Lawyers for the gossip website Gawker just hit Hulk Hogan with a legal body slam.
The attorneys filed court papers this week demanding e-mails from the one-time wrestling champ’s lawyer and publicist in Hogan’s $100 million sex tape lawsuit against the website.
In their filings, Gawker’s lawyers specifically ask for any emails related to Hogan’s October 2012 appearances with Howard Stern and Piers Morgan, along with interviews done with the “Today” show and USA Today.
“Respondents must certainly have been involved in coordinating these press appearances, and accordingly must have documents related thereto,” read the court papers.
Gawker claims Hogan is trying to hide behind attorney-client privilege rather than submit the emails.
Hogan’s attorney Charles Harder, who also reps the ex-wrestler’s publicist, declined comment on the legal wrangling.
Hogan — real name Terry Gene Bollea — is due for a March 3 deposition in the case where he accused Gawker of violating his privacy.
As noted in the filings, state and federal courts in Florida have both ruled that Gawker’s report was protected by the First Amendment.
The bleached-blonde muscle man sued Gawker for posting a brief, grainy clip of Hogan having sex with the wife of his ex-best buddy, Florida shock jock Bubba “The Love Sponge” Clem.
The story and accompanying 141-second video was headlined “Even for a Minute, Watching Hulk Hogan Have Sex on a Canopy Bed is Not Safe for Work, But Watch It Anyway.”
Gawker, in its papers, claims its post featured “fewer than 10 seconds of sexual activity in grainy black and white footage” from the original 30-minute video.
The rest of the clip “was comprised of fairly banal conversation” between Hogan and Heather Clem, the court documents said. Bubba Clem reportedly signed off on the extra-marital tryst.
Hogan claimed he was unaware that his consensual coupling with Heather Clem was secretly videotaped. The Hulk settled a similar lawsuit with Clem for an undisclosed amount in 2012.
Gawker, in addition to challenging the attorney-client privilege, complained that some of the 90 pages of documents turned over were heavily redacted.
bross@nydailynews.com
