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Alright, let’s shake off the spandex nostalgia and have a real talk about why Hulk Hogan’s never been the hero we made him out to be—and why celebrating him today is just bad form.
First off, dear reader, I get it: Saturday mornings felt electric when the Hulkster flexed those biceps and hollered “Whatcha gonna do?” But let’s pause and get honest. Beneath that yellow-and-red iconography lurks a bunch of stuff we should no longer idolize.
1. Racist garbage isn’t vintage charm
Remember the 2015 bombshell? Private tapes revealed Hulk Hogan dropping the N‑word like it was a joke and spouting demeaning stereotypes about Black women. One slip? No way—this was a glimpse into his real attitude. If your nostalgia goggles can’t filter out blatant bigotry, it’s time to upgrade them.
2. “Family friendly” hype with zero consistency
Hogan sold himself as the ultimate role model—boys and girls chanting “Hulkamania”—only to turn around and prove he didn’t practice what he preached. Preaching positivity to kids while quietly talking trash about entire races? That’s hypocrisy in spandex, folks. Let’s not give a free pass just because he had a catchy theme song.
3. “Real men” don’t have to be assholes
Yes, wrestling is theater—but it still shapes our ideas of strength. Hogan’s schtick was brute force and macho posturing, with zero room for vulnerability or nuance. In today’s world, strength can—and should—coexist with empathy. If your bar for “real men” is someone who body‑slams feelings away, maybe it’s time to rethink that definition.
4. A privacy crusader…when it suits him
Hogan played the victim card in that Gawker sex‑tape lawsuit, pocketing millions to “defend his privacy.” Funny how protecting his own intimate moments mattered, yet respecting anyone else’s dignity didn’t seem to. Cheers for his court win ring hollow when you realize it was pure self‑interest.
5. He’s riding shotgun with Trumpism
Here’s the kicker: Hogan’s recent nods to Trump’s brand of politics reveal a comfort with division and “us vs. them” rhetoric. He claims unity in the ring, yet aligns himself with a movement that thrives on pitting neighbors against neighbors. If we’re craving a forward‑thinking world, waving the shirt of a Trump ally is about as backward as it gets.
6. “I’ve learned my lesson”—or did you?
WWE welcomed him back with open arms, touting his “growth.” But let’s be real: a resume gap that costs you a paycheck can fast‑track the humblest apology. If we slap a “welcome back” sticker on someone’s past without demanding real reflection, we’re all complicit in letting profit and nostalgia outweigh integrity.
So who should we champion instead?
I’m not here to burn every childhood memory to the ground. But our cheers—our blogs, our social feeds—should spotlight people who walk the talk. The teachers turning schools into safe havens. The athletes using their platforms to dismantle hate. The local activists doing quiet but powerful work in their communities.
Bottom line?
Strength without empathy is just noise. Charisma without accountability is empty hype. In a world hungry for authenticity, let’s swap out the spandex bigotry for real role models who lift us all up—because that’s the real power move.
