When David Hasselhoff's now infamous cheeseburger video hit the Internet in 2007, the shocking image of the shirtless, slurring 'Baywatch' star on the floor struggling to eat fast food was no laughing matter.
Major media fallout followed, and the video became something of a cultural phenomenon, attracting more than a billion views on the Internet.
Three year's later, the Hoff's greatest viral embarrassment, as well as his longtime struggle with alcohol, provides the fuel for the 'Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff.'
Scheduled to air on August 15, the roast was filmed Sunday night and is shockingly the first time Hasselhoff has ever addressed the infamous video or his reported alcohol relapses.
"I've been waiting for a forum to talk about where I'm at," Hasselhoff said backstage at the event. "I didn't do it in the beginning because I was in a very personal matter and it involved the custody of my children."
Hasselhoff has always maintained that the burger video was illegally released and has never spoken about it publicly -- despite offers from major magazines and Larry King.
"I wanted to address [it] the way I wanted to address it," he added. "And tonight was the way I wanted to address it."
More than address it, Hasselhoff was tormented about it repeatedly during the two-hour roast by some of the sharpest tongues in the business.
Those who felt the comics would keep the gloves on for the roast were immediately proven wrong during Hasselhoff's introduction, where, sprinkled among the clips from his 'Baywatch' and 'Knight Rider' days, moments from the horrifying burger video kept popping up. Taboo no more.
Seth MacFarlane, the roast master for the event, launched right in and zeroed in on the video.
"How do you make jokes about a joke? How do you embarrass a man who so thoroughly embarrasses himself?" he asked as the crowd roared with laughter. "How do you put someone down when they are already lying shirtless on the floor?"
And that was only the beginning. While fellow roasters like Hulk Hogan, Jerry Springer and Pamela Anderson looked on, Hasselhoff sat in the middle on a red, oversized lifeguard's chair. His arms were folded in front of him for much of the night, but he gamely laughed at most of the jokes that were hurled at him.
It might have been his greatest acting role ever. Though during the first commercial break, he showed a little chink in the armor. "It's going to be a long night," he said in the direction of his two daughters, who were in the audience.
Insult specialist and former 'Dancing with the Stars' contestant Jeffrey Ross inquired what drink Hasselhoff had in a dark red glass on his lifeguard's chair. When the Hoff insisted it was water, Ross expressed disbelief and then continued his attack.
"I must admit, I did love you in that cheeseburger commercial you once made," Ross mocked, insisting the motto from the burger chain must have been "Have it Floor Way!"
"I'm so relieved you're wearing a shirt tonight because it will be so much easier than picking the vomit out of your chest hair later," Ross continued.
Even animal rights activist and 'Baywatch' co-star Pamela Anderson piled on.
"David, I have to say, when I saw the video of you lying on the floor -- drunk, broken down, cheeseburger meat falling from your mouth -- I felt so sad," said Anderson. "For that cow."
Hasselhoff exited the show triumphantly -- we don't want to spoil the ending, but it's awesome. And he even gamely met the press backstage.
"Yeah, it goes too far," Hasselhoff said when asked about some of the barbs. "That's what they want to do. They want to get to everybody."
He kept a fixed smile on his face throughout and insisted the event was "therapeutic." Hasselhoff had, in his mind, dealt with the video issue once and for all -- and he was still standing.
"No one got me," said the Hoff. "I'm still laughing. My face hurts. I'm sorry it's over."
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Lifestyles of The Rich and Shameless.
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The Hoff is a disgrace. He could never act, never sing. And he's a personal wreck. Wish he would move to Germany.
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lighten up people!! This is funny!! He even laughed!!!
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Mel, I'll bet it wasn't easy for him to laugh, he only did because he was on cam.