In a TMZ feature on Hulk Hogan that premiered on FOX last night, former WWE CEO Vince McMahon was interviewed and offered up substantial commentary on the racist comments Hogan made several years back, his most recent appearance for WWE and of course his death. Below are some highlights:
On the racist comments Hogan made that surfaced in a 2015 leaked tape
"It was unforgivable, and I was like, aghast. What happened? And when those things occured, that’s not like him. What is God’s name is going on? As soon as it happened obviously, the company didn’t have anything to do with him anymore. We took him out of the Hall of Fame. You just don’t do those things."
“I knew he wasn’t a racist, I’ve been with him for so many years. He wasn’t a racist. He said some racist things, and he should pay for that, and he did. But in the end, I think everyone saw the real Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea, and they felt, well wait a minute, this guy, he doesn’t act like a racist. He’s not a racist. We all make mistakes. That was a big one, but he wasn’t a racist."
On the negative crowd reaction Hogan got on Raw in his final appearance for WWE
"I was angry because we’ve known each other for a lifetime, professionally and personally. And setting up, so to speak, this larger than life superhero, you don’t just let him walk out there. He deserved something very, very special. More than anyone, they owe him. It’s just like, okay, here comes Hulk Hogan. I got angry because that’s not the way I would have done it and he deserved much more."
On Hogan's death
"You just don’t think about someone, a family member or someone that close to you, you don’t think about them passing away. Terry had kicked out, so to speak, of so many surgeries and, you know, he overcame that. It was a tremendous shock. It was a blow to my heart."
