Linda Hogan publicly criticized the Emmy Awards on Tuesday after the late professional wrestler Hulk Hogan was omitted from the televised “In Memoriam” segment during Sunday’s broadcast.
Hogan, who died in July at 71 of cardiac arrest, is included in the Television Academy’s online memorial list but was not shown during the ceremony. His ex-wife, Linda Hogan, told TMZ she believes the omission was “political” and tied it to the wrestler’s conservative views and public support for former President Donald Trump.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Linda Hogan called her ex-husband a “ratings king,” saying he drew large television audiences and “opened the door for people who were never wrestling fans to become followers.” She pointed to his appearance at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where he spoke in support of Trump and Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance, as a possible reason for his exclusion, though she acknowledged, “I can’t prove that. It’s just a guess, but they should have named him!!”
The Television Academy’s list does include Hogan online, but Decider reported the wrestler did not appear during the televised montage. The program left out several other notable figures as well, including actor Tony Todd and veteran character actor Jerry Adler. Decider said it reached out to the Television Academy for comment and did not receive a response in time for publication.
Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, was a two-time WWE Hall of Famer whose career spanned decades and crossed into film and television. His credited acting roles include Rocky III, Suburban Commando and No Holds Barred, and he made recent appearances on WWE programming such as Raw and SmackDown earlier this year. The wrestler remained a high-profile figure in both sports entertainment and pop culture until his death.
The 77th annual Emmy Awards aired Sunday and are streaming on Hulu. “In Memoriam” montages at awards shows have long prompted discussion about who is included or excluded, with organizers saying time constraints and editorial decisions shape the televised segments even when longer lists appear online. The Television Academy has not publicly detailed its selection process for the televised tribute this year.
Linda Hogan’s comments follow a broader conversation among fans and industry observers about recognition and the criteria used for televised memorials. Representatives for the Television Academy did not provide an immediate explanation for the omissions as of Tuesday, and the Academy’s online memorial page remains the official listing that includes Hogan.