View Photo Gallery at Zimbio of David at Mt Maunganui Main Beach
Article below From Stuff.co.nz
Click here to watch the video interview.
Berlin, London, Mt Maunganui. A week is a long time and the world a small place when you're David Hasselhoff.The ageing cult icon has racked up the air miles in the past few days; he sang in the New Year to a freezing Berlin crowd, before jetting to Australia and then on to Mt Maunganui for a whirlwind promotional tour.And in less a few days time, "The Hoff" will be back in London's East End in a pantomime production of Peter Pan and a stint as a judge on Britain's Got Talent.But while he might be one of the hardest working men in showbiz at the moment, Hasselhoff is still having fun.
"We all become so self indulgent at times and we all take it so seriously."I mean, come on. They're going to fly me down here to have a popsicle. I'm halfway around the world in the surf with the lifeguards, hanging out of helicopters, singing to a million people in Berlin two nights ago and I'm going "what's going on here".Despite hanging up his Baywatch binoculars over 10 years ago, the star certainly can draw a crowd - over 4000 people turned out yesterday at the main Mount Maunganui beach, a reception that forced the star to reflect on the power of fame."It's not about how many people turn out. It's about putting a personality and a heart behind a face."Even though I can walk out and see all these people, I can slow it down and zero in on a single face and take that energy and look at them. And because I looked at them and gave them something, they gave me something back."It's all about giving and gratitude - the more you get and you can turn it over and help someone else, it comes back to you in amazing ways."It humbles me that I was given something this great; I think it's your moral obligation to give it back. And people forget about it.While Hasselhoff has already left for London, to continue his run in Peter Pan, he is convinced he will take a little bit of New Zealand back with him."I'll be there on stage dressed as Captain Hook trying to remember my lines, probably taking water out of my ear, saying "That's New Zealand sand baby".