Sexism

[Pahonu]

Wow!! How does one clump Airwolf and Baywatch together??? I see no similarities whatsoever!!!

Even Knight Rider and Baywatch have nothing in common except the Hoff!

The Hoff connection is the point. I worked for two years on the show as a PA, among other things, and he’s a very nice guy in my opinion, but not the best of actors. He was often very melodramatic and overacted often. He also seemed a bit out of touch with the reality that was Baywatch. I believe I have told this story here before. I recall one early morning on location at Will Rogers Beach where the lifeguard headquarters was located, and his apparently genuine disbelief that Ireland had not picked up the syndication rights because the show had too much T&A. He felt it was a very family friendly program! A bit of a disconnect, I would argue.

Yeah but what does that have to do with any similarity between Knight Rider and Baywatch? I don't see any. The Hoff was an actor in both shows and that's it.

The similarity is that they both shared some pretty bad acting… from Hasselhoff.

Except nobody watched either show for the Hoff. They watched Babewatch for the babes and Knight Rider for KITT. Without KITT there would be no show! So comparing a crime-fighting action-adventure show with a futuristic car to lifeguards/babes on the beach is like comparing a Spring Break Cruise to an Apollo Mission to space! But... but... but... they both involve travel of some kind!!

I don’t disagree!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

The Hoff connection is the point. I worked for two years on the show as a PA, among other things, and he’s a very nice guy in my opinion, but not the best of actors. He was often very melodramatic and overacted often. He also seemed a bit out of touch with the reality that was Baywatch. I believe I have told this story here before. I recall one early morning on location at Will Rogers Beach where the lifeguard headquarters was located, and his apparently genuine disbelief that Ireland had not picked up the syndication rights because the show had too much T&A. He felt it was a very family friendly program! A bit of a disconnect, I would argue.

Yeah but what does that have to do with any similarity between Knight Rider and Baywatch? I don't see any. The Hoff was an actor in both shows and that's it.

The similarity is that they both shared some pretty bad acting… from Hasselhoff.

Except nobody watched either show for the Hoff. They watched Babewatch for the babes and Knight Rider for KITT. Without KITT there would be no show! So comparing a crime-fighting action-adventure show with a futuristic car to lifeguards/babes on the beach is like comparing a Spring Break Cruise to an Apollo Mission to space! But... but... but... they both involve travel of some kind!!

I don’t disagree!

But seriously, I don't remember hearing or seeing anything about Hasselhoff being a major hunk or sex symbol on television in the 80s. Growing up and watching Knight Rider in the 90s in reruns I thought Hasselhoff was super cool (and especially his character Michael Knight) and I just immediately imagined that every woman must be fawning over him. He seemed handsome and hunky enough to my male eyes. But I was surprised to find out that he became a major superstar in Germany (women and men worshiped him there) but perhaps not here in the U.S.? Acting ability aside, did the women here not really get into him? I mean he was tall, dark, handsome, fairly rugged and masculine - hairy chest and curly-haired mane. Was there something missing? I know Selleck must have been the ultimate 80s TV sex symbol. But I can't imagine the Hoff wasn't in the running at least. Who else was considered a major 80s TV sex symbol?

[Aloha Friday]

I think they tried to make him a sex symbol and to some degree maybe he was, but I think the shows he was on were targeted towards a younger male audience and didn't get the exposure from the female audience.

He was big in Germany but I think it was for singing rather than acting.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I think they tried to make him a sex symbol and to some degree maybe he was, but I think the shows he was on were targeted towards a younger male audience and didn't get the exposure from the female audience.

He was big in Germany but I think it was for singing rather than acting.

Yeah but MPI was heavily targeted towards males too. Like Knight Rider. MPI was basically an all-male crew. Even KR had a lady mechanic - first Bonnie, then April. But MPI was an all-male team. Yet women still flocked to MPI because of Selleck. Just wondering why they didn't flock the same way to KR because of the Hoff. I mean I'm sure some did. But apparently not in the same numbers that they flocked to see Selleck. Maybe it's because Selleck showed his beach bod a lot and the Hoff didn't (not on KR anyway).

[MagnumsLeftShoulder]

Just wondering why they didn't flock the same way to KR because of the Hoff.

Because Hoff isn't nearly as good looking as Tom!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Just wondering why they didn't flock the same way to KR because of the Hoff.

