Goodbye Hulk Hogan, US wrestling star

A global wrestling legend, an icon of the MAGA movement, and a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, Hulk Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, died at 71 of cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. A face of 1980s American pop culture, with his bandana, bleached-blonde horseshoe mustache, and the cry "Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?", Hulk embodied a larger-than-life figure who transcended the ring to become a legend. A huge fan of Donald Trump, he immediately supported the future president of the White House with his imposing physique, and at the last Republican National Convention, he tore off his shirt in a gesture that was iconic to him. Hogan, who had a hint of Italian blood, was also very popular in Italy. Born in Augusta, Georgia, Hogan started out as a bass player before being discovered by a wrestling promoter in Florida, where he had moved with his parents. After starting out in small promotions, he achieved global fame when he joined the WWF (now World Wrestling Entertainment, the discipline's national promotion) in the early 1980s, bringing professional wrestling out of the gyms and into global television living rooms. His charisma on TV, his sculpted physique—over 6 feet tall and weighing 310 pounds—and his theatrical style quickly made Hulk a star. Under the guidance of promoter Vince McMahon, Hogan became a true transgenerational icon, the symbol of Hulkamania, thanks in part to legendary matches such as WrestleMania I in 1985, which cemented his fame in the Olympus of sports entertainment. At Madison Square Garden, alongside Mr. T and with Muhammad Ali as special referee, Hogan led WWE into a new era, combining sport, entertainment, and nationalism in a single theatrical gesture from which Trump had much to learn. Beyond the ring, Hogan also became a familiar face in film and television, starring in films such as Suburban Commando, Mr. Nanny, and the series Thunder in Paradise. His acting skills soon brought him to Hollywood, where he made his big-screen debut playing the wrestler Thunderlips in 1982's Rocky III. Sylvester Stallone, who would later induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, recounted that during a scene in which he leapt into the crowd, Hogan sent four stuntmen to intensive care. A regular feature on talk shows, commercials, and even cartoons, for many children growing up in the '80s and '90s, the Hulk became a living superhero. His private life, however, was not without controversy: a highly publicized divorce, legal scandals, and the release of a sex tape by Gawker media brought him to the center of public controversy. It culminated in his temporary expulsion from WWE in 2015 and a lawsuit in which billionaire Peter Thiel, another big Trump supporter, supported his cause and paid his legal costs.