Hulk Hogan's fight for the rights of every celebrity with a sex tape has begun.
During introductory remarks in Hogan's civil suit against Gawker Media, Judge Pamela Campbell said the case would involve deciding whether the site publishing Hogan's sex tape was a matter of “legitimate public concern” or whether it represented a “morbid and sensational prying” into Hogan’s private life “for its own sake.” Hogan said his former friend, radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge, filmed his wife and Hogan having sex and released it without Hogan's knowledge or consent.
He's seeking $100 million in damages; the outcome could determine both the future both of Gawker and cases involving the privacy of celebrities.
The first, biggest step into figuring all this out is testimony from Hogan himself — and, brother, it did not disappoint.
Ah, wrestling references. Early on, Hogan copped to not having many real friends inside wrestling; the two he mentioned were Jimmy Hart and, of course, "Brutus Beefcake," whose real name is Ed Leslie. Hulk and Brutus aren't as close anymore, Hulk said, because he doesn't get along with Brutus' wife. OK.
At one point early in his testimony, Hogan used his theme song to describe the "Hulk Hogan" character: "Just the All American good guy fighting for the rights of every man." To the best of our knowledge, eating one's vitamins and saying one's prayers never came up.
"Kayfabe," the industry term that described playing off in-ring events as real, also came up. The then-WWF took off in the '80s, Hogan said, when they acknowledged that they knew beforehand who'd win and who'd lose. "That's when it really took off, when we stopped trying to insult the public's intelligence," he said.
Hogan also said that WWE chairman Vince McMahon disapproved of his decision to appear as "Thunderlips" in "Rocky III" enough to fire him, then had to walk the decision back because of how much more famous the role made him.
Hogan doesn't watch much morning TV. Part of his own lawyer's questioning of him involved recounting a press tour he did for TNA in 2012; coincidentally, they say, that's when the actual video was published. It was a busy, blurry time, so Hogan mixing up "Today" with "Good Morning America" is understandable. A good rule of thumb: "Today" is the one where the hosts of the last hour get half-buzzed on cartoonishly large glasses of Chardonnay.
“I’d went on the show with Kathie Lee Gifford and a lady named Hoda (Kotb)," Hogan said. A little later he referred to it as “The Kathie Lee 'Good Morning' show.”
He wants to humanize himself at almost any cost. One of the main argued points in Hogan's case is that Gawker knew it had cause him harm by publishing the tape. A necessary step in accomplishing that is portraying Hogan as relatable and insecure enough to garner sympathy. So, what better way to accomplish that than turning to Hogan's trademark bandana?
Hulk wears it as part of his persona, Hogan said. Terry Bollea wears it because of confidence issues — he's embarrassed because he has a big, bald head. Thus, the courtroom-appropriate bandana.
If you were to take a shot anytime Hogan messed with it — he likes it pulled way down, nearly at eyebrow level — you'd have been dead by the start of cross-examination.
He also wants you to know he was at "rock bottom." BTLS and then-wife Heather Clem, Hogan said, had hectored him for years to have sex with her — long enough for it to turn into a joke. “It was almost like poking me, because they’d get a response from me," Hogan said. “I actually thought it had turned into a joke. … I actually took it as a joke for a while.” BTLS was, as Hogan reinforced constantly, one of his few best friends.
“He was holding my father as my father passed away," Hogan said. “I believed in my heart he was my best friend.”
Hogan said he finally gave in after his wife, Linda, left him for good in 2007. By then, the marriage was sad and loveless, with Linda living in Los Angeles and only returning to Florida to film their reality show, which Hogan agreed to partially because he thought it'd save their marriage. “'You’re too old, you’re too slow, you don’t turn me on,'" is how Hogan framed one of her go-to complaints. "I was constantly trying to get her to come back." She didn't. Enter Casa del Love Sponge.
“It was the only place I felt safe," Hogan said. "Bubba made me feel like (he was) my best friend. Bubba made me feel like he loved me. As weird as it sounds, it was the only thing I had.”
So, despite his "gut telling (him) this is wrong," he had sex with Heather. “It was very weird," Hogan said. Yep! To add to the weirdness, Hogan moved in with the couple after his wife officially filed for divorce, and expressed concern that he'd get bullied into having sex again.
As far as the tape is concerned — and this is important — he said he had no idea that he was being filmed, and that when the video was released, BTLS told him he had nothing to do with it — a claim Hogan said he mistakenly believed. "He's not my friend," Hogan said. "I miss the guy I thought he was."
Gawker is attacking his credibility. During cross examination, Hogan's lawyers objected to a question about whether BTLS had told Hogan that he had more tapes of Heather having sex with other people. Gawker's lawyers also wondered why Hogan, on camera, asked whether he was being taped if he had no idea that a camera was actually running — the implication being that Hogan may have known what was happening, which would open up plenty more gross, weird doors.
Hogan also said, in a 2014 deposition, that he'd never seen the tape, which contradicts his words during a 2012 interview. That, Hogan said, is again because "Hulk Hogan" and "Terry Bollea" are two separate entities, and that he has "artistic liberty" when he's portraying Hulk. "I just was in the Hulk Hogan mode (when I said I'd seen the tape), trying to get through the day.
"I don't understand why I said that."
Cross-examination is scheduled to finish Tuesday. Based on precedent, the defense will have Hogan nearly choked out, only to have him rebound at the last second, then go off the ropes for a leg drop.
yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment