Hulk Hogan’s ex-wife, Linda Hogan, is speaking out about the late World Wrestling Entertainment legend’s exclusion from the Emmy Awards’ In Memoriam segment.
Hulk died in July at age 71 of a heart attack. No stranger to television screens, he starred on the reality show Hogan Knows Best from 2005 through 2007 in addition to being one of the WWE’s leading personalities for decades.
Linda, who was married to Hulk from 1983 to 2009, expressed her disappointment about Sunday’s awards ceremony during an interview Monday with Entertainment Weekly.
She believes Hulk wasn’t included in the In Memoriam segment, which paid tribute to major TV stars who died this year, because of his conservative political beliefs.
“I can't prove that,” she clarified. “It's just a guess, but they should have named him!!”
More specifically, Linda feels that Hulk wasn’t part of the segment because he supported President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance at the 2024 Republican National Convention. During the RNC, Hulk took to the stage to his wrestling theme tune “Real American” and roared: “Well, let me tell you something brother!!” – one of his biggest catch phrases during his professional career.
As Trump and a capacity crowd at the Fiserv Forum applauded, he removed his blazer and tore off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance campaign T-shirt underneath. He cried out: “Let Trumpamania run wild! Let Trumpamania rule again! Let Trumpamania make America Great Again!”
Linda continued to lament over Hulk’s exclusion, saying: “WWF [World Wrestling Federation] at the top of the hour when he came on to wrestle...[Hulk] had the highest ratings on NBC, beating all other competition for that time slot for years.
“I really can't tell you why they left him out...just a guess considering the way he was treated at his last appearance in LA,” she said, referring to Hulk’s final appearance on WWE television in January. He was booed at the event, which took place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
The Independent has contacted the Television Academy for comment.
Hulk was perhaps the biggest star in WWE history, serving as a major draw to the company’s first WrestleMania event in 1985 and remaining a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre the Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.
In addition, Hulk, Linda, and their two children, Brooke and Nick, starred in their own reality TV show, Hogan Knows Best, from 2005 to 2007. The program ran for four seasons, ultimately showcasing the end of Hulk and Linda’s marriage.
Hulk was then married to makeup artist Jennifer McDaniel from 2010 to 2021. He is survived by his third wife, Sky Daily, whom he married in 2023.
However, Hulk wasn’t the only notable name missing from the Emmys’ In Memoriam segment. Other late stars who were absent included Sopranos alum Jerry Adler, King of the Hill star Jonathan Joss, General Hospital alum Leslie Charleson, and Pee-wee’s Playhouse star Lynne Marie Stewart.
Viewers were quick to post on social media about the snub.
“Damn the Emmys forgot about Hulk Hogan,” one person wrote, while another added: “Hulk Hogan died and no one seems to even care anymore.”
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