Hulk Hogan/Terry Bollea is Dead and Leaves a Messy Legacy

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.

I Just Noticed One Big Homoerotic Element in, "Predator," AKA Are Mac and Blain Gay?

I've talked before about how despite it seemingly like nearly everyone hates it, I adore, "Predator 2," and think it is even better than the first movie, having watched it repeatedly and more often than the alien's debut-flick. That said, "Predator," is still a damn good movie and I thought I might as well revisit it as I hadn't seen it in so long that I could barely remember anything outside of some catchphrases and the awesome fight between Arnold Schwarzenegger (known in the movie as, "Dutch,") and the Predator at the conclusion. Therefore, imagine my surprise this weekend upon viewing it when I noticed one really obvious homoerotic element in the movie that I don't think is me reading too much into the film so much as my previously not reading into it enough.

Now then, plenty of people have constructed elaborate theories about how, "Predator," is a big metaphor for being gay, etc. etc. but I'd argue that really requires you to do a lot of mental gymnastics and search for symbolism where none is possibly meant. No, the homoerotic element that I feel is completely apparent and barely hidden is Mac and Blain. Mac is played by Bill Duke and Blain is of course portrayed by former wrestler and past-Governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura. Throughout the movie they seem to have a very close relationship and enjoy talking and hanging-out with one another, but nothing seems overly romantic or sexual. However, when Blain is killed by the Predator Mac clearly is struck by this, screaming and crying. The biggest hint in my opinion that there is more to them however is when Dutch/Arnold says how Blain was a good soldier and Mac says how, "He was...uh...my friend."

Is that moment Mac struggling to almost admit he and Blain were more than just friends, or is it Mac simply having difficulty even stating how that as tough-guy soldiers that having friends seems silly to some? Is it a sentence hinting at a gay love or simply a comment on masculinity in general (maybe both)? Perhaps Mac just was very close with Blain in a non-sexual manner that history has often recorded occurs between soldiers who essentially live and work together for months (even years) at a time. That said, Mac's emotions seem just a little bit more strong, a little more struck, than someone who was simply, "A friend," with another man.

One of the biggest ironies in this would be that I believe Blain's first lines involve a homophobic slur. When everyone else on the helicopter refuses his offer of chewing tobacco at start of the movie he declares how they are all, "Slack-jawed faggots," because the stuff he's got makes him into a, "Sexual Tyrannosaur," which has the nearby Mac just grin almost knowingly. Is Blain truly being casually homophobic or is he making-up for something else? Is he the person protesting loudly about, "The gays," who actually is a same gender loving man himself?

Again, I could be reading too much into this, but I keep coming back to that line, "He was...uh...my friend," and how much is said in those two moments of silence. Other people out there on the internet have wondered about this too, with the general conclusion being an unsure, "Maybe?" Regardless of if they are or aren't lovers, "Predator," is still a damn good movie loaded with lots of action, suspense, and maybe, just maybe, some unexpected subtextual romance I can't believe I previously didn't pick up on.