don't hassel the birthday boy

One week and 55 years ago, David Hasselhoff shot down to earth, riding on the tails of a dazzling comet of love and musical diplomacy and feathered hair.

I forgot to celebrate.

The Hoff is, according to the Guinness World Records, the most watched TV star in the world, thanks to his leading roles in Knight Rider in the 1980s and Baywatch in the 1990s (at its peak Baywatch was shown in 142 countries to an audience of more than one billion people).

Regarding his popularity, David Hasselhoff has said: “There are many dying children out there whose last wish is to meet me.”

So, while I was at work today, I listened to a 25 minute interview he did with the BBC last September. The first really great moment came when he was discussing a visit he made to the Massai tribe in Africa. Of them, he said, 'these guys were amazing. Skinnier legs than me. But I was floored - they'd never heard of me! I was going through fame withdrawal, and I went around asking if they'd ever seen Baywatch or Knight Rider. I finally found some workers at a hotel who had - what a relief."

Later in the interview, this priceless exchange:
BBC guy: Do you think most people in the world know who you are? More than half?
The Hoff: Yes. Absolutely.
How many people are there in the world?
6 billion or so.
You think more than 3 billion know who you are?
I don't know! it sure seems that way, wherever I go.
Who's as famous as you?
Princess Diana, #1. Mohammad Ali. Probably Elvis is in that category.
But you're in the top 10, you reckon?
Absolutely.

Here's to 55 more years of this.