Make HoffSpace Your Space...
David'd Q&A interview with the Laughlin Entertainer
David Hasselhoff
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David Hasselhoff at Riverside Resort direct from "Dancing with the Stars"
David Hasselhoff outdoes Kevin Bacon. He’s not six degrees removed from everyone, he’s one degree from everyone, everywhere. The man is ubiquitous. From Broadway to SpongeBob; from Comedy Central to “America’s Got Talent”....and now “Dancing with the Stars.”
But don’t take our word for it. Take Guinness’. Hasselhoff is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as “The Most Watched TV Star in the World” for his two highly successful shows “Knight Rider” and “Baywatch.”
Hasselhoff is not only everywhere now, he was everywhere then. From a soap opera star on “The Young and the Restless” to the top of the musical charts in Germany.
Yep. The actor/celebrity is a singer.
But don’t take our word for it. Take Guinness’. Hasselhoff is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as “The Most Watched TV Star in the World” for his two highly successful shows “Knight Rider” and “Baywatch.”
Hasselhoff is not only everywhere now, he was everywhere then. From a soap opera star on “The Young and the Restless” to the top of the musical charts in Germany.
Yep. The actor/celebrity is a singer.
Hasselhoff recorded the album Looking For Freedom in the late 1980s, at the end of the Cold War. The title song became an anthem for the German people and remained at the top of their charts for eight weeks. The album went triple platinum in Europe and Hasselhoff was named “Most Popular and Best Selling Artist of the Year.” He has since earned more than 40 gold and platinum records worldwide.
Oh yeah, he’s also an author—his autobiography Making Waves, published in the UK, was on the best seller list. A U.S. release, Don’t Hassle the Hoff was released by Thomas Dunne books, a division of St. Martin’s Press.
It can be seen David Hasselhoff is more than a pretty face. But he did get himself a lot of “face time” thanks to his role as a judge for four years on the reality show “America’s Got Talent.” Now, the tables are turned and he is the one being judged as a competitor on the most popular of reality shows, “Dancing With The Stars”. He finished his initial segment on the show on September 20, just before coming to Laughlin. He should have some interesting things to share with his audiences at his Riverside Resort shows this week.
He had some interesting things to share with us when we caught up with him by phone last week.
Q. So is it congratulations or condolences for being on “Dancing With The Stars?”
D.H. It’s both congratulations and condolences. I’ve really been kind of dodging this fantastic opportunity several times. I knew going into it what it would take—and I wasn’t wrong. It’s not just the commitment of a huge amount of time. It’s more than that. It’s a mental game. It’s about how long you can hang in the game without a break-through or a breakdown. You’re on the cusp almost every day.
It’s an amazing challenge. The dancing, in the beginning, is a minimum of five hours a day of practice. And if you get past that first round, it gets worse. You have to learn an entirely new dance in six days and then you’re thrown to the wolves.
But life is a challenge and I’ve never walked away from a challenge—whether it’s playing Laughlin or making people laugh in Vegas; performing in “The Producers”; as Billy Flynn in “Chicago”; performing “Jekyll & Hyde” in New York with Hillary Clinton in the audience; or performing for 10,000 people at a place called The Dome in Hannover, Germany. I love the challenge and I will face it head-on like I face everything else head-on.
If I don’t make it, I’ll kick myself and get back in the race. If I do make it—we’ll just see how it goes. If I do make the first round, my dance partner, Kym Johnson is coming to Laughlin with me and we will perform the dance we do on the show. If I don’t make it, she’ll still come with me and I’ll have a much easier time in Laughlin because I’m not rehearsing seven hours a day. I’ll have time for some fun.
Q. Just how much of a challenge is the dancing part for you? What is the difference between this dancing and the dancing you’ve done in Broadway shows?
D.H. Right now, just getting through the first dance is my challenge. We’re doing the cha cha cha. For me, it’s a question of trying to figure out how to put one foot in front of the other without having any dance training.
I had to dance in “The Producers” and “Jekyll and Hyde,” but I was dancing as a character. This is more technically correct—waltzes, ballroom dances like the quick step, the cha cha cha. It’s mentally frustrating because I’m not a dancer.