Because Hoff isn't nearly as good looking as Tom!

But still good looking in his own right.

[Dave-K]

I find it interesting with the cancel culture and the equality for women movements, how they bag out shows from years ago, yet if you go onto Tiktok or Youtube shorts there are so many more girls in almost nothing flashing everything trying to get views and clicks or whatever to get money and be well known. Doesnt do anything for their cause, but they dont complain and 'cancel' them!

Yes the shows 40 years ago had some inappropriate things in them, they are a reflection of the times. But we have learned what is and isnt appropriate with time. If we keep cancelling these shows books etc, there is no history from which to draw and learn from.

Anyway my little rant from a Boomer

[Aloha Friday]

Dave, I'm a Boomer as well...couldn't agree more with what you said.

[ConchRepublican]

Plenty of examples of things that are probably inappropriate when viewed by today's standards - but that's a bit of a pointless exercise. One thing I will say is that Magnum went there FAR less than other contemporary male oriented shows (as has been pointed out several times in the past).

Well said.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Just wondering why they didn't flock the same way to KR because of the Hoff.

Because Hoff isn't nearly as good looking as Tom!

But still good looking in his own right.

I don't know if it's a matter of Hoff being as good looking as Selleck.
Selleck has that undefinable "star" factor, like a James Garner, that you have to be born with. Jack Kelly portrayed Garner's brother on Maverick, alternating episodes in the lead.
By everyone's account - Garner's too - Kelly was a much better actor but series creator Roy Huggins said Garner overshadowed him and most any other actor in any scene he was in.
People loved Jim, the camera loved him, he came across as a great guy, Selleck has that too, their charm together making for two memorable Rockford Files, one also with Larry.
Hoff just isn't in their class charisma/talent/acting wise.
However, Hoff did have a hand in stopping a foreign terrorist. Not like Victor Sen Yung - Bonanza's Hop Sing - did, getting wounded fighting terrorists attempting to hijack his
aircraft. But sorta. An Iranian sent to NYC as a longtime sleeper agent became addicted to both Bay Watch and The Sopranos. Watching Tony and his mob and his go-go bar
'The Bada Bing', he thought New Jersey was heaven on earth(really, I kid you not!).
Instead of casing potential targets he hung out at the Jersey Shore and the actual Bada Bing on Route 17 getting drunk, sending back faked reports to Iran.
Then he discovered Baywatch and fuhgeddaboudit, it was goodbye Jersey and California Here I Come.
He had visions of becoming a lifeguard where they filmed Baywatch, frolicking with Pam Anderson, perhaps a few beers and some surfing with Hoff and Pahonu when they weren't on set.
Maybe not Pahonu but he did have a total man crush on The Hoff, wanted to be just like him, a Beach Boy scoring with the the California girls.
By this time he was sure the FBI was tailing him - they were - and since he had burned his bridges with his bosses by hightailing it to California, he figured it would be safer to turn himself in.
As they were interviewing him the FBI kept asking him why he changed sides. He told them he never imagined a place like NJ could exist, it introduced him to booze, beaches boasting bikini
babes, interesting highways!!!, while peopled with curiously colorful natives whose patois he sought to imitate, like Tony Soprano.
And then he saw The Hoff and his female co-stars on TV and all bets were off. He just had to take a shot at achieving The Baywatch Dream.
This was written up in the Star-Ledger 25 years ago and I thought, what an idiot, The Hoff and Tony Soprano are your muses? Really? Maxwell Smart would be more his speed.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Just wondering why they didn't flock the same way to KR because of the Hoff.

Because Hoff isn't nearly as good looking as Tom!

But still good looking in his own right.

