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Hulk Hogan Sues Car Dealership, Cocoa Pebbles Cereal

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on February 28, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Owner of the hottest 900 phone number in the early nineties.

Purveyor of the Thunder Mixer.

He who knows best.

When Hulk Hogan sues, he sues big. Nothing less should ever be expected from a man who proudly claims these three accomplishments. Or a man who proudly wears his Fu Manchu 'stache way past its expiration date.

In fact, that identifying mustache is such a big moneymaker, that it can be partially blamed for Hulk Hogan's recent campaign in the courts.

Hogan recently sued Post Foods, alleging that they stole his likeness to help sell a couple million boxes of Cocoa Pebbles, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The "Cocoa Smashdown" commercial featured a Hulk Hogan lookalike defeating Fred and Barney, only to be ambushed and taken down by little Bam-Bam. This blogger thinks he just couldn't take the ego hit of being beaten by a toddler.

And now who is Hulk Hogan suing for encroaching on his carefully crafted image?

Southland Imports and Suntrup Automotive Group of Florida. The car dealership has reportedly been running a commercial that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, mimics some of Hulk Hogan's catchphrases. Inviting customers "tired of wrestling for a good deal," the commercial mimics Hogan's voice, overuses the word "brother," and shows someone pointing to his own muscles and referring to them as "guns."

Behind these lawsuits is what is known as the right of publicity. Many states grant a trademark-esque right to individuals allowing them complete control over their likeness. In other words, individuals have final say over use of their image, which cannot be used for commercial purposes without permission. Post Foods and the car dealership, by mimicking Hulk Hogan's look, voice and catchphrases, arguably violated this right.

But, dear readers, there's something even odder about this story. A normal person would have let it be and slowly slithered away in an attempt to disassociate himself from these atrocities. But not Hulk Hogan. It's become clear that someone needs to get the Hulkster out of the nineties.

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