A Florida man famous for his deep tan, outsized lifestyle and lucrative knack for blending entertainment and reality will speak at the Republican National Convention Thursday night.
Hulk Hogan, the longtime pro wrestler whose real name is Terry Bollea, is on the recently released roster of speakers for the convention’s final night, slated to speak in the run up to former President Donald Trump’s address.
Hogan, who has been known to make a dramatic entrance in the ring, walked onstage against a montage of videos and photos of himself in various patriotic poses.
He took to the podium wearing a red bandana and sunglasses on his head, gesturing to the crowd that he couldn’t hear their chants of “USA.”
The retired professional wrestler said the “vibe was so intense, the energy was so crazy, it felt like maybe I was gonna press that no-good stinky giant over my head and slam him into the mat, brother.”
The official RNC program identifies Hulk Hogan as a “professional entertainer and wrestler.” He was also involved in a momentous legal case in the media world: His lawsuit against Gawker Media resulted in a $140 million jury award after the company published a sex tape featuring Bollea in 2015. An ensuing settlement sent the company and its founder into bankruptcy.
After the sex tape emerged, there was abrupt fallout for Hulk Hogan: World Wrestling Entertainment spiked its contract with him over reports that he used racist language in the sex tape.
It may seem unexpected, but Hulk Hogan’s prominent role at this year’s RNC is another sign of the influence of billionaire Peter Thiel — who bankrolled Hogan’s fight against Gawker, and who has more recently been a key patron of Trump’s new vice presidential pick, Sen. J.D. Vance.
Hogan remarks were bookended by two speakers that the RNC program identifies as “everyday Americans.”
Carrie Ruiz, who is the general manager of golf at Trump National Doral in Miami; and Annette Albright of North Carolina, who lost her race last fall for an at-large seat on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education.
Albright drew notice in that nonpartisan election after she and other candidates were accused of being “Trojan horse Republicans,” as member station WFAE reported.
Trump is no stranger to the wrestling ring
WWE is a professional wrestling promotion and media company, known for its scripted feats, ringside drama and zealous showmanship.
Vince McMahon bought an earlier version of the company in 1982, and, along with his wife Linda McMahon, is credited with bringing its unique blend of wrestling and entertainment into the mainstream. One of WWE’s first — and most enduring — main attractions was none other than Hogan.
Trump also had a hand in WWE’s rise, hosting the fourth and fifth Wrestlemania events. And it was Trump’s Apprentice catchphrase, “You’re fired,” that a suited-up McMahon would shout in the ring. Trump has appeared at numerous WWE events over the years, including as a guest ring announcer and on-screen talent.
Trump “became part of some of the most compelling and highest-rated storylines in the company’s history,” McMahon said on the RNC stage. That includes in 2007 when Trump shaved McMahon’s head.
Linda McMahon left the company for politics, serving as Trump’s small business administrator from 2017 to 2019 before leaving to join a pro-Trump super PAC.
Vince resigned from his leadership role at the company in January after a former employee filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting her in the workplace, sex trafficking and pressuring her into threesomes. That lawsuit was paused earlier this year at the request of the U.S. Justice Department.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in contrast, is a mixed martial arts promotion company. It came on the scene in 1993, but wasn’t a hit right away. In the early 2000s, Trump let UFC’s new president, Dana White, use his Atlantic City casino. His endorsement helped the company become the world’s largest MMA promotion, as of 2023.
UFC and WWE officially merged into one company, TKO, in September 2023, forming a new entity valued at $21.4 billion.
By NPR
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