I don't know if it's a matter of Hoff being as good looking as Selleck.
Selleck has that undefinable "star" factor, like a James Garner, that you have to be born with. Jack Kelly portrayed Garner's brother on Maverick, alternating episodes in the lead.
By everyone's account - Garner's too - Kelly was a much better actor but series creator Roy Huggins said Garner overshadowed him and most any other actor in any scene he was in.
People loved Jim, the camera loved him, he came across as a great guy, Selleck has that too, their charm together making for two memorable Rockford Files, one also with Larry.
Hoff just isn't in their class charisma/talent/acting wise.
However, Hoff did have a hand in stopping a foreign terrorist. Not like Victor Sen Yung - Bonanza's Hop Sing - did, getting wounded fighting terrorists attempting to hijack his
aircraft. But sorta. An Iranian sent to NYC as a longtime sleeper agent became addicted to both Bay Watch and The Sopranos. Watching Tony and his mob and his go-go bar
'The Bada Bing', he thought New Jersey was heaven on earth(really, I kid you not!).
Instead of casing potential targets he hung out at the Jersey Shore and the actual Bada Bing on Route 17 getting drunk, sending back faked reports to Iran.
Then he discovered Baywatch and fuhgeddaboudit, it was goodbye Jersey and California Here I Come.
He had visions of becoming a lifeguard where they filmed Baywatch, frolicking with Pam Anderson, perhaps a few beers and some surfing with Hoff and Pahonu when they weren't on set.
Maybe not Pahonu but he did have a total man crush on The Hoff, wanted to be just like him, a Beach Boy scoring with the the California girls.
By this time he was sure the FBI was tailing him - they were - and since he had burned his bridges with his bosses by hightailing it to California, he figured it would be safer to turn himself in.
As they were interviewing him the FBI kept asking him why he changed sides. He told them he never imagined a place like NJ could exist, it introduced him to booze, beaches boasting bikini
babes, interesting highways!!!, while peopled with curiously colorful natives whose patois he sought to imitate, like Tony Soprano.
And then he saw The Hoff and his female co-stars on TV and all bets were off. He just had to take a shot at achieving The Baywatch Dream.
This was written up in the Star-Ledger 25 years ago and I thought, what an idiot, The Hoff and Tony Soprano are your muses? Really? Maxwell Smart would be more his speed.

Is this a true story? One can never tell with Dobie.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Just wondering why they didn't flock the same way to KR because of the Hoff.

Because Hoff isn't nearly as good looking as Tom!

But still good looking in his own right.

I don't know if it's a matter of Hoff being as good looking as Selleck.
Selleck has that undefinable "star" factor, like a James Garner, that you have to be born with. Jack Kelly portrayed Garner's brother on Maverick, alternating episodes in the lead.
By everyone's account - Garner's too - Kelly was a much better actor but series creator Roy Huggins said Garner overshadowed him and most any other actor in any scene he was in.
People loved Jim, the camera loved him, he came across as a great guy, Selleck has that too, their charm together making for two memorable Rockford Files, one also with Larry.
Hoff just isn't in their class charisma/talent/acting wise.
However, Hoff did have a hand in stopping a foreign terrorist. Not like Victor Sen Yung - Bonanza's Hop Sing - did, getting wounded fighting terrorists attempting to hijack his
aircraft. But sorta. An Iranian sent to NYC as a longtime sleeper agent became addicted to both Bay Watch and The Sopranos. Watching Tony and his mob and his go-go bar
'The Bada Bing', he thought New Jersey was heaven on earth(really, I kid you not!).
Instead of casing potential targets he hung out at the Jersey Shore and the actual Bada Bing on Route 17 getting drunk, sending back faked reports to Iran.
Then he discovered Baywatch and fuhgeddaboudit, it was goodbye Jersey and California Here I Come.
He had visions of becoming a lifeguard where they filmed Baywatch, frolicking with Pam Anderson, perhaps a few beers and some surfing with Hoff and Pahonu when they weren't on set.
Maybe not Pahonu but he did have a total man crush on The Hoff, wanted to be just like him, a Beach Boy scoring with the the California girls.
By this time he was sure the FBI was tailing him - they were - and since he had burned his bridges with his bosses by hightailing it to California, he figured it would be safer to turn himself in.
As they were interviewing him the FBI kept asking him why he changed sides. He told them he never imagined a place like NJ could exist, it introduced him to booze, beaches boasting bikini
babes, interesting highways!!!, while peopled with curiously colorful natives whose patois he sought to imitate, like Tony Soprano.
And then he saw The Hoff and his female co-stars on TV and all bets were off. He just had to take a shot at achieving The Baywatch Dream.
This was written up in the Star-Ledger 25 years ago and I thought, what an idiot, The Hoff and Tony Soprano are your muses? Really? Maxwell Smart would be more his speed.

Is this a true story? One can never tell with Dobie.

