Don't make him angry

Gravel-voiced, blond wrestler Hulk Hogan was an absolute icon of the ring in his salad days. Long before the WWE asked the timeless question ''Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?" Hogan was trash-talking Andre the Giant and body-slamming the Iron Sheik. These days Hogan's only battles are with his spoiled, towheaded offspring in his VH1 reality show ''Hogan Knows Best," which starts its second season Sunday. But before he gets back to basic cable, he needed to go a few rounds with us.

Q. True or false: You went into wrestling because all the kids in school picked on you because your name is Terry.

A. False!

Q. What was the reason?

A. I was a huge wrestling fan, and I was playing in a rock 'n' roll band. All the wrestlers kept coming into the club where I was playing music. I finally got up the courage to ask these scary wrestlers if I could try out.

Q. You've had the handlebar mustache for a long time. Have you ever thought about updating the look with a pencil 'stache or a walrus?

A. I don't know, this Fu Manchu mustache that I have is kind of like my signature. Of course I'm totally baldheaded, but when the rest of my hair falls out of the Bozo ring, I'll still be recognizable by the mustache.

Q. Your hair is still coming out?

A. You're going bald until the day you die, man.

Q. Are you thinking you might come out of retirement sometime soon?

A. I don't know. The only guy I really wrestle is Stone Cold Steve Austin, and I don't think he wants to play anymore. And the Rock is doing movies now.

Q. Let's talk about your movies. You were in ''Mr. Nanny" with Sherman Hemsley. Did he ever accidentally call you Weezie on the set?

A. No, no. He was actually a lot of fun to work with. I'm looking forward to seeing him because all the VH1 reality stars usually get together at the end of the season, and he's in the new season of the ''Surreal Life."

Q. Did you decide to do ''Hogan Knows Best" to give Brooke a launching pad for her singing career?

A. Exactly. We've been beating this music thing up for about four years. And when I saw Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff on the big screen, and then I saw Jessica and Ashley Simpson with the small screen, I thought now might be the time to take a chance on doing the show, which would give my daughter an even playing field with all these other girls.

Q. Was Brooke inspired to start a career in music after hearing your 1995 album ''Hulk Rules"?

A. You're hitting below the belt now. That's as low as you can go. I don't think it had anything to do with my record. She's been singing as long as I can remember.

Q. Do you think you could sing me a verse from ''Hulkster's in the House"?

A. [Starts singing in gravel voice] Hulkster's in the house [stops singing]. You're brutal. This is just cruel.

Q. That's nothing. I haven't even started on your cinematic masterpiece ''Santa With Muscles."

A. God. You're killing me, man.

Q. Should I be worried that you're going to come to Boston and filet my mignon?

A. I'll find you. I've got friends in Boston, so watch your back.

CHRISTOPHERMUTHER