1
00:00:08,133 --> 00:00:09,633
- Oh, no.
- Hollywood Hogan
2
00:00:09,676 --> 00:00:13,426
made me act vicious,
he was arrogant.
3
00:00:13,471 --> 00:00:15,471
I was the most evil
grease ball
4
00:00:15,515 --> 00:00:19,435
that ever showed up
in the wrestling business.
5
00:00:19,477 --> 00:00:20,977
The character Hulk Hogan
6
00:00:21,021 --> 00:00:24,361
used to be the ultimate tan,
all-American hero.
7
00:00:24,399 --> 00:00:26,479
Totally two different animals.
8
00:00:26,526 --> 00:00:30,236
So it was just that
complete 180 transition
9
00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,660
to being
the most evil villain.
10
00:00:32,699 --> 00:00:36,289
Yes, you can say
the ultimate bad guy.
11
00:00:37,412 --> 00:00:40,582
[dramatic music]
12
00:00:40,623 --> 00:00:44,633
* *
13
00:00:44,669 --> 00:00:46,629
[crowd booing]
14
00:01:01,144 --> 00:01:03,774
- The dirtiest player
in the game,
15
00:01:03,813 --> 00:01:05,863
Hollywood Hulk Hogan,
16
00:01:05,899 --> 00:01:10,649
will prove you gotta take
what you want.
17
00:01:10,695 --> 00:01:13,315
- Hollywood Hulk Hogan was
the most diabolical villain
18
00:01:13,365 --> 00:01:15,775
in sports entertainment
history.
19
00:01:15,825 --> 00:01:17,785
But Hogan's inglorious
brand of evil
20
00:01:17,827 --> 00:01:20,367
derived from rather innocent
beginnings.
21
00:01:20,413 --> 00:01:24,633
[National Anthem playing
on electric guitar]
22
00:01:24,668 --> 00:01:26,958
- It's the '80s.
Simpler times.
23
00:01:27,003 --> 00:01:28,633
* *
24
00:01:28,672 --> 00:01:30,132
Hulk Hogan is the
larger-than-life
25
00:01:30,173 --> 00:01:33,803
personification of everything
you want in a hero.
26
00:01:33,843 --> 00:01:37,143
Be good, say your prayers,
eat your vitamins,
27
00:01:37,180 --> 00:01:40,980
and you too could be like
Hulk Hogan someday.
28
00:01:41,017 --> 00:01:42,477
[bell ringing]
29
00:01:42,519 --> 00:01:45,899
- This is the main event!
30
00:01:45,939 --> 00:01:48,319
- Hulk Hogan was larger
than life.
31
00:01:48,358 --> 00:01:50,818
Big, 300 and some odd pounds,
32
00:01:50,860 --> 00:01:52,650
built like
a brick [bleep]house.
33
00:01:52,696 --> 00:01:56,776
and had
an ungodly amount of charisma.
34
00:01:56,825 --> 00:02:00,405
- Hulk Hogan!
[crowd cheering]
35
00:02:00,453 --> 00:02:02,793
[bell ringing]
36
00:02:02,831 --> 00:02:05,331
- The 1980s
were a wonderful era
37
00:02:05,375 --> 00:02:07,625
for real-life superheroes.
38
00:02:07,669 --> 00:02:09,299
- Hulk now has
the Sheik's robe,
39
00:02:09,337 --> 00:02:11,457
and he clotheslined him
with it!
40
00:02:11,506 --> 00:02:12,836
- We were looking for heroes
41
00:02:12,882 --> 00:02:16,472
that were really idealized
versions of ourselves.
42
00:02:16,511 --> 00:02:18,301
And Hulk Hogan
was one of those.
43
00:02:18,346 --> 00:02:21,346
- One, two!
He's got Iron Sheik!
44
00:02:21,391 --> 00:02:24,021
Hulkamania is here.
45
00:02:24,060 --> 00:02:26,860
- In early '80s,
I started Hulkamania.
46
00:02:26,896 --> 00:02:29,726
I had a lot to do with it,
but so did the promotion.
47
00:02:31,443 --> 00:02:33,363
I'm in training
and I'm saying my prayers
48
00:02:33,403 --> 00:02:34,573
and eating my vitamins.
49
00:02:34,612 --> 00:02:36,032
And everywhere where I go,
man,
50
00:02:36,072 --> 00:02:38,122
the people are training
in the parking lots,
51
00:02:38,158 --> 00:02:39,658
closing in the gym.
52
00:02:39,701 --> 00:02:42,501
Hulkamania is running wild
all over the world.
53
00:02:42,537 --> 00:02:46,957
- Hulkamania was a phenomenon
that grabbed hold of
54
00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,460
not just the wrestling world,
but the entire world.
55
00:02:50,503 --> 00:02:52,263
- It just blew him up huge.
56
00:02:52,297 --> 00:02:56,837
I mean, this guy couldn't go
anywhere and not be recognized.
57
00:02:56,885 --> 00:02:58,545
- All of a sudden you started
seeing Hulk more and more
58
00:02:58,595 --> 00:02:59,845
on different shows.
59
00:02:59,888 --> 00:03:01,468
Johnny Carson.
60
00:03:01,514 --> 00:03:03,564
- Professional wrestling
kinda turns me
61
00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,390
into a stark raving maniac.
62
00:03:05,435 --> 00:03:06,805
- Jay Leno.
63
00:03:06,853 --> 00:03:08,403
- We came
to "Saturday Night Live"
64
00:03:08,438 --> 00:03:09,938
for one reason, brother.
65
00:03:09,981 --> 00:03:12,731
'Cause this is the best darn
show in the whole wild world.
66
00:03:12,776 --> 00:03:14,396
- "Hulk," I said,
"Hulk, you can't go wrong
67
00:03:14,444 --> 00:03:15,744
with the red and yellow."
He goes, "Why?"
68
00:03:15,779 --> 00:03:17,699
"McDonald's!
McDonald's is red and yellow
69
00:03:17,739 --> 00:03:19,949
and they're all over America."
70
00:03:19,991 --> 00:03:22,991
- They were putting me on the
cover of "Sports Illustrated,"
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00:03:23,036 --> 00:03:24,446
all the major magazines,
72
00:03:24,496 --> 00:03:26,746
you know, I was doing
commercials for Right Guard.
73
00:03:26,790 --> 00:03:28,960
And there was this
crazy momentum.
74
00:03:32,962 --> 00:03:35,382
- There he is, the greatest
professional athlete
75
00:03:35,423 --> 00:03:37,763
in the world today,
Hulk Hogan.
76
00:03:37,801 --> 00:03:39,511
- Hulk Hogan came into my life
77
00:03:39,552 --> 00:03:43,142
when I was very impressionable
in my formative years.
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00:03:43,181 --> 00:03:44,521
I loved everything about him.
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00:03:44,557 --> 00:03:47,017
He was big. He was tall.
He was tan.
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00:03:47,060 --> 00:03:48,940
He had 24-inch pythons.
81
00:03:48,978 --> 00:03:52,518
The way he talked.
The way he ripped his shirt.
82
00:03:52,565 --> 00:03:56,235
When he was Thunderlips
in "Rocky III."
83
00:03:56,277 --> 00:03:58,777
We gotta remember we were
in the middle of a Cold War.
84
00:03:58,822 --> 00:04:01,032
There was a lot of propaganda
as far as, you know,
85
00:04:01,074 --> 00:04:03,204
the Russians or whatever
the case may be.
86
00:04:03,243 --> 00:04:05,333
- We got Nikolai Volkoff
87
00:04:05,370 --> 00:04:07,870
singing
the Soviet National Anthem.
88
00:04:07,914 --> 00:04:11,964
It was not necessarily a time
for nuanced storytelling.
89
00:04:12,002 --> 00:04:15,842
- I can't stand to see
our enemy's flag in the ring.
90
00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,470
- Mr. All-American
versus the rest of the world.
91
00:04:19,509 --> 00:04:22,049
Throw in the American flag?
You got a hero.
92
00:04:22,095 --> 00:04:27,015
- Hulk Hogan with Old Glory
flying high above.
93
00:04:28,309 --> 00:04:30,599
- Coming out of the '80s,
94
00:04:30,645 --> 00:04:33,935
the '90s is defined
by grunge...
95
00:04:35,692 --> 00:04:37,612
and gangster rap.
96
00:04:37,652 --> 00:04:40,032
Counterculture
was everything in the '90s.
97
00:04:41,865 --> 00:04:44,575
- When the '90s came along,
everything changed, you know.
98
00:04:44,617 --> 00:04:46,697
It was about being more
the bad guy,
99
00:04:46,745 --> 00:04:49,865
the more in your face,
the more, "Yeah. Who said so?
100
00:04:49,914 --> 00:04:51,884
"Well, try to knock this chip
off my shoulder
101
00:04:51,916 --> 00:04:54,706
and I'll show you
what's gonna happen, buddy."
102
00:04:54,753 --> 00:04:57,763
- It was the same red
and yellow for a long time.
103
00:04:57,797 --> 00:05:00,627
Very successful long time
I might add,
104
00:05:00,675 --> 00:05:02,085
but there was a point
105
00:05:02,135 --> 00:05:05,135
where the audience
started looking at Hulk
106
00:05:05,180 --> 00:05:07,680
and going, "Okay, what's new?"
107
00:05:08,975 --> 00:05:11,935
- All of a sudden,
I felt things changing.
108
00:05:11,978 --> 00:05:15,358
But I could feel the momentum.
It wasn't as powerful.
109
00:05:15,398 --> 00:05:16,608
I'd come out
and my music would hit,
110
00:05:16,649 --> 00:05:18,399
it wasn't the same.
111
00:05:18,443 --> 00:05:20,243
I'd drop the leg,
do the posedown.
112
00:05:20,278 --> 00:05:22,198
It wasn't the same.
113
00:05:22,238 --> 00:05:23,818
- We could notice each night,
114
00:05:23,865 --> 00:05:25,865
we were getting
a few more boos.
115
00:05:25,909 --> 00:05:28,499
Each night,
I'd go and check the sales
116
00:05:28,536 --> 00:05:30,036
on our merchandise, you know.
117
00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,580
And I could see where it was
starting to dip a little bit.
118
00:05:32,624 --> 00:05:34,674
- This Hulk Hogan thing
got so big
119
00:05:34,709 --> 00:05:36,839
and it was so powerful.
