Hulk Hogan Once Had A Foreman Grill Competitor That Was A Massive Failure
"Call me George Foreman, 'cause I'm selling everybody grills!" Nelly's lyric from his song "Grills" encapsulates one of the strangest yet profitable phenomena of the 1990s. The "Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine", more commonly known as the George Foreman Grill, was a best-selling cooking appliance that ended up selling over 100 million units and was buoyed by its claim to "knock the fat out."
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan once claimed that he was asked to be the original pitchman for the world famous grill. However, according to him, he missed a voicemail from his agent offering him a choice between putting his name on the grill or a blender. In an interview with Colin Cowherd, Hogan revealed, "I get home and press the old school voicemail recorder machine, and it says, 'Hey, Hulk. This is Sam Perlmutter. I've got a grill and I've got a blender, and I'm going to call you and George to see who wants it.'" Hogan continued, "I wasn't there to answer the call, so when I called Sam back, he said, 'George took the grill.'"
A Second Try At Success
George Foreman, a multi-time boxing world champion, would endorse a retail hit, while Hulk Hogan would be stuck with a blender that had drastically different results. "So basically, $550 million later," Hogan described to Colin Cowherd, "George got the 'Lean, Mean Grilling Machine' and I got a blender that when you put AA batteries in, it would fart and then turn off."
Foreman's success led to a renewed pursuit of celebrity endorsements, many specifically looking to find the next big cooking appliance to attach themselves to, just like Foreman's grill. Fellow boxing legend Evander Holyfield would try his luck with the "Real Deal Grill" as well as nine-time Olympic champion Carl Lewis, who backed the "Carl Lewis Health Grill." Foreman even partnered with actor Jackie Chan, selling his grill in China with Chan being the face of the product's marketing.
Not one to be outdone, Hogan would also try his hand at another endorsement, this time choosing a grill much like the one he missed out on years prior. Known as "Hulk Hogan's Ultimate Grill," the legendary wrestler made his version available for purchase in 2007. Unfortunately, the item was recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2008. According to the CPSC website, the grill can "ignite and/or flare up" if cooking oils or sprays are applied to any of the cooking plates.