Kazeem Famuyide’s first recollection is of watching wrestlers in the 1988 Survivor Series while perched on his father’s lap.
He would develop a lifelong fixation with the sport, which included creating screenplays for WWE’s top performers and toured the nation for a year because of his infatuation with Hogan in the ring.
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Famuyide, a Black co-host of the WWE-themed podcast The Ringer Wrestling Show, said, “He was a superhero to a lot of people, including myself.” He recalls that, frequently in front of enormous American flags, Hogan would advise audiences to practice, say their prayers, and take their vitamins.
However, Hogan’s age of 71 has brought to light an intractable contradiction in the legendary wrestler’s legacy: his undeniable contribution to making wrestling more accessible to fans of all backgrounds, in contrast to his well-documented racism, according to 38-year-old Famuyide and other Black wrestling fans and sports commentators.
Famuyide stated, “You never really got the feeling that Hulk Hogan truly felt remorse.”
The racial gap in America is reflected in the responses to Hogan’s passing.
There were two very different responses to Hogan’s passing, according to Bomani Jones, presenter of the Right Time podcast. Some people don’t think it’s necessary to bring up the prior issues, while others are troubled by his actions that led to his expulsion from the WWE.
People would never be able to grieve in silence over this, Jones added.
Politicians, celebrities, and fans all celebrated Hogan’s achievements after his passing. His ability to leverage his wrestling identity into film appearances, business partnerships, a reality TV program, and significant political influence was praised by many.
Dwayne The Rock Johnson, whose notoriety may match Hogan’s, paid his respects on Friday. According to Johnson, the son of legendary wrestler Rocky Johnson, one of the first Black champions in the history of the WWE, Hogan is a hero to millions of young children.
Johnson added, “You may have passed the torch to me,” beneath a 2002 video that saw him and Hogan competing at Wrestlemania.
However, in your heyday as Hulk Hogan, you sold out every arena and stadium in the nation, cementing your place as the greatest of all time. You drew the house, my buddy.
Other well-known Black professional wrestlers have achieved success and notoriety in the WWE, including Booker T., Mark Henry, Jacqueline Moore, and Carlene Jazz Moore-Begnaud.
However, a similar number of people used Hogan’s passing as a chance to highlight his more contentious actions.
In 2016, after suing Gawker Media for publishing a video of him having sex with his ex-best friend’s wife, a Florida jury gave Hogan more than $115 million. Hogan was found to have used racist epithets to characterize his daughter’s Black ex-boyfriend in 2007 as a result of the lawsuit.
According to a transcript, Hogan stated, “I am a racist, to a point,” before using the derogatory term for Black people.
At the time, Hogan expressed regret and deemed the language inappropriate.
Hogan used the same slur in a recorded phone conversation with his kid around the same time.
Jones claimed that many people questioned the sincerity of Hogan’s apology because of his association with conservative political groups.
Getting caught on tape speaking these things in private is one thing. According to Jones, publicly deciding to support a cause that many Black people view negatively is another matter together.
Racist stereotypes have historically been addressed in professional wrestling.
Hogan’s passing highlights well-known inconsistencies in the way Black wrestling handles race for many fans.
When she was eight years old, 27-year-old freelance wrestling writer Lyric Swinton fell in love with the sport. According to her, wrestling is the most complex and vibrant storytelling medium.
Swinton recalls WWE using racist tropes in the storylines of Black wrestlers, despite her belief that representation has improved. Invoking a racial caricature, Swinton recalls Shelton Benjamin having a mammy, played by Thea Vidale.
According to Swinton, Benjamin was one of the best wrestlers of his era, but he never received the same reputation as his peers, partly because he was written for those parts.
According to her, I felt compelled to verify my Blackness at the door.
Hogan has not damaged sports for all Black supporters.
According to Master Tesfatsion, a sports journalist and WWE fan, the conflicting responses to Hogan’s passing reflect national divisions and demonstrate how important wrestling has become to popular culture.
Tesfatsion, who is Black, recalls the 2004 storyline in which wrestler John Layfield chased Mexicans across the border, or the 2005 match in which Vince McMahon, the company’s co-founder and former chairman, used a racist slur.
According to Tesfatsion, the WWE somehow always knew where America stood. In the same way that the history of the WWE cannot be told without these problems, neither can the history of America.”
Tesfatsion attended Hogan’s final professional bout appearance in January. He was among the numerous people who jeered Hogan. It was his first time seeing Hogan live after decades of adoration.
I never imagined that I would confront The Hulk face-to-face and turn to bullying him. But I was forced to do that by his behavior.
Nevertheless, Tesfatsion declared that he would always be an ardent supporter.
I still have a deep affection for America and the WWE. “I choose to deal with this emotional contradiction because I still find value in it,” he stated.
