Hulk Hogan Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Ex-Wife Linda Bollea After She Claimed He Is Gay, Violent

Relations between ex-spouses are often strained, but in the case of Hulk Hogan -- aka Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea -- and Linda Bollea, things are getting downright ugly.

As the Telegraph is reporting, Bollea recently claimed that Hogan is gay and had an affair with wrestler Brutus Beefcake. She also accused the wrestler of being prone to violent, threatening outbursts during their marriage.

US Weekly notes that in her memoir, "Wrestling The Hulk: My Life Against the Ropes," Bollea writes, Hogan "...tore my clothes, threw lamps, and held me down on the bed with his hands around my throat during arguments... I was always afraid he would kill me in one of his rages."

The revelation of Hogan's supposed affair with Beefcake occurred while she was promoting the book.

Thursday Hogan fired back by filing an 18-page civil suit against Bollea claiming he was defamed reports the St. Petersburg Times.

Hogan's attorney, Wil Florin, told to the paper, "He's being accused of all sorts of vile conduct that he did not commit," adding, "Miss Bollea's made enough of these outrageous allegations that it's time they stop. The only realistic way of making them stop is through the court system."

Hogan himself said:

"If any of that was true, I would admit it, and (if) I was a homosexual I would embrace it. It's just so crazy to hear, so I have a real problem with it... If you're going to say I'm something that I'm not to try to ruin my career and my livelihood... I have to answer her back. It's so ridiculous. I don't mean to laugh about it, because it's not funny. But it's insane. It doesn't make any sense to me."

The wrestler isn't the first celebrity to be accused of being gay. See our slideshow of stars who have faced gay rumors below.

Comments

[Totalitarianliberalism]

11:02 AM on 12/20/2011

Make a public accusation against someones character you had better be able to prove it or your going to have an 18 page lawsuit on your hands, as well you should.

[ajbiggs]

03:23 PM on 12/19/2011

She's mentally unstable...next!

& no, not because she said the Hulk is gay. If he is, he is......she's unstable because she is dovorced with two grown children, move on.

[Bills Catz]

03:52 PM on 12/18/2011

She ought to know. His life as a wrestler was a 3rd rate soap opera and now his life as a has-been is a 3rd rate soap opera. When does he get a reality show? Good match for one of the Kardashians, same mentality.

[gbrindel]

01:52 PM on 12/19/2011

i believe he has/had a reality show.
based on a lot of the jokes that have been directed at him during the celebrity roasts he has been on, i thought his sexuality was a poorly kept secret. true or false, i don't give a rip.

[DavidEm]

12:18 PM on 12/18/2011

Brutus Beefcake sounds intimidating.

[CBasilJr]

01:02 PM on 12/18/2011

I had to pause a moment before writing this comment to laugh.

[Kathryn Talbert]

05:57 PM on 12/18/2011

As a very straight woman I'd like to see this Brutus Beefcake and I scrolled the pictures below hoping for a view, but none.

[LordShadrach]

03:35 PM on 12/17/2011

Considering he was victorious against the accusations of him using steroids as well as the many times WCW did him wrong, there is no doubt in my mind that the Hulkster will be victorious in this!

[LordShadrach]

03:33 PM on 12/17/2011

Considering he was victorious against the accusations of steroid use, and the breeches of contract he faced in WCW, there is no doubt in my mind that Hulk Hogan will be victorious against his wife's accusations of him being gay and abusive.

[stephan67]

03:21 PM on 12/17/2011

Don't ask,don't tell Hulk.

[m1rojas]

02:55 PM on 12/17/2011

Oh c'mon! If he was gay, he'd be wearing tights and lycra all the time... in fierce, eye-catching colors... and engaging in pseudo-combat-slash-play-fighting with other men... who also work out incessantly.... he's so totally str8.

[Artie]

01:24 PM on 12/18/2011

Don't forget the mustache!

[Bills Catz]

03:50 PM on 12/18/2011

And the incidental tea-bagging.

[flilguy]

02:53 PM on 12/17/2011

Who cares if Hulk Hogan is gay or straight now, he looks a bit over the hill. I don't think the ex-wife would say something that would cost her money, she will benefit from this when all is said and done.

[tpeserik]

10:32 AM on 12/17/2011

This could potentially destroy my childhood.

[jflorish]

01:02 AM on 12/17/2011

Sounds like sour grapes from his ex wife.

[NoOne18]

11:52 PM on 12/16/2011

Having seen their "reality show", I could see where his wife had not been perfectly happy, but I did see a man who tried & tried to please his wife as best he could, & failed & I can only say that her response to her disappointment has been HORRIBLE! The answer to "I'm not happy in my marriage" is NOT "sleep with some BOY". And yet she still managed to clean him out in the divorce (more evidence of his being an actual pushover?), but this is her continued response? There's something wrong with her.

& to those who say that "her calling him gay is not grounds for defamation" - well, it is, because it's false. The same as if you insisted a gay person were really straight: at the very least, you are calling this person a liar & a coward, if you contend that said person is presenting him/herself as other than what s/he is.

[PAposter]

11:39 PM on 12/16/2011

...but are they only rumors about the people shown? I believe most them are gay...and so what?!?

[Connie Markley Boppre]

07:23 PM on 12/16/2011

well, if it's good enough for john travolta, it's good enough for the hulk !!! haha

[AnitaMan]

04:01 AM on 12/16/2011

CALLING SOMEONE GAY IS NOT DEFAMATION...PHOBES

[Bills Catz]

09:12 PM on 12/18/2011

Don't get your knickers in a knot, Mary. It's the caption of the article...

[AnitaMan]

11:06 PM on 12/18/2011

They're knotted up so tight I could spit