David Hasselhoff was disappointed to learn that there’s going to be a movie version of his campy 80s show Knight Rider, and that producers aren’t even considering him for the lead part he used to play. He says he hopes he’ll get some kind of bit part in the film.

David Hasselhoff is furious after missing out on a role in the big-screen remake of his hit 1980s television show Knight Rider. The 55 year-old actor hoped to reprise his role as police officer Michael Knight for the film - but the movie’s producers have informed him the character is to be re-cast. However, Hasselhoff is confident he will make at least one appearance int he movie, if just to thank fans of the original show. He says, “I think fans will demand that I at least pop up in a cameo. I made the show and fans deserve it.”

[From Contact Music]

It makes sense that they wouldn’t want to cast Hasselhoff in the lead because he’s not really big screen material at this point. He would do well in an ongoing role in a sitcom, maybe even one in which he’s the lead, but a movie might bomb with him as the star and producers must realize that.

Still, this is the first I’ve heard of a movie version of Knight Rider. I think the article might be mistaken, because there is going to be a Knight Ryder remake, but Variety reports it will be on television for NBC and will be directed by Transformers director Doug Liman.

Hasselhoff also is said to have temporarily beaten his demons after being hospitalized to detox off alcohol following a recent relapse. He talked about his issues to People Magazine, saying that it was just a 24 hour problem that he took care of immediately. He said “I was doing great, and it just happened, and it took me 24 hours,and I just said, ‘You know what? Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!’” Hasselhoff explained that he didn’t do it to indulge himself, he just slipped up.

According to The National Enquirer, Hasselhoff’s relapse was worse than that. They say he was already in detox for two days and that he got out, got drunk again, and had to start all over again:

“David felt terrible that he’d let his family down by falling off the wagon again in a big way,” said the source.

“But after two days he wanted out. He left the hospital, but he didn’t get far.”

David “got ripped again” soon after leaving Cedars-Sinai, says the source.

“He was readmitted the very next day and was sick as a dog. Doctors had to start the detox process all over again.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, October 29, 2007]

While Hasselhoff may be facing a tougher battle than he’s admitting, he seems to be off booze for now and he does have the support of his girlfriend Michele Lilley. The Enquirer reports that she was by his side throughout his hospital stay and that “she’s completely devoted to him.”

Hasselhoff’s custody of his two teenage daughters, Taylor-Ann, 17, and Hayley, 15, does not seem to have been affected by his relapse. Keep your chin up, Hoff.

David Hasselhoff is shown at celebrity hotspot The Ivy on 10/17/07. It is thought that he went to the paparazzi-friendly restaurant to let everyone know he was OK after his relapse. Thanks to Splash News for this picture.

Last week the news got out that troubled actor David Hasselhoff checked into the hospital looking frail and shaky after another major relapse with alcoholism. He was in Cedars Sinai Medical center in LA starting October 8 for detox, and was speculated to have fallen off the wagon due to the stress from filming in Romania for a few weeks without his daughters.

Just over a week later and Hasselhoff is out and looking fit and well. He was spotted at the Dina Bar-El fashion show in LA yesterday, and was seen goofing around with Jackass’s Steve-O and giving singer Brandy a hug and a kiss on the red carpet.

Maybe it’s the subtle plastic surgery that makes The Hoff look so youthful and fit, but if I didn’t know he had trouble with alcoholism it would never have occurred to me. It goes to show that looks can be deceiving, but in The Hoff’s case I hope it means he’s well on the way to kicking his demons and getting back to the campy roles that we all love.

David Hasselhoff has a long history of drinking problems with a stint in rehab in 2002 and a 2004 DUI. He pled guilty to misdemeanor DUI in June, 2004 and was given three years probation, 200 hours of community service and ordered to attend AA meetings for six months. The Hoff’s battle with alcoholism was seen around the world this May when a video came out of him wasted, laying shirtless on the floor and trying to eat a cheeseburger. One of his daughters is heard talking in the background as she’s taping, saying “Tell me you are going to stop, tell me you are going to stop.”

His daughter shot the tape to show Hasselhoff what he was like drunk to try and convince him to give up drinking. His estranged wife Pamela Bach is rumored to have released the video to smear him in the ongoing custody battle for their two teenage daughters, Hayley and Taylor. Hasselhoff handled the whole thing like a pro. He released a statement that didn’t name names and accepted responsibility for his drinking problems, and he even joked about it afterward. It was thought that the video might hurt Hasselhoff in his custody battle, but just a few weeks after it got out he was awarded primary physical and sole legal custody of his daughters.

Now Hasselhoff has relapsed and is currently in Cedars Sinai Medical center in LA for detox treatment:

The 55-year-old actor has suffered a severe drinking relapse and was readmitted to a Los Angeles hospital to detox on Oct. 8, the NATIONAL ENQUIRER reports in its new issue.

“David does so well staying sober and then something kicks in and he’s back drinking,” a close source told the NATIONAL ENQUIRER.

Weak and trembling, David was readmitted to Cedar Sinai Medical Center, where doctors began the detox process.

“He looked awful when they brought him in,” said the source. “His color was ashen. He felt sick. It was just so sad.”