I can assure you it is. I haven't the time nor the temperament to BS people and besides it's dishonorable.
A lot of people would just recite the news story that a Iranian spy named, say, "A. Persian Rug" defected to America after embracing the life styles he saw on The Sopranos, and then Baywatch.
Period. Cue the yawning.
But they leave out the details that add spice to the stew and make for a good bar story, this is great material even better for being true, which a humorist like Jean Shepherd would see but
the 'citizen' doesn't(Seinfeld credits Shep with giving him the eye for humor, as a result of growing up listening to Shep's show every night).
A guy winning a lamp in the shape of a leg, feh. But when Shep stylishly told the story on radio and in the immortal "Christmas Story" movie of his Old Man getting then losing the lamp it is hysterical.

The spy did say that he thought Jersey was heaven - I laugh at the idea too - which for some unworldly true believer from a straitlaced, backwards crazed theocracy where you throw tents
over women going outside, it might seem so, especially with Tony Soprano conducting the tour.
A whole new world filled with goodies of every sort was suddenly set before him and he now had a seat at the table.
And he did go to CF to see the Baywatch filming locations and hopefully the Hoff.
He's probably in the Witness Protection program with a new name, happily tending bar in The Bada Bing.

[Pahonu]

Because Hoff isn't nearly as good looking as Tom!

But still good looking in his own right.

I don't know if it's a matter of Hoff being as good looking as Selleck.
Selleck has that undefinable "star" factor, like a James Garner, that you have to be born with. Jack Kelly portrayed Garner's brother on Maverick, alternating episodes in the lead.
By everyone's account - Garner's too - Kelly was a much better actor but series creator Roy Huggins said Garner overshadowed him and most any other actor in any scene he was in.
People loved Jim, the camera loved him, he came across as a great guy, Selleck has that too, their charm together making for two memorable Rockford Files, one also with Larry.
Hoff just isn't in their class charisma/talent/acting wise.
However, Hoff did have a hand in stopping a foreign terrorist. Not like Victor Sen Yung - Bonanza's Hop Sing - did, getting wounded fighting terrorists attempting to hijack his
aircraft. But sorta. An Iranian sent to NYC as a longtime sleeper agent became addicted to both Bay Watch and The Sopranos. Watching Tony and his mob and his go-go bar
'The Bada Bing', he thought New Jersey was heaven on earth(really, I kid you not!).
Instead of casing potential targets he hung out at the Jersey Shore and the actual Bada Bing on Route 17 getting drunk, sending back faked reports to Iran.
Then he discovered Baywatch and fuhgeddaboudit, it was goodbye Jersey and California Here I Come.
He had visions of becoming a lifeguard where they filmed Baywatch, frolicking with Pam Anderson, perhaps a few beers and some surfing with Hoff and Pahonu when they weren't on set.
Maybe not Pahonu but he did have a total man crush on The Hoff, wanted to be just like him, a Beach Boy scoring with the the California girls.
By this time he was sure the FBI was tailing him - they were - and since he had burned his bridges with his bosses by hightailing it to California, he figured it would be safer to turn himself in.
As they were interviewing him the FBI kept asking him why he changed sides. He told them he never imagined a place like NJ could exist, it introduced him to booze, beaches boasting bikini
babes, interesting highways!!!, while peopled with curiously colorful natives whose patois he sought to imitate, like Tony Soprano.
And then he saw The Hoff and his female co-stars on TV and all bets were off. He just had to take a shot at achieving The Baywatch Dream.
This was written up in the Star-Ledger 25 years ago and I thought, what an idiot, The Hoff and Tony Soprano are your muses? Really? Maxwell Smart would be more his speed.

Is this a true story? One can never tell with Dobie.

I can assure you it is. I haven't the time nor the temperament to BS people and besides it's dishonorable.
A lot of people would just recite the news story that a Iranian spy named, say, "A. Persian Rug" defected to America after embracing the life styles he saw on The Sopranos, and then Baywatch.
Period. Cue the yawning.
But they leave out the details that add spice to the stew and make for a good bar story, this is great material even better for being true, which a humorist like Jean Shepherd would see but
the 'citizen' doesn't(Seinfeld credits Shep with giving him the eye for humor, as a result of growing up listening to Shep's show every night).
A guy winning a lamp in the shape of a leg, feh. But when Shep stylishly told the story on radio and in the immortal "Christmas Story" movie of his Old Man getting then losing the lamp it is hysterical.

