How do you feel when you switch to GEICO and save on your car insurance?It's like going to work on one Thursday morning and thinking to yourself, just one more day until Friday.But then somebody in the elevator says, happy Fri-yay!
Then you check your phone quickly and discover today is actually Friday.So yes, happy Fri-yay, random stranger in the elevator.Happy Fri-yay indeed.Yep, switching and saving with GEICO feels just like that.Get more with GEICO.
Hulk Hogan, brother, thank you for joining us.
Brother, brother.This is the first guest that I've once played with a miniature version of for hours.
Where you at, WrestleMania 40?Some people are saying it's the greatest WrestleMania of all time.
They probably weren't alive when I was wrestling.
I got a move named after you.It's called the Hulk Logan.
I love it, brother.I remember when I was in Atlanta, I was in the business about three years, and I was like 330 pounds, all natural.
Anyway, they've done like 70 different action figures of me, and the only one that they ever canceled was the vibrating one.
Sky's like, I still have mine.Oh, yeah.Hold, you got a stylist? He's too strong, right?Yeah, and and and he's he's like
Really actually super strong like he doesn't look like it He maybe does look like a little bit but but but like the way he pushes in the gym is an impressive Yeah, yeah No, no, no seriously and and he has a left hand now that looks like his it's firing off He's
Tyson bro, we have to talk about this.Yeah Yeah, you could just stay there he's talking about Mike and Jake I'm like you could just do it here Give him a high chair Yeah, I can relate.Bro, this dude's a legend.Yeah, he's fired.
I had to hit Vizine this morning.When I woke up, my eyes were super dry.Oh, Vizine.
This is you.Headphones are optional.
I'd recommend them.But I won't recommend anything to you, sir.You can just do anything you want to.In trouble.No, I know.
I got him off the streets of Connecticut.
I was sitting there, half asleep last night.He walks by, goes, 11 o'clock tomorrow.I was like,
Yeah, this one right here.So get your ass back over here.
That depends on what time we get to bed, man.
Are you comfortable in this pillow behind you?You want me to move that?
Yeah, grab that thing out of there, bro.Oh, there you go.Oh, thank you.Did you go to bed? Last week?I weighed down about 330.
Dude.That's why I say it was me.
Yeah, but- Yeah, we've been running, man, I think.Vo.Yes, sir.Where the hell were we, Ozarks? mentioned Lake of Ozarks.Yeah, I think the first night we had like two hours sleep.You're just not sleeping?That's my wife Sky.I don't know if you guys met.
I'm just not waking up.Do you need sleep?Hulk, do you need sleep?
God, yeah, bro.If I don't, man, my back and everything.
Yeah.No, I've had like in the last, are we going?Are we rolling?
Yeah, yeah.Yeah, we're starting.Yeah.
No, it's real casual, real casual stuff. This ain't Tucker Carlson, to say the least.
No, I've had like 25 surgeries in the last 10 years.That's it.Yeah, 10 back surgeries.Nobody told me the stuff was fake, man.No, 10 back surgeries, both knees, both hips replaced, shoulders, everything.
At the end of the day, the equipment back in the day when I started wrestling in 77 was a little different than the rings and stuff you guys are working in now.Yeah, totally.I heard it was much, much harder.
God, Andre used to tell me at Baltimore, boss, don't fall down.You won't get back up.It was like a 22 foot boxing ring.It had lumps in it, boards sticking up.It was horrible.
That didn't concern you?Because now you're kind of paying the price for it.
Yeah, it was.I mean, you came from South Tampa. There's a road called Gandy Boulevard here.And if you're south of Gandy, you're called a SOG, S-O-G, south of Gandy.
And you either work construction, you either became a professional athlete, or you sold drugs.Those are your choices.So.
Which one did you choose?
Well, I did a little different.I played music for like 10 years before I ever got into the wrestling business.But no, it was something that I kind of stumbled into.I was a huge fan.But yeah, I mean, back in the day when we were wrestling, bro,
First off, when I went to Japan, I was coming off the top rope with no knee pads on.And I was 330 pounds.And all of a sudden, I said, OK, the left knee's already gone.I've only been in the business like two years.
So it was just the equipment and jumping up and dropping the damn leg for 40 years.When I had the largest arms in the world, I should have been using a sleeper, no bumps.But that was all cool, man.No regrets.
Well, that's what I was going to ask, because like as someone who's new in the industry, I'm recognizing that like longevity is kind of the name of the game.And I want to be healthy so I could do the sport.
But I'm also looking 10, 20, 30 years down the line.And I don't want to be hobbling around.But do you think You wish you would have played it a little smarter for the sake of your body and your physical health?
Yeah, I probably should have quit earlier, but I just loved doing it.And the money was just crazy, because my deal is different than everybody else's.And so it worked out well.But if I quit a little bit earlier,
probably would have been better off, but anybody that stays in 20, 30 years, like I was in almost 40, you'll see them all.They're all walking around and limping.
Yeah, I know.We've had a lot of them on the show.All of them.They're all beat up, man.Yeah, for sure.Do you do any of that new age shit, stem cells?I've tried it all.Any of it work for you?
It doesn't work. Not for me.
But that's the thing, though.You say quit earlier, and I think that's the piece of advice.But when he says take it a little bit easier.
Bo, you got a cold beer, bro.I need something.
It's your beer.Oh, yeah.There it is.Thanks for promoting my beer, guys.Yeah, of course.Real American beer.
Why don't you crack one with him, buddy?
I'll crack a beer with you.
You know, the weirdest thing was, we were on the phone with, what was it, last night, baby?No, the night before with Trump.
After the thing, you know, he called, and I missed his call, and we were running pretty hard at the Ozark, because that's a little wild over there, you know?So when we came in, I missed his call, so I'm going to text that son of a gun.
So as I was texting him, he called me back, and we talked about it.I told him, I said, the timing for this beer
You know, I saw this crazy open lane and my whole thing's always been marketing and licensing stuff, you know So when I went back to WWE in 84 to wrestle the sheep, they weren't selling t-shirts They didn't have any music to go to the ring and I was already doing that in Minnesota And I was making a ton of ton of money on merch and stuff.
So You know when I when I came back and did the the real American thing, you know, I Thank you, brother.I was I was telling Trump on the phone I said
You know, I saw this open lane, you know, and Trump's been around quite a while, you know, and he's awesome in the ring too, brother.If you ever have a chance to get in the ring with Trump, you gotta do it.He'll do whatever you want.
He's great.He did a face-off with me and it was so cool about it.We did a stare down and he's like my cool grandpa.
And I imagine you guys have known each other forever.
Yeah, forever.But as we were on the phone, I was telling him about the rest of the weird thing is the timing. Because when I saw that open lane where Bud Light crashed and burned with that marketing plan, you know, I said, oh boy, here we go.
I was at a convention.When the WWE rushes people through pretty quick because you've got a couple thousand people to... To see you or your brother, you know, if you're with the WWE, they try to get everybody they can.
But when I have time, I like to shake hands, look at people in the eye and stuff.And this guy had the past Blue Ribbon vice president tagline.I said, oh, damn, man, my dad used to drink that beer.PBRs.Yeah, that's the beer my dad drank.
And so he asked me if I ever thought about doing an alcohol endorsement.I said, well. Not before, but now that I saw this open lane, I said, I think I got this crazy idea for a beer that America's been waiting for.
And I said, back in the day when I was wrestling, I was telling Trump back in the day when we'd wrestle, and he saw a lot of it because he was there at the very beginning, that if him and I were in the ring and everything was cool and all of a sudden he knocked my teeth out,
Sometimes no lawyers.No losses.We go back out in the ring and settle it Especially if the guy's been a jerk off and not being safe out there, so we'd go sell it out the ring, but for me You know all the guys I was wrestling.
I was like 310 pounds I was a medium-sized guy all the guys most of the guys were bigger than except for Piper and macho everybody else was bigger than me so I said let's have a beer and talk about so that's where the idea came from and
And since the Democrats and the Republicans don't talk, I was thinking, wow, this is even bigger than politics, you know, because.
The beer I was thinking of, it doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, what color your skin is, or what your sexual preference is.This is the beer for all real Americans, because we're all real Americans.
And I was telling Trump, my idea was let's bring America back together one beer at a time.
Yeah, there you go.I love it.
You should make that your tagline.
Thank you, brother.Oh, I love that.
That one's on the house, all for what you did for my childhood.