120
00:05:36,878 --> 00:05:38,048
But there were certain times
121
00:05:38,088 --> 00:05:39,958
where, you know,
when I kind of felt
122
00:05:40,006 --> 00:05:43,256
Hulkamania might not be going
in the right direction.
123
00:05:43,301 --> 00:05:45,511
I thought there might be a time
for a change.
124
00:05:45,553 --> 00:05:48,063
- [yells]
- Going up?
125
00:05:50,517 --> 00:05:51,887
- For the next few years,
126
00:05:51,935 --> 00:05:55,685
Hulk focused on
his Hollywood ambitions.
127
00:05:55,730 --> 00:05:58,690
- So is he a Box Office champ?
128
00:05:58,733 --> 00:06:01,073
Well, not yet.
129
00:06:01,111 --> 00:06:02,741
- I'm getting better.
130
00:06:02,779 --> 00:06:05,739
The transition is a tough one.
131
00:06:05,782 --> 00:06:09,412
- By 1994,
it became clear.
132
00:06:09,452 --> 00:06:13,082
Hulkamania was
not running wild in Hollywood.
133
00:06:13,123 --> 00:06:17,423
- I kinda, like, was really
on shaky ground for a while.
134
00:06:17,460 --> 00:06:19,300
I wasn't making any money.
135
00:06:19,337 --> 00:06:22,337
And when I left the WWE,
136
00:06:22,382 --> 00:06:24,262
Vince thought my run was over.
137
00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:28,470
You know, so I was just kinda
like, stumbling along
138
00:06:28,513 --> 00:06:30,103
on a hope and a prayer.
139
00:06:32,517 --> 00:06:36,437
I was so lucky that WCW
140
00:06:36,479 --> 00:06:39,319
had a sound stage right next
to "Thunder in Paradise."
141
00:06:39,357 --> 00:06:45,107
And Eric Bischoff approached me
with Ric Flair and said,
142
00:06:45,155 --> 00:06:47,865
"Hey, we'd like you to put
lightning in a bottle again."
143
00:06:47,907 --> 00:06:49,197
I said, "Brother, I'm in."
144
00:06:51,661 --> 00:06:53,831
- Eric Bischoff was
a chief executive
145
00:06:53,872 --> 00:06:56,922
tasked with leading WCW,
a wrestling promotion
146
00:06:56,958 --> 00:06:59,378
with the objective
to overtake WWE
147
00:06:59,419 --> 00:07:01,709
as the industry standard.
148
00:07:01,755 --> 00:07:03,295
Bischoff's
first plan of action
149
00:07:03,340 --> 00:07:06,720
was to entice former WWE
superstars into the fold
150
00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,600
to jumpstart the company.
151
00:07:08,636 --> 00:07:12,136
[intense music]
152
00:07:12,182 --> 00:07:14,642
And there was still
no bigger name out there...
153
00:07:14,684 --> 00:07:16,144
[cheers and applause]
154
00:07:16,186 --> 00:07:18,226
Than Hulk Hogan.
155
00:07:19,689 --> 00:07:22,189
- WCW was at a point in time
156
00:07:22,233 --> 00:07:25,243
where we were
positioning for growth.
157
00:07:25,278 --> 00:07:27,818
Hulk Hogan was still
a bankable star
158
00:07:27,864 --> 00:07:29,284
in the eyes of advertisers.
159
00:07:29,324 --> 00:07:32,874
Knowing that Hulk
was no longer with WWE,
160
00:07:32,911 --> 00:07:36,291
it became apparent to me
that being able to sign Hulk
161
00:07:36,331 --> 00:07:41,841
and get him to come to WCW
would create an awareness
162
00:07:41,878 --> 00:07:44,338
that no amount
of advertising or marketing
163
00:07:44,381 --> 00:07:46,051
probably could have achieved.
164
00:07:47,425 --> 00:07:49,135
- I never, ever in my life
165
00:07:49,177 --> 00:07:52,307
thought that I would
run against Vince McMahon.
166
00:07:52,347 --> 00:07:55,677
But you know,
I talked to Eric Bischoff.
167
00:07:55,725 --> 00:07:59,095
And he said, "What's it gonna
take to light this company up?"
168
00:07:59,145 --> 00:08:02,395
I said, "Well, I need to come
back as Hulk Hogan for a while
169
00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:03,690
"and get the feel of things,
170
00:08:03,733 --> 00:08:06,283
and then we can figure
it out really quick."
171
00:08:06,319 --> 00:08:08,359
- Hulk Hogan, five times--
172
00:08:08,405 --> 00:08:10,865
- The initial reaction
when Hulk left WWE
173
00:08:10,907 --> 00:08:13,327
and went to WCW was
174
00:08:13,368 --> 00:08:16,998
going to a smaller
organization at the time
175
00:08:17,038 --> 00:08:19,748
would help that organization,
definitely,
176
00:08:19,791 --> 00:08:21,081
but wasn't anything that said,
177
00:08:21,126 --> 00:08:23,086
"Oh, well this is gonna
make a difference.
178
00:08:23,128 --> 00:08:25,548
Not with the same thing
that he had been doing here."
179
00:08:25,588 --> 00:08:27,048
- We're gonna find out
180
00:08:27,090 --> 00:08:29,510
who the most powerful man
in the WCW is because--
181
00:08:29,551 --> 00:08:30,891
- You know, when we first
brought Hulk Hogan in,
182
00:08:30,927 --> 00:08:32,427
it was a big damn deal.
183
00:08:32,470 --> 00:08:33,850
It made a lot of news.
184
00:08:33,888 --> 00:08:35,768
It served its purpose.
185
00:08:35,807 --> 00:08:38,807
But after about
a year and a half,
186
00:08:38,852 --> 00:08:42,402
the audience viewed
Hulk Hogan differently.
187
00:08:42,439 --> 00:08:46,399
I knew that, going
head-to-head with the WWE,
188
00:08:46,443 --> 00:08:50,703
we had to be different
and had to be a lot edgier.
189
00:08:50,739 --> 00:08:55,539
So it was Hulk Hogan
joining the dark side.
190
00:08:55,577 --> 00:08:59,457
- Oh, what is this?
Come on!
191
00:08:59,497 --> 00:09:04,127
* *
192
00:09:04,169 --> 00:09:07,169
- So I flew myself down
to Clearwater
193
00:09:07,213 --> 00:09:10,093
and had a conversation
with Hulk.
194
00:09:10,133 --> 00:09:13,603
"What do you think
about turning heel?
195
00:09:13,636 --> 00:09:18,926
Going from good
to the bad guy?"
196
00:09:18,975 --> 00:09:21,385
- Eric came up with this idea
and, you know,
197
00:09:21,436 --> 00:09:24,146
I knew I needed to do
something, but I wasn't sold.
198
00:09:25,732 --> 00:09:29,402
- I think Hulk knew that
the red and yellow Hulk Hogan
199
00:09:29,444 --> 00:09:33,534
was still generating
a lot of revenue
200
00:09:33,573 --> 00:09:37,793
and would be turning
his back on the fans.
201
00:09:37,827 --> 00:09:39,997
And I just don't think
he was interested
202
00:09:40,038 --> 00:09:45,498
in taking the risk
associated with turning heel.
203
00:09:45,543 --> 00:09:47,303
Because Hulk had made
it clear to me
204
00:09:47,337 --> 00:09:50,337
he had no interest
in turning heel at all,
205
00:09:50,382 --> 00:09:52,382
so I had to have a plan B.
206
00:09:52,425 --> 00:09:54,295
* *
207
00:09:54,344 --> 00:09:57,474
- WCW president Eric Bischoff
hatched a real life plot
208
00:09:57,514 --> 00:10:00,144
to put WWE out of business.
209
00:10:00,183 --> 00:10:03,403
- Scott and I had taken on
the perception
210
00:10:03,436 --> 00:10:06,686
of two of the WWE's top guys
211
00:10:06,731 --> 00:10:08,781
doing basically,
a hostile takeover
212
00:10:08,817 --> 00:10:10,567
of another corporation,
213
00:10:10,610 --> 00:10:13,450
so we were always perceived
as the WWE.
214
00:10:13,488 --> 00:10:16,658
- Get security out here
and get them outta here.
215
00:10:16,700 --> 00:10:19,290
- The perception was implied
216
00:10:19,327 --> 00:10:23,617
that they were being sent
from us at the WWE
217
00:10:23,665 --> 00:10:28,245
and it was an invasion
of WWE talent going to WCW.
218
00:10:28,294 --> 00:10:30,514
[tires squealing]
- See you, buddy!
219
00:10:30,547 --> 00:10:31,837
Whoo!
220
00:10:31,881 --> 00:10:34,511
- Scott Hall and Kevin Nash,
221
00:10:34,551 --> 00:10:38,141
they killed everyone.
222
00:10:38,179 --> 00:10:40,309
- Stop take, get security.
223
00:10:41,266 --> 00:10:43,386
- They didn't have
anything to lose
224
00:10:43,435 --> 00:10:46,055
and they were willing
to take risks.
225
00:10:46,104 --> 00:10:48,234
- Oh, my God.
- Hey, get him outta here.
226
00:10:48,273 --> 00:10:50,823
- We picked up a lot
of momentum right off the bat.
227
00:10:50,859 --> 00:10:53,149
Certainly got
people's attention,
228
00:10:53,194 --> 00:10:55,704
but I needed to make
as big a splash as I could,
229
00:10:55,739 --> 00:11:00,119
so we built an entire storyline
around a third man.
230
00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,290
What made it tricky for me is
231
00:11:02,328 --> 00:11:07,208
I had to find a third man
in that story.
232
00:11:07,250 --> 00:11:10,170
- Bischoff wanted the promise
of a mysterious third man,
233
00:11:10,211 --> 00:11:12,881
the baddest of the bad guys,
234
00:11:12,922 --> 00:11:15,592
a true heel of a human being.
235
00:11:15,633 --> 00:11:18,763
But who could possibly
fill those boots?
236
00:11:18,803 --> 00:11:20,563
- Everyone wanted that spot.
237
00:11:20,597 --> 00:11:22,557
These two guys
had lit up the world.
238
00:11:22,599 --> 00:11:26,939
I'm talking about number one
spot on cable television.
239
00:11:26,978 --> 00:11:30,398
- We wanna know
who your three guys are.
240
00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:34,820
- And then he cut that promo
about "Bring your best three,
241
00:11:34,861 --> 00:11:36,911
we're bringing our best three."
