This story has been clarified to reflect that the agent for Clem’s radio competitor says he never had the DVD or sent it to Gawker. He also became a celebrity outside his “Hulkamania” fan base, appearing in movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1.Īs Hogan testified, he schooled the jury on wrestling history, telling them of being poor, sleeping in his car while performing in small-town matches across the South and finally getting his break when he was asked to appear in the Rocky III movie.
HULK HOGAN GAWKER TRIAL PRO
Hogan attained pro wrestling stardom in the 1980s and 1990s, winning multiple championships. The jury may have to grapple with questions about how celebrity affects expectations of privacy. Gawker says the publication was a legitimate scoop because Hogan had talked openly about his sex life before, in forums such as Howard Stern’s radio show. The core issue: Did Gawker have the right to post one minute and 41 seconds of the sex tape, approximately nine seconds of it actual sexual content?
HULK HOGAN GAWKER TRIAL TRIAL
Hogan and his attorneys are suing Gawker for $100 million, saying that his privacy was violated, that he suffered emotional distress and that the video was not something of legitimate public interest.Īlthough the trial has been chock-full of salacious details - an interview on Tuesday mentioned Hogan’s “thong-shaped tan line” that was visible in the video - it’s also a serious First Amendment case. He also acknowledged he has little privacy as Hulk Hogan, with people taking photos of him everywhere, including once in a urinal at a baseball game. Hogan also said he didn’t have a problem with news outlets discussing or even writing about the sex tape It was only when Gawker broadcast an edited clip of the actual video that he said he began to suffer. “It’s part of the show, it’s part of the good and bad of being an entertainer.” In that snippet shown for the jury, Hogan sat on the toilet, his pants around his ankles, talking to his then-wife on the phone. The morning testimony elicited Hogan’s take on his famous public image versus his private life - at times, a discourse on celebrity culture and identity.Īttorney Michael Sullivan asked Hogan if he was embarrassed by some of the media appearances, pointing to a clip on the “Hogan Knows Best” reality show. But in an email to The Associated Press, he said he had “never had the DVD, seen the DVD or provided Gawker with anything.” Burton, the agent for competitor Mike Calta, did not say what happened next. In other testimony, Tony Burton, a talent agent for a radio competitor of Clem’s, said he contacted Gawker for a client, to get an address where something could be shipped. Hogan said he didn’t know the encounter was being taped. David Rice testified that someone had to manually push a button to make a recording with the camera. The friend, Florida-based radio DJ Bubba The Love Sponge Clem, gave his blessing to the coupling - which took place in the Clems’ bedroom - and even handed Hogan a condom.Ī broadcast engineer who worked for Clem said he installed a videocamera in Clem’s bedroom. Hogan said he didn’t know he was being filmed when he had sex with his then-best friend’s wife. Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, is suing Gawker for $100 million for posting an edited- version of a sex tape. Hogan, who has six WWE championships under his belt, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by Sylvester Stallone.The testimony set Twitter aflame, with wrestling fans, First Amendment watchers and media types riveted to the live streaming video of the trial. The clip subsequently racked up about 7 million views. Gawker further argued that Hogan’s claim of invasion of privacy does not hold up because he has often referred to his sexual activities in a public forum. Gawker posted one minute and 41 seconds of the 30-minute video, which was delivered to the website anonymously in 2012. Jury Trial Gawker argued that the tape was a matter of newsworthy public concern and therefore should be protected under the First Amendment. Gawker, on the other hand, maintains no wrongdoing – it claims that the story was newsworthy since Hogan talked frequently openly about his sex life. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bolle, says his video with Heather Cole was made without his knowledge. Petersburg, Florida, courtroom and surround a $100 million lawsuitĪ six-member jury will determine if Gawker is guilty of violating Hogan’s right to privacy when it published a video of him having sex with the wife of his best friend, who happens to be local radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem.
HULK HOGAN GAWKER TRIAL PROFESSIONAL
A civil trial between former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and popular news website Gawker is inching closer, with opening statements scheduled to begin Monday morning.
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