Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died last week at the age of 71 following a cardiac arrest, according to police. While people everywhere have been mourning his death, many have also called attention to his past scandals and racist remarks — and experts think these conversations are important.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, was known for his larger-than-life personality and is widely celebrated for helping to catapult what was then called the World Wrestling Federation (now the World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE) into mainstream success. Among his many awards and accolades, Hogan won six World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight championships throughout his career, and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
In a statement last week, the WWE called Hogan “one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures,” who “helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s.”
But after the news of his death was reported, many took to social media to call attention to some of Hogan’s past controversies, including the documented racist remarks he’s made.
Hogan had sued Gawker Media after the website in 2012 published a secretly recorded sex tape of him with the wife of his former friend. The litigation led to the discovery that Hogan went on a racist rant in 2007 and used a racial slur while discussing his daughter dating a Black man.
