An emotional Hulk Hogan hit “Larry King Live” on Tuesday night to tackle a host of topics, including the release of phone calls to his incarcerated son, Nick Hogan, by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, 17-year-old Nick (known legally as Nick Bollea) was sentenced to eight months in jail after pleading guilty to felony reckless driving, an incident which left his friend, John Graziano, in a coma.
In audio recordings of phone calls between Hulk and Nick, the elder Hogan is heard suggesting Graziano’s condition was “God’s will.”
Hulk addressed his comments on “Larry King Live” and told the CNN host that he made them because his son’s mental state was in jeopardy due to spending several weeks in solitary confinement.
“It was like the whole world [was] crashing down on my son. Solitary confinement — most hardened criminals unravel after two or three days. Nick survived in there 28-29 days,” Hulk said. “During that period of time as I’m sitting there, 28 or 29 days, hardly any sleep, I did everything I could to laugh, to cry with my son.
“I was trying to help [to] give Nick some type of relief because he [was] consumed with the unknown,” Hulk continued. “I was just trying to explain to him that it’s ‘God’s hands’ or it’s ‘God’s will.’ That’s what people have said for thousands of years and did I say things wrong? Yes. I am I sorry.”
Hulk admitted he made some of the comments recorded during phone calls, including discussing a future reality show for Nick, to “protect him physically because his mental state was unraveling.”
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And while he knew the calls were being recorded, Hulk also expressed his disappointment that the calls were released to the media.
“This was the only thing Nick had left. This is the privacy everybody had in prison… and to have that taken away?” Hulk sighed. “I was more worried than ever about his mental state.”
Hulk broke down at the end of the broadcast, and through choked back tears, said that he believed the public understood his family’s plight.
“The people that are outside of this building are with us on this thing, so it’s going to be OK. It’s going to be OK,” he said.
Larry King also asked Hulk about the breakup of his marriage to wife Linda during the broadcast.
“When my wife filed for divorce, the marriage was broken long before that. My wife has her own separate life, I’ve got mine… It’s two separate worlds at this point,” he said.
The former pro-wrestler also put to rest rumors he is dating one of daughter Brooke’s friends, though he confirmed Linda is dating someone Brooke’s age.
“No, it’s not one of her friends,” Hulk said. “[The woman] that I’m dating is 34 years old and it’s not one of Brooke’s friends and from the reports I’m hearing, my wife is dating a 19-year-old.”
Earlier in the day, Brooke Hogan confirmed her mother was, in fact, dating a teenager.
“Yes, it’s true,” Brooke told “Yo on E!.” “I’m totally freaked out. This is really weird. I personally don’t like it at all or condone it.”