Some disappointed Hulk Hogan fans say they were turned away empty-handed last week after standing in line and waiting for hours for a promised meet-and-greet with the entertainment icon in Orange County.
The fans reached out exclusively to News 12 saying they waited four hours at the ShopRite in Montgomery on Wednesday for a promised meet-and-greet with Hogan during one of his stops in the Hudson Valley to promote his new beer brand, Real American Beer.
“I was there with my son and daughter. It was an exciting day, especially for my son. They said he could only see up to number 200 and we were 185,” says Robert Taylor, from New Windsor.
Taylor says he and his young children, who are 7 and 5 years old, were among a large group of people who were waiting in line and told they’d get to take pictures with the retired 71-year-old superstar and get signed autographs.
“My son had a little Pokémon card with him on it and he wanted him to sign it,” Taylor says.
Instead, as the family inched closer to the head of the line, Taylor claims Hogan abruptly left leaving them “empty-handed.”
“It was really quick,” he says. “They just stood up and bolted along the back. Some lady was very upset, screaming and cursing. My son just started crying and a bunch of other kids were crying.”
Hogan toured about a half dozen locations in the Hudson Valley. He shared videos on Facebook of several stops that looked wildly successful and showed him hugging fans, posing for pictures and handing out buckets of beer to crowds of cheering people. Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino even remarked on his local appearances and declared last Tuesday “Hulk Hogan Day” to commemorate his stop in Poughkeepsie.
Taylor, however, shared a video with News 12 that he took of his kids crying in the car after the failed meet-and-greet showing them saying to Hogan, “You’re the worst,” and “Why did you do this?”
News 12 tried to reach out to Hogan’s publicist about the complaints from Taylor and others, but didn’t receive a response.
“If he had to leave, he could’ve walked down and shook people’s hands and said ‘Hey, I’m sorry we have to get going,’ rather than just leaving people stranded.”
When asked if he’d try to see Hogan again if he tours locally, Taylor said, “probably not.”