A year ago most of us wouldn’t have cared enough about the Hogan family to watch five minutes of television about them. Now they’re getting their own hour-long E! True Hollywood Story episode. Both Hulk and Brooke were interviewed for the episode, along with several of the family’s friends. Hulk’s soon-to-be ex-wife Linda declined to be interviewed and son Nick was in jail at the time. I’m guessing a prison interview either wasn’t possible or wasn’t deemed to be good PR.

There’s a lot of talk about how hard this last year has been on the family, and most – including the family friends – seem to have come to the consensus that the main problem was their reality show Hogan Knows Best. Which is funny because I always thought that the main problem was the Hogans. Here are a few snippets E! released in advance of the show.

Hulk Hogan on his feelings over the divorce: “It was shocking. … I didn’t know if I was going to vomit or pass out or cry, and I kind of took a few moments, and it was like I got kicked by a mule. … I was one of these hopeless romantics that thought no matter what happened, I thought I would be the one who was married forever.”

Brooke Hogan, leading up to Hulk’s “Larry King Live” interview: “It was to the point where we were getting so just slaughtered with this press of just false rumors and false stories, it was just like the truth has to come out.”

Brooke Hogan, on her dad being alone: “There’s been times where he’s been alone that have scared the living daylights out of me and I’m like, ‘Dad, I’ll be right there.’ He’s very emotional, and he starts over thinking things, and he starts getting really sad.”

Brooke Hogan, on her father’s current girlfriend, Jennifer McDaniel: “I really do like Jennifer a lot. It would probably kill my mom to hear this. I’m glad that she’s around because, you know, I’m trying to do my own thing and work, and it’s like I can’t be there 24/7 so it’s nice to know that there’s somebody that I trust with, you know, taking care of him as much as I would.”

Hulk Hogan, on Nick’s sentencing for reckless driving: “When the judge said you’re gonna get 8 months in jail, Nick didn’t turn around and look at me for advice, guidance or anything. He just took it like a man. I never got to say goodbye to him, you know.”

Brooke Hogan, on how the incident affected her brother: “Nick, for being in his situation, for being in the public eye, it was a good lesson. He definitely he got a wake up call.”

Brooke Hogan, on the effect of her brother Nick’s car accident on her parents’ relationship: “The accident, I think really showed them that they just don’t view things the same as individuals and as parents, you know, so, it was just kind of like a wakeup call. I just think that all the stress of our life kind of made it happen sooner.”

[From TampaBay.com]

If Hulk really wants to improve the family’s media image, he’s got to stop saying anything complimentary about Nick. Things like talking about how he took his sentence as a man just make people want to slap him. No one respects him more for that, he just didn’t get criticized for NOT taking it like a man. There’s nothing special about it.

I don’t think it’ll be possible for this family to ever rehab their image. Not just because what Nick did was so revolting, but because the family has never publicly apologized for raising the little douchebag to think that racing cars is more important than other people’s lives. They’ll never get an ounce of sympathy because they’re constantly trying to justify their abhorrent behavior. It seems like Hulk and Brooke have occasionally learned how to temper their comments, but they’re still the two biggest media chatterers, so it’d serve them best to just shut their mouths altogether.

The show will air on E! November 7th.

Here’s Brooke offending with the eyes instead of with the ears as she shops in Miami with two girlfriends on Sunday. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.