Interview with David Hasselhoff

I was in Las Vegas promoting a show called Soap World. When the job was done I started out for the airpost, but I almost did not make it. Along the way, fans kept stopping me for my autograph at the hotel and airport. I finally got on the plane and on the last seat. That's when I noticed this guy looking at me. I thought it was kind of strange. He turned out to be Brandon Tartikoff, the president of entertainment for NBC. After all, I was leaving The Young and the Restless and I had nothing else lined up. I was determined to meet him but due to the weather being so bad we could not get out of our seats. When we landed it was still raining and Mr. Tartikoff got away. He called me as I was playing slots at the motel and felt I was someone who deserved a test. It was fate!

Fantastic! I wanted the show from the minute I heard about it. It was the kind of show I had been waiting for---a star-maker! What really made me go for it was the fact that it had the most incredible car in the world. Everyone would love to drive it and I am no different.

The truth is I never hear the voice. In fact, I did not know what it sounded like until after the two-hour pilot was completed. Anyone on the set who wants to read KITT's lines can. They ride on the tow truck that is pulling the car I am in and read to me thru a radio. Its tough because I could not find too many members of the crew who can read the lines like William Daniels can, but it worked out.

There are really four different ones. Two of them are strictly stunt cars. Another one is what is called a picture car. They keep that one shined up and in gorgeous condition. But there is one KITT car that has everything included. The car I ride in does not have the great dashboard with all the controls. When we film I look at the panel, but it is really not there. The Knight 2000 is really a Pontiac Trans Am, and it is the hottest car I have ever driven. I just love sitting in it. I own two of them myself.

I do all the stunts except for the jumps and when the car does ski mode on either wheel. There are specially trained guys that do that because it is just too dangerous. If anything happened to me we would have to stop production and about 200 people would get very upset becaus they would be out of work.

Yes, but I have had only minor accidents like running into curbs. I hit a camera once, which kind of scared me because there were a lot of people around, but no one got hurt. We do go through a lot of axels because of the jumps we do. The cars are not really made ot be jumped.

I go to all the auto shows I can, promoting Pontiac and the Knight 2000. It is a great way to mett people and find out how they feel about the show. There have been times where people have waited for me for two hours and if someone waits that long I just have to meet them. Its amazing to go out and touch all these people.

In the beginning KITT got all the fan mail. Human beings prevail though because now I get more. I have someone who screens it for me so that I can take care of the ones that need personal attention.

Yes, because I believe in postive thinking. I believe you can created your own enviornment. If you want to be a star you have to see yourself as one. I really believe that the reason I am succesful is that I saw myself living this kind of life when I was seven years old, But I never imagined it would be this crazy!!!

Everybody said things like "David Hasselhoff plays a hood ornament", even Edward Mullhare. He would probably deny it, but he said he expected the show to run three weeks and flop. You know I read all this stuff that said, "Hey, we got bad reviews. That means we're gonna be a hit. " I don't know why but it seems to be the formula every time.

Adding to the fustration of the car jokes, NBC centered its attention on KITT. Before the show's premiere, NBC opened a special post office box for viewers, promising details on the most exciting car on television. Those who wrote recieved a flyer entitled "The Competition is no Competition" displaying KITT alongside the Dukes of Hazzard General Lee and offering a comparison of each vechicle. There was no metion of me of course.

At the beginning, it did not matter. I knew if I got on and said, "Hey watch me!" no one would care. But, put on the world's fastest car, people will watch. I would have preferred emphasis be placed on Mullhare because he is all but wasted. I would have liked to see Knight Rider become more like the Avengers where you cared about the people and it was still fun. I liked being the star, but I have plenty of time to share it. I wouldn't have minded having the time off you know. I feel it was a good show because its about heroes and the concept that one man can make a difference.

I did a lot of driving because I like to, but it held up production. They did not want to risk the show, but if I was hanging from a helicopter skid, I was certainly not going to let go! If I was going to be the star, I don't want to be a wimp, I wanted to have some fun. Every now and then they threw me a bone...but I did get to do some of the driving! Its a great chance, It's every man's fantasy to drive a 007 car and this is all the 007 cars in one. Knight Rider was not Gone With The Wind, but it's fun. And I hope you notice there was a message hidden among the fun parts--you can make a difference.

