Hulk Hogan’s popularity transcended the wrestling ring and made him an immense figure in pop culture. His fame rivaled that of many celebrities and athletes as ‘Hulkamania’ ran wild. Even after his retirement from active in-ring competition, Hogan carried a brand value that saw him appear on a number of TV shows over the years. This often led to some memorable spots for the television audience who saw The Hulkster in all his glory on their screens.

In 2011, while he was a part of Impact Wrestling, formerly known as TNA, Hogan made a surprise appearance on the hit singing reality TV Show American Idol. The former WWE Champion looked all jacked up as he appeared on the sets and even showed off what his 24-inch pythons were capable of.

Hulk Hogan sent Ryan Seacrest flying into the audience

While Hogan’s stature as a pro wrestling icon is untouchable, it’s his impact on pop culture that makes him a superstar in the truest sense. As WWE’s vision of global dominance began to take shape in the 1980s, Hogan was its leading name. This meant the WWE star regularly appeared on national television and had a public following that matched those of many celebrities.

His iconic status in American culture meant that TV networks wanted a piece of the ‘Immortal One’ long after his retirement. In 2011, Hogan showed up as a surprise on the sets of American Idol on a results episode. He had to announce which aspiring singer would leave the show out of James Durbin and Paul McDonald.

READ MORE: “They Didn’t Like the Gimmick”: Hulk Hogan Ponders Upon Rare Failure in His Immortal WWE Career

As Hogan made his way onto the stage, the audience greeted him with a deafening roar, with even the contestants expressing their surprise and left awe-struck at the sight of the ‘Sterling Golden’. As you can watch in the video below, Hogan said he has some good news and bad news. He then announced that both the contestants were safe from elimination before he turned his attention to the host and made him feel the power of his 24-inch pythons. He said, “You Mr. Ryan Seacrest, you’re are not safe” and ‘punched’ him and sent him flying into the audience.

The cheers Hogan received on his entrance proved that he could attract eyeballs wherever he went. Hogan always made the headlines wherever he went as a wrestler and this was the case again on the sets of American Idol over a decade ago.

Hogan once ran into trouble on a talk show

Hogan’s early ventures into TV as a wrestling icon weren’t always smooth sailing. During the promotion of the first-ever WrestleMania in 1983, Hogan and Hollywood actor Mr. T made a lot of media appearances to hype their match against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. One such gig had them appear on a talk show called Hot Properties hosted by comedian Richard Belzer.

During the talk show, Hogan largely stayed in character and things seemed fine until Belzer pushed him to perform a wrestling move on him. Hogan went ahead, despite his initial reluctance, and put the host in a front chin lock. Belzer passed out and fell on the floor with a thud, hitting his head on the floor. After he regained consciousness and got up, viewers could see blood oozing from the back of his head.

Later, Belzer took Hogan to court and received a $5 million settlement. Thankfully for Hulk Hogan and Ryan Seacrest, no such mishap occurred on American Idol and everyone went home fine and entertained.

Which Hulk Hogan TV appearance is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch This Story: The Most Extreme Moments in WWE Monday Night Raw History!