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UPDATED: Hulk Hogan Says He Is Not a Racist, Wants Forgiveness

August 31, 2015 | Posted by Jeffrey Harris

UPDATE: WWE issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter in response to questions as to whether they would reinstate Hulk Hogan after his apology on Good Morning America. The company’s rep said simply, “At this time, the WWE remains steadfast in its decision.”

ORIGINAL: Former WWE Superstar Hulk Hogan appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America for an interview where he addressed his racist rant scandal. He was interviewed by Amy Robach, which was recorded last Thursday (August 27). You can check out some highlights and a video of the interview in the player below:

Hogan on wanting forgiveness: “Oh my gosh, please forgive me. Please forgive me. I’m a nice guy. I’m not the Hulk Hogan that rips his shirt off and bang, bang slams giants. I’m Terry Bollea. I’m just a normal man.”

Hogan on why he is not a racist: “No, I’m not. I’m not a racist. I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I’m embarrassed by it, but a lot of people need to realize that you inherit things from the environment and when I grew up, it was South Tampa…it was a rough neighborhood, very low income, and all my friends…we greeted each other saying that word. The word was thrown around like it was nothing.”

Hogan on if he inherited a racial bias: “I would say that is very fair. The environment I grew up in….all my white friends, all my black friends, to hear that word on a daily basis. That’s how they would greet me in the morning. ‘Good morning, so and so.’ I think it was part of the culture and the environment that I grew up in.”

Hogan on being forgiven by his daughter Brooke: “If anyone should have disowned me, it should have been her. She should have been the one to throw me out like the trash. Instead, she showed me more love than anybody.”

Hogan on how you should not throw someone aside for making a mistake: “Just because a person makes a mistake. You don’t throw them away. If everybody at their lowest point was judged on one thing they said and all of a sudden their entire career was wiped out because of one thing they said, 10 or 20 years ago, it’d be a sad world. People get better every day. People get better.”


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article topics :

Hulk Hogan, WWE, Jeffrey Harris