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Hulk Hogan is one of the most recognizable names in professional wrestling history. Known for his iconic yellow and red outfit and larger-than-life personality, Hogan was a mainstay in the WWE for many years. However, in 2005, Hogan embarked on a new venture that would ultimately become his biggest regret - the reality show Hogan Knows Best.
'Hogan Knows Best' Destroyed Everything In Hulk Hogan's Life
The show, which aired from 2005 to 2007, followed Hogan and his family as they went about their daily lives. The series was a hit with audiences, attracting millions of viewers each week and turning Hogan's family into household names. However, behind the scenes, Hogan was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the show's content. In Hogan Knows Best, Hogan was portrayed as a loving father and husband, but in reality, his personal life was far from perfect. Hogan's marriage to his wife, Linda, was falling apart, and his relationship with his children was strained.
The show's producers encouraged Hogan and his family to play up their happy family image, which ultimately led to a distorted view of their lives being presented to the public. Despite the show's success, Hogan allegedly began to regret his decision to participate in Hogan Knows Best. Reportedly, Hogan's regret was further compounded by the fact that the show aired during a tumultuous time in his career. In 2005, Hogan returned to the WWE after a two-year absence, but his comeback was marred by controversy. Hogan was involved in a storyline that saw him feuding with fellow wrestler Shawn Michaels, and the two men engaged in a series of bitter exchanges both in and out of the ring. Many fans got the feeling that he was only back to promote his new show and not for the love of pro wrestling.
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Eric Bischoff Revealed The Truth About 'Hogan Knows Best'
Hogan's fellow WCW comrade and long-time colleague, Eric Bischoff, spoke about Hogan's reality show and revealed on his 83 Weeks podcast in 2020 how the show affected Hogan's family. He said, “I’ll go back to Hulk’s own book, which is public knowledge, to answer the question, short answer, yes, I think the 'Hogan Knows Best' show probably exasperated an already existing problem. So it’s not like 'Hogan Knows Best' created a problem, but it certainly exacerbated it, probably fueled it, probably expedited the end of their relationship and all the other negative things that happened.”
He also explained how the show's insane schedule made the problems within the family much greater. "The kids had to participate, the schedule was intense. However, much work you think it is, multiply it by 20. However intrusive you think having cameras in your home is gonna be, multiply it by 20. However, much fun you think you’re gonna have, divide it by 100. And that’s what producing a reality show is like when it’s in your home. You can’t get away from it. And I think, again, the relationship between Terry Bollea and Linda, was such that it only made things worse. Her personal habits only really, really made things worse for everybody. And everybody suffered as a result of it."
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The Problems Between Hulk Hogan And His Wife, Linda
Hulk Hogan was married to Linda Claridge from 1983 to 2009 and their relationship was the prominent focus of Hogan Knows Best, but they were going through a very tough phase in their marriage. Linda at the time had gained a reputation for using drugs. She filed for divorce in 2007. One year later, in 2008, Linda publicly stated that she initiated the divorce after discovering that Hogan was having an affair.
Hogan admitted in his autobiography, published in 2009, that Linda had accused him of infidelity on several occasions whenever he made friends with other women, but he denied any claims of cheating. All of this was playing out while the show was still in production and their divorce happened in the aftermath of the show ending. While the show might have been a hit, it's clear that the Hogan family was better off without it.