I'll make some money with that one.Yeah, but you know, and then all of a sudden,
Divided as we are we are more likely we are different and then after this crap happened with Trump, you know The beer had taken off before, you know, they said well if you get a couple states and a couple distributors in the first year You know, you're gonna be doing good.
All of a sudden we're rolling out almost 27 states and 60 70 distributors instead of having a couple hundred thousand cases or we got millions ordered That's incredible.And so now with a Trump thing.I was telling him I said I
America needs to come back together even more, you know?
And I was telling Trump when I was doing the speech, well, Vo was with me and Vo was in the back and the stage manager goes, Hogan's been out there for six minutes, he hasn't read the teleprompter yet.
We can't believe they haven't ripped him off the stage.And Vo goes, just let him go, he's okay.
And so, you know, I was out there and I said, yeah, with Donald Trump or whatever the hell I said, I can't remember, we're gonna bring America back together, one real American at a time.And I almost said beer.
You know, but I didn't do it and it might have been cool Even though the people don't know half the people there don't even know I get the beer I didn't mind been cool to say but I was telling Trump on the phone I said brother your whole thing if there was Anything crazy is the fact that you survived this thing and it pissed me off so bad But on the other hand, it's probably gonna make the beer so I Heard the Secret Service down like a 30-pack.
I love it.That's great, man.It's Trump really your hero.I Yeah, brother.I've known that guy.We rented the, uh,
The business was so different a long time ago because it was just me and Vince at first, you know And I moved I worked for his dad originally and his dad fired me for doing the Rocky movies They said I'd never work there again.
And then when I came back after I started a promotion in Minnesota, I was coming in to take over, New York and When I went back Vince used to be the ring guy doing the interviews He never really was involved that much in the business and when I came back I worked for him It was a question
Yeah, well this happens sometimes the question You got on stage at the RNC and you said Trump's your hero and it looked like you had taken it really personal I did I did in the beer honestly not trying to be an ass with the beer isn't really a gimmick This is personal too because I really think we need to get our shit together.
Yeah, I'm back together for sure.I But yeah, what was the question?
Yeah, so this happens sometimes.Happens all the time.You know what?
I don't even know.Yeah, he's my hero.I don't even know that he's my hero.I just remembered.
I've only been knocked out a couple times.I just remembered.You took it personally.It sounded yeah, yeah, fired up up there.
Someone tried to kill your hero.
No, but you know, I've watched how he's treated people, you know, because he had that air about him, you know, when we first met him. And I was like, okay, man, am I gonna get along with this guy or not?Cuz I was at the top of my game back then.
I was on a roll, man.I was the world's champion.I was doing all these low budget kids movies.I was doing reality TV.
Yeah, yeah, getting to be late 80s.WrestleMania III was in 88, so it was after 89, 90.
That's the Andre the Giant moment.Yeah, brother.The slam.
Yeah, and so then I saw how he treated people.
And just to watch him walk in at the beginning of the night, when the preliminary match started, and sit there all night long, and just how he talked to all the wrestlers in the back, and how kind he was to people.
And I saw how he handled the makeover skits, I watched this guy.I said, man, this brother's for real. And then I got to know him and I love him to death, but he is kind of vain.And I used to be like the celebrity referee for Us Magazine.
So if Logan Paul got an argument with Jake Paul over a girl or something, I said, okay, Logan, you're right.You're right, but your brother's got better hair than you or something.
I do the- I actually think it's the exact opposite.Usually I'm wrong. And I also have better hair.
There you go.But apparently- No, but what I'm trying to tell you is I did this celebrity thing between Donald Trump and J-Lo.And Trump was right, cuz J-Lo was not being cool.
But I tagged him with, and by the way, Trump, J-Lo's got better hair than you.Yeah.Holy shit, I get a letter from Trump Plaza, a handwritten letter.No, from Trump.
Well, apparently, Terry, I thought we were on the same page and we were friends, but- Bro, that's literally the worst thing you could say to Joe.I know, I know, but I was just ribbing, bro.
I was just trying to get a cheap shot to get myself over.His family, his pay, his mom, it don't matter.
No, but he's a great guy, man.We've talked and we're on the same page.
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And I told, how do you feel when you switch to Geico and save on your car insurance? It's like going to work on one Thursday morning and thinking to yourself, just one more day until Friday.But then somebody in the elevator says, happy Fri-yay!
Then you check your phone quickly and discover today is actually Friday.So yes, happy Fri-yay, random stranger in the elevator.Happy Fri-yay indeed.Yep, switching and saving with GEICO feels just like that.Get more with GEICO.
How do you feel when you switch to GEICO and save on your car insurance? It's like going to work on one Thursday morning and thinking to yourself, just one more day until Friday.But then somebody in the elevator says, happy Fri-yay.
Then you check your phone quickly and discover today is actually Friday.So yes, happy Fri-yay, random stranger in the elevator.Happy Fri-yay indeed.Yep, switching and saving with Geico feels just like that.Get more with Geico.
The Hannity the other night said, I was one of these guys that was a coward.
You know, I was one of these guys that wouldn't put a Trump sign on my yard or wouldn't wear the Trump shirt, the Trump hat, because I was afraid, you know, what might happen or whatever.
And I said, after they took that shot at him and tried to kill him, I said, that was it.
That was it.Yeah, I don't think you were a coward.I think there's a lot of people who just... Well, I was silent.I mean, I was silent.But not because you were... What are you scared of?You're not scared of shit.
There's a lot of people who, up until this moment, until someone tried to take his head off, just didn't really want to spend their time having that conversation.
You see the fire that it brings to your porch when you put a sign up, then you gotta deal with all the feedback, the hatred, this, that, and now it becomes your life, it consumes your life.
How much have you done over the past six days or however long it's been since you spoke at RNC related to this topic?It is now ingrained in your being.
So you're not a coward for having not gotten into it, but now it feels like people are being called to because he got shot at, which I understand completely.
Well, the whole, the whole vibes changed because, you know, like usually when I walk in like the arena last night, the chance will go, Oh, again, Oh, again, as soon as I come in, you know, and I've been in a couple of UFC fights where they'll be in that rest holder.
I don't, I don't know exactly all the terminology, but a guy will go behind somebody and try to put him in a rear naked choke.He won't quite get him.Or if they're against the cage, the whole crowd will start going, Oh, holy shit.
But last night we walked in, it was like USA, USA.And then all of a sudden, they put the camera on me and my wife Skye, and the whole place is going, F Joe Biden.That was before you guys came out.The whole building was going, F Joe Biden.
I was like, okay, this has changed a little bit.
Well, that's kind of what he's saying.Now it's at least momentarily kind of ingrained in your brand.Because you did go to the RNC and fired up those Republicans.You ripped a shirt off.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't wanna freak him out too bad because they made me go in the back and rehearse and I've never rehearsed anything.And I mean, even the matches, I don't talk about, I never talked about a match.
I heard this, we'll get into all of that.No, no, but the whole thing was, I'm in the back and they got a plexiglass podium. And there's like 20 jabronis sitting there.I don't even know who the hell they were.
And all of a sudden, the lady was really nice.All the people were really nice.And they had a teleprompter in front of me and one on each side. They said, we want to time this.I'm like, how much time do I have?Tough.
And so I tried to do what they wanted me to do.I couldn't do it, man.Then I started losing my confidence.I started freaking.And I knew they were all scared that I was going to blow it when I went out there.And Vo, Vo was cool.He knows what I'm up to.
But it was kind of weird because when the stage manager goes, he's out there for six minutes and he hasn't read the teleprompter yet.We can't believe they haven't jerked him off the stage. I kinda pushed it, but bro, I only gave it 50%.
I mean, now that I know I can get away with that crap, if I go talk again, I'm gonna hammer it, bro.Because once I get out there and I start thinking, my mind goes to some really weird places, bro.I had some crazy stuff I was gonna say.
Sky was scared to death because she knows anything.
I can't wait to hear this 100%.
She goes, I'm scared.I'm scared.I'm scared.You know, because I don't know what's gonna come out of your mouth.I said, I'll try to do the best I can.But yeah, it was fun, man.
But I felt I felt that those people, you know, believed in what I was trying to say about about Trump, you know, so it's kind of cool to feel that vibe.
It's all, I also feel like there's a little bit of a course correction here on, out of the Trump camp and out of the Republican side to bring about that unity that you spoke about earlier being a little bit more of an accepting conservative base.
