Image Credit: Pool / Getty Images
Hulk Hogan is suing Gawker Media again, this time for allegedly leaking his infamous racist rant.
Though former WWE star Hogan recently won a $140 million legal battle with the online publication, Hulkamania does indeed continue to run wild as the ex-pro wrestler has filed a second lawsuit. Hogan has now claimed that Gawker leaked sealed court documents to the National Enquirer, which contained quotes from the racist remarks he made during a secretly recorded conversation held between Hogan and his friend’s wife, Heather Clem, in 2007.
Gawker has denied that it leaked the documents to the National Enquirer, though a statement from the Hogan camp states that “would seek to hold all persons and entities fully responsible for their wrongful actions,” adding: “This lawsuit seeks to do just that.”
An excerpt from the leaked transcript of Hogan’s comments reads: “I mean, I am a racist, to a point, f**king n****rs. But then when it comes to nice people and s**t, and whatever.”
Hogan continued: “I mean, I’d rather if she was going to f**k some n****r, I’d rather have her marry an 8-foot-tall n****r worth a hundred million dollars! Like a basketball player! I guess we’re all a little racist. F***king n****r.”
The rant led to the WWE immediately distancing themselves from Hogan, removing all mention of him from their official website. After the transcript was leaked, the former WWE and WCW champion apologized for his comments, saying in an interview with People: “I’m a good person. I’m not a racist. I made one horrible mistake.” He also appeared on Good Morning America following the leak, where he broke down into tears.
Gawker has responded to the lawsuit, with a statement from the company reading: “This is getting ridiculous. Hulk Hogan is a litigious celebrity abusing the court system to control his public image and media coverage … It’s time for Hulk Hogan to take responsibility for his own words, because the only person who got Hulk Hogan fired from the WWE is Hulk Hogan.”