Hulk Hogan recalled reaching his lowest ebb during his bitter divorce from his first wife, Linda, in his final interview.
The wrestling icon, who died from a heart attack last July at the age of 71, is the subject of the new four-part Netflix documentary series Hulk Hogan: Real American.
In one episode, Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, recounts the media storm that surrounded his acrimonious 2009 divorce.
He describes how an interviewer from Rolling Stone asked him about O.J. Simpson and his response spawned headlines about how he “understood” the alleged murderer.
“I spent three days with Rolling Stone, and I thought the guy was my friend,” says Hogan. “He warmed up to me, we became buddies, and all of a sudden we’re sitting on my back porch, drinking a beer on the beach, had a little buzz on and he asked me about O.J. Simpson.”
Hogan continues: “I said: ‘Well, brother, I’ve been that jealous and that mad at a girl that I completely understand how he flipped out. But I would never do that. I would never go there. I wish I’d never done the interview with Rolling Stone.”
The interview made headlines while Hogan was in the midst of a divorce from Linda, whom he had been married to since December 1983.
Hogan says he spiraled in the wake of the controversy, recalling: “I went home and started drinking, and started eating pills. I just went down this rabbit hole for a couple of days, and next thing I know I’m sitting in my bathroom with a gun in my mouth, not knowing what I was doing.”
Hogan’s friend, the wrestling producer Eric Bischoff, recalls that at the time Hogan was in the “darkest, most devastating point of his life up to that point” due to the divorce and being prescribed painkillers that he took with “a quart of vodka a day.”
Hogan adds: “I hit rock bottom.”
Elsewhere in the documentary, President Donald Trump makes a surprise appearance to give an interview about Hogan from the White House.
“Hulk was always very controversial,” says Trump. “That’s okay, I’m fairly controversial. I think I’ve become less controversial over the years, but I’m fairly controversial too, but I don’t think Hulk cares about that, and I don’t care about that either.”
Hulk Hogan: Real American is streaming on Netflix now.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch
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