Yo, if you want to come to our side, we'll accept you.We don't Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Zuckerberg last week.
Said that.Was that him or the robot?No, it was.I think it was the real him.I don't think it was the clone.I think they actually got this one.
Did seem like Mark himself.
He said, man, seeing Trump, you know, get hit and throw his hand up.Yeah.Badass things.
They ripped me off bar for bar, bar for bar.He copied my tweet.
And you saw a couple of people online say like, fuck him.We don't want him.He's been against us since day one.Stay on that side.But the majority of the bases said, listen, you want to come over here?
We'll take you, especially someone like Mark Zuckerberg.
I've also noticed that even just personally.I think we had him on our podcast.I tweeted because I thought this assassination survival was also one of the most badass things, if not the most badass thing I've ever seen in my life.
And I got some comments myself like, you switched up.What about the comments you made about Trump back in 2020?And I'm like, I don't know, is it okay to change?
What if I change my mind?
Is that cool with you, or am I solidified in your mind to just be this one thing?But you're right, I felt like, not to get into the politics too much.
We're here, brother.We're here, brother.
I did feel like that speech at the RNC, it felt more about unity rather than I'm attacking my opponent, which had been the angle.I love that.
Yeah, that's a lot of people, a lot of the haters, a lot of people that don't get it.It's like, I was saved when I was 14 years old, I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was 14 years old.
Then I derailed, of course, cuz I played in a rock and roll band for ten years.
That carnage.And then I got in the wrestling business, I said, my God, these wrestlers party twice as hard as musicians.Holy smokes, it's gonna be great.But at the end of the day,
When I got remarried to Skye and she was a believer and we got the kids baptized, we got baptized, a lot of my old friends goes, he hasn't changed a bit.We know, Hogan, we know.It's a work.He just scammed that brother.Because I did run pretty hard.
I was the leader of the pack for about 20 years, and all my brothers are dead.So I would go to the edge and go, whoa, too far down for me.But I did run pretty hard for a while.
It's so funny, sitting with you just candidly, I get the same kind of feeling I get when Arnold Schwarzenegger sat here.There's just so much.
I don't even know where to start this conversation.This is the first guest we've ever had on our show of 500 episodes that I've once played with a miniature version of. for hours on end.
Brother, I grew up playing with this man, twisting his arms off, making his arms go up and down like this.This is a fucking legend.We've had almost 500 episodes on the show.We've been doing the show for six years.
Trump, Schwarzenegger, this is, for me, one of the craziest fucking guests.So yes, I agree with you.Yeah, I don't even know where to start.
Well, speaking of those darn figures, man, And January 23rd, 1984, I beat the Iron Sheik.So fast forward 40 years later to this January, and Mattel went crazy with the action figures.I made a whole bunch of stuff.
And even though I'm not wrestling, and I'm not one of the young guys like your brother here is, I still get the number one selling action figure in the world.They've done like 70 different action figures of me.
And the only one that they ever canceled was the vibrating one.Because I had a vibrating Hulk Hogan action figure.They said, Sky's like, I still have mine.
Wow, that's strong, brother.
Wow, that's strong. I love it, I love it.
I had one of yours that stretched.
That was my favorite one, dude.That's crazy.I am so impressed with anyone who can be relevant for that long.That's gotta be like the hardest thing about any of these industries that we're in.
It's just like you've been doing it for so long and you're still at the top.I think because of the way you impacted the industry.You're like one of the founding fathers of wrestling.You're probably on every wrestler's Mount Rushmore wrestlers.
There's a few haters out there.
Like who?Bret Hart.Why is he so bitter?Brett hates everybody.Why is he so bitter?
If it's not me, it's Flair, it's Vince, you know. I'll never work for Vince again after what happened to my family and then he's back, you know It's just it just never ends with him.I mean, I love Brett to death man.
I started with bro I mean, I mean, I remember when I was in Atlanta I was in the business about three years and I was like 330 pounds almost 340 all-natural hook anyway, I just remember the bread used to live across the hall of me and when I was working for I
Channel 17, what was it?The Crockett promotion.That I was so big, Brett, I'd wrestle three guys at once, so I'd pick all three of them up in a bear hug and just ragdoll them, you know?And Brett was one of them, you know?And I'd throw him down.
But we were just all getting started, so it was all fun, but then we got Rolling and he just man.It's just it's just he says I destroyed his career.
You know, it's like, okay All right Whatever, you know, I just don't I just don't get it man because I love him to death He's a good guy and he he was a great asset to the business, you know It makes me sad seeing these clips of him just like shit on everyone that he used to work with and works for us because like he was a fantastic wrestler, but it
That bitter taste in his mouth is at least a nasty taste in my mouth to watch as a fan.Why so angry after all these years?
Let it go.The similar vibes and similar energy attracts like.So when you talk that, you attract more of that hatred and that negativity.And it's not good, man.It's time to switch up, man, and be positive and happy and love people.
I don't think people get that.I feel like people always say they want happiness and they want positivity, but they don't understand that the only way to get that is to put it out.You put that stuff out there, it comes back to you.
You greet someone with a smile, all of a sudden they're smiling back at you.
You got it.It's so funny how much wrestling has changed since you started.And I am the newest guy in wrestling, the newest generation of it.And I think it'll probably even change from now. and then until 10 years from now.
But like, it is funny how like, I'm a big guy.I'm 6'2", 210, 220.And yeah, well, people say they meet me, the comments usually like, yo, you're bigger in person.But when you guys wrestled, you guys were huge.
And you're saying you were even just a medium-sized guy.And I think in like a blanket statement, the style from at least when you wrestled to now,
these over the top personalities to now I think maybe a more tactical moveset based physicality based matchmaking athleticism style takes precedent.
Do you see that happening and do you have any opinions about the way wrestling has changed and evolved?
Yeah, it's changed a lot.I mean, the wrestlers, Back in the day, if you're a wrestler, you had to have the look.Huge arms and a big belly, basically.So you look like a wrestler.
And before I went to do the Rocky III movie, if you came to my house, my mother would go, all right, stand against the wall.And she'd get a little pencil, and she'd put your height up there and put your name.
So when I went to do the Rocky movie, I was 6 foot 7. And I weighed 330 pounds out of 34 inch waist.I was in crazy shape.That's crazy.
Fast forward 35 years later, right before my mother passed, you know, she goes, Terry, get up the wall, get on the wall.So she measured me again.I was like six, four, you know, and like right now I weigh 265.
That's what I weighed in ninth grade, you know, so it's kind of like, I'm still bigger than most of the wrestlers.You're a big guy, but a lot of them are smaller.
So it's kind of weird because a lot of the smaller guys have kind of went from mid card players to tag team players.Now they're the main event guys.
Where when I was in the business, if some of these guys came along that were under six feet and 180, 185 pounds, they would have never even been in the business.
It was like the NBA almost.
Yeah, it's changed a lot.
But the stuff that's going on the ring and the athleticism and the moves they're doing, man, I always tell everybody, you know, it's kind of like, keep those boots on the ground, brother, you know, because some people can dive off the top and do flips and go out.
It doesn't mean anything.It's all about storytelling.Now, if you do that, you're telling a good story that changes the game. But to draw money, you got to tell a great story to keep getting the people back in the seats.
But it's changed a lot now because there aren't that many attractions.He's got to change.
How do you feel when you switch to GEICO and save on your car insurance?It's like going to work on one Thursday morning and thinking to yourself, just one more day until Friday. But then somebody in the elevator says, happy Fri-yay.
Then you check your phone quickly and discover today's actually Friday.So yes, happy Fri-yay, random stranger in the elevator.Happy Fri-yay indeed.Yep, switching and saving with Geico feels just like that.Get more with Geico.
He's got an opportunity to be a huge attraction in this business.But usually the attractions like Stone Cold and Andre the Giant and some guy named Hulk Hogan, Back in the day, they were the star.Now, the production is the star.
The TV show is the star.There's interchangeable parts.One guy with brown hair that's six feet tall gets hurt.You bring another one for the performance center.Give him a push.Nobody knows the difference.And so it's a little bit different.
But they're always looking for that attraction. And so watching you, my brother, you have an opportunity to be the next big attraction in this business, simply because you got your shit together.I've never seen anybody get this as quick as you have.
I've never seen anybody, since I've been a wrestling fan, since I was in the business four years, I've never seen anybody Pick up on it as quick as you have in your stuff looks fucking believable.There's no holes in your work.So just don't get hurt.
