TMZ caught the Hulk today, and he was all smiles -- looking as if he weren't splitting with his wife, and as if his son's recent car accident didn't leave his friend in a coma!

Hogan rolled up to the Sony lot today to start filming "American Gladiators," and gave a shout-out to the writers picketing outside the gates.

The show was busing in students as an audience for the show -- and TMZ heard NBC is paying the schools $10 a head. It's a good thing NBC is free.