Terry Bollea, the wrestler known as “Hulk Hogan”, took the stand Monday in the much-publicized trial versus Gawker Media over covertly recorded sex tapes. He says radio shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge had an open marriage with his wife Heather Clem.
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Hogan, 62, said the publication of the one-minute, 41-second clip of his consensual sex with Heather Clem deeply affected his personal and professional life.
“It was very physical then”, Hogan said. “One thing led to another and I let my guard down”.
According to CBS News, Hogan whose real name is Terry Bollea, chalked up the inconstistencies to being shell-shocked by the tape and because he routinely puts himself in his wrestling character.
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Hogan, a former pro wrestler who appeared on TV and in movies, is suing Gawker for $100 million for publishing a video of him having sex with his then-best friend’s wife. Hogan also said that he was sacked for playing the “Thunderlips” character in Rocky III.
When Hogan arrived at the courthouse in St. Petersburg with Houston, he told reporters that he felt “pretty darn good”, even though he was “not used to getting up this early”.
Gawker founder Nick Denton is also a defendant.
“There was a general rule called kayfabe that if you and I were talking about wrestling and someone was to walk up”, and Hogan then mimicked muttering “kayfabe” out the side of his mouth as a reminder to stay in character.
That was the message from Hogan’s attorney Shane Vogt to jurors on Monday, as Hogan’s $100 million civil trial against Gawker Media kicked off in St. Petersburg, Florida.
He said that Gawker did not know who had sent the video.
“Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, will testify later in the day”. “It was nearly like poking me, because they’d get a response from me”, Hogan said. 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.
“Every day it will become more and more clear this is not and has never been a case where the utilization of the First Amendment as a defense if either appropriate or warranted”.
He told jurors: “I was completely humiliated”.
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.
“He wants the public to have the simple, unvarnished truth … the unvarnished truth about public figures”.
The lawyer added that Gawker was built on the idea that the public shouldn’t have to accept spin from advertisers and publicists, and that Gawker isn’t beholden to “these elites”. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
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In April 2013, the website explained (in its trademark, profanity-laden style) its decision to leave the video online despite a judge’s order compelling the site to take it down.
