Jesse Ventura, reflecting on his efforts to unionize WWF talent before WrestleMania 2 in 1986, criticized Hulk Hogan for opposing the initiative and revealing his plans to Vince McMahon.
Speaking on The Ringer’s Bill Simmons Podcast, Ventura explained he sought a union to secure benefits like health insurance, days off, and retirement security for wrestlers, who endured grueling schedules and sacrificed their health. Despite Ventura’s passionate appeal, McMahon discovered his efforts, allegedly due to Hogan reporting him, which led to Ventura’s firing.
Ventura dismissed Hogan’s claim that unionizing would have limited his earnings, pointing out that unions in other sports allow top stars to earn significantly more while still supporting all members.
He cited Hogan’s substantial earnings at WrestleMania III as evidence of his privileged position and suggested Hogan opposed the union to maintain his financial advantage. Ventura noted that Hogan made more money than everyone on the WrestleMania 3 card combined, and that INCLUDES Andre The Giant!
The revelation that Hogan betrayed him came during a court deposition, where McMahon admitted Hogan had informed him of Ventura’s union discussions. Ventura, stunned by the betrayal, called Hogan an “office stooge,” the worst label in their era. He has since stated he feels owed an apology but doubts they could ever reconcile.
Here’s what Ventura said:
“All we had to do was en masse, walk out and go to the media and say we refuse to wrestle unless federal negotiators for union are brought in, it’s federal law. [Vince] couldn’t stop it, it’s federal law. [We could’ve] refused to perform until we were allowed to unionize or collective bargain and bring these people in. And I made that passioned speech, and when I was done I went home, and the next day Vince calls me immediately. ‘Well I found out…’ Apparently he called all of the wrestlers and threatened them all, all of this stuff. I didn’t know about that, but he called me and I stood up to him. I said, ‘Vince, this isn’t just to fight you’.
Here’s how bad [the WWF schedule] was — the month that I had the pulmonary emboli, the blood clots, do you know how many days that month that I flew? 28. You’re talking about 30 days in a month, I flew for 28 of them. That’s why I wanted the union for. And then for Hogan to make a statement like, ‘Well I didn’t want to get paid like everyone else,’ he makes it sound like unionizing is socialism and communism.
Hogan still would’ve made more. That’s a lame excuse!
Now do you want to know why he didn’t want [a union], why he’d lay his life down on the line to stop a union? Of course he [denied it]. And here’s why — if you come from the business during my era of the old territory days, the worst thing you could be accused of being is an office stooge. That’s somebody that rides around with the boys and pretends he’s one of them, but all the while he’s listening to the gossip and he’s reporting it back to the promoters, taking care of himself and being ‘an office stooge.’ That, in my day of wrestling, was the worst thing you could ever be. And that’s what Hogan was.
I said, ‘If you could find out who ratted [me out to Vince], I’d really love to know. Who was the rat in the dressing room that ratted me out? My attorney said, ‘Mr. McMahon, has there ever been a union in wrestling?’ and Vince said no. My attorney said, ‘Has anyone tried to form a union in wrestling?’ And Vince thought a moment and he said, ‘Yeah, I think Jesse Ventura might’ve spouted’ — I remember he used the term ‘spouted his mouth off about it one time a number of years ago.’ And my attorney said, ‘Oh really? Did you hear Mr. Ventura talk about unionizing?’ And Vince [said] no. My attorney said, ‘Well then how were you aware of it?’
With no hesitation, Vince went, ‘Hulk Hogan told me’. I almost fell out of my chair. Now, I had to sit there. I can show no emotion, it’s a deposition, I can’t talk, nothing. I can only sit there and confer with my attorney. It was as rough as getting hit in the face with a hard left jab, because Hulk Hogan, I thought, had been my friend.”
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