[From The National Enquirer]

Hasselhoff is a rare lower-eschelon celebrity that embraces his status and takes it in stride when people mock him. It’s incredibly sad that he hasn’t been able to conquer his demons.

He seems to be a decent guy and I would like to see him embrace sobriety and make a comeback with a television series. He was off filming in Romania for 6 weeks and the stress may have prompted him to start drinking again. TMZ says he was there working on Anaconda 3, while DavidHasselhoff online has him in Romania to shoot a new series for the Sci Fi Channel. It is unknown how his relapse will affect the custody status of his daughters, who have been with their mother while he was off working.

Get well soon, Hoff, we’re all pulling for you.

David Hasselhoff and his daughters Hayley, 15, and Taylor, 17, are shown at The Simpsons movie premiere on 7/24/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

Somehow I’d missed this story, but apparently David Hasselhoff’s ex-wife, Pamela Bach, was involved in a minor hit and run in January. It sounds very Britney Spears-esque. She backed into a car, got out and inspected both cars, and left because she didn’t see any damage. Makes sense, right? I think more than a few of us have “tapped” another car and – finding no damage – have left, right? Just me? Okay well I guess I’m a criminal, because I didn’t realize you had to leave a note anyway. But apparently you do, because an onlooker took down Bach’s license plate and called police. Thank you, onlooker, for being such a good citizen. Even though she was never arrested, a judge order Bach booked on the charge, which violates procedure. Her lawyer is trying to get the case halted (and I’m guessing eventually thrown out) because of the judge’s mistake.

“David Hasselhoff’s ex-wife, Pamela Bach, is trying to halt her trial on a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge stemming from a fender-bender earlier this year. In court papers filed Tuesday, Bach’s lawyer asked the Los Angeles Superior Court appeals division to delay her trial, set to begin Wednesday. Attorney Mark Geragos argues the delay is necessary because a judge made an error by ordering her booked on the charge even though she hadn’t been arrested or issued a citation in the case.

“The case started when Bach allegedly backed into a car Jan. 22 in North Hollywood, inspected both cars, and left because she didn’t see any damage. An onlooker took down her license plate number and called police. The case was forwarded to the city attorney’s office, which filed a hit-and-run charge. When Bach appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court to enter a not guilty plea, a judge ordered her booked.”

[From the Washington Post]

I don’t generally say this about celebrities going to jail (because it makes me really, really happy) but booking her on a hit and run seems pretty severe. I would expect a traffic citation to be entered. Either way, I need to find this judge’s name and mail him a copy of Britney Spears’ license plate number for the pharmacy parking lot debacle last month. Can you imagine if she was charged with a hit and run? If Bach’s actions constituted one, that Brit’s would too – and there’s a ton of videotaped evidence, including the fact that Britney didn’t even look at the other car – only her own – and that she did cause damage. Oh happy day! Let’s hope we get a report about that in the next few weeks.

Picture note by JayBird: Images thanks to PR Photos.

The Hoff has opened up about the drunken burger-eating video seen ’round the world. The video showed the Hoff shoveling food into his mouth while lying down, and was leaked by one of his daughters in an effort to help him get sober. At first it was thought that it would hurt his chances of receiving custody of his two daughters in his divorce battle with his estranged wife, but The Hoff handled everything well and eventually won full custody.

Now he’s talking about the infamous video and thinks that everything happens for a reason:

Despite the furore over the video, Hasselhoff decided to take time out of work to devote himself to his two daughters Taylor Ann and Hayley Amber, and was thrilled when a judge awarded him full legal custody of the girls during his court battle with ex-wife Pamela Bach.

He says: “I guess that is a good word for it (the response to the video) - nonsense.

“It was really nonsensical and none of that needed to happen. But in the end, you know, I tried to find a reason for it all and I found that reason. And that reason was that everything had to come to some sort of closure to move on. That has helped.

“It hasn’t been easy for me or my children, or my ex, but it was life is about.” [sic]

[From Ireland Online via Socialite’s Life]

What a great philosophy The Hoff has. You have to admire the guy for conquering his well-publicized demons. Plus it’s not like he was committing a crime. It must be painful for his family to see him go through that and I’m not dismissing alcoholism, but he wasn’t drinking and driving or beating the crap out of anyone.

Crazy Days and Nights has a great pictorial of the evolution of David Hasselhoff. They say he “is having a rebirth by playing the stereotype he had become” and that “He’s this generation’s William Shatner.” He doesn’t have any acting gigs coming up according to IMDB, but maybe that will change soon. He’s still an attractive guy, I mean you can tell he had work done but it’s not that obvious, and he’s fit. There’s got to be a ongoing TV role out there for him.

This sounds like fake news because it’s just too good to be true, but David Hasselhoff has embraced his campy image and is going to star in a musical based on his life!

Hasselhoff is definitely not afraid to make fun of himself, as evidenced by his appearance in the Spongebob Movie:

And here’s his “Hooked on a Feeling” video, which you’ve probably already seen since it’s clocked hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. I was laughing my ass off watching this movie. Try not to be amused:

That’s awesome that Hasselhoff is going to make a musical - it sounds like a parody from “The Simpsons” (Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius!)

Good on ‘ya David Hasselhoff, the aussies are going to love your work.