Linda Hogan Talks Pain of Divorce, Young Lover, Family

In recent months, the divorce battle between the Hogans got really nasty, with Hulk making some statements about how he felt like going all O.J. Simpson on his former wife and Linda blaming him for everything that went bad in her life. The two are now officially no longer husband and wife, which means Linda is finally able to bare her soul to the media – which she actually does in a new interview with Good Morning America, as cited by ABC News.

Since the papers were filed for the Hogan divorce, the public mostly rooted for Hulk since he at least seemed honest about his affection for his younger lover or, if he didn’t, at least he had been the one who provided for the entire household for so many years, whereas Linda had done nothing but spend aforementioned hard-earned money. This is exactly the kind of misconception that Linda is trying to set straight, gushing out on the pain of the separation, her new lover and what divorce has done to her family.

For starters, Linda says she felt the marriage started to fall apart when she learned that Hulk was dating one of Brooke’s best friends behind everyone’s back. He had been unfaithful before but that was actually the first time he went out with a woman the same age as his daughter, and it only made matters worse. Ironically enough, Linda is now dating a man who is actually younger than Brooke and who went to the same school as her, 19-year-old Charlie Hill. “He’s a great friend and a good soul and a great support system for me.” Linda says of Hill.

Still, learning that Hulk was being unfaithful to her was just too painful. “There were infidelities. It scared me because I thought ‘Oh my God, is that my fault? Is he moving on? Am I just a dumb housewife? Am I too fat, am I too dumb?’ You just start doubting yourself and that was really sad.” Linda says. Eventually, the divorce came and, with it, the allegations and accusations that tore the family apart: Linda is no longer speaking to her own daughter after Brooke accused her of doing drugs with Hill. Some day, she hopes, things will be better.

Then, there’s the media. Linda Hogan can’t understand why the media feels the need to label her with tags like “cougar,” “gold digger” or “white trash” because she is none of these. “I was a manicurist, my husband was a struggling wrestler. We had nothing. Low class? Well, maybe the way I dress but that would be all. I have blond hair, long acrylic nails... but I wouldn’t say low class, just a product of the ‘80s. To be honest with you when all that started happening, all the allegations that I’m a cougar, I said ‘could somebody please tell me why cougar, why not lioness?’” Linda Hogan tells Good Morning America.