(Above: Dramatic proof of Hogan before and after steroids.)
(Venice Beach, CA) -- Baseball sluggers Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco.
Olympic sprinters Tim Montgomery and Ben Johnson. California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger.
Now, we can add professional wrestler Hulk Hogan to the growing list of athletes
and performers that have taken anabolic steroids.
Sources close to Hogan -- a former 6-time World Champion of the World Wrestling Federation
and 7-time titleholder for the World Championship Wrestling -- say that Hogan injected steroids, a banned substance, to enhance
his appearance.
"No doubt about it; Hogan has been on the gas," said a good friend of Hogan's, who
requested anonymity. "Hogan wanted to be just like the Macho Man and -- bottom line -- he couldn't cut it! Ooooooh yeah! Freak
out, freak out!"
Hogan has publicly denied the charges, such as when he appeared on the popular Arsenio
Hall talk show (we don't know the exact date of the show, because our Betamax is currently "on the fritz").
"Well, basically, brother, I don't even basically know what you're talking about, brother,"
Hogan said on the show, which also featured "Full House" television star Dave Coulier and noted film critic Gene
Siskel as guests. "I definitely never injected myself with asteroids, brother."
Hogan gained his fame by delivering crushing 'leg slams', 'atomic skull crushers' and
'five knuckle shuffles' to his opponents. He currently stars in a reality television show on upstart music channel VH1
while taking a brief respite from the wrestling ring.
An admission that Hogan, 52, enhanced his physique with drugs could destroy the integrity
of professional wrestling. Hogan is marketed as a hero to millions of wrestling fans because he "says his prayers, trains
hard and takes his vitamins," according to the tell-all biography "Hulk Hogan: Wrestling Kingpin".
However, use of illegal narcotics could spread to an even bigger probe involving other
popular wrestling superstars such as Andre The Giant, Stone Cold Austin, Rocky The Rock and nWo.
Some say an admission of drug use may cause wrestling's rigid lawmakers to place an
asterisk next to his championship achievements, and possibly banish him from the prestigious WWF Hall of Fame, which
he was inducted into last year.
"If Hogan was on 'roids, then I'm not sure I'll ever be able to look at wrestling the
same way again," said Pete Jenkins, who drove to New York this past Sunday to watch a wrestling show put on by fringe
promotion ECW. "I just don't buy that wrestlers have lowered themselves to taking drugs."
Some of Hogan's closest confidants believe the so-called "Hulkster" is innocent of
all allegations.
"Quite frankly, I believe that Hogan achieved his superior physique the same way that
I did," said WWF's Vince McMahon Junior, whom we assume is a commentator for the company, because we haven't watched
wrestling since 1988. "We here at World Wrestling Entertainment have a wellness program in place, and I can honestly say that
Hogan hasn't failed any of our random drug tests since we implemented the program last year."
Another one of his former 'tag team' partners didn't think Hogan, nicknamed Mister
America by his millions of fans worldwide, had ever dabbled in drugs.
"Look, I've never had to even touch steroids," said Zack Gowen, who teamed with
Hogan in 2003 for WWF's popular SmackDown! 'pay per view' shows. "My muscles are all 100 percent natural. If I could
achieve all the success I've had naturally, why couldn't Hulk?"
A spokesman for Hogan declined comment when contacted by World Wrestling Insanity News.
He claimed Hogan was "busy" on location in California, where he is filming the new movie "Commie Cop 3: Russkies On Patrol".
Hogan plays Yuri Popov, a former KGB Agent that joins the Los Angeles police
force and opts to play by his own rules.
The film will be released on DVD by September.
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