Hulk Hogan asks for forgiveness over racial slur scandal

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Hulk Hogan asked for forgiveness for his past use of racial slurs in a pre-taped interview Monday on Good Morning America.

The 62-year-old professional wrestler, born Terry Bollea, broke his silence five weeks after World Wrestling Entertainment fired him over the scandal. Hogan denied he is a racist, but apologized to fans for the incident.

"I'm not a racist, but I never should have said what I said," he told anchor Amy Robach. "It was wrong. I'm embarrassed by it. But a lot of people need to realize you inherit things from your environment ... I grew up [in] south Tampa ... the word was just thrown around like it was nothing."

Hogan used racial slurs to describe daughter Brooke Hogan's boyfriend in a sex tape, which was recorded without his knowledge in 2006. The National Enquirer obtained and published a transcript of the tape last month from Hogan's ongoing lawsuit over the footage.

"Oh my gosh, please forgive me," he later begged. "I'm not the Hulk Hogan who rips his shirt off and bang, bang, bang, slams giants. I'm Terry Bollea, I'm just a normal man ... Just because a person makes a mistake, don't throw them away."

Hogan teared up as he spoke of daughter Brooke, who defended him in a heartfelt poem in the wake of the scandal. The wrestler told Robach he would love a second chance with the WWE, which has stripped all mention of Hogan from the organization's website.