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Robach noted Hogan was a "12 time World champion" and was fighting to maintain his legacy. They opened with a teary-eyed Hogan asking if they could stop the interview for a second so he could compose himself.
Hogan said that out of everything he's been through, "this one hit me probably the hardest." Robach noted Hogan had been "wiped from the WWE Hall of Fame" last month after portions of the conversation from his sex tape with Heather Clem leaked.
Hogan said he was at the lowest point of his life when the tape was recorded and was suicidal. He said he was very mad at his daughter Brooke and was upset over a situation involving her and her then-boyfriend. Hogan said he had no idea he was being taped.
Hogan was asked point blank if he was a racist and responded, "No, I'm not. I'm not a racist. I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I'm embarrassed by it, but a lot of people need to realize that you inherit things from the environment and when I grew up, it was South Tampa...it was a rough neighborhood, very low income, and all my friends...we greeted each other saying that word. The word was thrown around like it was nothing."
Hogan was then asked if it was "fair to say he inherited a racial bias." He responded, "I would say that is very fair. The environment I grew up in....all my white friends, all my black friends, to hear that word on a daily basis. That's how they would greet me in the morning. 'Good morning, so and so.' I think it was part of the culture and the environment that I grew up in."
Hogan was then asked if he seeks forgiveness of his fans. He said, "Oh my gosh, please forgive me. Please forgive me. I'm a nice guy. I'm not the Hulk Hogan that rips his shirt off and bang, bang slams giants. I'm Terry Bollea. I'm just a normal man."
Hogan also addressed WWE distancing themselves from him and shutting down their entire relationship with him, noting, "My entire career...it was like it never happened." Robach presented it as if WWE had erased Hogan completely (in actuality, his matches remain on the WWE Network) and Hogan said it "absolutely" hurt.
Robach noted that many "big-wigs" have come to Hogan's defense, including The Rock and George Foreman. She also noted that Brooke herself came to Hogan's defense. Hogan began breaking down and tearing up as the reporter read a statement Brooke posted on Instagram. He said, "If anyone should have disowned me, it should have been her. She should have been the one to throw me out like the trash. Instead, she showed me more love than anybody."
Hogan was asked what Brooke said to him and that is when he asked to stop for a second so he could compose himself. Hogan said his daughter was so "supportive" and explained that Brooke was the "direction of my attack." He said he wasn't mad at her boyfriend as he was at Brooke when the tape was recorded. He claimed Brooke said, "I don't need to forgive you, because I'm not mad at you."
Hogan closed out saying, "Just because a person makes a mistake. You don't throw them away. If everybody at their lowest point was judged on one thing they said and all of a sudden their entire career was wiped out because of one thing they said, 10 or 20 years ago, it'd be a sad world. People get better every day. People get better."
Robach saying that Hogan claimed the day he was fired by WWE was the "greatest day ever because the truth will set you free" and he's working to really raise awareness of the impact that hateful language can have. He's hoping to make an impact. Still, he would give "his right arm" to be back involved with professional wrestling, but it remains to be seen whether WWE will allow that.
They closed out noting that Hogan is suing Gawker for $100 million in regard to the release of the sex tape and it will go to trial this Spring.
Hogan will also address the controversy on tonight's episode of "Nightline" on ABC. That appearance was also taped last Thursday.
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