Hulk Hogan's $140M legal bodyslam of Gawker that led to gossip site's demise cheered after wrestler's death
Hulk Hogan's legal bodyslam of Gawker over his sex tape with his best friend's wife that forced the gossip rag to pony up $140 million — and led to its demise — was remembered as part of the late wrestler's legacy Thursday.
The WWE legend's career in the ring entertained millions, but his 2016 victorious court rumble with Gawker helped fuel a landmark case over what media members have a right to publish.
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Hogan, who died at the age of 71, teamed up with billionaire Peter Thiel to sue the snarky site and its founder Nick Denton after the outlet published a sex tape in 2012 showing him hooking up with Heather Clem, the wife of his then-best friend, shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, who secretly filmed the canopy bed tryst.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, successfully argued it was an invasion of privacy that lacked any news value.
3 Hulk Hogan testifies in court during his trial against Gawker Media at the Pinellas County Courthouse in Florida on March 8, 2016.
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A Florida jury took about six hours to return a $115 million verdict in favor of Hogan, with the court awarding another $25 million days later.
Hogan said he and his legal team 'made history today' after their court victory 'because I think we've protected a lot of people from maybe going through what I went through.'
Hulkster fans made note of his monumental legal feat in the wake of his death from 'a serious medical-related issue,' officials said.
'Hulk Hogan was the first to take on establishment media and beat them,' one social media user wrote Thursday. 'Let's never forget what he did to Gawker.'
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3 Gawker ceased to exist after its stunning legal loss to Hogan.
Christopher Sadowski
'Hulk Hogan helped bring about the destruction of Gawker. For which the nation, nay the world, shall forever be in his debt. RIP to a great American,' another X user wrote.
The millions in judgment against Gawker forced Denton to sink the site as he sold the rest of his Gawker Media Group to Univision in August 2016.
'Sadly, neither I nor Gawker.com, the buccaneering flagship of the group I built with my colleagues, are coming along for this next stage,' a glum Denton told staffers in a memo at the time.
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3 The trial was about a leaked 2012 sex tape that showed Hogan hooking up with Heather Clem, the wife of his then-best friend, shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, who secretly filmed the canopy bed tryst.
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'Desirable though the other properties are, we have not been able to find a single media company or investor willing also to take on Gawker.com.'
At the time of the site's demise, Hogan cheered on what was then known as Twitter, 'They messed with the wrong guy, brother.'
Gawker attempted a comeback in 2021, but died again two years later.
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