During the recent debut of WWE Raw on Netflix, Hulk Hogan made an appearance to promote his “Real American Beer” and celebrate the transition of the red brand to streaming. However, his presence was met with a noticeably negative response from the live audience at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, where Hogan was booed throughout his promo.
Former WCW executive Eric Bischoff addressed the backlash on his 83 Weeks podcast, speculating that the boos might have been influenced by Hogan’s association with right-wing politics, especially his public support for former President Donald Trump.
Bischoff explained, “If you’re someone who hasn’t spent a lot of time in California, particularly LA or San Francisco, you’ve heard all the stories about how liberal it is and all that, but until you’ve been there and realized just how intensely liberal and Democrat California is, you might not think that could possibly be the reason why Hulk got booed.” He continued, “But Hulk and Trump are kind of joined at the hip now in the eyes of many, at least publicly… you’re gonna have some backlash in California. You can’t be shocked, you can’t be surprised — you could be disappointed, but can’t be surprised.”
Bischoff, who has worked with Hogan throughout their careers, expressed sympathy for Hogan’s discomfort in the situation. He noted that Hogan looked “incredibly uncomfortable” during the segment and speculated that Hogan might have considered switching to a heel promo due to the crowd’s reaction. However, Bischoff believes Hogan chose to stick with the scripted promo, staying true to his original plan despite the hostile response.
While Bischoff acknowledged that Hogan might have expected some negative reactions, he expressed regret over seeing his long-time colleague in such an uncomfortable position. The situation sheds light on the growing divide between public figures’ political affiliations and their reception by different audiences, especially in liberal areas like California.