Yeah, that is the big thing.Well, first off. I'm honored to hear that.Thank you.I told your brother that when I saw him in Miami a month ago, baby.Yeah, he called me.He said he told me that.Man, it's such an honor hearing that from you, obviously.
And I think I've recently kind of had that realization.And I try to say this humbly, but also not.I did look in the mirror and looked at my craft.And I thought, I think I could do this if I actually devote my time to it.
So I did have the conversation with Triple H. I said, hey, I wanna be the guy.What do I have to do to be the guy?And I'm gonna start making that run next year, 2025. And I've learned so much.Wrestling is the hardest thing I've ever done.
I've done a lot.It is by far the most difficult thing I've ever had to do.There are so many skills involved.It is a 360 degree art, as you know.And at the end of the day, like you just said, it always comes back to storytelling.
What is that root of that story you're trying to tell so you can hook people into your arc?
But what I don't understand, and I've heard these stories as I'm matchmaking and match building, is your ability to show up on the day and call the match on the spot.Because how can you tell a story that well on the fly?In my head,
at least the way I like, even just script my content or anything, I'm mapping out the beats, you know?The exposition, the climax, all this lost moment, like all of that.
And so how were you able to do that and still tell these incredible stories with your work?
I had Andre who taught me, you know, and he beat the shit out of me for about eight years And then I kind of won him over in Japan because I spent half the year in Japan, you know I go to Japan 22 to 24 weeks a year And you know, I work for shin upon pro-wrestling over there.
They own a company called pride also He so when you walk in the locker room everything was written in Japanese and they wrote the card out every night and you never knew who you were wrestling, because I couldn't read the Japanese stuff.
And you didn't know if it was one of the boys from New Japan Pro Wrestling or if it was one of the pride guys, like Bob Sapp or one of these crazy son of a bitches.So every night, thank God I was young back then.
So I wasn't afraid to fight anybody back in the day.But it was just different.But Andre pretty much taught me.
one of the one of the weirdest things that happened was When I went to work for Ted Turner and me and Eric Bischoff get that whole NWO thing going, you know we tried for like Almost nine years to put Vince out of business, you know And we're at war because that me and Vince is like this love-hate relationship with me and him, you know and so at the end of the day when we came back to the end back to
The WWE Vince calls because I want you to work with the rock where my goal was to work with Stone Cold Steve Austin.And you know, have a couple year run with him as the bad guy.You could beat me every night and I could lie slipped on banana peels.
Somebody pissed on my back.I thought it was raining, but I got a million excuses.But when I went back, he wanted me to work with the rock and the rock was on the way out, you know. And so Vince goes, well, Hogan, things have changed.
And when you come back, you better bring it.So respectfully, I said, yes, sir, I'll bring it.But in my mind, I'm going, brother, if I bring my shit, you're going to be asking me to take it back.
So then I'm sitting at home, and I had a little warm-up match with Rikishi here in Tampa.And my kids were sitting at ringside, so I told Rikishi, I said, buckle me, reverse it, and charge me.So boom, he reversed it.Boom, I hit the buckle.
And I forgot he was coming, because I said, charge me.So I looked over at my son Nick.I was like, ah, laughing, laughing.And all of a sudden, I get this 380-pound Samoan squash me.I didn't flex. So I broke a couple of my ribs, right?
So then I called Vince.I said, bro, I got broke a couple ribs screwing around.I said, I need a doctor in Toronto when I get there.He goes, oh, well, before, you know, he called me monster.
Well, monster, before you go to Toronto, I need you down in Miami tomorrow. Said Miami why Miami?Well, the rock wants to rehearse the matches Rehearse what?I'm never saying in my life.What are you talking about?
Well, you know, we just want to make sure you can still go I'm like All right.So out of respect they go down to Miami.
They got this ring set up in this hot-ass warehouse and Thank God the rocks dad was there Rocky Johnson who I traveled with he's one of my guys, you know and And Pat Patterson was there.And so I got in the ring with The Rock, out of respect.
I really hadn't seen The Rock since I threw my headband out, and he caught it when he was a kid.That's crazy.And so now we're in the ring, and he's this major star.I got nothing but respect for him, because he's really good in the ring, bro.
I watched him.He really has his shit together. So we get there and all of a sudden, you know, we're talking about, okay, we're going to lock up and he's telling me, and he's got this whole thing in his head.We're going to lock up, go to the corner.
You go, go to throw a punch.I'll duck.I'll block it.
Quickly.This is the first time. You've ever been through a rehearsal like this?
Yes, in 30 years.It's shocking, they told me this.
No, shocking's not the, cuz the way he was explaining the Rikishi match before too, he's like, I told him, throw me off the balkan chart, you told him in that moment.
Yes, yes, Mike, yes, they call it on the spot, the entire match.
Yeah, no, no, it's how things used to be done, yeah.How?It's insane.
It's insane, dude.I just lead the match where I listen to my ears and my heart, I can hear what they want.
And so, at the end of the day, the Rock's saying, okay, duck this punch, bang, bang, bang, then get some heat on me, shut me down, duck, close line, two dropkicks over the top, pull me out, run me in the pool.
And he's telling me all this stuff, I'm like, I'm going, you got the whole match planned out?He goes, well, no, he goes, these are all the high spots and all the good stuff.I said, well, what if this doesn't work and the people shit on it?
Are we gonna keep doing this?He goes, oh, that'll be fine, this, that, and the other. Sitting in this hundred-degree warehouse is Rocky Johnson Rockstagram on Dwayne listen to Hogan You know and so Pat Patterson goes.
All right now we want you to go through the match.I said no I I said, if I go through this match now, I'm gonna get hurt.There's no way in hell I can wrestle with no people.I need 50, 60, 70,000 people.I can't wrestle.
By the way, and this is still with your ribs.
Yeah, but I wasn't selling it, bro.I was all gimmicked up and shit.I wasn't selling that shit.But anyway, so then we go to Toronto, right?We're in the dressing room.
And I really don't even like to get dressed in the dressing room with the guy I'm wrestling.Because I want things to be organic.I want to be able to feel.I don't like sitting in the dressing room with the guy.It's just something about that.
I just like my cooler full of beer, have my few beers and stuff, and then I'm ready to go. And so- It's so old school, man.
It's so refreshing.And that beer for him, he is a real American.Yeah.If you ask who is number one real American, Hulk Hogan's got to be.
Okay, so now I've tried to remember some of these things, okay?And all of a sudden, I go out to the ring.Now, I've hit the rock in the back of the head with a hammer, a ball peen hammer. Put him in an ambulance.I put chains around the ambulance.
I've got in a semi I've ran The ambulance over with the semi Vince's gonna do it again.I ran Run the ambulance over again with a semi.
I Thought for sure I pissed people off, you know, I tried to do whatever I could to get heat cuz I'm Hollywood Hogan Yeah, you know the bad guy, you know Scott Hall that bullshit God bless you.But anyway, um, I
So now I come out to the ring at WrestleMania 18, and they cheer like crazy.I'm like, shit, we got a problem.Now he comes out and they boo the piss out of me.
And so we start the match, like you want to do, and all of a sudden, as he's hitting me, they're just booing the shit out of me.All of a sudden. Thumb in the eye, throat, whatever.I said, slow down, brother.
So I said, it takes a few minutes to get this back on track.So I started listening, and we got it back on track.But then, once we got it on track, man, he was perfect.He pivots, and he makes the transitions.
And he knows placement, the timing, the balance.Everything he's got is spot on.So it was just like a pleasure to work with him.I wish we'd have never talked. Because we really didn't do any of that shit we talked about.
Yeah, so we just basically, and actually usually I call the match in the ring, but he was so good, he was talking to me too.If somebody is that good, I listen brother, because I can learn on the spot and they're really quick, but that's how it works.
You know, you've got it's a it's a it's an art form, you know, and once you've it's all instinct, you know And it's and it's heartfelt and once you really figure it out and once you get out there Then you can call your own Destiny, then you can you know make your own the right deal for yourself, you know Once you get to that place where you're a real attraction sometimes you get bigger than the company and that can be a problem and
Man, I strive to reach that level of mastery.
You got an opportunity to do that, brother, because you should not be. Any type of championship, the world's champion at this point, you need to make that quick transition.
And if they're smart and Triple H is smart, that transition needs to be made this year.
