Credit goes to Sean Ross Sapp for this write up.
Hulk Hogan was cross-examinated today in his lawsuit against Gawker in relation to his sex tape. He was cross examined by Gawker attorney Michael Sullivan. You can read some of the highlights below:
* Hogan talks about his life and wrestling career, and says he slept in his car early on. Jerry Jarrett eventually bough him a car when he arrived in Memphis.
* He talked about the importance of Madison Square Garden to his career, as well as the change that Rocky III made in his life. He also detailed the long list of injuries he’s sufferd in the ring.
* Hogan says making friends is difficult because of his line of work, and brings up Brutus Beefcake as a friend, but that Beefcake’s wife didn’t get along with Hogan.
* Hogan didn’t initially like Bubba The Love Sponge and thought he was very brash. Bubba treating special needs children and veterans at a gym opening changed his mind. He says he helped Bubba go from 500 to 250 pounds.
* Hulk hoped that Hogan Knows Best would help his issues with Linda. He says that it was completely scripted. Linda Hogan liked being on the show because it gave her fame. Getting people to show up to make episodes was hard by season three.
* Hogan said he’d had advances from Heather and Bubba before, but thought they were jokes. They first became involved while Hogan was getting divorced.
* Hogan found out the tape when he was on tour with TNA, which he called a ‘small company.’ TMZ called him and made him aware of it. He was shocked to find out Bubba was on the tape bragging that it would be worth so much money.
* Hogan admitted that he defended Bubba because of their friendship, but became livid when TMZ confirmed he was involved in the tape. He said that he was humiliated by the tape, and what it would mean for his new wife and his kids.
* Hogan said that Bubba The Love Sponge was a friend of his for over a decade, as his best man at his wedding and the Godfather to his son. He said Bubba was the type of friend who was anything you’d want him to be, and talked about appearing on Bubba’s radio show numerous times. He felt the appearances weren’t negative, but mutually beneficial.
* Hogan said he no longer speaks to Bubba and they aren’t friends, and misses the person Bubba pretended to be, but not who he ended up being.
* Hogan didn’t initially believe Bubba had anything to do with it, but that Bubba cursed at him when implying it. Hogan confronted Bubba again when Gawker posted the video and Bubba lied to him.
* Hogan didn’t know he was being filmed, and Heather never said that was a provision. He also didn’t notice any security cams at the house. He says he’d only been in the bedroom three times. He said if Bubba’s agent would have told him he needed to put security cams in his house due to a custody battle, Bubba would have told him.
* Hogan said he wouldn’t know or wouldn’t have known how to socialize with Heather Clem on his own, as he didn’t have her email or phone number. He says the friendship never changed after he had sex with Heather or after he stopped. He didn’t speak to her about it after, either. He didn’t see her again until he moved into Bubba’s house for 4-6 weeks while looking for a new place to live. Bubba had invited him.
* There was no pressure from Bubba or Heather to resume the sexual relationship when he moved in, according to Hogan. Heather had been having sex with other people.
* Hogan said that Bubba never told him if he had videos of Heather having sex with other men.