242
00:11:36,946 --> 00:11:41,486
- The big man
and the medium size man
243
00:11:41,534 --> 00:11:43,544
and our surprise buddy--
244
00:11:43,578 --> 00:11:46,918
- "And next week,
I'm bringing the big man in."
245
00:11:46,956 --> 00:11:49,536
The really crazy part is
246
00:11:49,584 --> 00:11:52,714
no one knew
247
00:11:52,754 --> 00:11:55,134
who the third guy was
248
00:11:55,173 --> 00:11:57,883
because there wasn't one yet.
249
00:12:05,684 --> 00:12:08,604
- I remember the day
that I got a call from Hulk.
250
00:12:08,645 --> 00:12:10,855
And he said, "Hey, man,
I'd like to talk to you
251
00:12:10,897 --> 00:12:12,107
"about what's going on.
252
00:12:12,148 --> 00:12:15,318
Can you make it out to LA?"
So I did.
253
00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,450
I think I got to Hulk's
trailer around midnight.
254
00:12:18,488 --> 00:12:21,988
After we had a beer or two
and lit up a Cuban cigar,
255
00:12:22,033 --> 00:12:23,913
Hulk said to me, "So...
256
00:12:25,036 --> 00:12:27,286
Who's gonna be the third man?"
257
00:12:27,330 --> 00:12:29,670
And I didn't wanna tell him.
258
00:12:29,708 --> 00:12:31,998
I already had Sting lined up.
259
00:12:32,043 --> 00:12:34,213
- I said,
"You can't ask Sting."
260
00:12:35,714 --> 00:12:38,764
I needed major, major change,
261
00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,590
really, really bad.
262
00:12:42,512 --> 00:12:44,062
I was starting to get
to the point
263
00:12:44,097 --> 00:12:48,057
where I was second-guessing
everything about myself.
264
00:12:48,101 --> 00:12:51,481
Was the Hulkamania ride
a fluke?
265
00:12:51,521 --> 00:12:55,611
Was the reason Hulkamania
got so big,
266
00:12:55,650 --> 00:12:59,030
was it just
Vince McMahon's promotion?
267
00:12:59,070 --> 00:13:02,320
When this whole
three guys thing came along
268
00:13:02,365 --> 00:13:03,825
and I decided to jump on it,
269
00:13:03,867 --> 00:13:07,787
I needed it more than
life itself, at that point.
270
00:13:07,829 --> 00:13:10,289
I didn't want Sting to get it.
271
00:13:10,331 --> 00:13:13,881
And I wanted to prove to people
that I knew this business.
272
00:13:13,918 --> 00:13:17,008
And not only could I be
the greatest good guy ever.
273
00:13:17,047 --> 00:13:18,207
I knew this business
well enough
274
00:13:18,256 --> 00:13:20,716
that I could be
the greatest bad guy ever.
275
00:13:20,759 --> 00:13:25,759
So I said, "I'm in.
I'm in. Let's do it."
276
00:13:25,805 --> 00:13:29,595
- I was like, "Wow.
Didn't see that one coming."
277
00:13:29,642 --> 00:13:31,642
[dramatic music]
278
00:13:34,939 --> 00:13:37,319
Boy, have I got butteries.
279
00:13:37,359 --> 00:13:41,609
Luger's here. Sting's here.
Savage is here.
280
00:13:41,654 --> 00:13:43,914
I only see two of them.
281
00:13:43,948 --> 00:13:46,698
- We were told there would be
three of these interlopers.
282
00:13:46,743 --> 00:13:50,293
And as you can see,
there are only two.
283
00:13:50,330 --> 00:13:52,620
- There's just two of them.
284
00:13:52,665 --> 00:13:54,375
They're fighting three guys.
285
00:13:54,417 --> 00:13:56,747
Savage and Luger and Sting.
286
00:13:56,795 --> 00:13:57,915
- Where is he?
287
00:13:57,962 --> 00:14:00,052
It's your partner telling me
288
00:14:00,090 --> 00:14:02,430
that your third man
is in the building?
289
00:14:02,467 --> 00:14:04,087
- Oh, he's here
all right, Gene.
290
00:14:04,135 --> 00:14:06,965
- What made it tricky
for me is
291
00:14:07,013 --> 00:14:08,723
I wasn't 100% convinced
292
00:14:08,765 --> 00:14:11,225
that Hulk was actually
going to see it through.
293
00:14:11,267 --> 00:14:13,267
- Up until 4:00 o'clock,
294
00:14:13,311 --> 00:14:15,651
Hulk wasn't sure
he was gonna do it, you know.
295
00:14:15,689 --> 00:14:17,729
It was--it was not a go.
296
00:14:17,774 --> 00:14:21,614
And the backup plan
was gonna be Sting turning.
297
00:14:25,740 --> 00:14:27,330
- I think everybody
under their breath
298
00:14:27,367 --> 00:14:29,617
said a little bit of prayer
because we knew
299
00:14:29,661 --> 00:14:32,831
we're taking the biggest name
in the history of this business
300
00:14:32,872 --> 00:14:34,672
and switching him to a bad guy.
301
00:14:34,708 --> 00:14:37,458
- We couldn't afford
any mistakes.
302
00:14:37,502 --> 00:14:40,962
Keeping it a secret
was my top priority.
303
00:14:41,006 --> 00:14:44,926
I pulled him over into this
big janitorial closet,
304
00:14:44,968 --> 00:14:48,348
and we started
going through that promo
305
00:14:48,388 --> 00:14:51,388
just beginning
to middle and end.
306
00:14:52,767 --> 00:14:56,187
It was the most exciting,
most stressful,
307
00:14:56,229 --> 00:15:00,649
probably two hours
of my professional life.
308
00:15:00,692 --> 00:15:04,032
Once Hulk walked
through that curtain,
309
00:15:04,070 --> 00:15:05,660
it was
what it was going to be,
310
00:15:05,697 --> 00:15:07,197
and there was nothing
I or anybody else
311
00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,330
could do about it.
All bets were off.
312
00:15:09,367 --> 00:15:11,487
- Hulk Hogan
is in the building!
313
00:15:11,536 --> 00:15:13,326
- You're damn right he is!
- Go get 'em, Hulk!
314
00:15:13,371 --> 00:15:15,331
- Hulk comes out.
Here he comes!
315
00:15:15,373 --> 00:15:18,673
America, red and yellow,
blah, blah, blah.
316
00:15:18,710 --> 00:15:20,800
People are there.
They're there. They're there.
317
00:15:20,837 --> 00:15:25,087
- Yes. Finally, the Hulkster
to the rescue.
318
00:15:25,133 --> 00:15:26,893
- And I'm--I'm in on it.
319
00:15:26,926 --> 00:15:28,296
I know he's gonna turn.
320
00:15:28,345 --> 00:15:31,255
And all I'm thinking
in my mind is, "Oh, man.
321
00:15:31,306 --> 00:15:32,676
"Five minutes from now, man,
322
00:15:32,724 --> 00:15:35,354
I'm going to get
the photo op of a lifetime."
323
00:15:35,393 --> 00:15:37,903
Like, I'm in the ring
with Hulk Hogan.
324
00:15:37,937 --> 00:15:40,107
- I go to the ring
and Bobby Eaton goes,
325
00:15:40,148 --> 00:15:42,028
"But whose side is he on?"
326
00:15:42,067 --> 00:15:44,187
- But whose side is he on?
327
00:15:44,235 --> 00:15:45,855
- What are you talking about,
Bobby?
328
00:15:45,904 --> 00:15:47,114
What side is he on?
329
00:15:47,155 --> 00:15:48,615
There's only one side
for him to be on.
330
00:15:50,575 --> 00:15:53,535
- Literally,
it was hard for me to breathe.
331
00:15:53,578 --> 00:15:54,698
I was so excited.
332
00:15:54,746 --> 00:15:56,366
- Kevin and Scott
cleared out of the ring
333
00:15:56,414 --> 00:15:57,754
like they were afraid
of me first.
334
00:15:57,791 --> 00:15:59,171
- Get it, Hogan!
335
00:15:59,209 --> 00:16:00,999
Go get it, baby!
336
00:16:01,044 --> 00:16:02,804
Hulk, Hulk, Hulk!
337
00:16:02,837 --> 00:16:05,047
- Oh, my God!
Is he the third man?
338
00:16:05,090 --> 00:16:06,420
- He's the third man!
339
00:16:06,466 --> 00:16:08,386
- I went in and dropped
the leg on Mach.
340
00:16:08,426 --> 00:16:09,926
- What has he done?
341
00:16:09,969 --> 00:16:13,139
- Hulk Hogan has betrayed WCW!
342
00:16:13,181 --> 00:16:16,231
[crowd booing]
343
00:16:16,267 --> 00:16:17,597
- They were in shock.
344
00:16:17,644 --> 00:16:20,564
- You just sold your soul
to the devil.
345
00:16:20,605 --> 00:16:25,235
- I mean, you could feel
the air come out of the arena.
346
00:16:25,276 --> 00:16:27,896
No one knew how to react.
347
00:16:27,946 --> 00:16:30,816
- Hogan drops the leg
and stands there in the ring
348
00:16:30,865 --> 00:16:33,655
being interviewed by
a disgusted Mean Gene Okerlund.
349
00:16:33,702 --> 00:16:36,582
- Mean Gene,
the first thing you need to do
350
00:16:36,621 --> 00:16:39,081
is to tell these people
to shut up
351
00:16:39,124 --> 00:16:41,424
if you wanna hear
what I gotta say.
352
00:16:41,459 --> 00:16:44,419
Well, I told everybody
I was done
353
00:16:44,462 --> 00:16:46,262
and all you fans out there,
354
00:16:46,297 --> 00:16:49,127
you're just like
the trash in this ring.
355
00:16:49,175 --> 00:16:51,925
When I said that, man,
they were throwing bottles,
356
00:16:51,970 --> 00:16:54,260
they were throwing anything
they could get their hands on.
357
00:16:54,305 --> 00:16:55,765
- Look at the ring.
358
00:16:55,807 --> 00:16:58,887
Look at all this crap
in this ring.
359
00:16:58,935 --> 00:17:01,265
- As far as I'm concerned,
360
00:17:01,312 --> 00:17:04,482
all this crap in the ring
361
00:17:04,524 --> 00:17:07,114
represents these fans out here.
362
00:17:07,152 --> 00:17:10,202
You fans can stick it, brother.
