Hulk Hogan - Dangerously Nationalist

[Uncle Sam]

From his theme tune of "Real American" to his brief stint as Mr. America, Hulk Hogan has proudly symbolised the United States. Some may say this is mere patriotism, that one should take pride in his country, and that he was the ultimate clean cut face because of it. I, on the other hand, say that what Hulk Hogan was and did bordered on nationalism.

This isn't something new in professional wrestling. The concept of the "bad foreign guy" and the big, bad American that's here to send his ass back to Canada, Britain or Whereverstan certainly isn't something exclusive to Hogan. However, if that isn't racial intolerance, I don't what is. It's definitely not a particularly liberal attitude, that's for sure.

I'm sure you all remember Muhammad Hassan and Davairi. I know that the former has at one time or another has been described as a great heel by many of you, despite the fact that he was shit. That's neither here nor there. Well, their gimmick was based on the fact that they were bad guys because they were Muslim. No, seriously. Sure, they did some bad stuff, but their "foreign heel" status was no doubt designed to be boosted by the anti-Muslim sentiment in the western world created by the attacks of 9/11 and the subsequent wars.

Well, it's WrestleMania 21. Eugene - another controversial gimmick - gets beat down by those two. And who comes to the rescue? Well, it's Mr. America himself, Hulk Hogan. He cleans house, much to the crowd's delight. To conclude, he stops at the entrance ramp and proudly poses in front of an American flag.

Now don't tell me you don't find something at least a little bit wrong with that.

 

[joejoe]

Well, their gimmick was based on the fact that they were bad guys because they were Muslim.

No it wasn't. It was based on the fact that they bashed American's and the type of people American's were. By calling them lazy slobs and every other name in the book This group was able to get heat from the crowd. It's no different from a Canadian telling Americans they suck or an Englishman telling American's they suck. The heat doesn't come from simply being Muslim or Middle Eastern it comes from the fact that they were calling the crowd names and said their country was better than they were.

Well, it's WrestleMania 21. Eugene - another controversial gimmick - gets beat down by those two. And who comes to the rescue? Well, it's Mr. America himself, Hulk Hogan. He cleans house, much to the crowd's delight. To conclude, he stops at the entrance ramp and proudly poses in front of an American flag.

So Hulk Hogan the biggest baby face in the world comes out for a save against at the time one of the to heels in the company and you say that is racist? If Hassan was Canadian or French the same situation would have worked and I'm sure the WWE would have done it. In fact they semi did remember when Hulk went against La Resistance? I guess that was racist too??

Now don't tell me you don't find something at least a little bit wrong with that.

I don't.

 

[Uncle Sam]

No it wasn't.

It was though, wasn't it?

It was based on the fact that they bashed American's and the type of people American's were. By calling them lazy slobs and every other name in the book This group was able to get heat from the crowd. It's no different from a Canadian telling Americans they suck or an Englishman telling American's they suck.

Except it wasn't militant Canadians that blew up the twin towers. Owen Hart never prayed to Allah on the entrance ramp. If it weren't for the fact that they were Muslim, they would have got barely any heat.

The heat doesn't come from simply being Muslim or Middle Eastern it comes from the fact that they were calling the crowd names and said their country was better than they were.

And also largely due to the anti-Muslim sentiment that already existed. They certainly would have never been cheered by that company. No wrestling company in the world would have employed them as faces.

So Hulk Hogan the biggest baby face in the world comes out for a save against at the time one of the to heels in the company and you say that is racist?

Well, not when you completely ignore the context. When you completely ignore the context, it does seem a lot better. And I never said it was racist. I said nationalist. There's a difference.

If Hassan was Canadian or French the same situation would have worked and I'm sure the WWE would have done it.

It wouldn't have worked nearly enough. And if the WWE weren't aware of why they got so much heat, they wouldn't have pulled Hassan from the European tapings the week of the London bombings.

In fact they semi did remember when Hulk went against La Resistance? I guess that was racist too??

No, not racist. Nationalist.

 

[klunderbunker]

Sam, are you saying that there's something wrong with an American promoting American in an American wrestling company, whose main audience is other Americans? What is he supposed to do, set the American flag on fire and sing God Save the Queen? People are always going to respond to hearing people talk about how great their homeland is. Look at Mick Foley's cheap pops. All he has to do is say the name of the town and he gets cheered. Hogan took that to another level. It's natural for a country to want to see themselves pushed ahead of all others. Hogan feuded with heels, not other countries. He would talk nicely about Andre (when they were both faces) and Bret Hart and any other foreign face, not because of where they were from, but because they were faces. Other country vs. America is as easy a gimmick as you can ever find and Hogan is the best of all time at it.

Also, if Hogan is a nationalist, what does that make Duggan? He would just scream USA, his theme music for awhile was Stars and Stripes Forever, and he would do nothing but talk up America. Hogan was tame compared to him.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Sam, are you saying that there's something wrong with an American promoting American in an American wrestling company, whose main audience is other Americans?