I can turn a car every which way but loose. In fact when I turned the cars they were loaners. When I was on the Universal Studios lot I raided the Tour Tram. I would take the car and hide behind the Leave it to Beaver house and wait for a tour. Then I'll throw a 180 in front of them and I would yell, "Watch the Knight Rider". People would go nuts!

I was working seven days a week. I took that one weekend off since that was the weekend Catherine and I got engaged. It was meant to promote a new NBC series that was in the works. I filmed my parts and that took 1/2 a day and then I left it to them to film the rest.

I became a prime target for every persuasive sporting coach. Then they discovered I was not coordinated enough for basketball or football so they left me alone to get on with my acting.

The casting department is stuck with the job of always finding 22 new girls to co-star with throught each season all of who must be dazzling beauties and more than 5ft 8in tall.

I was driving along Hollywood Boulevard in late July 1984 with the top down of my car and a beautiful girl leapt in when i stopped at a traffic light. She threw her arms around me and gave me a big kiss. I pulled over and after some hesitation had to pull her off of me and throw her out. And Believe me that wouldn't stop some girls that I am married.

Most people think I drove KITT, but I was chauffeur driven to and from the studio. The reason is that I tend to drive too fast.I'm the Knight Rider, and they don't want me to become the ghostly night walker


	INTERVIEW WITH DAVID HASSELHOFF David discusses his role as Michael Knight on Knight Rider with Knight Rider 2000 How did you find out about Knight Rider? I was in Las Vegas promoting a show called Soap World. When the job was done I started out for the airpost, but I almost did not make it. Along the way, fans kept stopping me for my autograph at the hotel and airport. I finally got on the plane and on the last seat. That's when I noticed this guy looking at me. I thought it was kind of strange. He turned out to be Brandon Tartikoff, the president of entertainment for NBC. After all, I was leaving The Young and the Restless and I had nothing else lined up. I was determined to meet him but due to the weather being so bad we could not get out of our seats. When we landed it was still raining and Mr. Tartikoff got away. He called me as I was playing slots at the motel and felt I was someone who deserved a test. It was fate! What was your first reaction when you heard what Knight Rider was about? Fantastic! I wanted the show from the minute I heard about it. It was the kind of show I had been waiting for---a star-maker! What really made me go for it was the fact that it had the most incredible car in the world. Everyone would love to drive it and I am no different. One of the most interesting things about the show is your relationship with the car, KITT. What is it like talking to a car? The truth is I never hear the voice. In fact, I did not know what it sounded like until after the two-hour pilot was completed. Anyone on the set who wants to read KITT's lines can. They ride on the tow truck that is pulling the car I am in and read to me thru a radio. Its tough because I could not find too many members of the crew who can read the lines like William Daniels can, but it worked out. Is there a real Knight 2000? There are really four different ones. Two of them are strictly stunt cars. Another one is what is called a picture car. They keep that one shined up and in gorgeous condition. But there is one KITT car that has everything included. The car I ride in does not have the great dashboard with all the controls. When we film I look at the panel, but it is really not there. The Knight 2000 is really a Pontiac Trans Am, and it is the hottest car I have ever driven. I just love sitting in it. I own two of them myself. Do you get to do any of the stunts? I do all the stunts except for the jumps and when the car does ski mode on either wheel. There are specially trained guys that do that because it is just too dangerous. If anything happened to me we would have to stop production and about 200 people would get very upset becaus they would be out of work. Have you ever wrecked any of the cars while you were filming? Yes, but I have had only minor accidents like running into curbs. I hit a camera once, which kind of scared me because there were a lot of people around, but no one got hurt. We do go through a lot of axels because of the jumps we do. The cars are not really made ot be jumped. How do you promote Knight Rider off the camera? I go to all the auto shows I can, promoting Pontiac and the Knight 2000. It is a great way to mett people and find out how they feel about the show. There have been times where people have waited for me for two hours and if someone waits that long I just have to meet