363
00:17:10,238 --> 00:17:13,618
- Trash is raining down
from the crowd.
364
00:17:13,658 --> 00:17:15,238
You knew
you were seeing something
365
00:17:15,285 --> 00:17:18,075
you never thought
you would see.
366
00:17:18,121 --> 00:17:20,331
Hulk Hogan was evil.
367
00:17:20,373 --> 00:17:22,963
He had become
the ultimate villain.
368
00:17:23,001 --> 00:17:25,211
- You can call this
369
00:17:25,253 --> 00:17:29,763
the New World Order
of wrestling, brother.
370
00:17:29,799 --> 00:17:31,589
- And he ushers in
371
00:17:31,634 --> 00:17:36,354
an entirely new era
of professional wrestling.
372
00:17:37,766 --> 00:17:40,136
- And that was the birth
of the nWo.
373
00:17:40,185 --> 00:17:43,855
* *
374
00:17:47,192 --> 00:17:48,742
- Hulk Hogan,
for you to join up
375
00:17:48,777 --> 00:17:50,607
with the likes of these two men
376
00:17:50,653 --> 00:17:53,743
absolutely makes me
sick to my stomach.
377
00:17:53,782 --> 00:17:55,832
- The way it is now, brother,
378
00:17:55,867 --> 00:18:01,617
not only are we gonna take over
the whole wrestling business
379
00:18:01,664 --> 00:18:05,924
with Hulk Hogan and the new
blood, the monsters with me,
380
00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:11,090
we will destroy everything
in our path, Mean Gene.
381
00:18:11,132 --> 00:18:13,092
It got so much heat.
382
00:18:13,134 --> 00:18:17,394
Me, Kevin, and Scott got to the
back and went, "Holy [bleep]."
383
00:18:18,890 --> 00:18:20,890
- It was the craziest thing
I've ever seen in my life.
384
00:18:20,934 --> 00:18:23,484
They had to call
extra police in
385
00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:25,610
from the Daytona Police
Department, came out there
386
00:18:25,647 --> 00:18:27,727
because there
was a riot that took place.
387
00:18:27,774 --> 00:18:30,744
I mean, all the news medias
picked up on it everywhere.
388
00:18:33,863 --> 00:18:35,493
- The next day,
389
00:18:35,532 --> 00:18:39,622
Turner Broadcasting was flooded
390
00:18:39,661 --> 00:18:41,581
with emails and phone calls
391
00:18:41,621 --> 00:18:45,631
of really pissed-off people,
392
00:18:45,667 --> 00:18:47,127
mainly 'cause of the kids.
393
00:18:47,168 --> 00:18:48,628
'Cause Hulk was,
394
00:18:48,670 --> 00:18:50,460
"Say your prayer,
eat your vitamins."
395
00:18:50,505 --> 00:18:54,465
And now you're heel?
Ooh, man.
396
00:18:54,509 --> 00:18:59,809
People were--
bleep, bleep, bleep--pissed.
397
00:18:59,848 --> 00:19:03,058
- People lost their minds,
dude.
398
00:19:03,101 --> 00:19:04,981
I mean, kids were burning
399
00:19:05,020 --> 00:19:09,020
their Hulk Hogan
wrestling huggers in effigy.
400
00:19:09,065 --> 00:19:11,565
I mean it was insane.
401
00:19:11,609 --> 00:19:15,409
That's how beloved
that man was.
402
00:19:15,447 --> 00:19:17,657
[crowd chanting]
Hogan sucks! Hogan sucks!
403
00:19:17,699 --> 00:19:19,739
Hogan sucks! Hogan sucks!
404
00:19:19,784 --> 00:19:21,164
- That was devastating.
405
00:19:21,202 --> 00:19:25,172
Little kids were crying.
Grown men were pissed.
406
00:19:25,206 --> 00:19:28,376
It was genuine betrayal.
407
00:19:28,418 --> 00:19:33,048
And the hate
that surely follows.
408
00:19:36,051 --> 00:19:38,011
- Hollywood Hogan embraced
his dark side
409
00:19:38,053 --> 00:19:40,353
with greater ease
than anyone expected.
410
00:19:40,388 --> 00:19:43,978
It was clear he was in this
for the long haul.
411
00:19:44,017 --> 00:19:45,597
- Wearing black
412
00:19:45,643 --> 00:19:48,103
instead of his customary
and traditional
413
00:19:48,146 --> 00:19:49,606
yellow and red,
414
00:19:49,647 --> 00:19:56,647
Mr. Hollywood Hulk Hogan!
415
00:19:56,696 --> 00:19:59,906
- The biggest on-camera change
for Hulk Hogan
416
00:19:59,949 --> 00:20:02,789
going from good guy to bad guy
was wardrobe.
417
00:20:02,827 --> 00:20:05,747
The red and yellow.
Those were his colors.
418
00:20:05,789 --> 00:20:09,499
Then going to the black
and the bandana being black.
419
00:20:09,542 --> 00:20:11,382
- He's turned his back
on it all.
420
00:20:11,419 --> 00:20:12,959
- What I liked the most
about it
421
00:20:13,004 --> 00:20:15,304
as opposed to just the
wardrobe, it was in the beard.
422
00:20:15,340 --> 00:20:21,180
It visually made
his heel turn more dramatic.
423
00:20:21,221 --> 00:20:24,971
- At the time, it wasn't gray.
It was still kinda blonde.
424
00:20:25,016 --> 00:20:26,516
I grew the beard in,
425
00:20:26,559 --> 00:20:28,599
and I got Just For Men,
426
00:20:28,645 --> 00:20:31,395
and I dyed it
shoe polish black,
427
00:20:31,439 --> 00:20:35,529
as evil, as Snidely Whiplash
as I could get it.
428
00:20:35,568 --> 00:20:37,778
And that was the look.
429
00:20:37,821 --> 00:20:41,741
It made people so mad
that they knew I dyed my beard
430
00:20:41,783 --> 00:20:43,743
or I put makeup on it
or whatever they thought.
431
00:20:43,785 --> 00:20:45,075
- Listen to the fans!
432
00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:47,500
- It put that extra icing
on the top
433
00:20:47,539 --> 00:20:49,669
to make people hate me
even more.
434
00:20:49,708 --> 00:20:52,458
And then nobody airbrushed
their boots, you know.
435
00:20:52,502 --> 00:20:54,672
So I was putting "Hollywood"
436
00:20:54,713 --> 00:20:56,593
and lightning bolts
on the boots.
437
00:20:56,631 --> 00:20:57,881
And so that was like tweaking
438
00:20:57,924 --> 00:20:59,054
the character
and getting it right.
439
00:20:59,092 --> 00:21:02,762
But it made me act
a certain way too.
440
00:21:02,804 --> 00:21:05,274
- You know, there wasn't
a bigger boogieman
441
00:21:05,306 --> 00:21:07,556
than Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
442
00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:08,940
- Hollywood Hulk Hogan,
443
00:21:08,977 --> 00:21:11,687
he'd give the cheap shots
behind the referee's back,
444
00:21:11,730 --> 00:21:13,190
you know, scrape the back.
445
00:21:13,231 --> 00:21:15,481
He would get on his hands
and knees and beg,
446
00:21:15,525 --> 00:21:17,435
"Oh, please,
don't hit me, please,"
447
00:21:17,485 --> 00:21:19,945
where the people wanted
to see that happen, you know?
448
00:21:19,988 --> 00:21:21,818
And so it was just
a whole different persona
449
00:21:21,865 --> 00:21:23,825
than he was from Hulk Hogan.
450
00:21:24,993 --> 00:21:28,253
- Hulk Hogan is the man
that you voted for
451
00:21:28,288 --> 00:21:30,748
for The Most Hated Wrestler
of the Year.
452
00:21:30,790 --> 00:21:33,130
Hulkster, wait a minute.
I've known you, like, forever.
453
00:21:33,168 --> 00:21:35,338
I mean, you were the most
popular guy in the world
454
00:21:35,378 --> 00:21:37,838
and now The Most Hated
Wrestler of the Year?
455
00:21:37,881 --> 00:21:41,011
- Well, brother, times change
and so do people, man.
456
00:21:41,051 --> 00:21:44,971
- The scourge
of the wrestling world!
457
00:21:45,013 --> 00:21:50,233
- Not only was the heat
so pure, but all the--
458
00:21:50,268 --> 00:21:53,098
I don't wanna say
purist wrestling fans,
459
00:21:53,146 --> 00:21:55,566
but the dicks like me,
460
00:21:55,607 --> 00:21:57,857
we all loved it.
We were like, "Oh,
461
00:21:57,901 --> 00:22:00,951
if he can do that,
anything's possible."
462
00:22:00,987 --> 00:22:03,657
- I just wanted to set the tone
463
00:22:03,698 --> 00:22:06,828
for what really would make
the nWo take off.
464
00:22:06,868 --> 00:22:08,698
- * Let's get the--
get get get the money *
465
00:22:08,745 --> 00:22:10,285
* *
466
00:22:10,330 --> 00:22:13,790
- And man, we rode it hard
and we rode it long.
467
00:22:13,833 --> 00:22:19,013
The nWo is the only way to go.
468
00:22:19,047 --> 00:22:21,167
- Asking Hogan
to turn his back on the ideals
469
00:22:21,216 --> 00:22:23,716
that made him the icon
of a generation
470
00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:26,010
was a big ask
to say the least.
471
00:22:26,054 --> 00:22:27,764
He knew
there was no turning back.
472
00:22:27,806 --> 00:22:29,716
- * Let's get the--
get get get the money *
473
00:22:29,766 --> 00:22:31,726
* *
474
00:22:36,314 --> 00:22:43,114
- The new World Heavyweight
Champions, the nWo!
475
00:22:43,154 --> 00:22:48,034
- The fans picked up on
the nWo Hulk Hogan.
476
00:22:48,076 --> 00:22:52,246
It was something the wrestling
world had never seen before
477
00:22:52,288 --> 00:22:57,128
and what's even crazier
more so than anything,
478
00:22:57,168 --> 00:23:00,458
they liked it
and they ate it up.
479
00:23:00,505 --> 00:23:04,375
- I think secretly,
we all love the bad guys.
480
00:23:04,426 --> 00:23:06,846
There's always a cool factor
to the bad dude.
