You’ve probably heard the legend by now. It’s one of those "what-if" stories that feels too perfect for a guy like Hulk Hogan. The story usually goes that the most famous wrestler in history was just a phone call away from being the face of the greatest kitchen appliance ever made. But he missed the call. Or he picked a blender instead. Or he was busy picking up his kids.
Honestly, depending on which day you ask the Hulkster, the details change. But the result stays the same: George Foreman walked away with a check for over $137 million (plus years of royalties), and Hulk Hogan ended up with a battery-operated blender that, in his own words, would "fart and then turn off."
It’s a brutal reminder of how a single afternoon can change a person's net worth by nine figures. But when you dig into the Hulk Hogan grill George Foreman saga, you realize the truth is a lot messier than a missed voicemail.
The Story Most People Get Wrong
If you watched Hogan Knows Best back in the mid-2000s, you saw the "official" version. Hogan, looking frustrated while talking to his family, explained that his agent had two products on the table: a revolutionary indoor grill and a handheld blender called the Thunder Mixer.
He claims he was late getting home from picking up his kids. When he finally checked his answering machine—yeah, an actual tape-recorder machine—his agent had left a message saying, "Hey Hulk, I’ve got a grill and I’ve got a blender. I’m calling you and George Foreman to see who wants what."
Because Hogan didn't answer, Foreman got first dibs. George took the grill. Hulk got the blender.
It makes for great TV. It paints Hogan as the tragic hero who put his family first and paid a $200 million price tag for it. But here is the thing: Hogan has told at least three different versions of this story. In one, he chose the blender because it was easier to carry. In another, he chose a meatball maker instead. In a third, he tells Conan O'Brien it was purely the fault of that "old-school voicemail."
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Did Salton Actually Want the Hulkster?
Now, let’s look at the other side of the counter. Michael Boehm, the actual inventor of the grill, and his family have a very different memory of how this went down.
When researchers recently reached out to Boehm's estate, the response was pretty blunt. They claimed George Foreman was the only celebrity they ever truly targeted. To them, the "Hulk Hogan missed a call" story is just another piece of wrestling "kayfabe"—a tall tale meant to keep the legend growing.
Think about the branding for a second. In 1994, Hulk Hogan was jumping ship from WWE to WCW. He was still a massive star, but he was a "character." George Foreman, on the other hand, was in the middle of a miraculous heavyweight comeback. He was the "lovable grandpa" who could punch a hole through a brick wall. He was selling a "Lean Mean Fat-Reducing" machine. A champion boxer talking about health and weight loss made sense. A wrestler in neon spandex? Maybe a harder sell for a 1990s housewife.
The Tragedy of the Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill
Hogan eventually tried to fix his mistake. You have to give him credit for persistence, I guess. Years after the Foreman Grill became a global phenomenon, Hogan finally launched his own version: The Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill.
It wasn't just a knockoff; it was actually a pretty ambitious piece of hardware. It was circular, unlike the rectangular Foreman model, and it was designed to be a pizza oven, a griddle, and a grill all in one.
The problem? It had a nasty habit of catching fire.
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Specifically, if you used certain cooking oils or sprays, the fat would drain into a central reservoir that sat too close to the heating element. It didn't just sear steaks; it occasionally seared kitchens. By 2008, QVC and Tristar Products had to recall about 15,000 units because of fire hazards.
While George Foreman was raking in an estimated $4.5 million to $8 million a month at the peak of his deal, Hogan was dealing with product recalls and lawsuits. Talk about a "bad beat."
Why the George Foreman Deal Was Different
It’s easy to say "Hulk missed out on millions," but the money George Foreman made wasn't just from a standard endorsement. It was a masterpiece of business timing.
- The 40% Split: Most celebrities take a flat fee. Foreman took 40% of the profits. He bet on himself.
- The Buyout: In 1999, Salton Inc. realized they were paying George so much in royalties that it was cheaper to just buy his name forever. They cut him a check for $137.5 million in cash and stock.
- Authenticity: People actually believed George used the grill. His wife, Mary, famously told him she tried it and it actually worked. That’s what sold the first 100 million units.
Hogan’s "Thunder Mixer" was just a cheap plastic gadget. It required AA batteries and struggled to stir chocolate milk, let alone crush ice. There was no "betting on himself" there—it was just a quick paycheck that disappeared as fast as the batteries died.
The "Wrestling Math" Problem
We have to talk about the source. Hulk Hogan is famous for what fans call "Hulkisms." This is the same guy who claimed he wrestled 400 days in a single year because of the time zone changes between Japan and the US. He also once said he was almost the bass player for Metallica (a claim the band has politely ignored).
So, did the agent really call him first?
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The agent in question, Sam Perlmutter, did represent both men. It is entirely possible a conversation happened. It’s even possible the "blender or grill" choice was real. But the idea that the entire success of the Foreman Grill hinged on Hogan being home to press "play" on his answering machine is likely a bit of classic Hogan showmanship.
Actionable Lessons from the Grill Wars
If you’re looking at this story as a business case study, there are a few things you can actually use.
First, Equity over Fees. If you believe in a project, don't just take the appearance fee. Foreman's 40% stake turned a "nice deal" into a "generational wealth" deal. Hogan took the easy path with the mixer and got exactly what he paid for.
Second, Product-Founder Fit. George Foreman was a guy who loved to eat but needed to stay under 250 pounds to fight. The "fat-reducing" angle was his life. Hogan was a guy who lived on "vitamins" and protein shakes. The grill didn't fit his brand the same way it fit a guy who named all his sons George.
Finally, The First-Mover Advantage. Once the George Foreman Grill owned the "indoor contact grill" space, there was no room for a Hulk Hogan version. Even if Hogan's grill hadn't caught fire, he was a decade too late to the party.
If you're ever faced with a choice between a complex cooking machine and a battery-powered blender, take the grill. Even if you aren't home to answer the call, make sure your agent has your cell number.
To really understand the scale of this, you should look into the Salton Inc. 1999 financial reports. They show exactly how much they were willing to pay to stop writing those monthly royalty checks to George. It remains the gold standard for celebrity licensing. If you want to build a brand today, start by finding a problem—like fat on a burger—and put a face on the solution that people actually trust. Avoid the blenders that fart and turn off.