Mokena’s David Smith and his wife, Barb, waited for more than three hours Wednesday to meet Hulk Hogan.
It was worth the wait for them.
The former wrestler and TV and movie actor was at Jewel in New Lenox to hawk his Real American Beer and sign cases of the beverage for fans.
Barb, who is in a wheelchair, caught Hogan’s attention.
“Hey, pretty lady,” Hogan said.
When Barb introduced the man nicknamed the Hulkster to her husband, who was wearing a red and yellow Hulkamania bandana, she told Hogan the 61-year-old David wanted to be like him.
“Well, he’s got the muscles — he’s ready, ” Hogan said.
David enjoyed the exchange but had one regret.
“I wish I had four arms so I could carry three cases of beer,” he said.
Hogan, 71, drew hundreds of people in a line that extended around the building. He was an hour tardy due to his flight being late. When he walked through the Jewel doors and more people were taking his picture, he said, “You people are serious.”
So, the man who once told kids to “train, say your players and eat your vitamins” is now asking adults to drink his beer.
The Hulkster is a huckster for his hops and he is hopping through Illinois promoting the beverage with the same gusto he used when he was cutting promos for matches with Andre the Giant or Randy “Macho Man” Savage.
After his New Lenox appearance, he was scheduled to go to Kenwood Liquors in Oak Lawn before heading to Parlay in Chicago at Wednesday night.
He is to appear from 3-5 p.m. Thursday at the Jewel at 16625 W. 159th St., in Lockport, and again from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at Woodman’s Market, 151 Hansen Blvd., in North Aurora, among other area appearances.
Interestingly, Lockport is the hometown of wrestling star C.M. Punk.
Tinley Park’s Stephen Buckley was the first in line Wednesday, having arrived at 5 a.m. Buckley works at the New Lenox Jewel in the deli department but spent more that eight hours at the front of the line waiting to finally meet the Hulk.
“One of my co-workers said that the line was going to be long, so he told me to get here at 5,” he said. “I didn’t know if he was pulling my leg.”
Buckley was the only person in line until two hours later, when Plainfield’s Ray Sowinski showed up.
“I work overnights, and this was a perfect time to come and meet him,” Sowinski said. “I’m a big fan of the guy and have been watching him since WrestleMania IV. I have so many good memories of him.”
Hogan became a larger-than-life figure in the wrestling world in the 1980s as a regular headliner in the World Wrestling Federation’s (now World Wrestling Entertainment) WrestleMania events. He and rock star Cyndi Lauper helped bring pro wrestling into the mainstream.
Outside of wrestling, Hogan became a film and TV star and was one of the most recognizable figures in the world.
While he has never been completely out of the spotlight, his popularity/notoriety soared in July when he loudly endorsed Donald Trump for president during the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
People waiting to meet him wore red and yellow or black New World Order shirts (he was a villain in the NWO days) and some wore Trump shirts.
But many people were there because of his wrestling exploits.
Close to the beginning of the line was a foursome of fans who made the veteran move of bringing a couple of chairs for the wait.
Kasia Topor, of New Lenox, who owns the ProCore Fitness gym in New Lenox, joked she was going to offer Hogan a free workout.
“I don’t know if he will take me up on it or not,” she said.
“We like him because he is a patriot,” said Matt Barnes, of Joliet. “He was a hard-working wrestler, innovative and was a lot of fun to watch.
“I think all of us loved that when he went to the NWO.”
Ra Sabatini, of Mokena, said one of his favorite matches was when Hogan slammed the 525-pound Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III.
The group appreciates all of Hogans talents.
“He’s a living legend,” said Scott Moore, of Frankfort.
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