481
00:23:06,886 --> 00:23:08,966
I think there's something
within all of us
482
00:23:09,014 --> 00:23:10,314
that kind of wishes
483
00:23:10,348 --> 00:23:12,308
we could do a little bit
of that in real life.
484
00:23:12,350 --> 00:23:13,770
- What are you fans
gonna think?
485
00:23:13,810 --> 00:23:15,980
- Hey, what you gonna do?
I'm a bad guy.
486
00:23:16,021 --> 00:23:18,401
- Oh, oh, G-Gonzo! Gonzo, help!
487
00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,480
- Thistle!
488
00:23:20,525 --> 00:23:22,565
- I think
there's a certain authenticity
489
00:23:22,610 --> 00:23:24,860
that rings with people
490
00:23:24,904 --> 00:23:29,534
when they find out that
this pure hero is flawed.
491
00:23:29,576 --> 00:23:31,906
And then when they see that
they go, "Wow,
492
00:23:31,953 --> 00:23:33,373
I don't have to be perfect."
493
00:23:33,413 --> 00:23:38,423
You can identify with
that person that has the flaws.
494
00:23:38,460 --> 00:23:40,210
- They were cool bad guys.
495
00:23:40,253 --> 00:23:42,053
And I think that's
what makes the fans go,
496
00:23:42,088 --> 00:23:43,878
"You know,
I wish I could dress like him.
497
00:23:43,923 --> 00:23:45,513
"I wish I could go
and tell my boss off
498
00:23:45,550 --> 00:23:46,680
like this guy here."
499
00:23:46,718 --> 00:23:48,008
It's being everything
500
00:23:48,053 --> 00:23:51,683
that you wish you could be,
but you're not.
501
00:23:51,723 --> 00:23:53,393
- It's a new world order.
502
00:23:53,433 --> 00:23:55,853
There's nothing
you can do about it.
503
00:23:55,894 --> 00:23:58,524
You know, the more we would
beat people up
504
00:23:58,563 --> 00:24:02,193
and spray paint Ted Turner's
equipment outside,
505
00:24:02,233 --> 00:24:04,533
the more evil stuff we did,
506
00:24:04,569 --> 00:24:07,359
the more the fans cheered.
507
00:24:07,405 --> 00:24:11,115
- I think the audience's
appetite was changing.
508
00:24:11,159 --> 00:24:13,949
The audience was beginning
to dig the anti-hero
509
00:24:13,995 --> 00:24:15,575
a lot more than the hero.
510
00:24:15,622 --> 00:24:19,082
So the whole idea
was to be edgier,
511
00:24:19,125 --> 00:24:21,205
more adult-themed,
512
00:24:21,252 --> 00:24:26,382
and to have much more
of a reality sensibility.
513
00:24:26,424 --> 00:24:28,134
And it worked.
514
00:24:31,805 --> 00:24:34,675
- It was fascinating because
they were showing us things
515
00:24:34,724 --> 00:24:36,314
that we had never seen before.
516
00:24:36,351 --> 00:24:38,901
They were taking us back
behind the scenes,
517
00:24:38,937 --> 00:24:41,057
and they were just disrupting.
518
00:24:41,106 --> 00:24:43,226
From a fan's point of view,
it was almost like
519
00:24:43,274 --> 00:24:46,494
now there was a virus
in wrestling
520
00:24:46,528 --> 00:24:49,198
and you were either cool
like Hogan,
521
00:24:49,239 --> 00:24:53,119
or you were, you know,
company people.
522
00:24:53,159 --> 00:24:56,789
- Getting the world
to get behind it
523
00:24:56,830 --> 00:24:58,710
and want to be a part of it,
524
00:24:58,748 --> 00:25:00,878
it was genius.
It really was.
525
00:25:00,917 --> 00:25:04,957
Everybody in the arena
had the shirt.
526
00:25:05,005 --> 00:25:06,375
- Wanna make
a fashion statement?
527
00:25:06,423 --> 00:25:07,843
- Buy the shirt!
528
00:25:07,882 --> 00:25:10,762
- My grandmother
wouldn't allow me to wear
529
00:25:10,802 --> 00:25:13,852
the nWo shirt in my house.
530
00:25:13,888 --> 00:25:16,518
She even ripped down
my Hulk Hogan poster.
531
00:25:16,558 --> 00:25:18,888
So when Hulk Hogan
was transforming
532
00:25:18,935 --> 00:25:20,435
and the nWo was forming,
533
00:25:20,478 --> 00:25:22,438
I was also turning
into a younger adult too.
534
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,440
So I was kind of changing
the way I was moving
535
00:25:24,482 --> 00:25:25,572
and the things I liked.
536
00:25:25,608 --> 00:25:27,438
So that whole transition
was perfect
537
00:25:27,485 --> 00:25:30,105
from, you know, loving this
guy in the yellow and red
538
00:25:30,155 --> 00:25:32,985
to, "Grandma,
I need my nWo shirt.
539
00:25:33,033 --> 00:25:35,163
Where's my black
and white shirt?"
540
00:25:35,201 --> 00:25:37,451
- Ironically,
the villainous Hollywood Hogan
541
00:25:37,495 --> 00:25:39,575
was now attracting the sort
of celebrity attention
542
00:25:39,622 --> 00:25:43,082
that Hulk Hogan could only
dream about back in '94.
543
00:25:44,794 --> 00:25:47,304
- The nWo thing was so cool
544
00:25:47,339 --> 00:25:49,299
that there were really
no boundaries.
545
00:25:49,341 --> 00:25:51,761
- Hang on, you guys.
Now, listen--
546
00:25:51,801 --> 00:25:53,761
- I mean, it was insane.
547
00:25:53,803 --> 00:25:54,853
We had a blast.
548
00:25:54,888 --> 00:25:57,308
[moody rock music]
549
00:25:57,349 --> 00:26:01,349
- All of a sudden,
our ratings went from like 2.4s
550
00:26:01,394 --> 00:26:05,774
to sixes, sevens, and eights.
551
00:26:05,815 --> 00:26:07,935
I mean, those are NFL numbers.
552
00:26:07,984 --> 00:26:10,244
- We had
our own NASCAR nWo car.
553
00:26:10,278 --> 00:26:11,908
- Oh.
- Oh!
554
00:26:11,946 --> 00:26:13,906
- Everybody wanted
to be a bad guy.
555
00:26:13,948 --> 00:26:17,448
- You proved you are the icon
556
00:26:17,494 --> 00:26:21,124
that everybody in this building
has always known you are.
557
00:26:21,164 --> 00:26:24,004
Give it up for the Hulkster.
Come on, give it up.
558
00:26:27,379 --> 00:26:33,049
- It totally changed
the landscape of the business.
559
00:26:33,093 --> 00:26:37,643
All of a sudden,
bad guys became everything.
560
00:26:39,224 --> 00:26:42,774
- Hulk Hogan becoming evil
and becoming bad
561
00:26:42,811 --> 00:26:46,401
was the game-changer
that allowed WCW
562
00:26:46,439 --> 00:26:50,609
to move ahead in the ratings
above us for 83 weeks.
563
00:26:50,652 --> 00:26:55,532
And that was the catalyst that
really set WCW into motion,
564
00:26:55,573 --> 00:26:58,583
becoming a very successful
promotion.
565
00:26:58,618 --> 00:27:01,908
- Let's destroy
the broadcast booth...
566
00:27:01,955 --> 00:27:02,995
- No! No!
567
00:27:03,039 --> 00:27:07,539
- Just like we destroyed
the WCW.
568
00:27:07,585 --> 00:27:09,745
- At that time,
the world celebrated
569
00:27:09,796 --> 00:27:11,126
power hungry villains
570
00:27:11,172 --> 00:27:13,882
who might just
burn the whole world down.
571
00:27:13,925 --> 00:27:16,465
But in a bizarre
twist of fate,
572
00:27:16,511 --> 00:27:20,641
the very monster WCW created
in order to destroy WWE
573
00:27:20,682 --> 00:27:23,272
turned into an evil
they could not forbear.
574
00:27:28,565 --> 00:27:31,275
- In 1996,
thanks to Hollywood Hogan,
575
00:27:31,317 --> 00:27:34,777
WCW was dominating WWE
in the TV ratings.
576
00:27:34,821 --> 00:27:37,241
But as it's often been said,
577
00:27:37,282 --> 00:27:39,532
the devil's in the details,
578
00:27:39,576 --> 00:27:40,946
or in this case,
579
00:27:40,994 --> 00:27:42,454
the fine print.
580
00:27:42,495 --> 00:27:45,955
- Going back to
some of the first--
581
00:27:45,999 --> 00:27:50,379
the initial meetings I had
with Hulk about coming to WCW,
582
00:27:50,420 --> 00:27:52,960
he looked me right in the eyes
and said, "Brother,
583
00:27:53,006 --> 00:27:54,216
"I don't trust anybody here.
584
00:27:54,257 --> 00:27:56,047
"I don't know you, Eric.
585
00:27:56,092 --> 00:27:58,892
"And I know everybody that
works here in this company,
586
00:27:58,928 --> 00:28:00,718
"and I really don't trust them.
587
00:28:00,764 --> 00:28:03,184
"So here's how
this is gonna have to work.
588
00:28:03,224 --> 00:28:04,894
Creative control."
589
00:28:04,934 --> 00:28:08,484
[dramatic rock music]
590
00:28:08,521 --> 00:28:10,481
- It means a lot to have
creative control
591
00:28:10,523 --> 00:28:13,153
because if somebody else
comes in and says,
592
00:28:13,193 --> 00:28:15,703
"I think we need
to do this or do that,"
593
00:28:15,737 --> 00:28:17,197
and you can't perform,
594
00:28:17,238 --> 00:28:18,778
it really hurts
the money you're making.
595
00:28:18,823 --> 00:28:21,333
So we knew if you do
have creative control,
596
00:28:21,368 --> 00:28:22,988
it's like you can do no wrong.
597
00:28:23,036 --> 00:28:25,456
- When Hulk came over to WCW,
598
00:28:25,497 --> 00:28:27,867
for Hulk,
creative control meant
599
00:28:27,916 --> 00:28:31,126
that you could call
the match that you wanted,
600
00:28:31,169 --> 00:28:33,379
when you wanted it.
601
00:28:33,421 --> 00:28:37,431
It was something that
opened a can of worms.
602
00:28:37,467 --> 00:28:40,137
I think it rubbed a lot
of the guys the wrong way.
603
00:28:40,178 --> 00:28:42,258
- A lot of the wrestlers
were upset.