You hear that Triple H also going to Netflix as well, right?And now the demos are going to overlap social media kid combined with the wrestling era demographic.And I think it could be the perfect intersection.
That's what the next attraction should be.
Dude, I want to put in the work, I told him.They call me a part timer, that offends me, but I get it.I'm also expensive, you know?So- Let's go.
You know what?How would I put this kindly?How would I say this and not get heated on myself? No, you got the- There's not a number they can't write a check for, brother.
No, I know that.I know that.But I also don't want to be greedy because it isn't entirely about the money for me.I just want to feel like my time is being valued.That's all.I'm not going to write up a check for that because I really do love it.
Yeah, well, that's cool, but they go together, man.Yeah.They really do.
I think you need an entourage, like a Paul Bearer.
That's the only thing- Probably needs Hulk Hogan to cut his deals for him.For real, sorry Jeff, you're out.
But you can still hand me the brass knuckles.No, here's the deal bro, Triple H is a very smart man, he gets it.He knows what time it is.
So I wanted to ask about the difference in leadership now. Because Triple H, they're calling it, what are they saying, the hashtag Logan Paul, the Vec era, they're calling it.
And I think it's accurate, it's indicative of the times, but things have changed since Vince was around.And I only know that because they tell me, obviously, I was the last superstar that Vince signed before he resigned.
And I hear how different the change in leadership is, and now at least, there seems to be a lot more creative freedom for the stars to use and do what they want.Are you seeing that change?Do you like it?Do you think it's good for the business?
Well, I'm not, you know, I'm not interactive with you guys now.I mean, you know, if I was wrestling, I could really answer that question.
But all I know is, you know, working with Vince for all that time, now working with Nick Kahn, you know, because I signed a five-year deal.I'm going to be 71 years old in a few weeks.
I signed a five-year deal for the licensing and merchandising stuff, and like the ambassador stuff, if they need me to do something for WrestleMania, I just love doing it.
But it's definitely different because with Vince, hey, Vince, let's do the NASCAR thing.I need six more monster trucks, or hey, brother, I know twin referees.I mean, think about it, monster. I'd sit in a room with him.
It was just him and I we'd be working a year backwards storyline wise and I'd say what about the six-month period if I put the belt on Piper and we think about he would do this and stare like this For like an hour and not say a word to me I just you know, and he was soul-searching and thinking about it thinking about the final decision and I just remember working with him, you know, I
I could go back and forth with him and we'd agree to disagree.But most of the time, I said, Vince, I feel it, bro.You're not out there.But then he eventually did get out there.But what I feel with the leadership is working with Nick Kahn now.
He's more, for me, just business cut and dry.He doesn't overthink the creative.And I don't deal with the creative too much unless I talk to Bruce Prichard or something.They ask me a question about a finish or something like that.
I really don't get involved too much. Working with the two different heads of state if you call that Nikon is just strictly business.So I said, hey brother, you know This artwork that hasn't been used for 35 years.
I need it for my real American beer And so Nikon goes, let me get back to you in a couple days.Okay, fine.
No rush So when he calls me back, you know, we talked and all of a sudden, you know, he goes well You know, you can use the artwork this and that and the other but you know I need I don't want to say the number but I need X amount of percentage of every million bucks you make
Said well, you know instead of me, you know paying you guys hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars and pretend potentially millions of dollars I can go out for 300 bucks and they can have you know, someone do this artwork again reasonably similar maybe even reasonably confusing But you know, but I wouldn't do that.
I'd do something a little different and Then Nick goes, oh, you know, let me just gift it to you.I said, good, because we're on the same team, brother.We're on the same team.So Nick was really cool.He was just sitting down and talking with him.
And he made it really easy on me.And Vince was great, too.But I just don't know if Vince would make that quick of a decision, especially when I pulled up short and was, hold on, brother.I'm asking for a caricature.It's just some simple ass artwork.
And Nick got it and knew that I could have something else drawn up the next day. But he's been very easy and supportive and helpful.And when he came up to me the first time I met him with his wife and kids,
My God, I've been a Hulk maniac all my life.I grew up watching and I said to his wife, how do you put up with this?She goes, all he does is talk about Hulkamania and Hulk Hogan, shows our kids the matches.So he gets it, you know what I'm saying?
So I'm on the team and I just wanted them to know that they have my support, especially for guys like this and the new guys that are coming in, man.When I see a talent, man, I get in his ear about it.
When you go to the headquarters nowadays, And you see all these like people in suits walking around and they're putting food in the microwave and it's like 15 story headquarters.
You go to a match, the guys finish up and they leave and they put those big leg sleeves on and they hang out and do stem cells and shit.Do you ever think like, it'll just never be the same as it was?
Dude, me and, you know, the boys sit in the office playing in soul search and going out cracking beers, no corporate bullshit.Do you ever yearn for the old days?
Well, I had my time, brother.I wouldn't want to relive them, because it was a rough run.It was crazy, because when I was wrestling, I'd go to Philadelphia Spectrum.
I'd go to wrestle Piper, and Vince would go, hey, Terry, tell Piper we need to get about 20 minutes in.You need to drop the leg 1, 2, 3.
But then after you drop the leg and he leaves the ring, as you're doing your posing and you're doing your stuff, holding the belt, I want him to circle back, drop you.
Get some heat, get some major color, because we're gonna come back in a lumberjack match, then we gotta finish for that.Then we come back and steal cage match, and three or four in a row.
So I tell Piper, hey, I was just talking to Vince, he wants me to drop the leg.He goes, fuck, no, I'm not putting you over.I said, okay, well, that's how it was back then.I said, well, here's the deal, brother.
Okay, we can figure something out for tonight, but Vince was gonna go with you you and I two three times, you know Then you're gonna make some serious bread, but that's okay, bro I get other people I can work with, you know, and you go work with somebody else, you know, and so That's how it was even back in the day, you know Paul Orndorff was another one never wanted to put anybody over, you know as a baby face They told me
Don't even go down to a knee, you know, this whole come anything was so big, but then when I turned heel, you know It was easy.
You could beat me every night It wouldn't matter cuz you know, I could like why cheat and steal but it was different back then at the end of the day, you know, I Got over because all the guys you know supported me and put me over and stuff like that and I
I mean, it's good now that they've got the squirrels under control.Instead of them running wild, at least when they tell you to finish, there's these guaranteed contracts, which they didn't have back in the day.
If you got hurt, you didn't make any money.And so I think it's a little easier now.But watching what you're doing, you have a certain air about you that You're a really good heel naturally.
And what is so cool, you're going to make one of the best baby faces ever when they turn you.Because the more heat you get and the more they hate you, you're going to be an awesome baby face.For instance,
Bloodline now, they're starting to cheer for Roman.Just quick thought off the top of my head, Roman comes back, they bloodline grounds the shit out of him, beats him like a dog and he hits the ring to save Roman.
It would get him over, bam, instantly.Instantly babyface, it'll be Hulk Hogan babyface personified.
Well, here's the only difference I wanna ask you about this.I don't know if this has ever really truly existed before.I'll drink to that. He's the only person that's ever... He's the only person that's ever been hated prior
to creating his character in the WWE.So that's my question to you is like, is it as easy to switch someone who has a blended real life with WWE life into a person that is loved by all when he's not been able to do that outside of the ring?
I love him.For instance- But I'm in the fucking minority.That's the 5%.
There's a couple more over there.It's my mom. Well, that's mama.Yeah, she goes.She loves me as far as I know.Yeah.
No, but it's it's the wrestling fans are very forgive of, you know, if Crispin walk and do the crap he did and the fans still love him, you know, they're very forgiving.You know, I've I've made some major mistakes in my personal life.
Yeah, they're very, very forgiving, but they forgive you.But a situation like this with him.
For you know, for instance if I just want to open Monday Night Raw and all of a sudden Brock Lesnar's music started and Brock Lesnar's gonna be a baby face, too Yeah was to say I don't know who the bad guys are now I don't know all of them, but whoever the number one bad guy is at all Who's the number one bad probably Dominic or solo solo Sokoa?
Yeah.Yeah, just like if it was the bloodline came out and and You know, he got the old man standing in the little ring going, hey brother, welcome to Monday Night Raw or whatever I'm doing.
And all of a sudden, they came out and just grounded the piss out of me and pulled the rag off my bald head and just started shaving my mustache off.He came and hit the ring.He got the rub, the red and yellow rub.
