The Hogans

2:00 PM PT -- Bubba played the apology after coming back from a commercial break ... and the audio was sped up and hard to listen to ... just like a legal notice at the end of a car commercial.

Hulk Hogan has settled his lawsuit against his ex-BFF, Bubba the Love Sponge, over the sex tape scandal ... but he is pressing on with his lawsuits against Bubba's ex-wife and Gawker Media.

Financial terms of the settlement were not released, but clearly a public mea culpa from Bubba, real name Todd Alan Clem, was part of the deal.

Bubba released an apology letter today ... saying he now believes Hulk had no idea he was being recorded and that Hulk did not play a part in releasing the tape.

Bubba continues ... "It is my belief that Hulk is not involved, and has not ever been involved, in trying to release the video, or exploit it, or otherwise gain from the video’s release in any way."

Bubba closed the letter by saying he is "committed to helping Hulk and his attorneys find whoever is responsible for the release of the tape."

Hulk Hogan isn't the only guy who was caught on tape with Bubba the Love Sponge's former wife ... TMZ has learned there are multiple tapes ... with multiple men ... in the same exact bed.

TMZ has seen three additional sex tapes featuring Heather Clem with other men -- shot while she was married to Bubba -- and in one of the tapes, she even walks up to the camera to double-check that it's recording.

In the footage, she tells her mystery partner -- neither Bubba nor Hulk -- "Is this thing recording? Okay, not that I don't trust you but I will get in trouble if it doesn't."

The insinuation -- Heather and Bubba had some kind of agreement in which Heather was allowed to screw other men ... as long as she recorded it.

As for the other two new tapes -- they were both shot in the exact same style as the Hulk tape ... in Bubba's bedroom with an overhead surveillance-type camera. It's unclear if the two men in those tapes knew if they were being recorded.

But as we previously reported, both Bubba AND Heather were aware of the surveillance camera set-up in the bedroom -- and were captured on tape joking about selling the Hogan footage for big money.

Bubba the Love Sponge just went on his radio show ... and claimed Hulk Hogan may have played a role in the release of the sex tape ... despite several public denials.

During the show, Bubba made it clear ... he and Hulk are no longer best friends -- in fact, it sounds like they pretty much hate each other's guts.

At one point in the show, Bubba called Hulk a "self-centered" man who has delusionally convinced himself that Nick was innocent in that 2007 car crash, Brooke actually has talent and that Linda is "whore." Bubba actually defends Linda throughout the show.

Bubba never really denied having anything to do with the sex tape -- but said, "I'm gonna be honest with you, I have not seen the tape ... including me supposedly bragging and being a horse's ass."

We broke the story, there is footage of Bubba on the sex tape ... talking about selling the footage if he ever wanted to be rich enough to retire.

On the radio show, Bubba continued, "At the end of the day, I can't even comment on the validity ... [Hulk] could have had something to do with the leak of it,"

Bubba also touched on the fact that he let Hulk have sex with his then-wife Heather Clem -- saying they all consensually agreed to it and reminding Hulk, "Nobody put a gun to your head."

Hulk Hogan just announced ... he's suing for more than $100 MILLION over his leaked sex tape.

Hulk's attorney spoke at a news conference in Tampa moments ago, announcing two lawsuits filed today by the wrestler -- one against Bubba the Love Sponge and his ex-wife for illicitly recording Hulk without his permission, and another against Gawker for publishing the tape.

Hulk's attorney says the wrestler is seeking $100 MILLION in damages from Gawker stemming from the leaked footage. It's unclear what he's seeking from Bubba and Bubba's ex Heather Clem.

In the suit, obtained by TMZ, Hogan claims he "had a reasonable expectation of privacy in his consensual, intimate activities in a private bedroom and reasonably believed that his privacy was safe and protected."

Hulk's attorney says Bubba and Co.'s actions were "illegal, outrageous, and exceeded the bounds of human decency."

In addition to forking over damages, Hulk's team wants Bubba, Gawker, and anyone else in possession of the sex footage to turn it over asap in order for it to be destroyed forever.

Hulk Hogan will sue his best friend, Bubba the Love Sponge, for allegedly betraying him by secretly taping Hulk's sexual escapade with Bubba's wife Heather ... TMZ has learned.