604
00:28:42,305 --> 00:28:44,385
Their egos just
got out of control.
605
00:28:44,432 --> 00:28:46,812
They were just really upset.
606
00:28:46,851 --> 00:28:48,521
- We were pissed.
607
00:28:48,561 --> 00:28:50,901
We were all just
fighting for your spot.
608
00:28:50,939 --> 00:28:54,069
The nWo has had
some good times.
609
00:28:54,109 --> 00:28:57,199
Quite frankly,
lately, some bad times.
610
00:28:57,237 --> 00:28:58,567
- For Scott and I,
611
00:28:58,613 --> 00:29:00,663
his creative control
was very hard
612
00:29:00,699 --> 00:29:04,199
because the golden one
would walk in at 5:15,
613
00:29:04,244 --> 00:29:07,044
on an 8:00 o'clock start
and go,
614
00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,130
"Brother,
that doesn't work for me."
615
00:29:10,166 --> 00:29:14,086
Well, [bleep] you.
616
00:29:14,129 --> 00:29:15,709
You know, like,
"Wow, really, man?
617
00:29:15,755 --> 00:29:18,795
"Okay. What does?
Do you have an idea?
618
00:29:18,842 --> 00:29:20,342
"You don't even have an idea.
619
00:29:20,385 --> 00:29:22,675
"That just doesn't work
for you?
620
00:29:22,721 --> 00:29:25,181
So we'll just--
we'll work around it."
621
00:29:27,934 --> 00:29:29,314
- It got to a point
622
00:29:29,352 --> 00:29:31,402
when the lunatics started
running the asylum
623
00:29:31,438 --> 00:29:34,068
and the ship
started falling apart.
624
00:29:34,107 --> 00:29:37,607
[cackling]
625
00:29:37,652 --> 00:29:41,242
The numbers started slipping
just a little bit.
626
00:29:41,281 --> 00:29:43,741
Instead of Eric
taking over control,
627
00:29:43,783 --> 00:29:46,293
you had everybody
in the Turner offices
628
00:29:46,327 --> 00:29:48,157
that knew nothing
about wrestling,
629
00:29:48,204 --> 00:29:49,834
trying to put their
two cents worth in.
630
00:29:49,873 --> 00:29:51,333
- We need to talk.
631
00:29:51,374 --> 00:29:53,424
- Uh--what do we need
to talk about?
632
00:29:53,460 --> 00:29:55,250
- Wait a minute,
this is the president
633
00:29:55,295 --> 00:29:57,085
of Turner Sports.
He's your boss.
634
00:29:57,130 --> 00:30:00,010
- I know.
- This is Dr. Harvey Schiller.
635
00:30:00,050 --> 00:30:02,760
This cannot bode well for you.
636
00:30:02,802 --> 00:30:06,512
- Turner basically
took WCW away from him.
637
00:30:06,556 --> 00:30:08,516
Eric Bischoff lost control.
638
00:30:08,558 --> 00:30:13,268
So it was like being sabotaged
at the highest level.
639
00:30:13,313 --> 00:30:15,193
It just--it just fell apart.
640
00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:22,240
- So, yeah, I mean,
in September of '99,
641
00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:26,870
I was relieved
of my duties in WCW.
642
00:30:26,910 --> 00:30:30,250
In their infinite wisdom,
643
00:30:30,288 --> 00:30:32,288
WCW brought in Vince Russo--
644
00:30:32,332 --> 00:30:34,792
- Guys, this show really sucks.
645
00:30:34,834 --> 00:30:37,554
- Because Vince Russo
was able to convince
646
00:30:37,587 --> 00:30:40,877
certain people in WCW
and Turner Broadcasting
647
00:30:40,924 --> 00:30:43,934
that Vince Russo was actually
the architect
648
00:30:43,968 --> 00:30:45,468
behind the Attitude Era
649
00:30:45,512 --> 00:30:48,812
and all the success
that WWE had.
650
00:30:48,848 --> 00:30:51,098
- Oh, my God,
that's Vince Russo.
651
00:30:51,142 --> 00:30:54,402
- Bro, as sure
as I'm sitting here,
652
00:30:54,437 --> 00:31:00,317
I walked into
a WCW locker room.
653
00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:02,990
And the minute I walked in,
654
00:31:03,029 --> 00:31:06,369
there was a giant target,
655
00:31:06,408 --> 00:31:09,328
bullseye on my back.
656
00:31:09,369 --> 00:31:11,619
- Vince Russo came in
657
00:31:11,663 --> 00:31:14,083
and he said,
"I'm gonna fire everybody
658
00:31:14,124 --> 00:31:17,384
that's one day over 40."
659
00:31:17,419 --> 00:31:20,589
And I went,
"Okay, how's this gonna work?"
660
00:31:20,630 --> 00:31:23,430
- One of the ways he was able
to galvanize himself
661
00:31:23,466 --> 00:31:27,136
with some of this lower card,
younger talent
662
00:31:27,178 --> 00:31:30,638
was to badmouth guys
like Hulk Hogan.
663
00:31:30,682 --> 00:31:33,352
- Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair
can't go on wrestling forever.
664
00:31:33,393 --> 00:31:35,603
You've got to build
the undercard.
665
00:31:35,645 --> 00:31:37,895
- And I'm just going,
"Oh, my God.
666
00:31:37,939 --> 00:31:40,279
"If you guys buy this,
I got a lot of swamp land
667
00:31:40,316 --> 00:31:41,646
here in Florida to sell you."
668
00:31:41,693 --> 00:31:44,283
- Russo's goal is to
get rid of Hulk Hogan.
669
00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,530
That was going to be
his claim to fame.
670
00:31:46,573 --> 00:31:50,493
He was gonna put the nail
in Hulk Hogan's career.
671
00:31:50,535 --> 00:31:52,825
- A wrestler's paranoia,
672
00:31:52,871 --> 00:31:55,541
you can't--
you can't change that.
673
00:31:55,582 --> 00:31:59,042
They're gonna believe
what they wanna believe.
674
00:31:59,085 --> 00:32:00,375
And they believe
675
00:32:00,420 --> 00:32:02,710
that I was trying
to run them outta Dodge,
676
00:32:02,756 --> 00:32:05,256
which was the last thing
I was trying to do.
677
00:32:05,300 --> 00:32:07,720
- Vince Russo never butt heads
with anybody to their face.
678
00:32:07,761 --> 00:32:11,561
It was always behind your back.
679
00:32:11,598 --> 00:32:15,098
Don't edit that out.
I dare you.
680
00:32:15,143 --> 00:32:21,023
- Let's get ready to rumble!
681
00:32:21,066 --> 00:32:24,276
- So when we talk about
"Bash at the Beach,"
682
00:32:24,319 --> 00:32:25,899
I had written the show
683
00:32:25,945 --> 00:32:30,405
and Hulk had to give
the script approval, okay?
684
00:32:30,450 --> 00:32:34,000
Sent the first one over,
Hulk didn't like it.
685
00:32:34,037 --> 00:32:37,457
Sent the second one over,
Hulk didn't like it.
686
00:32:37,499 --> 00:32:39,039
- Basically, they want
to get the belt off you
687
00:32:39,084 --> 00:32:40,384
and put it on Jarrett.
688
00:32:40,418 --> 00:32:41,628
And I said,
"Well, here's the deal, bro.
689
00:32:41,670 --> 00:32:44,010
"I don't get along
with this Vince Russo guy.
690
00:32:44,047 --> 00:32:45,967
"Anyway, he's been trying
to sabotage me
691
00:32:46,007 --> 00:32:48,507
since the day
he walked in here."
692
00:32:48,551 --> 00:32:51,391
- So I write the third script,
and basically,
693
00:32:51,429 --> 00:32:55,429
I have Hulk killing
everyone in the building,
694
00:32:55,475 --> 00:32:58,595
but not walking out
with the title.
695
00:32:58,645 --> 00:33:00,145
- He's here!
- It is.
696
00:33:00,188 --> 00:33:02,068
- Vince wanted Hulk
to drop the belt to Jeff.
697
00:33:02,107 --> 00:33:04,437
And he said, "Look,
let me win the belt tonight
698
00:33:04,484 --> 00:33:07,204
"on the pay-per-view--"
which is the money.
699
00:33:07,237 --> 00:33:09,107
"And then Monday night,"
he said,
700
00:33:09,155 --> 00:33:10,945
"I'll drop it,
you know, at Nitro."
701
00:33:10,990 --> 00:33:13,120
Well, he didn't want
to do that.
702
00:33:13,159 --> 00:33:18,119
- I then go to Jeff Jarrett
and say to Jeff,
703
00:33:18,164 --> 00:33:20,754
"Jeff, F Hogan,
704
00:33:20,792 --> 00:33:22,962
"Lay down in the middle
of the ring.
705
00:33:23,003 --> 00:33:24,553
"Let him cover you.
706
00:33:24,587 --> 00:33:27,547
And let him leave
with his belt. F him."
707
00:33:33,263 --> 00:33:35,223
- What's Jeff doing?
- Hang on a minute.
708
00:33:35,265 --> 00:33:36,725
- What's Jeff doing?
709
00:33:36,766 --> 00:33:38,306
Russo, I think, told Jarrett
to lie down.
710
00:33:38,351 --> 00:33:39,481
What's going on?
711
00:33:39,519 --> 00:33:41,149
- Jarrett lays down.
712
00:33:41,187 --> 00:33:43,267
I looked down, and said,
"Brother, don't do this."
713
00:33:43,314 --> 00:33:46,364
I said, "Don't screw
this business up like this."
714
00:33:46,401 --> 00:33:48,491
You know?
And he just laid there.
715
00:33:48,528 --> 00:33:53,118
Is this your deal, Russo?
- Wow.
716
00:33:53,158 --> 00:33:55,578
- That's why this company's
is the damn shape it's in,
717
00:33:55,618 --> 00:33:58,078
because of bull[bleep]
like this.
718
00:34:01,875 --> 00:34:04,035
[match bell rings]
- This is wild.
719
00:34:04,085 --> 00:34:05,995
Hulk Hogan
is the world champion.
720
00:34:06,046 --> 00:34:09,626
And this sport has never seen
anything like this.
721
00:34:09,674 --> 00:34:12,144
- Maybe Russo can explain
to the world
722
00:34:12,177 --> 00:34:16,007
what we have seen.