Doesn't matter where he's been, what he's done.It's all about getting the right rub at the right time.It's all a timing thing.So, I can't wait to see him turn your baby face.It's gonna be great, but not yet.Not yet.
Yeah, I think being a heel is fucking awesome. But you gotta realize, bro, this is not a work, okay?This is a shoot.The business is a shoot.Everybody's gonna tell you it's a work, it's not a work.The business is a shoot.
If I wrestle you right now, and Vince pays you a million bucks, and he pays me five million, is that a work or a shoot?
Oh, you don't know the terms?Come on, you're bullshitting me.
Yeah, I'm fucking with you.Okay, thank you.
No, he's not.No, he's not.
You're embarrassing.Okay, that's fine.How about this?Can you explain it to our audience at home quickly that doesn't understand? I blew it.Shut up.He's gonna explain it to the audience.
Logan knows what it means, but maybe just explain it to our audience at home.Brother, come over here.You, come here.Kevin?Sit right here.
Sit right here.Pleasure, sir.Good to see you.Good to see you.I'm not getting up, I'm too tired to get up.If you're here and I was to grab a top wrist lock on you like this, okay?No, no, that's a work.If I go through here.
It actually hurts.Are you gonna kill Kevin?
No, I can break your arm.
About to turn into carne asada.
For instance, if I grab, come here, if I grab the headlock on you, and I grab the headlock like this, that's a work.If I grab it like this, and I put that bone against your head, you know, that's a shoot.Okay, see ya.
No, but no, the working shoot is when you're working together.I see.Or when you're doing something for real.Bro, if I'm making more money than you, that's for real.If I'm a baby face and my merchandise is selling more than yours, that's a shoot.
Yeah.So this business back in the day used to be about the money and the miles.It's how far you travel for how much money you make.But at the end of the day, if I'm like WrestleMania III, God bless his soul, Andre, I made a lot more money than him.
Thank God he never found out.But that's a shoot, bro.If somebody's making more money than me, I'm not going to go, OK, it doesn't matter if I'm a heel and I make less money.That's a lot of work to me.That's a shoot.I see.
You and I are in the ring, and we're fighting, and we're driving the same amount of miles, and we're busting our ass and breaking a sweat and getting hurt in that ring.And you make more money than me?That's a shoot to me, man.
I don't care if I'm a baby face or a good guy.It's a work.No, it's not a work. If someone makes more money than you, to me, that's a shoot.
But isn't that, then isn't it always a shoot?
Yeah, thank you, that's what I keep saying.And you know, just because we're working in the ring, but the business is a shoot.This is about making money.
You know, so for me, I've always looked at it that way.And when I worked for Vince Senior, he always paid the champion more than the guy he was wrestling.So all of a sudden, when Vince Senior passed the torch to Vince, and all of a sudden, you know,
First check at the garden was some crazy check, you know, I beat the Iron Sheik the next month You know when Vince jr.
Was running my check was Nowhere near what my first check was I said bro that doesn't work for me You know, so I kept tried to keep things going as long as I could with Vince seniors theme But at the end of the day for me the business has always been a shoot because if someone makes more money than me That's a shoot to me.
You know, I just can't go.It's a work It doesn't matter if his merchandise sells ten times as much as mine.It's a work.
You know I'm saying yeah, so when you turn babyface watch what happens watch how your stuff blows through the roof I mean, I'm gonna be a girl dad and We have a couple Pretty intimate
pieces of programming coming out, some big announcements, and I think people are going to get an inside scoop at my real life that I've never shown before, my family life.
And since I'm not really playing a character in the WWE, I'm just amplifying the worst part of myself, which does exist, but It is weird because they know me.And then when they were like this audience, they know me.
And then the WWE, here I am like being a dickhead.And I find the older I get, a couple of daughters.I'm sure I'm going to have all daughters.I'm going to get softer.I wonder how much I'm going to be OK with being like dislikable.
or unlikable, like, I don't know.It's going to change.It is going to change.
It's going to change the as evil as you can get.I mean, the worst, nastiest heel in the business is always the best baby face.So just keep doing your thing.And when they switch you, bro, it's going to be just insane.
I'm so excited for Roman to come back for Yeah, brother.
They're already turning baby face.I haven't done anything.
Man, this show is a shoot for me, bro.You make you make way more money than. Uh-oh.This is a shoot, bro.I finally realized it after the show.Bro, you're getting pumped out, man.Dude, this is a shoot, bro.
Well, then, if you want to get paid like him, you need to get your ass in the ring, man.Do you know?Hell no.He was.He was.He got his ass in the ring.
I did.I did.I jumped in in Saudi Arabia.I got the crap kicked out of me, dude.I took one bump, and I was like, nah, I don't think I can do it.I want to do like a Heyman or like a Paul Bearer.
What most people don't understand is how forgiving this business is, man.I mean, you get hurt in there all the time.Unforgiving.Unforgiving.No, no, no.
Yeah, I'm sorry.Totally unforgiving.One of the first things I learned, this shit hurts so bad.
It all hurts. Football over the years, football players trying to come in.Bill Frelick was great, Monga McMichaels made it.We've had several guys come in, Refrigerator Perry, all of them, they just in and out.Had all kind of UFC guys come in.
I don't wanna drop names, we had a bunch of UFC guys come in.After a day or two, they're gone, screw this.
You know?Don't worry about it, the adrenaline will take care of all of it. And it did for a few minutes.But then later that night, I was like, damn, dude, that fucking hurt.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.Brock Lesnar adapted real well.Benjamin Shelton, a lot of guys, Kurt Angle.
It's a lot about navigating pain, I think I realized.Mentality.Yeah, both mental and but honestly, probably just physical.If you have a high physical pain threshold, I think you'll be a little bit better off.Right.Cuz you're gonna get rocked, man.
That's why Trump was so good.
Yeah.He gets shot and keeps going, dude.
That was real.Insane.Yeah, he's tripping, man.I mean, he's- Did you see his ear, by chance?
Yeah.Is there a piece missing?No, I didn't see it that way.No, because it's covered.Well, I know, but I thought maybe, like, I would definitely want to ask him if- No, no, no.
I'm just so curious, because, like, if he's missing a piece of his ear, like on some Evander Holyfield shit, I don't think he is, because I don't think he even got stitches.
Then where did the blood come from?I don't know.I know we weren't gonna talk about it a lot on this episode, but like. Man, if you really pulled just a graze off of that shot, dude, God is favoring you, dude.Cuz that's- Yeah.
I'm gonna ask him to see it.We'll probably see him next week down in Palm Beach.
So I'm gonna ask him to see it.I'm gonna take a picture of the damn thing.
Yeah, for sure.Yeah, I tried to get the hat that he was wearing.Really?I'm a collector, so the first question I asked to his team was like, glad he's alive.Where's the hat?Who has the hat? I offered over 2 million for it, they wouldn't- No shit.
I believe it's the most important artifact in American history.Yes.That hat, and I bet it has his blood on it.Wow.
Well, the card JFK was in would probably be up there.
It's true.It's not as easy to put in a display case.I always get something crazy at home.I get a pair of yellow boots that have Andre the Giant's blood on them.Oh, shit.Can you imagine cloning that big bro?
Cloning him, let's clone him.We probably could.
Yeah, that'd be crazy, right?
Are you into collectibles?
Not really, bro.I mean, I gave away so much stuff.When I was the champion, we used to do a lot of promos, a lot more than they do now.So if I was coming to the Capitol Center in Washington, I'd do four or five promos, three minute promos.
Four weeks from now, brother, I'll be at the Capitol Center.Three weeks from now, I'm training.I'm hanging off the Washington Memorial.Two weeks from now, you know what?I was just training with Bill Clinton.And you know what?
We took that blue dress, and we had a picnic.One week from now, and tonight's the night.So I do all these promos.And I would sit in a room with me and Gene for like four or five hours.And I'd just bang one after another, one after another.
When you tell stories every week, you know, and you get the asses in seats, then you walk out there and just pick your money up.That's easy.You just got to fill those buildings.
So I used to go through those title belts, you know, like every, every three or four weeks, you know, I just sweat through them, you know?And so it was, what was I talking about again?
Yeah, I don't know cuz this keeps happening to me as well.We had a long night last night.
What the hell was I talking about?
Can I ask you one more question?Is there anybody- What was I talking about? Oh, collectibles.
No, I don't.But no, but I gave all my stuff away.And I used to get these belts.Like, every month, Vince would have to make me another belt.Because I would sweat through the leather.My yellow tights would get brown.