them. Its amazing to go out and touch all these people. Who got more fan mail, you or KITT? In the beginning KITT got all the fan mail. Human beings prevail though because now I get more. I have someone who screens it for me so that I can take care of the ones that need personal attention. Is show business everything you thought it would be? Yes, because I believe in postive thinking. I believe you can created your own enviornment. If you want to be a star you have to see yourself as one. I really believe that the reason I am succesful is that I saw myself living this kind of life when I was seven years old, But I never imagined it would be this crazy!!! What did the other cast members think about the show at the beginning? Everybody said things like "David Hasselhoff plays a hood ornament", even Edward Mullhare. He would probably deny it, but he said he expected the show to run three weeks and flop. You know I read all this stuff that said, "Hey, we got bad reviews. That means we're gonna be a hit. " I don't know why but it seems to be the formula every time. What did the network feel was the focus at the beginning of the show? Adding to the fustration of the car jokes, NBC centered its attention on KITT. Before the show's premiere, NBC opened a special post office box for viewers, promising details on the most exciting car on television. Those who wrote recieved a flyer entitled "The Competition is no Competition" displaying KITT alongside the Dukes of Hazzard General Lee and offering a comparison of each vechicle. There was no metion of me of course. So what's your view of Knight Rider? At the beginning, it did not matter. I knew if I got on and said, "Hey watch me!" no one would care. But, put on the world's fastest car, people will watch. I would have preferred emphasis be placed on Mullhare because he is all but wasted. I would have liked to see Knight Rider become more like the Avengers where you cared about the people and it was still fun. I liked being the star, but I have plenty of time to share it. I wouldn't have minded having the time off you know. I feel it was a good show because its about heroes and the concept that one man can make a difference. So is it true that you did your own stunts? I did a lot of driving because I like to, but it held up production. They did not want to risk the show, but if I was hanging from a helicopter skid, I was certainly not going to let go! If I was going to be the star, I don't want to be a wimp, I wanted to have some fun. Every now and then they threw me a bone...but I did get to do some of the driving! Its a great chance, It's every man's fantasy to drive a 007 car and this is all the 007 cars in one. Knight Rider was not Gone With The Wind, but it's fun. And I hope you notice there was a message hidden among the fun parts--you can make a difference. So then would you consider yourself a professional stunt driver ? I can turn a car every which way but loose. In fact when I turned the cars they were loaners. When I was on the Universal Studios lot I raided the Tour Tram. I would take the car and hide behind the Leave it to Beaver house and wait for a tour. Then I'll throw a 180 in front of them and I would yell, "Watch the Knight Rider". People would go nuts! What's your favorite episode? I feel White Bird was the best episode not because its their story but because it was about people and human emotions. Is it true that Mouth of the Snake was a crossover for a new NBC sitcom? I was working seven days a week. I took that one weekend off since that was the weekend Catherine and I got engaged. It was meant to promote a new NBC series that was in the works. I filmed my parts and that took 1/2 a day and then I left it to them to film the rest. Is it true that due to your height you could have been a football player? I became a prime target for every persuasive sporting coach. Then they discovered I was not coordinated enough for basketball or football so they left me alone to get on with my acting. Is it true that your height became a problem for your female co-stars? The casting department is stuck with the job of always finding 22 new girls to co-star with throught each season all of who must be dazzling beauties and more than 5ft 8in tall. Can you share your wackiest moment? I was driving along Hollywood Boulevard in late July 1984 with the top down of my car and a beautiful girl leapt in when i stopped at a traffic light. She threw her arms around me and gave me a big kiss. I pulled over and after some hesitation had to pull her off of me and throw her out. And Believe me that wouldn't stop some girls that I am married. How did you get to the set of Knight Rider? Most people think I drove KITT, but I was chauffeur driven to and from the studio. The reason is that I tend to drive too fast.I'm the Knight Rider, and they don't want me to become the ghostly night walker