Linda Hogan criticized the Television Academy on Monday for leaving her late ex-husband, Hulk Hogan, out of the "In Memoriam" segment of Sunday's Emmy Awards broadcast.
Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, died July 24 at 71. The WWE star and entertainer was not included in the televised tribute but does appear in the full digital memorial on the Television Academy's website. Several other actors, including Jerry Adler, Terence Stamp, Danielle Spencer, and Jonathan Joss, were also omitted from the on-air segment.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Linda Hogan suggested politics may have influenced the decision, pointing to her ex-husband's public endorsement of Donald Trump and JD Vance during the 2024 Republican National Convention.
"I can't prove that. It's just a guess, but they should have named him," she said.
During the convention, Hulk Hogan gave a speech in support of the Republican ticket, tearing off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance T-shirt. He urged the crowd to "let Trumpamania run wild, brother."
Linda Hogan said she believed that moment may have hurt his chances of recognition at a Hollywood ceremony.
"I really can't tell you why they left him out ... just a guess considering the way he was treated at his last appearance in LA," she said.
Hulk Hogan had previously expressed support for politicians across party lines. In 2008, he praised then-presidential candidate Barack Obama during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" saying Obama "makes sense" and "really can make a change."
Following Hulk Hogan's death, Trump posted a tribute on Truth Social, calling him "MAGA all the way" and describing his RNC speech as one of the highlights of the event. "We lost a great friend today," Trump wrote. "Hulk Hogan was strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart."
Hulk Hogan rose to prominence in the 1980s as one of the World Wrestling Federation's biggest draws. At the height of his career, his televised matches were among NBC's highest-rated programs. He later appeared in films, television shows, and the VH1 reality series "Hogan Knows Best" alongside Linda Hogan and their two children from 2005 to 2007.
Linda Hogan filed for divorce in 2007, and the marriage formally ended in 2009.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.