The Hoff is back and talking with Metro.co.uk about Britains Got Talent, his reality show and his new movie Piranha 3DD.
Why did you do this reality show?One, to help highlight my daughters’ quests to become singers. Number two, instead of reading complete unadulterated lies about me in the press, this was a chance to invite people in to say: ‘This is who the Hasselhoffs are – we have a great family relationship, a heart and a sense of humour.’Are you worried your daughters will experience the negative side of fame?They already have because of my divorce and the stuff I’ve gone through. They’ve had to have a hard skin, especially at school. Every kid goes through challenges at school, whether you’re in show business or not, but it’s worse if people know you because of your parents. We’re just a normal family that picks up the papers and reads what we’ve been doing, or haven’t, everyday. It hurts when your children are mentioned and when people assume things about them that aren’t true.How’s Britain’s Got Talent going?I’m having a blast. I find it very funny that I can’t understand what people are saying a lot of the time. I’m very proud I’ve been asked to do it. I’m spending a lot of time in Britain and people are very complimentary.
Are there any British accents you can’t understand at all?The Scottish ones. The Glaswegian accent really got me but then I couldn’t really understand a lot of what people in Liverpool were saying – and Wales too. I’m having a hell of a time. I’m dating a Welsh girl and keep saying ‘what?’ all the time. I haven’t got through one sentence with her yet without saying ‘what?’ But at the same time I find it very sexy and cute, so she can talk all she wants.What acts in Britain would you not get in US?There was one act in America where a lady said she could whistle and birds would come. She did it and no birds arrived. The weirdest one in Britain was a guy who imitated trucks – I have no idea what that was about. It sounded like a giant man farting. And I think I’ve seen every Michael Jackson impersonator in Britain.What are your proudest achievements in your career?I loved working with Mel Brooks. When they asked me to do The Producers, they asked me to play the German but I wanted to play the gay director and he told me I did a great job, which I was very proud of.What have been the biggest disappointments?Not getting more film work and not being cast in the TV remake of Knight Rider when I brought the idea, the treatment and the story to the TV network. Hollywood can be fun like that.You’re filming Piranha 3DD at the moment – how’s that going?It’s a lot of fun saving beautiful girls from being eaten by piranhas and it’s great to see everyone wandering around covered in fake blood.What lessons have 40 years in showbiz taught you?Don’t count on anything but yourself and God.What’s the secret of your enduring popularity?Love of people, humility and to respect the opportunities that I’ve been given. And, of course, my winning smile.You’ve had a well-publicised battle with alcoholism. Are people supportive?People never, ever ask; only the media. Interviews like this are obsessed with bringing it up because it sells newspapers. No one in the street has ever come up to me and said: ‘How’s your drinking?’ I welcome the support I receive from family and friends.What else would you like to achieve with your career?To bring down all the walls in the world. More seriously, though, I’d like to make a kick-ass Knight Rider film and I’m looking forward to seeing my daughters achieve success in their own careers.The Hasselhoffs starts on May 30 on Bio.