Booker T Reflects On Controversial Hulk Hogan Promo
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has recalled his infamous Hulk Hogan promo in WCW, saying he made “a huge mistake”.
Throughout his career, Booker T has had many memorable moments, but on his Hall of Fame Podcast, the multi-time World Champion opened up on one of the times he wishes he could take back.
At WCW’s Spring Stampede event in 1997, Booker T cut a promo on Hulk Hogan that has since gone down in pro wrestling infamy as he accidentally ended it by using the n-word. The 5-time WCW Champion says that while it was a huge mistake, he also sees it as a learning moment.
“Yeah, it was definitely a learning moment, and I’m glad that you took it and used it, as opposed to taking it and using it. Just because I feel like I did make a huge mistake because I looked at myself as a role model. And a lot of young people followed my lead back then. If they felt like it was if I was cool with saying it, you know it was cool for them to do it too.
“I always talk about young people and being able to change your levels. Of course, when you’re in the hood, you are going to talk a certain way around your boys when you’re at the ballpark, you know what I mean? It’s all fair game. But in certain places, you’ve got to know how to change your levels, and I was in that place.”
Booker T went on to discuss how he uses the incident as an educational moment for future talent who need to learn to be adaptable.
“I had always thought about everything before I would do it. And that one moment, that one moment in time, I don’t know. I can’t tell you what happened or anything like that. But I slipped.
“But, none of my peers had ever heard me use that word before, and none of them have ever heard me use it after. You know, so I just felt like it was definitely a moment for me that I wish I could take back. But every time I have the chance to talk about it, I try to use it as an educational moment. Say, ‘hey man, we’re people understandably, but we’ve got to be able to change our levels, man.’”
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer admits he’s glad social media didn’t exist at the time as it could have cost him his job.
“I’m so glad we didn’t have social media when the anniversary of the Hulk Hogan situation happened. Just because people would have ridiculed me to the point to where I would have had to listen to it. People would have been trying to cancel me, and whatnot. You know what, I probably would have lost my job, you know what I mean? So many things could have happened living in this social media life, I get it. But you’ve gotta embrace the hate.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc for the above transcription.