And I would just, I was staying soaking wet.So I was giving them away for motorcycles, and cars, and my friends.And I'd just give them away, you know.It's like, I gave one to some guy at Harley-Davidson.He gave me 10 motorcycles, you know.
And so just, it was crazy back then.
I can't even imagine.I cannot even imagine the things that you've seen.Is there anybody that you haven't met?Because I'm sure you've met, shook hands, partied with everybody.Is there anybody that you haven't met that you always wanted to?
Do you have any people that you look at, rock stars, idols?
Probably the one guy that I really wanted to meet, actually there are two.One guy I wanted to meet was Elvis.But when I started wrestling in Memphis, he used to ride a Harley and put a helmet on at night.
He'd go out at night and ride his Harley around.And then he'd come to the Mid-South Coliseum and sit way up in the top of the building and watch wrestling.
You know and I came along went to Memphis right after he passed away, you know I said damn father came here sooner because I was wrestling in North Florida Pensacola and they were trying to get me to come to Memphis because when I was Young I had a look to me.
I was really big.I was about 80 pounds bigger heavier than I am now and taller.So I had this look, even though I was green, they still put me in all the main events.
And when they told me Elvis was up there all the time, I said, I wish I'd have met him.
Hulk Hogan times Elvis is potentially the most American collaboration that could ever exist.There's literally no one you could plug into either spot.
Yeah, and the other guy I really wanted to meet was John Wayne and of course he died way before I was Old enough to make a move, but I bought his limo John Wayne's limo So that was kind of cool I wanted to ask you just kind of talking about something earlier when you were working with the rock and you met him for that first time in that warehouse and you kind of caught his vibe and
Did you, could you tell that Dwayne Johnson was a star?Oh God, yes, brother.
Oh my God, yeah.He had that aura.Oh, he had the it factor, bro.I mean, you either have it or you don't.You got it.You sure?I'm positive you've got it.You had the it factor, brother.You have. No, I'm serious.I'm not joking.You really do.
Your brother's got it too.
Yeah, well, I think he has it more than me.I think, dude, if Jake had my athletic ability, he would be such a good wrestler.
Just the way he talks and even just looks, that big, thick beard.I don't know if you saw it the other day with Mike Perry.Him and Mike Perry were doing, I'm gonna tell you what, brother, going back and forth.
That's actually a good point to say that he might be better at the promo side than you are.
But you're just way more athletic, way more athletic.
Maybe a clone of you, some sort of hybrid clone of you two.
I'll tell you what, I got a move named after you.No way.Inspired by you.It's called the Hulk Logan. I love it.Yeah.Yeah.I do the ear.
I run off the ropes and I do a split because I'm pretty flexible and I bring my leg way up and just land on the dude and then I flex while I'm on top of it.
Yeah.I've never pinned anyone with it.It's more for it's kind of flashy.Mad disrespectful.Just balls in the chest.
Yeah. Yeah, but the rock bro, we're talking about him he's he's he had the it factor and in the ring man I don't know what it was about that guy, bro, but he's you know, I'm not trying to kiss your ass, but
Instinct you guys have instinct and that's what he had a lot of guys And I don't want to drop names, but a lot of guys have been the wrestling business 25 30 years They're friends of mine.
They never figure it out They think they're superstars and made certain amount of money and but they never figured the art form out They still talk before I mean I walk into catering and they'll be talking to the guy They're gonna wrestle for two hours and they got a seven minute match.
Yeah Talking about for two hours in here You know, they made me Bose when they they made me rehearse at the Republican National Convention.
They screwed me ups about almost couldn't talk Yeah, cuz they made me go on a back room with a plexiglass podium a teleprompter in front of me on each side of the stage and the lady was really nice stage manager that must have been
20 people in the room, and they wanted me to read this copy.And I'm like, I don't even speak like this.And it got to the point where I started getting self-conscious.And I think they thought I was going to shit the bed.I was so bad.
And then my wife saw me.I went in the back room, and there was a band playing.So I just get into the music.And I just got away from everybody.And I needed about five minutes to get in the zone.I'm like, all right, brother, let's go.
And once I got there, I was like, good.And then once I did my thing, it was cool.But you know, I'm just glad they didn't pull me off the stage.Cause I wasn't reading the telephone.
When I was working with Vince, They had me open the show a lot.So, you know, I'd be standing there with the curtains on the power off.Then the music would start real American.
All of a sudden a writer would come up to me and hand me a stack of pages like this that were hot.The paper still have looked defensive.I'm going, really?I'll just throw the paper in there and just walk out, you know?
Well, he trusted you. Yeah, he just, he knew, you know.Well, I mean, these days, I think, especially with all the corporate guidelines, commercial bullshit, they want to know what to expect.
And I don't know how many people they trust to go out there and not say something you're not supposed to, that would turn off a sponsor or something.You know, publicly traded company as well.Yeah, right.You got to answer to people.
Real corporate shit.Yeah, it is.It's super corporate.You mentioned it suits like walking around.Microwaves.But at the same time, though, It's like not still, it's not a union.
It's still got that core.
Yeah, and I can feel it.I definitely prefer, I thrive in those environments.Were you at WrestleMania 40?
Some people are saying it's the greatest WrestleMania of all time.
They probably weren't alive when I was wrestling.
I will say that that was a phenomenal event.You gotta make a little cameo comeback appearance.
You never know, man.You never know.
A little tease.Yeah, your shirt.What do we got, Razor Ramon?
That's when he basically became Hollywood Hogan.
That was in Daytona.Yeah. Yeah, it was the third man.I told none of these guys they had no idea it was me.They had no actually no idea.They were they were out in the ring not knowing who the third guy was. That had to be mind blowing.
I told Eric Bischoff, we agreed, don't tell anybody it's me.
It's hard to keep secrets nowadays.I don't know if you noticed, but stuff gets leaked.Stuff gets leaked online, social media.
It's almost like there's a mole in the WWE creative team that literally leaves the meeting and leaks it to the wrestling sites. It's disappointing, it's becoming harder and harder to keep things fresh.
Well, this was just between me and Eric.But also, how do you hide you?That's the other thing.I was out in LA basically shooting one of my blockbuster movies, Salmon with Muscles.And I saw Nash come out. And I saw Scott come out.
And I said, OK, this looks like a shoot.It looks like he's working with the other company.And I saw Big Kev come out.And Eric had asked me if I'd turn heat on.I told him to pound sand.And then I saw that going on.I called Eric up.
I said, who's your third man?And Eric goes, oh, well, we're going to go with Sting.I said, bro, he's not WWE.I mean, Scott and Kev are WWE Stings.So I'm WWE from head to toe.I'm the third man. Eric goes, really, will you do it?
I said, yeah, I'll do it.And Eric didn't even believe I would do it. So I flew in on a Learjet down to Daytona and basically hid out in a hotel room.And I told Eric, call me right before when the last match is in the ring before the main event.
Because these guys, there was going to be the last match.Then the main event would rest for 15, 20 minutes before I went out there, because I would just walk out.But Eric didn't even think I was coming from the hotel.So he had Sting ready to go.
So they didn't believe I would do it even Eric was going, you know, because there's several times I've I had creative control, you know, and I never used it
Never used it the whole time, but, and I didn't use it this night either, but when I walked out, Scott and Kevin almost shitting me.They had no idea I was coming out, you know?And so it was kind of cool.
But the reaction we got from the crowd when I saw them throwing all this stuff in the ring, and me and Gene was holding the microphone, interviewing me, and I said, just like the crap in this ring, this represents all you people out here.
I was selling out the world when you guys were bumming gas to get to high school brother and I just Running off the top of my head saying whatever dumb shit I could think of and then when I saw me and Jean get hit in the nose and he started bleeding, you know, I said I told Scott give us a bro.
We might have a little bit of a ride in here.You know, I really need to like Slow down with my role here because I was getting pretty aggressive verbally, you know And you know, once again, none of that stuff is scripted.
So like my wife says I might say anything, you know once I get out there, so But it was a cool that night was a huge night and and on the way out I'm walking to the ring, right?and all of a sudden my mind is totally focused on who I am and what I am.
Because when I walk through that curtain, I'm Hulk Hogan, brother.Because if I don't believe it, nobody's going to believe it.And I'm totally Hulk Hogan.And now I've gone through my transformation.I'm this crazy alien.And I'm going out there.
