The year was 1987; when spandex met sequins in the most outrageous TV moment you’ve never seen. Dolly Parton, country music’s glittering queen, stood arm-in-arm with wrestling legend Hulk Hogan at a rhinestone-covered altar, belting “He’s got a headlock on my heart!” This surreal marriage spectacle wasn’t just TV gold; it was a cultural time capsule of 80s excess.
Filmed for Dolly’s variety show, this gloriously campy musical sketch featured original lyrics like “I love the heart that beats beneath his massive golden chest.” With WWE refusing to license Hogan’s name, Dolly creatively renamed him “Starlight Starbright” as he flexed through choreography that blended Nashville charm with wrestling bravado. Pure entertainment magic was born.
Dolly Parton & Hulk Hogan in “Headlock on my Heart”
Since resurfacing after Hogan’s passing, the clip has broken the internet with fans calling it “the most 80s thing to ever 80.” Twitter exploded with memes of Dolly’s deadpan delivery of wrestling puns, while WWE historians note this was Hogan’s only performance where he got outshined; by Dolly’s 3-foot beehive wig alone.
The behind-the-scenes story is even wilder than the sketch itself. This documentary reveals how Dolly personally wrote the song overnight after Hogan made her laugh uncontrollably during rehearsals, proving even wrestling’s toughest showman couldn’t resist her charm.
WHEN DOLLY PARTON MARRIED HULK HOGAN
Rare interviews show Hogan kept the “Starlight Starbright” nameplate from the set in his home gym for decades. Dolly later admitted the sketch nearly didn’t happen; network execs feared it would “cheapen her image” until she declared “Honey, I AM cheap; that’s why people love me!”
The #HulkAndDolly hashtag continues trending, with fans recreating the “wedding” using AI and action figures. Dolly’s team confirms she sent Hogan’s family the original bedazzled wrestling belt from the sketch; a final gift to the man who proved even muscle-bound titans melt for country music magic.