American former pro wrestler, media personality, and musician Hulk Hogan died at his home in Clearwater, Florida, on July 24, 2025, at the age of 71. The official cause of death was announced as cardiac arrest. He passed away more than a month after undergoing major spinal fusion surgery. In the wake of Hogan’s death, actor and podcast host Michael Rapaport paid tribute on Instagram on July 25. The Boston Public star also called out critics of Hulk, saying he would not tolerate posthumous “disrespect” toward the late WWE champion.“We are not gonna disrespect the Hulkster. That’s what, that’s what we are not gonna do. We are not gonna be disrespecting, uh, Hulk Hogan, the Hulkster. I don’t care if he had some controversy outside of the ring. I don’t care if he endorsed Donald Trump,” Rapaport stated in his video post.“We are talking about one of the most original characters in American popular culture history, whether you know wrestling or you’re a fan of wrestling or not. We are talking about a guy who created something out of his imagination that captured the world’s attention.” View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMichael Rapaport defended Hogan and his legacy, urging fans and critics alike to remember him for his influence on wrestling and global pop culture. However, his comments have now sparked controversy online.More about Michael Rapaport’s defense of Hulk HoganLast Friday, Michael Rapaport posted an Instagram video in honor of Hulk Hogan. It was captioned:“HULK HOGAN!!! One of the most ICONIC characters in POP CULTURE HISTORY has passed & we’re not gonna be disrespecting The HULKSTER right now. Let him rest. We remember the good times, the iconic times of the HULK on a new @iamrapaport.”The post included the hashtags #hulkhogan, #hulkamania, and #WWE. It featured Rapaport praising Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea.“Men, women, and children all know who Hulk Hogan is, who the great Hulk Hogan was. And, like I said, I don’t care about him endorsing Trump, I don’t care about the stuff that was controversial. We are not gonna be disrespecting the man with the 18-inch pythons, brother,” Michael stated.The Atypical actor added that Hogan brought “pure joy, elation” to people around the world, not just through his wrestling but also with his persona, his “oiled-up” physique, the iconic “goatee,” and his “hair.” He pleaded with his viewers to give the “real-life superhero” the respect he deserves and described Hogan as “a total original.” Notably, Hogan often credited Billy Graham as “the guy who inspired me to step into the ring,” as well as for his look and catchphrases. Michael Rapaport faced backlash after defending the late wrestler. For example, Black American stand-up comedian, impressionist, and actor Aries Spears commented under his post,“So, we’re not gonna disrespect the Hulkster, but it was OK for him to disrespect an entire race of people???”Meanwhile, rapper Lil Scrappy seemed to agree with Rapaport and wrote, “Amen Hulk Hogan is the biggest and realest.”Over the years, Hogan faced numerous controversies, including the Richard Belzer lawsuit, Vince McMahon's trial testimony, a s*xual assault and extortion lawsuit, the Gawker lawsuit, a s*x tape leak, infidelity allegations, and more. In 2015, leaked audio revealed Hulk using racial slurs, leading WWE to terminate his contract. He later apologized, calling it “unacceptable” behavior on his part. Hogan endorsed Trump in the 2024 presidential election and spoke at last year’s Republican National Convention.