Corrigan's Corner: Thank You, Hulk Hogan

He lied about how much Andre weighed.
He lied about being recruited for Metallica.
He lied to Arsenio Hall and millions of viewers about taking steroids.

But last week Hulk Hogan finally lived up to his word: He really does fight for the rights of every man.

Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea won $140 MILLION in his lawsuit with Gawker Media after the soulless, scummy organization published a private sex tape of the Hulkster dropping his third leg on the wife of his buddy Bubba the Love Sponge. Hogan maintains that he didn’t know the intercourse was being recorded and Heather Cole, the woman he was involved with, supports his statement.

Gawker will appeal the decision as evidenced by founder Nick Denton’s statement: “We feel very positive about the appeal that we have already begun preparing, as we expect to win this case ultimately.”

$140 million may seem like a ridiculous figure, and even if Hulk wins the appeal, he might only get half of the money, but he deserves every cent. This global icon, this real-life superhero, had his life destroyed because of that sex tape going public. WWE, the company he lifted out of armories and carried into the mainstream consciousness, banished him. Over thirty years of universal goodwill and charity visits and role modeling all dashed in a day. Of course, that was related to the racial comments heard on the tape rather than the actual tape itself, but it’s still because of Gawker releasing the tape.

And for what? Web traffic? Publicity in columns like this? There is nothing on that sex tape that society legitimately needs to know. In the worst period of his life, as his family was falling apart, in the most vulnerable moment any human being can experience, the Hulkster vented. He dropped the N word a couple times and complained about his daughter dating a black man. He also must have immediately felt guilty because he tried to lump us all together, according to National Enquirer, saying, “I guess we’re all a little racist.”

Are we? I don’t think we’re ALL a little racist. But then again, I’m not here to discuss racism. I’m also not here to further discuss Hulk’s comments because I shouldn’t know them because they were said in the PRIVACY OF A HOME. If the comments we made at the dinner table and in the garage and especially during sex were shared with the world, we’d all be unemployed, uninvited from Thanksgiving and under an ex’s tires.

George Carlin said that rights were simply privileges that can be taken away. But he meant the government would take them away, not a blog with the tagline “today’s gossip is tomorrow’s news.” That’s basically a self-imposed crutch to say, “We make shit up if nothing’s happening.” As newspapers shut down and journalists around the country scramble for paychecks and opportunities, this is how Gawker uses its position and power. Instead of giving a voice to the voiceless, Gawker gives a megaphone to the one place people feel they can whisper.

Well, not on the Hulkster’s watch. And clearly not on the Florida jury’s watch. Our privacy won’t be violated.

Of all the victories Hogan has collected over the years, from Iron Sheik to Andre the Giant to Randy Savage, this win means the most.

Yellow journalism was defeated by the man in the red and yellow boas, fighting for the rights of every man.