Yes. Very much so. It's nationalist to a dangerous degree. It's essentially him saying, "this guy has the nerve to claim America isn't the greatest country on earth by a country mile - I'm gonna kick his ass!".

What is he supposed to do, set the American flag on fire and sing God Save the Queen?

You're using hyperbole in the wrong way again, just like when you assumed we wanted Triple H to be United States champion.

People are always going to respond to hearing people talk about how great their homeland is. Look at Mick Foley's cheap pops. All he has to do is say the name of the town and he gets cheered.

Apples and oranges. Saying a town's name and kicking a foreigners ass are on completely different ends of the spectrum.

Hogan took that to another level.

Yeah, like I said.

It's natural for a country to want to see themselves pushed ahead of all others. Hogan feuded with heels, not other countries.

Hogan feuded with heel's who had the audacity to claim that their countries were the greatest country on Earth. Hogan was just as bad. Maybe worse, considering how a generation of children were brought up believing in him.

He would talk nicely about Andre (when they were both faces) and Bret Hart and any other foreign face, not because of where they were from, but because they were faces. Other country vs. America is as easy a gimmick as you can ever find and Hogan is the best of all time at it.

Then they should try something else. I don't know why it being easy to do or wrestling fans being naturally conservative is a defence.

Also, if Hogan is a nationalist, what does that make Duggan? He would just scream USA, his theme music for awhile was Stars and Stripes Forever, and he would do nothing but talk up America. Hogan was tame compared to him.

Then he was a more extreme nationalist. That doesn't contradict my point.

 

[klunderbunker]

You could say the same thing about any gimmick. Rick Rude was staring at my wife, Jake Roberts shouldn't put a snake on people, Bad News Brown is an African American stereotype, I could go on. The point is, wrestling gimmicks are meant to be over the top. Are we supposed to believe that two men who allegedly hate each other are going to show up to a fight in brightly colored underwear and attempt to put the other's shoulders down for three seconds to settle a fight?

Why would they try something else? Hogan is the biggest star in the history of wrestling. His gimmick would still work to this day. Why is it a bad thing if it works to that extent? People ate him up and a lot of it was due to the gimmick.

 

[Uncle Sam]

You could say the same thing about any gimmick.

So... I should make a series of these threads? That's actually not a bad idea.

Rick Rude was staring at my wife,

She should be so lucky.

Jake Roberts shouldn't put a snake on people,

It was a Burmese Python. Wouldn't hurt a fly.

Bad News Brown is an African American stereotype,

Never watched him. I hope he is.

I could go on.

Please do. Those first two were rubbish.

The point is, wrestling gimmicks are meant to be over the top. Are we supposed to believe that two men who allegedly hate each other are going to show up to a fight in brightly colored underwear and attempt to put the other's shoulders down for three seconds to settle a fight?

Hey, I never said wrestling should be realistic. I just said that Hulk Hogan shouldn't be advocating such a nationalistic attitude to the young children that make up the majority of his fan base. Or did, at that point in time.

Why would they try something else? Hogan is the biggest star in the history of wrestling.

Hollywood Hogan was arguably just as successful, and he didn't stand for the red, white and blue then.

His gimmick would still work to this day.

Incredibly, it still does. I thought the wrestling audience had grown up a little, but apparently not.

Why is it a bad thing if it works to that extent? People ate him up and a lot of it was due to the gimmick.

Hey, the National Socialist German Workers' Party were pretty popular in their time, too. More so than Hulk Hogan, I'd say.

 

[klunderbunker]

Americans didn't have a Holocaust though.

I'll be ignoring the rest of your stuff except for the next to last line about wrestling fans growing up. That's rubbish. I don't watch wrestling to think about the real world or real life. I watch wrestling for an escape from such things. Hulk Hogan was popular because he was so absurd with all the things he said that it was great. I didn't have to think about things like that because I could get wrapped up in his character. The nationalism was fun because it made you feel proud to be an American because yet again, America dominates all. What's wrong with that?

 

[Uncle Sam]

Americans didn't have a Holocaust though.

No, you got professional wrestling. They're essentially different, I'll give you that much.

I'll be ignoring the rest of your stuff except for the next to last line about wrestling fans growing up. That's rubbish. I don't watch wrestling to think about the real world or real life.

Well good, because the complexity of wrestling storylines are comparable to those written for the Teletubbies. Current WWE programming is about as mature as it's gotten.

I watch wrestling for an escape from such things.

I suppose you've never had Triple H break into your house with a sledgehammer then, have you?

Hulk Hogan was popular because he was so absurd with all the things he said that it was great.

I didn't have to think about things like that because I could get wrapped up in his character. The nationalism was fun because it made you feel proud to be an American because yet again, America dominates all. What's wrong with that?

I think you just answered your own question.