Hulk Hogan was the character. Terry Bollea was the real person. Hogan was an over-the-top hero-turned-villain-turned hero who got a lot of people into wrestling. Bollea was the man who betrayed Jesse Ventura when he was discreetly trying ot unionize wrestlers by going to the head of the then-WWF, Vince McMahon, and ratting out Ventura and his plan. Bollea got caught saying racial slurs, and Hogan barely apologized for it. The whole fiasco of the sex tape lawsuit that killed Gawker famously involved the question of how Hogan and Bollea had differently sized members if they're the same person--it was a big, stupid trial. Hogan spent a lot of his life beloved by many; Bollea was, by all accounts, a terrible human being. Hulk Hogan/Terry Bollea leaves a complicated legacy, clearly.
As Hogan would've said, "Let me tell you something, brother." When I was a kiddo and got into wrestling, Hulk Hogan was the first big name I knew and loved watching. I got into the other guys and gals over time, too, as I enjoyed the sport/art, but he was a gateway for many folks, myself included. He was a huge name. The problem is Hulk Hogan seemed invincible, and Terry Bollea made it clear--by the accounts of many--that he was not. I was a big fan of the Hulkster, then the more I learned about him, the more I realized there were some real problems with the person behind the character. Some people will deeply miss Hogan/Bollea, and I extend my sympathies to those folks (friends, families, and so forth). Other people seem to have said nothing or basically stated, "Good riddance," due to how much bad blood there was. I wish them healing energy for the hurt Hogan/Bollea caused them.
Hulkamania once ran rampant through the nation, for better or worse. Now, we quietly observe the good and bad of Hulk Hogan/Terry Bollea. We owe him a great deal of thanks, but also, he passed having owed many folks a lot of apologies they never got (and now never will). Hogan's impact on wrestling will probably render him immortalized in the form, even if Bollea was clearly human. No matter how big the character gets, there is always someone behind the mask. It seems Bollea preferred the metaphorical mask, and wished it got more attention than who was wearing it. Sadly, once you die, that's the end of you controlling your story--you can only hope that when everyone else gets a turn, there are more accolades than insults.
No comments:
Post a Comment