Hulk Hogan and his daughter, Brooke Hogan, have never had issues publicly, but fans are noticing a rift in their relationship.
The former singer and “Hogan Knows Best” reality star has stuck by her father’s side even after his career-ruining sex tape, which captured her dad cheating on her mother, Linda Hogan, and also included a racist rant about a Black man that Brooke was dating at the time.
But it seems the “Brooke Knows Best” star has had enough and now finds what is best for her overall is to put distance between herself and her family.
Her Instagram name is MizzHogan. However, she currently is known online by the surname Oleksy, the last name of her husband, former NHL player Steven Oleksy, and she does not follow anyone from her family, including her father, her mother, and her brother, Nick Hogan, on Instagram. But her father does follow her brother.
While neither party has divulged any details to the public, there seems to be some estrangement between Brooke and her family when many noticed she was absent from her father’s wedding to his third wife, Sky Daily, in September 2023.
She wrote a message to followers on her page shortly after the wedding: “As many of you know, I value my privacy, but unfortunately, a lot of media outlets are making assumptions as to why I did not attend my father’s third wedding. Instead of leaving it to speculation, I decided it’s better to shut it all down here.”
Brooke acknowledged that “the dynamics of a family unit continuously change over the years.”
“With that being said, my family has experienced a LOT of change,” she continued. “With all of it happening in the public eye, I’ve had to learn how to best navigate those changes as they come, which has been difficult to say the least.”
“For my own journey to healing and happiness, I have chosen to create some distance between myself and my family, and am focusing on people and things that heal my heart and align with my own personal beliefs, goals and values,” she concluded before wishing her dad “well” at the end.
Hogan sued Gawker Media LLC for releasing the 2012 sex tape, which appears to be of him and the wife of radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge. In that same video, Hogan used the N-word in reference to his daughter Brooke’s Black boyfriend at the time, while admitting he was a “racist.”
“I don’t know if Brooke was f—king the black guy’s son,” Hulk stated in a report published by Radar Online in 2012. “I mean, I don’t have double standards. I mean, I am a racist, to a point, f—king n—rs. But then when it comes to nice people and sh*t, and whatever.”
He purportedly continued, “I mean, I’d rather if she was going to f–k some n—r, I’d rather have her marry an 8-foot-tall n—r worth a hundred million dollars! Like a basketball player! I guess we’re all a little racist. F–king n—r.”
Renewed interest in Hulk and Brooke’s relationship resurfaced thanks to a Wrestling Inc feature about the father and daughter, where fans reacted in the article’s comment section.
One person said, “For her to really distance herself from him, maybe more was said that wasn’t videoed. Why would you be so strong to defend him just to distance yourself later? Seems like there’s more to this. What’s even sadder, if you say something that’s outside of your personal norm you’re screwed. People won’t ever just let it go. As long as people remember it it’s always there. This here, Hogan said some stupid things and till this article came out, people may not have forgot but now made it fresh in the minds once again.”
That person continued, “Wonder how much dirty laundry the people that write these articles have and how would they feel if the public was constantly reminded of it?
Coming to Brooke’s defense, a second person added, “It appears as Brooke has gotten older. Shes just chosen to live her life and try to be successful. It’s easy to say. Well, she wouldn’t have had any fame if not for her father. Certainly, a fair point. But most people in that position. Especially when younger, would try things. Just how it is. Seems like she generally likes being out of the spotlight. Good for her.”
A third added, “I hope they can heal whatever rift there is between them. I’d hate to be estranged from my son or daughter when they become adults.”
During a 2015 sit-down with “Entertainment Tonight,” Brooke defended the former professional wrestler assuring watchers that her father was “not racist.”
“I don’t support what he said. But he’s my dad. I love him,” she said in a video. “When you’re mad and when you’re at the lowest point at your life and you’re mad at somebody you just choose ill-fitting words for that situation just to air your shorts out and that’s all it was. Because I looked at the transcripts and I was like ‘Yeah he’s pissed. That’s not who he is though. He’s not racist.”
Brooke continued, “I feel bad for my dad but I also feel bad for the African-American fans and stuff because they don’t know that he didn’t mean it. He takes responsibility for it and he knows he’s like ‘I messed up. This is the repercussions of what’s happening.’
But this was not her father’s first racist rant or his first time saying something that shocked the world. Hogan’s biopic was axed days after he threatened Vice President Kamala Harris in August during an event in Ohio to promote his brand, “Real American Beer.”
Hulk Hogan got drunk at Thirsty Cowboys in Medina, Ohio, and asked the crowd, "Is Kamala Harris a chameleon? Is she Indian?" He also asked the crowd if they wanted him to body slam Kamala Harris.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) August 20, 2024
(🎥 @TMZ ) pic.twitter.com/QTBv1zUlR3
“Do you want me to body slam somebody? Want me to body slam Kamala Harris? I said, do you want me to body slam Kamala Harris?” Hogan said to a large crowd before referring to one of his signature wrestling moves. “Do you want me to drop the leg on Kamala?”
The longtime Donald Trump supporter went on mocking her heritage with gestures and mispronouncing Harris’ first name.
