WWE star Chelsea Green has responded after giving a controversial interview about Hulk Hogan following his death.
Green, 34, talked to CBS News on Thursday, July 24, just hours after Hogan’s death, where she was asked about her “initial thoughts” about the late wrestler’s passing.
“Polarizing political views aside, he was an absolute icon,” Green said. “If it weren’t for Hulk Hogan, there are many of us in the wrestling industry that would absolutely not be here. He inspired a massive generation. It’s a loss that we are feeling deeply in the wrestling community.”
Green went on to praise Hogan — whose career was mired in scandal, including allegations he used the N-word multiple times and called himself “racist, to a point” — for his “positivity and encouragement,” which disappointed some of her fans, who have grown accustomed to Green’s progressive views and standing up for the LGBTQ+ community within the wrestling industry.
Hulk Hogan’s health had reportedly taken a severe turn for the worse in the days leading up to his death last week. Due to complications from a neck surgery in May, Hogan was intubated and battled renal failure, fluid overload and severe COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), according to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer. “What happened […]
“A significant part of my role at @WWE involves engaging w the public & responding to questions, often on live platforms,” Green responded via X on Friday, July 25. “Yesterday, I was asked to comment on Hulk Hogan on live tv. Let me be clear: my stance on racism is unwavering. I do not condone it — period.”
She continued, “If my response (or tweet) seemed dismissive of real concerns, I sincerely apologize. That was never my intention. I tried to acknowledge a death respectfully, even when the legacy is complicated. I am learning one day at a time and will continue to learn.”
Hours later, Green announced she’d be taking a hiatus from social media in response to fallout from the interview.
“I’ve tried to keep my page positive and comedic, but today, a lot changed… and it hit harder than I expected,” she wrote via X. “The name calling, the death threats, the faceless accounts. Social media was supposed to be a fun place and it hasn’t been for a while. It’s been overwhelming and I need to step away for a little bit.”
Hogan died on Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida according to the Clearwater Police Department. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
He was 71 years old.
WWE remembered Hulk Hogan on Friday Night SmackDown one day after the legendary wrestler’s death. The Friday, July 25 show, held at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, opened with WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque (a.k.a. Triple H) onstage surrounded by the entire SmackDown roster and WWE legends including Jimmy Hart, Ted DiBiase, Sgt. Slaughter […]
Among the many controversies throughout his career, the leaked audio came from Hogan’s 2012 unauthorized sex tape and was later published by RadarOnline and TMZ in July 15.
In a conversation about his daughter, Brooke Hogan, Hulk was allegedly heard disagreeing with the idea of Brooke dating a Black man, which allegedly led to the racial slurs.
After Hogan’s death, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Hogan (whose real name was Terry Bollea) and his inner circle had “a very hard time” in the aftermath of the racism scandal.
“We were upset about what he had said and did but we knew in our hearts that wasn’t the true Terry,” the source said. “That it was just a horribly bad time in his life and what had led up to that, he had gone through so much. People need to know that despite all that, he loved the fans above all. He never forgot them. And always posed for pictures and autographs.”
