President-elect Donald Trump and because the show took place in Los Angeles, in California, a solidly Democratic-leaning state.
Let’s stop that narrative in its tracks.
The show kicked off with The Rock, a self-proclaimed political “centrist” who has previous affiliations with Democrats and Republicans.
Later in the show, WWE legend The Undertaker, an unapologetic longtime MAGA supporter, received a raucous ovation from the rabid crowd.
The Undertaker, who had then-presidential candidate Trump as a guest on his podcast, makes occasional appearances on WWE programming such as Wrestlemania and NXT, the company’s minor league program.
The Rock and The Undertaker don’t have a negative reputation, nor do they have the unforced errors Hogan has curated for himself over time. Modern-day wrestling fans seem to see through Hogan’s tired and played-out theatrics and want nothing to do with him.
Currently, there’s a generation of wrestling fans whose frame of reference regarding Hogan isn’t his leg drop finishing move, the NWO, his reality television series with his family or his longtime crossover appeal. It’s his documented history of terrible behavior, including racism and union busting.
Hulk Hogan performing a leg drop on Jerry Blackwell during a professional wrestling match, circa 1982 (Public Domain).
After a lengthy apology in 2015 for the racist incident, one would think a high-profile person like Hogan would stay away from anything remotely related to the original controversy.
The way apologies are most effective has to do with admitting responsibility and outlining the steps taken to course correct terrible behavior.
In 2024, influencer Essence Janai claimed that Hogan fired her from an ambassador role with his “Real American Beer” upon learning that she’s Black.
The beer brand denied Janai’s allegations.
“Real American Beer” was named a ring mat sponsor ahead of the Netflix premiere.
There are folks who grew up as fans of Hogan who denounced their support for him.
During a 2024 documentary named “The Nine Lives of Hulk Hogan,” comedian Roy Wood Jr introduced himself by saying:
“… Hulk Hogan fan since 1984 until whenever he said the n-word.”
Can’t say I blame him.
It’s not surprising that Hogan and his supporters cannot contextualize fans booing him. For decades, he’s had smoke blown up his ass by yesmen and enablers.
“So, when [Hogan] came out, got booed, and then went to the back after his promo, he was instantly disappointed that the fans turned on him…,” a source told The Daily Mail.
It’s sad when a hero from your childhood turns out to be a piece of s–t.
No one wants wrestling’s resident racist grandpa who may embarrass the family in front of company— in this case, the casuals who are Netflix subscribers.
After all, the racist grandpa is always the last to know — until this week.
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