Hulk Hogan Demands Gawker.com to Take Down Everything About His Sex Tape
Hulk Hogan is still after his sex tape. The World Wrestling Federation star wants U.S. Web site Gawker to take down all clips, photos, links, and transcripts of his infamous sex tape even after receiving a court judgment that an excerpt from the tape be taken down.
The 59-year-old former wrestler and reality TV star was granted a temporary restraining order against Gawker for showing a one-minute clip of the 30-minute video on the Web site. It took down the clip, but refused to take down a written narrative of the video, written by former editor A.J. Daulerio, and a link to another site that still showed the private tape.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gawker had appealed the ruling, getting a Florida appeals court to issue an emergency stay of the temporary injunction regarding the description of the tape.
Hogan has then filed a motion to show cause why the Web site should be held in civil contempt for openly disobeying the order "to remove the written narrative describing the private sexual encounter."
"The Order prohibits 'posting, publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting' the footage," the motion obtained by THR reads. "Linking to the footage falls within this definition."
Editor John Cook wrote on their site why they won't take down the 1,400-word narrative of the video and 466 user-submitted comments despite receiving orders from Florida Judge Pamela Campbell.
"A lawful order from a circuit court judge is a serious thing. While we vehemently disagree with Campbell's order with respect to the video itself, we have chosen to take it down pending our appeal.
"But the portion of the order compelling us to remove the entirety of Daulerio's post - his words, his speech - is grossly unconstitutional. We won't take it down."
The controversial sex tape, emerged in April last year, sees Hogan with Heather Clem, the then-wife of radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge, whose real name is Todd Alan Clem. It was reported that it was Todd who had filmed his wife and Hogan having sex in his bedroom. It was taken six years ago when Hogan was still married to Linda Hogan.
Hogan sued the Clems for invading his privacy in October, which they settled immediately. The terms of the settlement were made confidential. Todd also publicly apologised to Hogan.