The spy did say that he thought Jersey was heaven - I laugh at the idea too - which for some unworldly true believer from a straitlaced, backwards crazed theocracy where you throw tents
over women going outside, it might seem so, especially with Tony Soprano conducting the tour.
A whole new world filled with goodies of every sort was suddenly set before him and he now had a seat at the table.
And he did go to CF to see the Baywatch filming locations and hopefully the Hoff.
He's probably in the Witness Protection program with a new name, happily tending bar in The Bada Bing.

From theocratic Iran to SoCal beach life, via New Jersey. What a change of scenery, to say the least!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Because Hoff isn't nearly as good looking as Tom!

But still good looking in his own right.

I don't know if it's a matter of Hoff being as good looking as Selleck.
Selleck has that undefinable "star" factor, like a James Garner, that you have to be born with. Jack Kelly portrayed Garner's brother on Maverick, alternating episodes in the lead.
By everyone's account - Garner's too - Kelly was a much better actor but series creator Roy Huggins said Garner overshadowed him and most any other actor in any scene he was in.
People loved Jim, the camera loved him, he came across as a great guy, Selleck has that too, their charm together making for two memorable Rockford Files, one also with Larry.
Hoff just isn't in their class charisma/talent/acting wise.
However, Hoff did have a hand in stopping a foreign terrorist. Not like Victor Sen Yung - Bonanza's Hop Sing - did, getting wounded fighting terrorists attempting to hijack his
aircraft. But sorta. An Iranian sent to NYC as a longtime sleeper agent became addicted to both Bay Watch and The Sopranos. Watching Tony and his mob and his go-go bar
'The Bada Bing', he thought New Jersey was heaven on earth(really, I kid you not!).
Instead of casing potential targets he hung out at the Jersey Shore and the actual Bada Bing on Route 17 getting drunk, sending back faked reports to Iran.
Then he discovered Baywatch and fuhgeddaboudit, it was goodbye Jersey and California Here I Come.
He had visions of becoming a lifeguard where they filmed Baywatch, frolicking with Pam Anderson, perhaps a few beers and some surfing with Hoff and Pahonu when they weren't on set.
Maybe not Pahonu but he did have a total man crush on The Hoff, wanted to be just like him, a Beach Boy scoring with the the California girls.
By this time he was sure the FBI was tailing him - they were - and since he had burned his bridges with his bosses by hightailing it to California, he figured it would be safer to turn himself in.
As they were interviewing him the FBI kept asking him why he changed sides. He told them he never imagined a place like NJ could exist, it introduced him to booze, beaches boasting bikini
babes, interesting highways!!!, while peopled with curiously colorful natives whose patois he sought to imitate, like Tony Soprano.
And then he saw The Hoff and his female co-stars on TV and all bets were off. He just had to take a shot at achieving The Baywatch Dream.
This was written up in the Star-Ledger 25 years ago and I thought, what an idiot, The Hoff and Tony Soprano are your muses? Really? Maxwell Smart would be more his speed.

Is this a true story? One can never tell with Dobie.

I can assure you it is. I haven't the time nor the temperament to BS people and besides it's dishonorable.
A lot of people would just recite the news story that a Iranian spy named, say, "A. Persian Rug" defected to America after embracing the life styles he saw on The Sopranos, and then Baywatch.
Period. Cue the yawning.
But they leave out the details that add spice to the stew and make for a good bar story, this is great material even better for being true, which a humorist like Jean Shepherd would see but
the 'citizen' doesn't(Seinfeld credits Shep with giving him the eye for humor, as a result of growing up listening to Shep's show every night).
A guy winning a lamp in the shape of a leg, feh. But when Shep stylishly told the story on radio and in the immortal "Christmas Story" movie of his Old Man getting then losing the lamp it is hysterical.

The spy did say that he thought Jersey was heaven - I laugh at the idea too - which for some unworldly true believer from a straitlaced, backwards crazed theocracy where you throw tents
over women going outside, it might seem so, especially with Tony Soprano conducting the tour.
A whole new world filled with goodies of every sort was suddenly set before him and he now had a seat at the table.
And he did go to CF to see the Baywatch filming locations and hopefully the Hoff.
He's probably in the Witness Protection program with a new name, happily tending bar in The Bada Bing.

Ok, ok, let's say it's true...