Was Hulk Hogan Offered the Foreman Grill?

By Ali Hammad July 10, 2024 21:21

Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images

Hulk Hogan is a retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur, and musician. He is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time and rose to fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Hogan has had a lot of charisma, and his larger-than-life personality, as well as his signature leg drop, made him a very popular figure in the history of the Pro Wrestling world.

The Foreman Grill - A Culinary Phenomenon

The George Foreman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine, commonly known as the GEORGE FOREMAN GRILL, is a portable electrically heated grill that combines four plates with no space for them to latch on. It became an immediate hit as it promised a reduction of fat in the end. The Foreman Grill was released in the mid-1990s and, by 2011, had sold over 100 million units, making it one of the best-selling branded grills ever.

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The Offer: Rumors and Reports

Hulk Hogan's Claim

In popular media, Hulk Hogan has said that he was offered the endorsements of the George Foreman Grill but inadvertently missed a call from his agent. During a 2014 appearance on "The Herd With Colin Cowherd," Hogan shared an anecdote about receiving a voicemail from his agent, Sam Perlmutter, who asked if he wanted to endorse either the grill or a blender. Hogan claimed he missed the call and discovered that George Foreman had accepted a longer offer to endorse the grill.

The Lawsuit

A lawsuit concerning Sam Perlmutter and Salton, Inc. suggests that the endorsement deal was also about George Foreman. The suit then lays out how Perlmutter helped bring George Foreman in to endorse a kitchen appliance that led the path for what became known as the 'George Foreman Grill,' with a focus on detail over verbiage of any endorsement deal.

Analysis and Speculation

Fit for Hulk Hogan's Brand

Given his bigger-than-life nature and the popularity of Hulk Hogan, an endorsement contract with George Foreman Grill could fit well within his baseline public image. Hogan's attempt at expanding his reach beyond wrestling could have found success if nothing else, thanks to the grill's popularity among single people.

Impact on Product Success

While it's hard to say what a pairing with the Foreman Grill would have been like, Hogan may be larger than life enough that it could've worked for him and might well set this aside from all those other heart healthier grilling machines. But with the land of faceless grills that existed before and after Foreman being so huge, it's up in the air if another celebrity endorsement could have made any difference at all.

The notion that Hulk Hogan was once offered the chance to do ads for the Foreman Grill remains disputed. Hogan has told his side, but the story of a lawsuit regarding claims made in an endorsement for the grill suggests otherwise. Another big question is where in the world of celebrity endorsements/product marketing it would fit, but no matter if true or not, this potential tag-team between Hulk Hogan and George Foreman offering up a bro strap-on might be one of those wonderful "what if.