Kevin Hart just dragged Hulk Hogan back into controversy during The Roast of Kevin Hart — and the joke immediately got attention because of Hogan’s long-standing backlash tied to the racist comments that became public in 2015.
During the roast event, Hart joked about his personal “Mount Rushmore” of racism against Black people and included Hogan directly in the lineup alongside several other celebrities.
“My Mt. Rushmore of racism when it comes to hating Black people: Shane Gillis, Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Stephen A. Smith! Those are my four people when it comes to hating black people.”
This comes after Eric Bischoff publicly defended Hogan during an appearance on Keepin’ It 100. While discussing backlash Hogan continues receiving over the 2015 controversy, Bischoff said he was proud to call Hogan a friend and argued people should judge him based on decades of behavior instead of one moment during an extremely dark period in his life.
“I’m proud to be Hulk Hogan’s friend. I’ve known him for almost 30 years. I’ve been with him in every situation you can imagine—public, private, social, wrestling-related, non-wrestling, business—you name it. I’ve been there, and I’ve paid attention to how he treats people..”
Bischoff explained that throughout their friendship, he personally witnessed Hogan treating people kindly in both public and private situations, especially fans and minorities.
“I’ve seen him go out of his way to make others feel valued, especially minorities or underprivileged kids, particularly in environments where you can tell they may feel overlooked or excluded. I’ve watched him make time for everyone. Even during important business dinners, when someone interrupts every ten minutes asking for an autograph, he never brushes them off. There are no cameras around, no press—nothing in it for him. That’s just who he is.”
He also claimed Hogan’s life was spiraling badly during the period when the infamous comments were recorded, describing a situation involving physical pain, heavy medication, divorce, and family problems.
“He could barely walk. He was going through a divorce. His son was in jail. His life was falling apart.”
Still, Hart’s roast joke made it clear that, more than a decade later, Hogan’s controversy remains part of his public reputation in pop culture. The moment also fit perfectly into the chaotic tone of the roast itself, which featured multiple celebrities aggressively targeting each other throughout the event.
At this point, Hogan remains one of the most polarizing names in wrestling history — with supporters continuing to defend his legacy while critics refuse to move past the racist comments that permanently changed public perception of him.
Do you think Hulk Hogan will ever fully escape the controversy surrounding those comments, or has that become a permanent part of his legacy now? Drop your thoughts below and let us know.
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