WWE cuts ties with Hulk Hogan amid report that he used slurs

[Lite Beer]

WWE cuts ties with Hulk Hogan amid report that he used slurs

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. has severed ties with Hulk Hogan amid a report that one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling history used racial slurs in a conversation caught on a sex tape.

The company deleted most references to Hogan on its website and issued a statement Friday saying it had terminated its contract with him.

WWE did not give a reason, but issued a statement saying it is "committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide."

On Friday, a joint report from RadarOnline.com and The National Enquirer said that Hogan had used racial slurs in a conversation caught on a sex video that is the subject of an invasion of privacy lawsuit.

In a statement, the 61-year-old Hogan apologized for using "offensive language" in a conversation eight years ago.

"It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it," Hogan said, calling his departure from a WWE a resignation.

His attorneys did not immediately return messages left by The Associated Press.

Hogan, perhaps the biggest star in WWE's five-decade history, was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years in its signature event, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.

He won six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by Sylvester Stallone.

But he was able to transcend his "Hulkamania" fan base to become a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, "Hogan Knows Best."

Hogan is currently seeking $100 million from the website Gawker for posting part of the sex tape of him with Heather Cole, the ex-wife of Hogan's one-time friend and radio show host Bubba the Love Sponge Clem.

Gawker, which removed the video from its website under a court order, said it had the right to publish the edited video because Hogan talked in detail about his sex life before the video's release, which made the story newsworthy.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-25

[impulse]

When are these high dollar athletes going to learn that nothing good ever comes of sex tapes?

Shame, really. I like HH. Of course, being disassociated with WWE actually increases my esteem for the guy.

[Credo]

I didn't know speech was possible with this species.

[lust]

Same video with the football players?

[impulse]

Same video with the football players?

Nah. They didn't even know what an erection was for 8 years ago...

[little mary sunshine]

Trash redneck finally hung with his own words!

[CMNightRider]

Wait a minute. All this drama is over Hulk Hogan using the "N' word eight years ago? Does anyone else find this idiotic?

[impulse]

Wait a minute. All this drama is over Hulk Hogan using the "N' word eight years ago? Does anyone else find this idiotic?

We disagree on a lot. But I'm with you 100% on this one... Gotta kind of wonder what the back story is, who did he piss off?

[EnglishJohn]

Did anyone ever hear of a story where a non-white got fired for a racist comment against whites ?. Because in my own experience, they are way more racist against others than the average white guy.

Same as Muslims who are far more racist than non-muslims, but I've never seen one of those splashed across the headlines for what they said about non-muslims.

What a screwed up world the PC brigade have created.

[wabothai]

sues for 100.000.000 ? Welcome to the US.

[stoneyboy]

Tragic news i may have to have a beer to calm down.

[impulse]

Did anyone ever hear of a story where a non-white got fired for a racist comment against whites ?. Because in my own experience, they are way more racist against others than the average white guy.

Same as Muslims who are far more racist than non-muslims, but I've never seen one of those splashed across the headlines for what they said about non-muslims.

What a screwed up world the PC brigade have created.

Nah. We've always fired them just for being black or Muslim. (More accurately- didn't hire them in the first place) No racist expletives required...

[Nobb]

Some thing you said or wrote 8 years ago can come back and get you fired or a jail term. This is just BS to me and any one who changed over the year on slurs!~

[billd766]

Did anyone ever hear of a story where a non-white got fired for a racist comment against whites ?. Because in my own experience, they are way more racist against others than the average white guy.

Same as Muslims who are far more racist than non-muslims, but I've never seen one of those splashed across the headlines for what they said about non-muslims.

What a screwed up world the PC brigade have created.

It is not the current screwed up world they have created that worries me at 71, but I have a son, grandson and granddaughter living in the UK that will have to live with the consequences of the screwed up PC brigade during their lives.

[sammygood]

maybe now he can finally appear in one of those old saggy actors that go fight dictators in other countries, what is it called again ? expendables ?

[EnglishJohn]

Did anyone ever hear of a story where a non-white got fired for a racist comment against whites ?. Because in my own experience, they are way more racist against others than the average white guy.

Same as Muslims who are far more racist than non-muslims, but I've never seen one of those splashed across the headlines for what they said about non-muslims.

What a screwed up world the PC brigade have created.

Nah. We've always fired them just for being black or Muslim. (More accurately- didn't hire them in the first place) No racist expletives required...

So true. I worked in a big Aerospace company in the UK quite a few years and watched my boss go through some CV's for engineers. Anyone with a foreign sounding name went in the bin !.

If he got caught doing that now, I bet he would lose his job. And if the lefties got wind of it, it would be in the papers.

[stevenl]

Wait a minute. All this drama is over Hulk Hogan using the "N' word eight years ago? Does anyone else find this idiotic?

We disagree on a lot. But I'm with you 100% on this one... Gotta kind of wonder what the back story is, who did he piss off?

Same for me, agreeing almost makes me doubt myself .

[Friendly Stranger]

Wait a minute. All this drama is over Hulk Hogan using the "N' word eight years ago? Does anyone else find this idiotic?

We disagree on a lot. But I'm with you 100% on this one... Gotta kind of wonder what the back story is, who did he piss off?

Maybe they needed the publicity to be relevant again, as they've been out of the spotlight for a while.