When I was 16, I made the decision to become a journalist. At the same time that I confirmed that choice as my future career path, I made a list with five names on it. These were the five people that I wanted to interview the most. The five names that I thought were the most unachievable plateau to reach.
Over the years, I was lucky enough to cross off many names from that list. I have had the pleasure of interviewing Donald Trump many times. Eliza Dushku was also on the list. For the last several years, only one name has remained and it was the interview that I have been trying to secure for the majority of my life. The interview that was the most important for me. The interview that I was the most personally invested in.
I wanted to interview Hulk Hogan.
The wrestler who rose to popularity in the early 80’s with his red and yellow schtick propelled himself to a newfound audience when he turned heel in the 90’s and moved from World Wrestling Entertainment to the rival World Championship Wrestling. After decades of telling kids to say their prayers and eat their vitamins, Hogan revolutionized the business for a second time (just as he had when he took the title from the Iron Sheik in 1984) by starting the evil New World Order faction with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. Many older fans never thought that they would ever see Hogan as a bad guy and the moment at Bash At The Beach in 1996 when Hogan attacked his former tag-team partner in the Mega Powers is etched in the memories of wrestling aficionados around the world.
Hogan is a 12-time world champion, holding both the WWE and the WCW belt six times respectively. He is also the second-longest reigning champion in WWE history (after only Bruno Sammartino). He is considered to be the most popular professional wrestler of all-time.
I had the chance to watch Hogan headline Wrestlemania 6 in 1990 against the Ultimate Warrior and again at Wrestlemania 18 against The Rock.
On August 9, 2013, I had the chance to talk to him about his upcoming appearance in Toronto at Fan Expo Canada and his special “Hogan Uncensored” event on Friday August 23 [VIDEO ABOVE]. We also chatted about whether he prefers being the babyface or the heel, the relationship between reality television and professional wrestling and whether he preferred entering the ring to “Real American” or “Voodoo Child.” Finally, I couldn’t let him go without asking him to deliver the most famous catchphrase in the world.
While I have interviewed many over the course of my career, no interview means more to me than this one.
