PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The ‘Hulk Hogan Sex Tape Scandal,’ is back in the spotlight, more than a year after the world famous professional wrestler squared off with Gawker.
Hogan – real name Terry Gene Bollea – is embroiled in another lawsuit over the infamous tape with a Bay area radio personality.
Last week a Pinellas County court judge has ruled that a defamation lawsuit filed by Hogan against Mike ‘Cowhead’ Calta will move forward. The ABC Action News I-Team has been going through the court documents for the latest in the case.
Hogan is suing Calta – morning host on 1025 The Bone, his former co-worker Matt ‘Spice Boy’ Loyd and the owner of ‘The Bone,’ Cox Radio. At the center of the litigation – a 2007 sex tape recorded by Hogan’s former best friend, another well-known Bay area radio personality – Bubba the Love Sponge Clem.
The tape, which showed Hogan having sex with Clem’s then-wife, was posted on Gawker Media, where more than 7 million people viewed it. The former professional wrestling icon successfully sued the celebrity news media outlet and was awarded over $100 million dollars last year.
He’s unlikely to collect, however, since Gawker filed for bankruptcy and was sold shortly after the verdict was announced. In his latest court battle, Hogan alleges Calta and Loyd were involved in ‘stealing, disseminating, using and exploiting illegally-recorded video.’
The defendants asked the judge to dismiss the case but last week their motion was denied. Calta and Loyd have refused to answer allegations in Hogan’s complaint to provide their defenses.
In the latest ruling, the judge has ordered them both to respond within 20 days. Hogan is seeking unspecified damages claiming the tape ruined his 35-year professional wrestling career.