We're told ... the lawsuit will be filed in Florida and Hulk will allege invasion of privacy, on grounds Bubba and Heather (also a defendant) conspired to roll tape during her encounter with Hulk.

We broke the story ... in the tape, right after Hulk bangs Heather and leaves the room, Bubba enters and says to Heather, "If we ever did want to retire, all we'd have to do is use this footage."

Hulk said on TMZ Live he was sick to his stomach over the revelation.

Hulk Hogan is taking his sex tape fight to the big dogs -- contacting the FBI this week to help him track down the low-life who leaked his naked fun time footage to the media ... TMZ has learned.

Hulk's attorney tells TMZ, the wrestler had previously attempted to file a police report in Florida -- but local police couldn't help him for two reasons:

1) Because the tape was recorded in 2006, the four-year statute of limitations had expired on the offense of unlawfully recording Hulk without his permission.

2) The other offense -- distributing the illegal footage to the media -- crosses state lines, so it's a federal problem ... not a local one.

As a result, Hulk's lawyer says he has contacted the FBI to track down the sex tape leaker ... and bring that person to justice.

"The Voice" judge Christina Aguilera (left) -- and her Dirrty era extensions -- showed up to the American Music Awards nominations in L.A. on Tuesday ... looking like the long lost family member of Wynonna Judd Brooke Hogan (center) and Linda Hogan (right).

Hulk may have more 'splaining to do.

Hulk Hogan just called in to "TMZ Live" ... and was completely stunned when we told him about the footage of his BFF Bubba the Love Sponge plotting to profit off of his sex tape ... telling us, "I'm sick to my stomach right now."

Hogan says Bubba had adamantly denied having any knowledge about the sex tape ... and told Hulk he didn't know there was a camera capturing Hogan's X-rated session with his former wife Heather Clem.

Hulk says he had warned Bubba ... "If you had anything to do with this, that means we were never friends."

We broke the story ... Bubba appears at the very end of the sex tape, after Hogan had left the room, and told Heather, "If we ever did want to retire, all we'd have to do is use this footage."

Hulk Hogan's best friend, Bubba the Love Sponge, not only secretly videotaped Hulk having sex -- he bragged afterwards that the tape was a goldmine that could be the key to Bubba's retirement.

TMZ has seen the last few minutes of Hulk's leaked sex tape -- in which he bangs Bubba's wife Heather Clem. It's very clear -- Bubba was in on it. Moments after the deed is done and Hulk leaves, Bubba says to his wife ... "If we ever did want to retire, all we'd have to do is use this footage."

His wife shoots back, "You'd never do that." Bubba then tries to recover, saying, "I wouldn't do that, you'd be the biggest rat, you'd be dead."

The revelation is interesting ... considering Hulk went on the Howard Stern show TODAY and said he and Bubba are still good friends -- and sounded confident Bubba was NOT the culprit.

Hulk Hogan is turning to cops for help after his sex tape surfaced online last week -- seeking to file a criminal police report with his local PD in Florida ... in the hopes they'll be able to track down whoever leaked the footage ... TMZ has learned.

We've learned Hulk's attorney David R. Houston contacted the St. Petersburg PD this AM, claiming whoever made the tape committed a felony by unlawfully recording Hulk without his consent -- and whoever leaked it broke the law by unlawfully running that footage.

Hulk's hoping a police investigation will lead him to the culprit ... or culprits.

As we reported, Hulk has already fired off a cease-and-desist letter to Gawker, demanding the website remove the minute-long clip it posted, depicting Hulk having sex. So far, the website hasn't removed the footage.

Linda Hogan is firing back at the Hulkster ... claiming her ex-husband was lying through his over-bleached mustache when he accused her of abusing him during their marriage.

Linda is pissed over the statements Hulk made to Howard Stern this morning ... when he claimed he was the victim of verbal and mental abuse by his former spouse ... and that's why he decided to bang Bubba the Love Sponge's estranged wife.

Now, Linda is calling BS ... telling TMZ, "Unbelievable -- I never abused Hulk Hogan."

Linda also unleashed her lawyer, Raymond Rafool, who adds, "Hulk Hogan’s the-devil-made-me-do -it (or in his case my ex-wife Linda-made-me-do-it) is just a pitiful excuse for a grown man to avoid taking responsibility for his own mishaps and actions."

