Hulk Hogan's Image Is In Peril

Every weekend, millions of children - and quite a few adults - suspend reality, plant themselves in front of the television and wait for the self-proclaimed real American hero to appear.

Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan bounds to the screen and urges his little Hulksters to say their prayers, take their vitamins and believe in themselves.

Hogan is a Saturday-morning cartoon come to life - and the star of a merchandising empire that grossed $1.7 billion last year. Unquestionably the greatest draw in the history of professional wrestling, his status as a role model goes beyond what he does in the wrestling ring.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation, a group that grants wishes to dying children, says that he is their most requested personality, and he reportedly visits as many as 20 sick children a week. He also has starred in two movies, both aimed at children. There are almost 300 official Hulk Hogan products, all aimed at children.

But Hulk Hogan's image is in peril, and so is that of all of professional wrestling. Hogan is accused of having abused steroids and cocaine.

ABC's "20-20" is scheduled to air a segment next week about steroid abuse in professional wrestling. Tabloid television shows such as the syndicated "Now It Can Be Told" have been interviewing some of Hogan's accusers.

Troubles mounted for Hogan when he turned up on Arsenio Hall's show to deny the reports. He declared that he has only used steroids on three occasions, all under doctor's care to rehabilitate muscle injuries.

The outcry was immediate. Former wrestlers came forward to say that Hogan was lying. They say they have personal knowledge of his drug abuse. They say you can't make it big in professional wrestling without drugs.

"Valiums, placidyls, acid, pot, steroids, cocaine, alcohol are all a major part of professional wrestling," said Billy Jack Haynes. "It's all brought on by the promoter because he asks too much out of you. You're only a human being, but you're just a number to him."

After years as a backwater form of entertainment, wrestling became big business in the 1980s when Vince McMahon went national with his World Wrestling Federation, signing with the USA cable network. According to industry magazines, the WWF did more in gross merchandising last year ($1.7 billion) than the NFL. Today, the company is said to be worth somewhere between $150 million and $500 million.

But the WWF's claim to presenting "family entertainment" has been tarnished by several embarrassing incidents.

This year, the WWF has suspended two of its best-known wrestlers, one for allegedly forging drug prescriptions and one for allegedly possessing cocaine, drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.

Perhaps the most damaging blow for the WWF came during the June 1991 trial of George Zahorian, a Harrisburg, Pa., urologist who was convicted on 12 counts of selling steroids for non-medical purposes.

Hulk Hogan (whose real name is Terry Bollea) was subpoenaed because he was one of the five wrestlers to whom Zahorian was accused of selling steroids. But the U.S. attorney agreed to waive Hogan's testimony because his "private and personal" matters outweighed any possible contribution to the trial. Wrestlers Roddy Piper, Brian Blair, Rick Martel and Dan Spivey all admitted to buying steroids from Zahorian. Zahorian testified that he treated Hogan as a serious steroid abuser and successfully got him off steroids.

Federal Express records obtained by the grand jury show Zahorian sent packages to Hogan on eight occasions during a nine-month period in 1988. The four wrestlers who testified all admitted receiving steroids from Zahorian by Federal Express.

In 1988, Hogan started to cut back on his wrestling schedule and his career in the U.S. may be over after next month's Wrestlemania VIII pay-per-view event. McMahon said Hogan is taking an indefinite hiatus.

Meanwhile, his career as a commercial spokesman appears at risk of collapsing.

Allegations of drug abuse "will end his career as a spokesperson for any product," said Nova Lanktree, one of the leading experts on sports merchandising.

"If it is true that he is on steroids and other drugs and has denied taking steroids publicly, then no company or advertiser will touch him."

What now for professional wrestling if its biggest star takes the biggest tumble of his life?

Controversy is expected to mount. ABC's "20-20" is scheduled to air a segment next week about steroid abuse in professional wrestling. Tabloid television shows such as the syndicated "Now It Can Be Told" have been interviewing some of the Hogan's accusers.