I can sing the National Anthem and whatever else you want with just a five-minute rehearsal. It’s like second nature to me. It’s natural. But dancing is horribly frustrating and I’m reminded all the time why I was turning the offer to be on the show down. I have friends calling me and asking me, “Are you having fun?” They think it’s funny. I tell them, “Shut up and don’t call me. I’m not having fun.”
Hopefully, the night of the show it will be fun. I loved being a judge on “America’s Got Talent.” It was a cushy job where I made a lot of money. Now I’m making little money and I’m the one being judged. But it was the right decision—going off to live my life instead of talking about it or judging someone else’s life. It’s time to live my life to the fullest— and getting through the first round. Either way, I’ll be happy to be on stage in Laughlin.
Q. When is the first show?
D.H. It starts Monday, September 20, then we shoot to Vegas. After the results, we open in Laughlin on Wednesday and we’re there until Sunday.
Q. What other projects are in the works?
D.H. I have a reality show on A&E where I’m trying to launch my daughters’ (Taylor-Ann and Hayley) singing career, but that doesn’t come out until November.
Q. Talk about the show you’re bringing to Laughlin.
D.H. I will be 110 percent in Laughlin. The show will be similar to something I did recently in Sacramento at Cache Creek. It’s my live show with the music I love to perform—romantic music. I do a Rat Pack set and dedicate it to people I grew up with—like Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli and Frank Sinatra. There’s a lot of audience interaction.
One of the highlights is a video featuring crazy outtakes from “Knight Rider” that people have never seen; also, “Hoffisms” that have taken over my life. Those get a big reaction.
It’s a feel-good show. People walk away with that good feeling of being thoroughly entertained. I handpicked the guys in my show—a couple from “America’s Got Talent” and a couple of Vegas guys who just want to have a good time.
We have the visual feast in beautiful dancers, some comedy from the Comedy Central roast where I was brutally attacked— but it was a hysterical night. People will get the chance to know who I am. They might know me as the “Knight Rider” guy or the “Baywatch” guy, but they’ll get to know who I really am through my live performance.
This show doesn’t scare me. I look forward to it. I’m incredibly at home on stage. You don’t have to answer phones, there’s no agents, and no people who don’t tell the truth. It’s just me and the audience…and sometimes that one guy who’s had too much to drink.
Q. Is there any kind of format to the show?
D.H. It’s not precise. Each show is incredibly different, depending on the venue. I know what worked in Germany wouldn’t work here. I don’t have hit records here, but the show lets people know where I’m at with my music.
What I do is a little bit of everything because I like everything. I cater my set to the audience. I know after the first half hour where I’m going—and that’s a lot of fun for me.
I have a tentative list of about 30 songs. When the guys ask me what we’re going to do, I give them the list, and say, “I don’t know, you figure it out.” Sometimes we play a game called “Stump the Hoff,” and that’s a lot of fun. I love the interaction. I hate going to shows where the guy sings one song after another, and never says anything but “Thank you.”
I have fans from eight to 88 and if there are kids in the audience, it won’t be too racy. If there are no kids it will get incredibly racy. Just kidding.
I’m playing dates in smaller venues because of my awareness of what I want and what I enjoy. Sometimes people ask me, “Why Laughlin?” My answer is “Why not Laughlin?” I’m blessed to be in a business where I can do what I want.
Maybe if I continue on “Dancing With the Stars,” and go through hell, the next time I come to Laughlin and my name is on the marquee people will remember, “Hoff worked his butt off on that show, let’s go see what he’s going to do now.”
Q. Do you have a favorite song to sing?
D.H. “This Time Around” is the song I close the show with. It was written by Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn. It’s about getting it right. It tells my life story and I like that because it’s something from my heart. It’s that one song that I really liked but never knew if it would work—and it works.
I sometimes do a Teddy Pendergrass tribute. No one does that, and I didn’t know if people would laugh or throw underwear—but I didn’t get either. I did get hoots and hollers and a lot of “yeah, baby.”
Q. At least when you do a tribute like that, you’re not in silly wigs and costumes trying to be someone you’re not.
D.H. When I do personal appearances and sign books all over the world, people come dressed up as me.
