Vince McMahon recently spoke out about his 2018 decision to reinstate Hulk Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame. The decision came three years after the icon was stripped of the honor. Hogan was also removed from league programming.
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The former chairman of WWE said in an interview aired during the news special TMZ Presents: The Real Hulk Hogan that the wrestler had "paid a price" for the 2015 scandal, which had led to his removal from the league after being caught using racist language. McMahon also said he had "no issues" bringing Hogan back despite the incident.
Hogan died last month at the age of 71.
Why Was Hulk Hogan Kicked Out of the WWE Hall of Fame?
The scandal began with a sex tape. It featured Hogan and Heather Clem, the then-wife of his friend Bubba the Love Sponge. Gawker Media published a clip of it without Hogan's permission. Hogan believed this was a violation of his privacy. He then sued the media company, won the suit, and was awarded $140 million.
The victory came at a cost. A transcript of the tape revealed Hogan using the N-word when discussing the dating life of his daughter, Brooke. Hearing the wrestler use those words shocked fans and McMahon.
A conversation between Hogan and his son Nick, recorded in prison, showed evidence of Hogan using racist language.
"It was unforgivable and I was aghast, 'What happened?'" McMahon said in the interview. "When those things occurred, that's not like him. 'What in God's name is going on?'"
This led to the WWE terminating Hogan's contract and removing him from the league's Hall of Fame.
"As soon as it happened, obviously, the company didn't have anything to do with him anymore," said McMahon. "We took him out of the Hall of Fame. You just don't do those things."
McMahon Knew Hulk Hogan Wasn't A Racist
McMahon, who resigned from WWE and its parent group TKO early last year after the filing of a sexual misconduct lawsuit, said in the interview he knew Hogan's true character.
"I knew he wasn't racist. I've been with him for so many years," he said.
He added, "In the end, I think everyone saw the real Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea, and they felt, 'Wait a minute, this guy doesn't act like a racist. He's not a racist.' We all make mistakes. That was a big one, but he wasn't a racist."
