Hulk Hogan Says A Missed Call Cost Him $550 Million Endorsement

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan once claimed that he was nearly the face of the famous George Foreman Grill, missing out on what became a multimillion-dollar endorsement deal.

Speaking on his reality series Hogan Knows Best, which aired from 2005 to 2007, Hogan recounted how he supposedly had the chance to put his name on the now-iconic kitchen appliance. However, according to him, a missed phone call cost him the lucrative opportunity.

“I come home and hit the old-school voicemail recorder, and he says, ‘Hey Hulk, this is Sam Perlmutter. I have a grill and I have a blender, and I call you and George Foreman to see who wants it.’ I wasn’t there to answer the call, so when I called Sam back, he said George had taken the grill. $550 million later, George got the ‘Lean, Mean Grilling Machine.'”

Despite his story, the actual origins of the George Foreman Grill do not include Hogan. The grill was designed by Michael Boehm, who had links to Foreman through attorney Sam Perlmutter. Perlmutter introduced the product to Foreman, whose wife later used it to cook him a burger. Impressed with the results, Foreman agreed to endorse it, leading to one of the most successful celebrity endorsements in history.

Though Hogan insists he missed out on the grill, he later attached his name to other products, including the Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill, though it failed to replicate the success of Foreman’s version.

Regardless of Hogan’s claims, the George Foreman Grill remains one of the best-selling kitchen appliances of all time.

Which MLB Team Did Hulk Hogan Claim He Nearly Played For?

Hulk Hogan claimed that he was scouted by the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds during his youth. Hogan claimed that he was so proficient in scoring home runs as a youngster that the two baseball giants took interest in him, but after suffering a broken arm he was unable to play baseball again.

H/t to WrestlingInc.com