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OKAY HOOTIE... THIS GIMMICK JUST TURNED INTO A SHOOT SORTA DEAL... 

HULK HOGAN is doing a BUNCH of press today - starting on HOWARD STERN'S sattelite pay radio program earlier today - and continuing through PIERS MORGAN tonight... and all of this was supposed to be planned for the wrestling icon to discuss a pay per view event for his TNA Wrestling franchise. 

How things have changed. 

Enter in the now infamous sex tape which leaked featuring HOGAN letting his HULKAMANIA run wild on a Tampa radio presenter's then-wife. The wrestler was - at the time - the best friend of the radio presenter, who was BEST MAN at the wedding of the pair. 

And now, we learn via TMZ that HOGAN was BETRAYED by this best friend... who joked with his then-wife about RELEASING THE VIDEO HE SECRETLY TAPED.

This drama is about to go NUCLEAR!

"There's about to be thermonuclear war in Tampa Bay," said American radio presenter TOBY KNAPP who once worked in Tampa Bay on two different radio facilities. "They were not just friends, they were best friends... this is about to get heavy." 

IF HOGAN was secretly taped by his then best friend, the criminal and civil charges could be outrageous, resulting in jail time. 

Needless to say... this story is developing and things are about to explode... 

... making PIERS MORGAN must-see TV tonight!