723
00:34:16,056 --> 00:34:17,636
- Look at his face.
- Yeah.
724
00:34:17,682 --> 00:34:19,562
We know that face, don't we?
725
00:34:19,601 --> 00:34:22,061
- I've done nothing,
726
00:34:22,103 --> 00:34:26,943
nothing but deal with
the bull[bleep]
727
00:34:26,983 --> 00:34:32,323
of the politics
behind that curtain.
728
00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:36,449
I came back to the guys
behind that curtain
729
00:34:36,493 --> 00:34:41,003
that give a [bleep]
about this company.
730
00:34:41,039 --> 00:34:43,289
And let me tell you
who doesn't give a [bleep]
731
00:34:43,333 --> 00:34:45,093
about this company.
732
00:34:45,126 --> 00:34:49,546
That goddamn politician
Hulk Hogan.
733
00:34:49,589 --> 00:34:52,629
Because Hulk Hogan tonight
734
00:34:52,676 --> 00:34:58,596
wants to play
his creative control card.
735
00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,140
You will never see
that piece of [bleep] again.
736
00:35:01,184 --> 00:35:03,484
[cheering]
737
00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:05,900
- Amen.
738
00:35:06,773 --> 00:35:10,653
- So now you gotta understand
with Hulk's ego,
739
00:35:10,694 --> 00:35:11,904
I go back to the office
740
00:35:11,945 --> 00:35:14,065
and I gotta meet
with Brad Siegel,
741
00:35:14,114 --> 00:35:16,164
who was the head of TNT.
742
00:35:16,199 --> 00:35:18,659
And Brad says,
"Vince, what happened?"
743
00:35:18,702 --> 00:35:21,002
And I laid out
the entire scenario
744
00:35:21,037 --> 00:35:22,577
and Brad says to me,
745
00:35:22,622 --> 00:35:26,002
"How did you leave it
with Hulk?"
746
00:35:26,042 --> 00:35:28,672
- That was
the Vince Russo show.
747
00:35:28,712 --> 00:35:30,842
The whole thing was just so--
748
00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:34,510
just out of the realm
of what this business is about.
749
00:35:34,551 --> 00:35:36,801
It was just--it was a disaster.
750
00:35:36,845 --> 00:35:39,505
- Where does Hollywood Hogan's
career go from here?
751
00:35:39,556 --> 00:35:42,266
- Where does WCW go from here?
752
00:35:42,308 --> 00:35:45,728
- With the WCW's value
at an all-time low,
753
00:35:45,770 --> 00:35:47,810
the powers cut their losses
754
00:35:47,856 --> 00:35:51,066
and sold out to the man
they sought to destroy:
755
00:35:51,109 --> 00:35:52,529
Vince McMahon.
756
00:35:52,569 --> 00:35:58,579
- The fate of WCW
is in my hands.
757
00:36:04,748 --> 00:36:06,288
- When Hollywood Hulk Hogan
758
00:36:06,332 --> 00:36:10,752
and his band of cutthroats
destroy you,
759
00:36:10,795 --> 00:36:16,255
the WCW will be on
a silver platter, brother.
760
00:36:16,301 --> 00:36:21,431
And just like
the big, bad wolf said...
761
00:36:21,473 --> 00:36:23,853
Better to eat you with.
762
00:36:25,268 --> 00:36:27,768
Uh, wow.
[chuckles]
763
00:36:27,812 --> 00:36:29,982
The downfall of WCW.
764
00:36:32,067 --> 00:36:34,687
- I didn't feel any, you know,
765
00:36:34,736 --> 00:36:37,026
ego boost of,
"Way to go, Vince..."
766
00:36:37,072 --> 00:36:38,992
You know, "You crushed them.
767
00:36:39,032 --> 00:36:41,082
And now you own them,"
and all that.
768
00:36:41,117 --> 00:36:44,247
I look at it
as business as usual.
769
00:36:44,287 --> 00:36:47,367
You have to grab
your competition by the throat,
770
00:36:47,415 --> 00:36:49,245
and you've gotta squeeze
the life
771
00:36:49,292 --> 00:36:50,962
out of your competition,
772
00:36:51,002 --> 00:36:53,882
just like I did to WCW.
773
00:36:53,922 --> 00:36:56,762
- On March 26th, 2001,
774
00:36:56,800 --> 00:37:00,140
WWE officially purchased WCW.
775
00:37:00,178 --> 00:37:02,428
Vince McMahon
would dismantle the roster
776
00:37:02,472 --> 00:37:05,062
and yank WCW off the air.
777
00:37:10,063 --> 00:37:13,023
A year later, Vince McMahon
was looking to squeeze
778
00:37:13,066 --> 00:37:16,106
whatever evil juice
was left out of Hogan.
779
00:37:16,152 --> 00:37:18,862
While Hollywood's star
was on the wing,
780
00:37:18,905 --> 00:37:22,405
The Rock was on his way
into the stratosphere.
781
00:37:22,450 --> 00:37:25,910
It was to be a symbolic
passing of the torch
782
00:37:25,954 --> 00:37:28,124
from an icon of an era gone by
783
00:37:28,164 --> 00:37:31,004
to the great one
of the Attitude Era.
784
00:37:31,042 --> 00:37:32,922
- Hey, it's The Rock.
Come on, guys.
785
00:37:32,961 --> 00:37:35,211
- Hey, wow.
It's our people's champ.
786
00:37:35,255 --> 00:37:36,295
- I'm a baller.
787
00:37:36,339 --> 00:37:38,219
- This is my son's
favorite wrestler.
788
00:37:38,258 --> 00:37:41,008
- Vince wanted me
to wrestle The Rock, you know.
789
00:37:41,052 --> 00:37:42,392
- Hogan, you take that camera.
790
00:37:42,429 --> 00:37:44,219
It's already shined up,
turn sideways,
791
00:37:44,264 --> 00:37:45,474
eat your vitamin,
say your prayers,
792
00:37:45,515 --> 00:37:49,435
and stick it straight up
all your candy asses.
793
00:37:51,438 --> 00:37:53,518
- It's kind of funny because,
794
00:37:53,565 --> 00:37:54,815
you know,
I remember him saying,
795
00:37:54,858 --> 00:37:56,278
"Well, Terry, you know,
things have changed.
796
00:37:56,317 --> 00:37:58,647
"And, you know, if you're
gonna wrestle The Rock,
797
00:37:58,695 --> 00:38:00,405
you better really bring it."
798
00:38:00,447 --> 00:38:02,447
In my mind, I'm thinking,
"Brother, if I bring it,
799
00:38:02,490 --> 00:38:04,780
you're gonna be begging me
to take it back."
800
00:38:04,826 --> 00:38:10,366
- Hollywood Hulk Hogan!
801
00:38:11,875 --> 00:38:13,125
- The Rock against Hulk Hogan.
802
00:38:13,168 --> 00:38:15,168
Here's the aging Hulk Hogan.
803
00:38:15,211 --> 00:38:17,511
Here's the newcomer, The Rock.
804
00:38:17,547 --> 00:38:21,177
What was gonna happen?
805
00:38:21,217 --> 00:38:23,177
- I mean, I took my daughter
to hear the Backstreet Boys
806
00:38:23,219 --> 00:38:25,889
and NSYNC and girls scream
so loud it hurt my ears.
807
00:38:25,930 --> 00:38:28,140
It was just that loud.
808
00:38:28,183 --> 00:38:30,813
- There's a lot of fans
here in SkyDome
809
00:38:30,852 --> 00:38:33,862
that love
this legendary figure,
810
00:38:33,897 --> 00:38:36,607
Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
811
00:38:37,233 --> 00:38:39,743
- Oh, the power of Hogan.
812
00:38:45,033 --> 00:38:48,043
- When Hulk came back,
they don't want the nWo Hulk.
813
00:38:48,078 --> 00:38:49,868
They didn't want
Hollywood Hulk.
814
00:38:49,913 --> 00:38:51,373
They wanted Hulk.
815
00:38:51,414 --> 00:38:53,834
I think our audience
looked at it as
816
00:38:53,875 --> 00:38:55,245
it had been long enough.
817
00:38:55,293 --> 00:38:56,383
He had been black and white
818
00:38:56,419 --> 00:38:58,459
for ten years
or whatever it was,
819
00:38:58,505 --> 00:39:00,625
and people were ready now,
820
00:39:00,674 --> 00:39:03,434
what's old is new again.
821
00:39:03,468 --> 00:39:05,638
- I mean, God, how long
822
00:39:05,679 --> 00:39:08,219
did the beginning
of that match go on?
823
00:39:08,264 --> 00:39:11,104
Where they were
just listening to the crowd
824
00:39:11,142 --> 00:39:15,192
and listening to
the deafening Hogan chants.
825
00:39:15,230 --> 00:39:17,610
- Many in the crowd
chanting for Hogan.
826
00:39:17,649 --> 00:39:19,149
- Holy cow, man.
827
00:39:19,192 --> 00:39:23,112
It was a worldwide audience
telling you that,
828
00:39:23,154 --> 00:39:26,574
"Man, we love him
for everything he was.
829
00:39:26,616 --> 00:39:30,366
"We loved him for leaving.
We loved him for coming back.
830
00:39:30,412 --> 00:39:31,962
"We love Hulk.
831
00:39:31,996 --> 00:39:34,866
And maybe you're shoving
Rock down our throat."
832
00:39:34,916 --> 00:39:39,956
[crowd cheering loudly]
833
00:39:40,005 --> 00:39:43,255
- Heard 'em cheering
and I went, "Oh, crap."
834
00:39:43,299 --> 00:39:44,259
You know,
and they were cheering
835
00:39:44,300 --> 00:39:45,550
and cheering
and cheering.
836
00:39:45,593 --> 00:39:47,053
And The Rock started
taking over on me.
837
00:39:47,095 --> 00:39:48,845
Every time he'd punch me,
they'd boo him.
838
00:39:48,888 --> 00:39:50,388
[crowd booing]
839
00:39:50,432 --> 00:39:51,932
- I don't think The Rock
expected a mixed reaction.
840
00:39:51,975 --> 00:39:53,805
- The Rock was getting booed.
841
00:39:53,852 --> 00:39:55,192
He's had the push
of a lifetime,
842
00:39:55,228 --> 00:39:57,058
and here, I come back,
843
00:39:57,105 --> 00:39:59,265
trying to put the WWE
out of business
844
00:39:59,315 --> 00:40:02,145
for ten years,
trying to destroy the company.
