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Hulk Hogan wins $115M in Gawker sex tape case.


Pong Messiah
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Guest El Chalupacabra

 

He was sentenced to 8 months and served 5.5 months at an adult facility (in solitary until her turned 18). That really doesn't strike me as abnormal. I'm open to the possibility that I'm wrong, but I don't know much about what the average Florida penalty for a sub-homicide underage car crash with minor alcohol involvement.

But even in comparison of the two years you think your example got, it's doesn't sound that far off.

Well, I think there is a difference between 8 months and 2 years. But I am not versed on FL law, either, so fair enough. But there is a major difference. Nick Hogan may have served time, but I think the long term consequences to his life are far less. Nick Hogan gets to fail upward by the virtue of the fact his dad is filthy rich and a celebrity, and has become even richer (assuming the law suit appeal still goes his way).

 

Well, yeah, in that case it does sound terrible. However, when we're talking about economic damages, Hogan simply makes a lot more money than a former Marine can be expected to. So rich people actually are worth more money in cases such as these simply on a basis of the actual damages being higher.

Put simply, you make it so that Lebron James wins a case where he loses 1/50 of his future earnings due to somebody's negligence, that comes out to be a lot more in real damages than you or I would get if a jury decides is someone runs us over in the street and then dances on top of us. We just wouldn't produce as much revenue, so the loss of income wouldn't be as high.

Not a fair comparison. Maybe a fair legal comparison, but I am talking morally.

 

Nick Hogan paralyzes someone through his actions, forever altering someone and his family's life.

 

Hulk Hogan cheats on his friend with his friend's wife, and a tabloid does what tabloids do and reports it, and wins $112 million because his feelings were hurt? He listed as part of damages "mental distress." What about the mental distress of John Graziano, and his family that take care of him? I think when it comes to cases like this, it should absolutely be based on ability to pay, and if you are a a celebrity with millions, then I think that should be factored into what is awarded, so long as actual damages are proven (IE no false or exaggerated claims).

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Nick Hogan may have served time, but I think the long term consequences to his life are far less. Nick Hogan gets to fail upward by the virtue of the fact his dad is filthy rich and a celebrity

 

You're splitting off into a different subject. One that has nothing to do with rich man/poor man justice. It almost sounds like you're saying that he should spend more time in prison because he's got a better life.

 

 

Hulk Hogan cheats on his friend with his friend's wife, and a tabloid does what tabloids do and reports it, and wins $112 million because his feelings were hurt?

 

First, as I said, I don't even think this case makes much sense and I don't see how this survives a 1st Amendment defense on appeal. But to break it down further:

 

$65 million came from economic damages. Those damages are basically from Hogan's lost income. I have absolutely no issue with a person being awarded every single dime they lost thanks to another person's actions. That's the whole point of a lawsuit, not just to get back a little bit of what they cost you.

 

$60 million came from emotional distress. On this your point is more valid. Essentially, the jury decided that Hogan's pain and embarrassment was worth an extreme amount of money, and more than he was even asking for if I'm not mistaken. That's pretty much impossible to defend.

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Guest El Chalupacabra

 

 

You're splitting off into a different subject. One that has nothing to do with rich man/poor man justice. It almost sounds like you're saying that he should spend more time in prison because he's got a better life.

Except he did spend less time, at least in the case I cited. I am not arguing more jail time, but at a minimum it should be the same time.

 

 

 

First, as I said, I don't even think this case makes much sense and I don't see how this survives a 1st Amendment defense on appeal. But to break it down further:

$65 million came from economic damages. Those damages are basically from Hogan's lost income. I have absolutely no issue with a person being awarded every single dime they lost thanks to another person's actions. That's the whole point of a lawsuit, not just to get back a little bit of what they cost you.

$60 million came from emotional distress. On this your point is more valid. Essentially, the jury decided that Hogan's pain and embarrassment was worth an extreme amount of money, and more than he was even asking for if I'm not mistaken. That's pretty much impossible to defend.

Seems we agree on the second point. the first point I think is impossible to determine. $65 million in lost wages? Give me a break. The guy was primarily a wrestler, who is a good quarter century past his prime. And wrestlers aren't known for exactly living moral lives, or having moral clauses to live up to.

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Do you know if the lost wages were proven, Chalup? Because if they weren't, there's grounds for appealing that amount. If they were, then your argument makes no sense at all.

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Guest El Chalupacabra

Well, unless he had a steady job that payed him a salary that terminated him specifically because of his sex tape, how the hell do you prove someone "could have" made $65 million, Fozzie? Maybe I "could have" made $65 million, too? Who can I sue about these things!

 

Besides, whether or not gawker revealed the sex tape, who is to say if he was fired due to the scandal, that it wasn't due to a morals clause, anyway?

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Prior tax returns, contracts being ended, offers in writing being revoked...

 

Look, you obviously have no clue what you are talking about at all, and just want to be angry, so have at it. Or you could try stepping back from your emotions and incorrect assumptions about how the world works and learn something.

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Why is anyone talking this much about anything involving Hulk Hogan?

That's exactly what I kept asking throughout his entire professional career.

 

I get why a lot of wrestlers are successful, even if I can't personally stand them (see: Austin, Steve); I can also understand why a great wrestler like Ricky Steamboat never became a superstar (supervanilla personality), even if it doesn't seem fair. But I have never understood the massive appeal of Hulk Hogan. His early heel work was at least semi-interesting but color me utterly confused regarding his later success.

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Guest El Chalupacabra

Prior tax returns, contracts being ended, offers in writing being revoked...

 

Look, you obviously have no clue what you are talking about at all, and just want to be angry, so have at it. Or you could try stepping back from your emotions and incorrect assumptions about how the world works and learn something.

Well unless you have specific details you can cite, you are speculating just like me. So, lighten up on the sanctimony.

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