The Racist Reckoning of Hulk Hogan And N3on

The world is being subjected to a racist apology tour.

In the past week, Black folks have had to deal with a recasting of Hulk Hogan’s incendiary past comments, (including a gym etiquette Internet personality coming to his defense and calling us “colored” in the process,) and then, as if all that wasn’t enough, we were forced to learn about and address streamer N3on’s racist past. 

And, it’s all been a bit much.

Last week, wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, who once marched out to the song, “I’m a real American,” died. For many Black folks his death was a footnote next to his racist views. In 2015, Hogan was caught on tape using the hard R racial slur towards Black people. 

“I mean, I don’t have double standards. I mean, I am a racist, to a point, f-cking n-ggers. But then when it comes to nice people and s–t, and whatever,” Hogan says in the video. Hogan then explains his disappointment that his daughter, Brooke — who released music in 2006 and another in 2009 — was sleeping with the son of a man who was funding her career. 

“I mean, I’d rather if she was going to f–k some n-gger, I’d rather have her marry an 8-foot-tall n-gger worth a hundred million dollars! Like a basketball player! I guess we’re all a little racist. Fucking n-gger.”

At that moment, the man who was born Terry Bollea, the man who worked his whole life to become known as Hulk Hogan, split in two; Hogan, the American-loving, hardworking, pusher of vitamins and prayers to children. And Bollea, a geriatric white man with a handle bar mustache and all the stereotypical views of Black men that comes with it.

For all of Hogan’s “brothers,” there were all of Bollea’s “n–ggers.”

But, make no mistake about it, Hulk Hogan was America. So was Terry Bollea.

Because the world as we’ve known it was split in two. Hogan represented an imagined America where racists had enough respect to hide their views until they got home. An America where Republicans respected decorum enough to appear to be civil. An America that still believed in whatever was scrawled on the Statue of Liberty; you know the bit about the tired and the poor. 

Bollea was Trump’s America just a few years too early; an America where Pooh Shiesty-wearing ICE harassers arrest legal residents during court appearances. An America where being a person of color, which is totally different from a person of color, is an enemy; a threat to be disposed of. An America where the president prides himself in appealing to his racist base. 

So miss us all with the complaints of how Black people have responded to the death of a man who was openly racist when he thought no one was watching. Miss us all with the explanations of his racism and stories of what a good person he was to his Black friends and all the Hogan apologists who want to reimagine who Terry Bollea was now that Hulk Hogan has died. It’s tiring for people who weren’t offended to tell Black people how to take the offense. We are always encouraged not to wade in the petty waters of retaliation when karma comes for those who openly disrespected us. 

Which brings us to streamer N3on, who blames his racism on his youth. Apparently, when N3on was 12 he started a YouTube channel and found that his shock value content like calling Black girls  “n––r” his content did better. And because money is worth more than morals, when N3on was five years older than Tamir Rice and the same age as Trayvon Martin he called fellow streamer Kai Cenat’s mother a “fat Harriet Tubman b-tch”. He often called Black girls on his stream hideous and claimed that he wouldn’t sleep with them even if he were paid. He blamed his disdain for Black people behind his father being robbed by a Black man. And then, get this part, he was all dejected when he recently went on the all Black The Breakfast Club morning show and they called him out for his past comments. After the appearance a saddened N3on whines that none of the cast wanted to shake his hand.

The Breakfast Club co-host, Jess Hilarious, pointed out that all of N3on’s staff were Black and he needed to be mindful of what he says, considering during his appearance, followers of the steamer were spamming the chat with monkey emojis. Later, Hilarious would release a scathing video of all N3on’s racist comments, shaming the streamer into apologizing for his past behavior. 

“First and foremost, I just want to take accountability for everything that I’ve said or done in the past, to anyone that I’ve talked shit to, to anyone that I’ve said something insane to, to anyone I’ve made a remark to, I’m genuinely sorry, deep inside,” N3on said in the video. “That’s not the person I am, and I want to apologize and take accountability.”

And while the ends of the spectrum appear to be diametrically opposed, this is America. America, where Tamir Rice, 12, and Trayvon Martin, 17, can be viewed as adults; their young lives put on trial, every mistake they ever made scrutinized, the killers are free. Yeah, I’m over age as the line with which racist comments can be forgiven. N3on’s not apologizing because he’s learned the ire of his ways, he’s apologizing because he went on one of the largest radio shows in the country and got called out for his racist behavior. 

So miss us with the forced apology tour, or the reimagining of the legacy of a man playing a character. Terry Bollea is a lot of things but he’s no Hulk Hogan. And when you strip away all of the mics and platforms that N3on has, he’s really just a lonely soul speaking into the void, regurgitating old stereotypes of Black people because inside, when it all gets quiet, he’s just a sacred little boy begging to be accepted. 

And he doesn’t get a pass for that.  

The Racist Reckoning of Hulk Hogan And N3on  was originally published on cassiuslife.com