845
00:40:02,193 --> 00:40:05,573
I come back and the people
are cheering me and booing him?
846
00:40:05,613 --> 00:40:08,073
- The crowd is solidly
behind Hulk.
847
00:40:08,116 --> 00:40:10,446
I don't know if The Rock
knows what to think.
848
00:40:10,493 --> 00:40:12,373
- People went crazy
over the Hulkster.
849
00:40:12,412 --> 00:40:13,662
Oh, my God.
It was unbelie--
850
00:40:13,705 --> 00:40:15,115
and then people loved
The Rock too.
851
00:40:15,165 --> 00:40:16,415
But they got the match
turned around
852
00:40:16,458 --> 00:40:18,338
where people cheered
The Rock, cheered Hulk.
853
00:40:18,376 --> 00:40:20,586
You know, "Let's go, Hulkster.
Let's go, Rock."
854
00:40:20,628 --> 00:40:22,758
"Let's go, Hulkster.
Let's go, Rock."
855
00:40:22,797 --> 00:40:25,177
- Hulk, Rock.
856
00:40:25,216 --> 00:40:27,886
Two of the greatest
of all time.
857
00:40:27,927 --> 00:40:31,217
And they were able to listen,
858
00:40:31,264 --> 00:40:32,564
react,
859
00:40:32,599 --> 00:40:34,019
and make it work.
860
00:40:38,688 --> 00:40:40,398
- People just couldn't
take it anymore.
861
00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:42,730
Couldn't wait
for Hulk to hulk up
862
00:40:42,776 --> 00:40:44,146
and make that big comeback.
863
00:40:44,194 --> 00:40:46,494
Comeback, comeback.
864
00:40:46,529 --> 00:40:49,319
- Oh, my God.
- What you gonna do, Rock?
865
00:40:49,366 --> 00:40:52,906
- Hulk heard an audience,
a worldwide audience
866
00:40:52,952 --> 00:40:54,912
telling you that,
867
00:40:54,954 --> 00:40:58,044
"Man, we want
our traditional Hulk back.
868
00:40:58,083 --> 00:40:59,923
And we love him."
869
00:40:59,959 --> 00:41:02,129
It was a beautiful moment
870
00:41:02,170 --> 00:41:05,220
because that was
an evolution for Hulk.
871
00:41:10,178 --> 00:41:11,468
[match bell ringing]
872
00:41:11,513 --> 00:41:16,523
- You smell what The Rock
is cooking.
873
00:41:16,559 --> 00:41:19,189
- It was interesting
because it was almost like
874
00:41:19,229 --> 00:41:21,519
it was the first time
that Hogan realized
875
00:41:21,564 --> 00:41:27,114
that there could be some
ambiguity to his character.
876
00:41:27,153 --> 00:41:29,783
I think it wasn't
until that night
877
00:41:29,823 --> 00:41:32,663
'cause he was so over
with the audience,
878
00:41:32,701 --> 00:41:36,121
he realized he could have
elements of Hollywood
879
00:41:36,162 --> 00:41:38,922
and not be completely bad.
880
00:41:42,460 --> 00:41:45,880
[crowd cheering]
881
00:41:45,922 --> 00:41:47,382
- At the end,
882
00:41:47,424 --> 00:41:49,054
the people really got
what they wanted to see:
883
00:41:49,092 --> 00:41:51,302
two of the biggest icons
in the world.
884
00:41:51,344 --> 00:41:54,014
And so, you know, it was kinda
like a passing of the torch.
885
00:41:54,055 --> 00:41:56,975
[triumphant music]
886
00:41:57,017 --> 00:42:04,147
* *
887
00:42:07,610 --> 00:42:09,360
- It was so intense...
888
00:42:11,573 --> 00:42:13,493
That Vince McMahon goes,
889
00:42:13,533 --> 00:42:16,753
"Where is
your red and yellow gear?"
890
00:42:16,786 --> 00:42:20,036
Vince goes, "You need to go get
your red and yellow stuff."
891
00:42:23,335 --> 00:42:25,245
My whole character
892
00:42:25,295 --> 00:42:27,955
of Hollywood Hogan
was nothing but fun
893
00:42:28,006 --> 00:42:30,836
and being nasty
as I want to be
894
00:42:30,884 --> 00:42:32,184
and having a blast doing it.
895
00:42:32,218 --> 00:42:35,138
[sentimental music]
896
00:42:35,180 --> 00:42:38,060
* *
897
00:42:38,099 --> 00:42:41,599
The Hulk Hogan character
actually was up here
898
00:42:41,644 --> 00:42:44,114
and it brought me up
and made me a better person
899
00:42:44,147 --> 00:42:45,897
all these years.
900
00:42:45,940 --> 00:42:47,400
And I finally understand
901
00:42:47,442 --> 00:42:49,532
what it meant
to so many people.
902
00:42:49,569 --> 00:42:50,859
* *
903
00:42:50,904 --> 00:42:53,074
[National Anthem playing
on electric guitar]
904
00:42:53,114 --> 00:42:54,874
- Wait just a minute!
905
00:42:54,908 --> 00:42:57,618
Looks like Hulk Hogan's
got the red and yellow!
906
00:42:57,660 --> 00:43:01,080
The true colors
of the Hulkster!
907
00:43:01,122 --> 00:43:03,962
The bright red,
the bright yellow.
908
00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:06,630
Hulk Hogan is back!
909
00:43:06,670 --> 00:43:09,710
That is so cool
to see the Hulkster
910
00:43:09,756 --> 00:43:12,296
in the red and yellow.
911
00:43:12,342 --> 00:43:14,262
- Psychoanalyst Carl Jung
once said
912
00:43:14,302 --> 00:43:17,222
the inside of every person
is a shadow self.
913
00:43:17,263 --> 00:43:19,973
It's where we keep the things
we don't like about ourselves.
914
00:43:20,016 --> 00:43:22,846
Pride, ruthless ambition,
915
00:43:22,894 --> 00:43:24,734
tendency to violence.
916
00:43:24,771 --> 00:43:26,821
That's Hollywood Hogan.
917
00:43:26,856 --> 00:43:30,646
As much as we all want to be
the hero that was Hulk Hogan,
918
00:43:30,694 --> 00:43:34,244
we all have a little bit of
Hollywood Hogan inside of us.
919
00:43:37,617 --> 00:43:40,157
- I think
if one were to go back
920
00:43:40,203 --> 00:43:44,333
and try to do a postmortem
921
00:43:44,374 --> 00:43:46,004
on the "evil" Hulk Hogan,
922
00:43:46,042 --> 00:43:48,672
at its core
923
00:43:48,712 --> 00:43:52,512
was the fact that
Hulk turned his back
924
00:43:52,549 --> 00:43:55,589
on people who loved him
and supported him
925
00:43:55,635 --> 00:43:56,795
as a character.
926
00:43:56,845 --> 00:43:59,635
And in creating a mystery,
927
00:43:59,681 --> 00:44:01,851
getting the audience
to ask questions,
928
00:44:01,891 --> 00:44:03,351
blurring the line,
929
00:44:03,393 --> 00:44:06,353
which I will admit now
that the, you know,
930
00:44:06,396 --> 00:44:08,896
litigation is far behind us.
931
00:44:08,940 --> 00:44:11,690
You know, creating that feeling
932
00:44:11,735 --> 00:44:14,025
of not being sure
what we're seeing
933
00:44:14,070 --> 00:44:16,030
is real or make-believe.
934
00:44:16,072 --> 00:44:19,412
- For Hollywood,
every night's a main event.
935
00:44:19,451 --> 00:44:21,411
Every night's a payoff.
936
00:44:21,453 --> 00:44:23,963
And every night's
another trip to the bank.
937
00:44:23,997 --> 00:44:26,617
- It was genuine betrayal
938
00:44:26,666 --> 00:44:31,046
and the hate
that surely follows.
939
00:44:31,087 --> 00:44:34,217
It was a thing of beauty,
940
00:44:34,257 --> 00:44:37,467
if I do say so myself.
941
00:44:38,261 --> 00:44:41,601
- It's the most cunning
that will survive.
942
00:44:41,639 --> 00:44:43,979
- What are we to think
of the duplicitous Hulk Hogan?
943
00:44:44,017 --> 00:44:46,977
Is he the icon who inspired
a generation of Hulkamaniacs
944
00:44:47,020 --> 00:44:49,110
to say their prayers
and eat their vitamins?
945
00:44:49,147 --> 00:44:52,277
A superhero who made it cool
to be the good guy?
946
00:44:52,317 --> 00:44:54,737
Or is he the nefarious
Hollywood Hogan
947
00:44:54,778 --> 00:44:57,738
who became intoxicated
with his own power and fame
948
00:44:57,781 --> 00:45:00,781
to the extent he brought down
an entire company?
949
00:45:00,825 --> 00:45:02,155
Either way,
950
00:45:02,202 --> 00:45:04,792
for the most beloved
superstar of a generation
951
00:45:04,829 --> 00:45:07,789
to become the most prolific
villain of the next
952
00:45:07,832 --> 00:45:09,632
is an amazing feat.
953
00:45:09,668 --> 00:45:13,758
If you really wanna know
what evil lurks around you,
954
00:45:13,797 --> 00:45:17,757
take a closer look inside
the heart of your heroes.
955
00:45:17,801 --> 00:45:19,341
- I am the master
956
00:45:19,386 --> 00:45:21,756
of the mental game
of wrestling.
957
00:45:21,805 --> 00:45:23,885
To maneuver people
like puppets,
958
00:45:23,932 --> 00:45:26,432
to financially take
what I want,
959
00:45:26,476 --> 00:45:27,806
there's nobody better.
960
00:45:27,852 --> 00:45:28,982
Batter up!
961
00:45:29,020 --> 00:45:31,020
And each and every time
I hit an arena,
962
00:45:31,064 --> 00:45:33,534
I made sure I left my mark.
963
00:45:33,566 --> 00:45:35,396
Because I gave wrestling
something
964
00:45:35,443 --> 00:45:36,863
that nobody else
could've given it.
965
00:45:36,903 --> 00:45:38,613
I gave it life,
966
00:45:38,655 --> 00:45:41,525
and wrestling will live forever
because of me.
967
00:45:41,574 --> 00:45:43,874
- The preceding announcement
has been paid for
968
00:45:43,910 --> 00:45:45,830
by the New World Order.