Q. The Roddin’ on the River Car Show will be going on during the same time you’re in town. Will KITT, the car from the “Knight Rider” TV show be here?
D.H. Definitely, the “Knight Rider” car will be with us.
Q. This isn’t your first trip to the Colorado River area. Do you remember the movie you did in 1985 with Stephanie Kramer called “Bridge Across Time?”
D.H. Oh my God, no one’s mentioned that in 20 years. That was a fun project. I do remember Havasu was hotter than hell.
__________________________________________________________________________
DAVID HASSELHOFF
Riverside, Don's Celebrity Theatre
Wednesday-Sunday, September 22-26. 8 p.m. (See "Showtimes" for tickets)
Oh yeah, he’s also an author—his autobiography Making Waves, published in the UK, was on the best seller list. A U.S. release, Don’t Hassle the Hoff was released by Thomas Dunne books, a division of St. Martin’s Press.
It can be seen David Hasselhoff is more than a pretty face. But he did get himself a lot of “face time” thanks to his role as a judge for four years on the reality show “America’s Got Talent.” Now, the tables are turned and he is the one being judged as a competitor on the most popular of reality shows, “Dancing With The Stars”. He finished his initial segment on the show on September 20, just before coming to Laughlin. He should have some interesting things to share with his audiences at his Riverside Resort shows this week.
He had some interesting things to share with us when we caught up with him by phone last week.
Q. So is it congratulations or condolences for being on “Dancing With The Stars?”
D.H. It’s both congratulations and condolences. I’ve really been kind of dodging this fantastic opportunity several times. I knew going into it what it would take—and I wasn’t wrong. It’s not just the commitment of a huge amount of time. It’s more than that. It’s a mental game. It’s about how long you can hang in the game without a break-through or a breakdown. You’re on the cusp almost every day.
It’s an amazing challenge. The dancing, in the beginning, is a minimum of five hours a day of practice. And if you get past that first round, it gets worse. You have to learn an entirely new dance in six days and then you’re thrown to the wolves.
But life is a challenge and I’ve never walked away from a challenge—whether it’s playing Laughlin or making people laugh in Vegas; performing in “The Producers”; as Billy Flynn in “Chicago”; performing “Jekyll & Hyde” in New York with Hillary Clinton in the audience; or performing for 10,000 people at a place called The Dome in Hannover, Germany. I love the challenge and I will face it head-on like I face everything else head-on.
If I don’t make it, I’ll kick myself and get back in the race. If I do make it—we’ll just see how it goes. If I do make the first round, my dance partner, Kym Johnson is coming to Laughlin with me and we will perform the dance we do on the show. If I don’t make it, she’ll still come with me and I’ll have a much easier time in Laughlin because I’m not rehearsing seven hours a day. I’ll have time for some fun.
Q. Just how much of a challenge is the dancing part for you? What is the difference between this dancing and the dancing you’ve done in Broadway shows?
D.H. Right now, just getting through the first dance is my challenge. We’re doing the cha cha cha. For me, it’s a question of trying to figure out how to put one foot in front of the other without having any dance training.
I had to dance in “The Producers” and “Jekyll and Hyde,” but I was dancing as a character. This is more technically correct—waltzes, ballroom dances like the quick step, the cha cha cha. It’s mentally frustrating because I’m not a dancer.
I can sing the National Anthem and whatever else you want with just a five-minute rehearsal. It’s like second nature to me. It’s natural. But dancing is horribly frustrating and I’m reminded all the time why I was turning the offer to be on the show down. I have friends calling me and asking me, “Are you having fun?” They think it’s funny. I tell them, “Shut up and don’t call me. I’m not having fun.”
Hopefully, the night of the show it will be fun. I loved being a judge on “America’s Got Talent.” It was a cushy job where I made a lot of money. Now I’m making little money and I’m the one being judged. But it was the right decision—going off to live my life instead of talking about it or judging someone else’s life. It’s time to live my life to the fullest— and getting through the first round. Either way, I’ll be happy to be on stage in Laughlin.
Q. When is the first show?
D.H. It starts Monday, September 20, then we shoot to Vegas. After the results, we open in Laughlin on Wednesday and we’re there until Sunday.
