Since yesterday, rumors swirled that wrestling legend and actor Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea was on his deathbed. While some close to him shot those reports down, they unfortunately proved to be true. Hogan has died at the age of 71, reportedly of cardiac arrest.
Like most wrestling fans, I have a love/hate relationship with Hulk Hogan. The iconic WWE/WWF superstar was World Heavyweight Champion for much of my childhood, known for his “say your prayers, eat your vitamins” catchphrase and those epic “24-inch pythons” that were his massive biceps.
When Hogan left WWF in 1993 and went to WCW, only to be met by lukewarm crowds sick of his babyface schtick, he changed the business forever by turning heel and becoming leader of the mega-popular New World Order faction. He became cool again to an entirely new generation of wrestling fans.
Hogan was also an actor, known primarily for his unforgettable performance as Thunderlips in Rocky III. He went on to star in such films as No Holds Barred, Santa with Muscles, Suburban Commando, and many more, along with multiple TV shows such as Thunder in Paradise and the reality show Hogan Knows Best. While he never reached the heights of what John Cena, Dwayne Johnson, and Dave Bautista are doing as actors today, it was Hogan who laid the groundwork them.
Of course, Hogan would alienate a large swath of his fans later due to various scandals and at least one racist tirade caught on tape. His backstage reputation took a beating, too, leading to him getting booed recently at a WWE event.
I’m not going to crack jokes about Hogan now that he’s dead. That’s just weak sauce, in my opinion. Whatever we learned about him later in life, Hogan entertained me for much of my life and for that I’m thankful.
Punch Drunk Critics sends its condolences to the friends and family of Hulk Hogan. You can check out my video tribute to No Holds Barred below. [TMZ]