And all of a sudden, I went angle alert. You dumb ass, you're supposed to be wrestling.You're hiding in the hotel room so long, you still have your cowboy boots on.You've never wrestled in cowboy boots.
Now I'm walking to the ring going, this is going to be the greatest thing for my career, or I'm done.This is going to destroy my career, saying the training prayers and vitamins.I did it for the money.
And all of a sudden, I'm walking down there, I got into my own head, I said, holy shit, I got cowboy boots on.I forgot to put my wrestling boots on, I'm supposed to be wrestling.
But it was like an angle where I almost screwed myself up overthinking stuff on the way, just walking to the ring.But they were shocked when they saw me come through the curtain.But I just like to do stuff like that.It's just kind of cool.
That's why you're who you are.Yeah, I'll let you go here in a second.I do have one question, because,
Like I said earlier, one of the most impressive things about what you've been able to do is just infiltrate culture in a way that cannot be erased or forgotten.Or replicated.Or replicated.
Bro, the biggest thing ever.Ever.As someone who actually lived through it, I'm like you, the biggest thing ever.Yeah.The biggest personality ever.
Well, you lived through it, right?And then my generation and the current generation is still experiencing the ripple effects of your career. It is insane.And I will kiss your ass and gas you up.It's incredible.
And I'm taking notes and I'm just sitting here so inspired. But I guess my question is, did you have that goal to infiltrate culture in that way?Not just with wrestling.
I'm sure there was a point where you realized like, oh, I'm good at this and people are biting.But then also like the movies, the merch, all the ancillary stuff that comes with it, like Rocky?Rocky movie?That you potentially like,
Sacrificed your career at the time way to look like that decision like was that a goal of yours and and Did you realize that you could land among the stars if you shot for the moon?
Well, I did I did some really stupid stuff, you know, like when I was playing in a rock and roll band, I Was a huge wrestling fan.Okay growing up because we we didn't have anything.We just had baseball, you know We didn't have the Bucks.
We didn't have hockey when I was growing up so many years ago So I was I was a huge wrestling fan and one of the big things big mistakes I made is I was a studio musician out of Atlanta was century artist.
So I left here and Went on the road and when I came back here when I was in high school, they had all these really good bands, you know so I grabbed the best keyboard player from one band best lead singer best drummer and put this band together and then the wrestlers started coming and
Because when the band would play on the beach or the van would play in North Tampa or st Pete We had this crazy following, you know to come see us and the wrestlers started showing up I was scared to death of these guys man Cauliflower ears broken noses teeth knocked out.
They're all over 300 pounds and if you want to get in the wrestling business There's no chance.
There's only like eight guys in a dressing room They don't have a performance center to go work out at you know, so like a dumbass I started telling everybody I'm gonna be a wrestler and I was running my mouth in Tampa and
So they took me down to the sportatorium here over on Albany Kennedy about two minutes away from here They got me in the ring.
They exercised me to death and then Hiro Matsuda got and put his Put his elbow on my shin and posted my toe and broke my leg.So I was my first day, you know And I had real long blonde hair because I was playing in a band.
I said don't ever come back again So I went home and my dad beat my ass worse than they did down here.Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And he said, don't ever let anybody hurt you again.So I got my mind right.I cut my hair short and I went back and then they couldn't run me off.
You know, but when I started I just wanted to make a living, you know I just I just want to be a wrestler and make it paid it then when I got in the business and I started seeing you know it was kind of boring and people would just sit there and The cigar smokers and beer drinkers would be in the front row and they just wanted to see blood and it was kind of like Okay.
Well I can do this, you know, I was wrestling preliminary matches and they put a mask on me called me the super destroyer and
Because I was in really good shape when I was younger and they wanted to protect me in case I did become something someday And so once I started wrestling, you know, I went through a bunch of different Changes I went I became Terry Boulder and then this promoter and I named me Sterling golden, you know That's a whole nother story but I was in the ring one day and when I slammed people like I
I looked at the crowd and the look got a better reaction than the move.And I went, oh, wait a minute.Then I did something else, and I did something, and the look to the crowd got a better reaction.So I said, OK, they want to see the bullshit.
And being a musician and being in front of crowds and talking and stuff, I was used to being in front of people. So all of a sudden, I started changing the way I worked in the ring and started mugging the crowd more.
So all of a sudden, it started getting a little crazy, and I started figuring it out.Then when I got fired from WWF, I was a bad guy at the time.I just sold out Shea Stadium with Andre the Giant in 78, and I got fired a couple weeks later.
And then when I went to Minnesota, Started this whole comania crap.
I would go to the mall and have t-shirts made and I started to figure out the shirt Hulking up and then once I came up, I wouldn't let anybody stop me, you know once I came up, you know They could beat on me do air, but I wouldn't let him stop me I just plop through and do my comeback and finish, you know, whatever the finish was but when I got back to New York and
And I walked in the garden.They were selling any merchandise and no music.So I said something to Vince about playing music.He said, oh, we don't play music here.So I ran up to the sound guy.I gave him $500.I gave him the eye of the tiger.
I said, crank this shit.No way.I said, crank this shit.Gangster. Yeah, so they cranked that music that don't, don't in the place just blew.The place just blew.
Can you imagine the execs if he did that today?
Bro, copyright for millions of dollars.
Scotty Brothers wasn't happy with me at all.Yeah, yeah.No, they weren't happy at all.So anyway, now we do this thing.I pull it off.Things go perfectly.Thank God I did blow my knee out that night.
There was a board up in the gardens last time I jumped up and dropped a knee on anybody's chest.I blew my left knee out. It was crazy.
I thought I was gonna have to tell anybody but I've wrapped it up and did whatever I had to do to kill the pain and I started you know Getting over with the character in the music I realized I was on to something and then all of a sudden when the people like right guard started coming me to do commercials and The a-team was calling me to be on the show and mr. T. That's how he hooked him I did a couple episodes and talked him into wrestling and
And just all these things started happening.All the wrestlers wanted music.So Jimmy Hart, of course, keep on dancing, recorded at Sun Studios with Elvis and everybody back in the day.Jimmy's like 81 years old.
Jimmy wrote all the temp music, Shawn Michaels' music, everybody's music.All the wrestlers wanted music.Then we started making Hulkamania t-shirts.
And then Vince started making it for everybody, because Vince wasn't into it at the time, but he caught on real quick.
Then all of a sudden I realized this is a monster for sure And I realized I had a chance to change the game and once we started that cartoon on CBS That pissed off all the beer drinkers and all the cigar smokers.
And then once we said this is an exhibition We wanted to get rid of all the commissioners because like the boxing commissioners that you had there last night.
Yeah, they were killing us They were on paydays or want to be paid under the table guys that couldn't pass different Tests, you know, sometimes you have to pay people off to make sure people pass tests.
It just got crazy so Vince deregulated wrestling and when he said it was an exhibition that really pissed a lot of the The people off and then we had the family show up at ringside with the kids Not only would they buy the tickets he'd buy hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise and stuff.
That's when I realized that it was bigger than me just being a wrestler.That's when I realized I had a chance, you know, to change the game completely and the character become larger in life.
And I knew once Sports Illustrated called me, and I was the only wrestler that's ever been on the cover.I said, OK, this changes everything, you know.But I had no idea when I started that it was going to turn into what it turned into.
I just wanted a job, and I just wanted to be a wrestler and make a living.It just blew through the roof.
Man, I know we just met and I am your underling, but I'm proud of you.I'm proud of you.Yeah, incredible career.I'm so inspired, man.And thanks for blessing us with your time today.I know you had a late night, not much sleep.
Your beer is great, kept us both awake.I'm very upset with you, man.
Why, why, why?No, no, come on.That was messed up.Yeah, you don't know all this.No, it was cool.
It was cool, but I thought you really didn't know.
No, cuz well, some of the some of the audience members that like, I don't know if all them are like wrestling fans and just want to clarify like, yeah, for sure.Just so the audience knows, you know?
Well, if they don't, they're gonna just gonna go over their head.Yeah, but Hulk Hogan, brother.Brother, thank you for joining us. Dude, you just made one of my childhood dreams come true, man.Thank you guys.Kevin too.Yeah.
I bet Kevin getting headlocked, he was gonna write on his Instagram.An honor, brother.Thank you so much.Thank you guys so much.Guys, thank you for listening to this episode of Impulsive Hulk Hogan.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you're not subscribed, hit that subscribe button.We'll see you next time.Take it easy.Peace.
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