Q. What other projects are in the works?
D.H. I have a reality show on A&E where I’m trying to launch my daughters’ (Taylor-Ann and Hayley) singing career, but that doesn’t come out until November.
Q. Talk about the show you’re bringing to Laughlin.
D.H. I will be 110 percent in Laughlin. The show will be similar to something I did recently in Sacramento at Cache Creek. It’s my live show with the music I love to perform—romantic music. I do a Rat Pack set and dedicate it to people I grew up with—like Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli and Frank Sinatra. There’s a lot of audience interaction.
One of the highlights is a video featuring crazy outtakes from “Knight Rider” that people have never seen; also, “Hoffisms” that have taken over my life. Those get a big reaction.
It’s a feel-good show. People walk away with that good feeling of being thoroughly entertained. I handpicked the guys in my show—a couple from “America’s Got Talent” and a couple of Vegas guys who just want to have a good time.
We have the visual feast in beautiful dancers, some comedy from the Comedy Central roast where I was brutally attacked— but it was a hysterical night. People will get the chance to know who I am. They might know me as the “Knight Rider” guy or the “Baywatch” guy, but they’ll get to know who I really am through my live performance.
This show doesn’t scare me. I look forward to it. I’m incredibly at home on stage. You don’t have to answer phones, there’s no agents, and no people who don’t tell the truth. It’s just me and the audience…and sometimes that one guy who’s had too much to drink.
Q. Is there any kind of format to the show?
D.H. It’s not precise. Each show is incredibly different, depending on the venue. I know what worked in Germany wouldn’t work here. I don’t have hit records here, but the show lets people know where I’m at with my music.
What I do is a little bit of everything because I like everything. I cater my set to the audience. I know after the first half hour where I’m going—and that’s a lot of fun for me.
I have a tentative list of about 30 songs. When the guys ask me what we’re going to do, I give them the list, and say, “I don’t know, you figure it out.” Sometimes we play a game called “Stump the Hoff,” and that’s a lot of fun. I love the interaction. I hate going to shows where the guy sings one song after another, and never says anything but “Thank you.”
I have fans from eight to 88 and if there are kids in the audience, it won’t be too racy. If there are no kids it will get incredibly racy. Just kidding.
I’m playing dates in smaller venues because of my awareness of what I want and what I enjoy. Sometimes people ask me, “Why Laughlin?” My answer is “Why not Laughlin?” I’m blessed to be in a business where I can do what I want.
Maybe if I continue on “Dancing With the Stars,” and go through hell, the next time I come to Laughlin and my name is on the marquee people will remember, “Hoff worked his butt off on that show, let’s go see what he’s going to do now.”
Q. Do you have a favorite song to sing?
D.H. “This Time Around” is the song I close the show with. It was written by Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn. It’s about getting it right. It tells my life story and I like that because it’s something from my heart. It’s that one song that I really liked but never knew if it would work—and it works.
I sometimes do a Teddy Pendergrass tribute. No one does that, and I didn’t know if people would laugh or throw underwear—but I didn’t get either. I did get hoots and hollers and a lot of “yeah, baby.”
Q. At least when you do a tribute like that, you’re not in silly wigs and costumes trying to be someone you’re not.
D.H. When I do personal appearances and sign books all over the world, people come dressed up as me.
Q. The Roddin’ on the River Car Show will be going on during the same time you’re in town. Will KITT, the car from the “Knight Rider” TV show be here?
D.H. Definitely, the “Knight Rider” car will be with us.
Q. This isn’t your first trip to the Colorado River area. Do you remember the movie you did in 1985 with Stephanie Kramer called “Bridge Across Time?”
D.H. Oh my God, no one’s mentioned that in 20 years. That was a fun project. I do remember Havasu was hotter than hell.
__________________________________________________________________________
DAVID HASSELHOFF
Riverside, Don's Celebrity Theatre
Wednesday-Sunday, September 22-26. 8 p.m. (See "Showtimes" for tickets)
Comment
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Comment by Sue Hanrahan on September 25, 2010 at 3:13pm -
Great interview
-
Comment by Andy on September 25, 2010 at 2:55am -
Like that interview
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