Rafool adds, "It is a shame that Hulk Hogan tries to deflect his immorality with false allegations that Linda verbally and emotionally abused him. Linda Hogan never abused Hulk Hogan – verbally, mentally or otherwise."

Hulk Hogan just appeared on the Howard Stern show ... and admitted the woman in his sex tape is the estranged wife of his best friend, Bubba the Love Sponge ... who gave Hulk his blessing to nail her.

Hulk spilled his guts to Stern ... saying Bubba -- a nationally syndicated radio DJ -- allowed Hogan to have sex with Heather Clem six years ago.

During the interview, Hogan says he was still married to Linda at the time of the sex tape ... but says she drove him to have sex outside the marriage because she was so verbally and emotionally abusive to him.

Hulk also admitted his performance wasn't exactly tip top.

A porn company DESPERATELY wants to put Hulk Hogan's sex tape on their site ... so much so that they are offering him an "open checkbook" and gratuitously stroking his ego at the same time.

TMZ has obtained an offer letter from Sex.com to Hulk ... and they're looking to lock up the rights to his sex tape, which made the rounds on the internet this week without Hulk's permission.

In the letter, Sex.com says they can help Hogan with his leaked situation and, of course, they're are asking to release the tape on their site.

The letter states, "While this may be an embarrassing ordeal for you to go through right now, it doesn't need to be ... you are 'bigger' than Andre the Giant where it matters."

The site says they have an "open checkbook" if Hulk is interested in signing a deal.

Linda Hogan isn't gonna let a little thing like NOT having a fiancé stop her from searching for the perfect wedding dress -- and then documenting that search on reality TV show.

Five years after the demise of "Hogan Knows Best," Linda will return to the world of reality to appear on the season premiere of TLC's show "Brides of Beverly Hills" -- even though she's not a bride (or even close to being one).

Sources close to the production tell us, 53-year-old Linda was originally booked on the reality show while still engaged to her 23-year-old ex Charley Hill ... but that relationship bit the dust back in May.

We're told, despite no longer having a wedding to plan for, Linda still wanted to tape her special episode -- which features her "search for the perfect gown."

Linda Hogan was arrested yesterday in Malibu on suspicion of DUI ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Linda -- real name Linda Bollea -- was arrested at 1:34 AM Thursday morning and taken to a nearby police station where she was booked and put behind bars. According to the citation, her blood alcohol level is listed as .084, barely above the legal limit in California (.08).

The 53-year-old was released several hours later on $5,000 bail.

An inmate information operator at the jail tells us, she was also booked for driving on a suspended license.

A rep for Linda tells TMZ, Linda sincerely regrets the arrest. The rep claims Linda was on her way home from a jewelry function in L.A. where she drank a glass of champagne on an empty stomach -- in combination with antibiotics that exacerbated the effects of the alcohol. The rep insists Linda was NOT booked for driving on a suspended license.

The rep says Linda was initially pulled over for speeding. It's unclear if Linda was the only person in the car at the time of her arrest.

It's been a rough week for the Hogan family. Linda's ex-husband Hulk Hogan is currently in the middle of a sex tape scandal after footage was released on the Internet yesterday.

Hulk Hogan's leaked sex tape did NOT catch the wrestler with his pants down -- at least figuratively -- because TMZ has learned, he's already got his lawyers on the counter-attack, threatening to SUE if the tape isn't taken off the Internet.

Gawker posted a minute-long clip of the sex tape on its website yesterday -- but sources close to Hogan tell TMZ, it won't be up for long ... because Hogan's currently drafting a nasty cease-and-desist letter to the website, demanding the footage be taken down.

Hogan's claiming the site has no right to post the footage -- and if it doesn't remove it, he'll sue.

Hulk's lawyer David R. Houston tells TMZ, "This tape was made secretly without Hulk's knowledge or permission. We are going to do everything in our power to figure out who did it. Anyone displaying the tape will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

As we first reported ... the Hogan tape was being shopped around to the highest bidder beginning earlier this year. Screen grabs hit the Internet in April, but video only surfaced yesterday.

Gawker says it obtained the tape from an anonymous source -- who gave the footage to the site for free.