Don't hassle the 'Hoff, pleads David

By Stone Martindale May 4, 2007, 0:47 GMT

David Hasselhoff - © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi

David Hasselhoff has always had a healthy and unpretentious approach to his acting and cult of personality - he jokes and mocks himself freely.  Unfortunately, like so many celebrities, he has a drinking problem he grapples with daily. 

There are several websites including YouTube which are showing a clip of an inebriated Hasselhoff trying to converse and eat at the same time with his 16 year old daughter.  It's not fun to see the normally jovial and kind actor falling down drunk.

The following is the complete text of David Hasselhoff's statement to the AP regarding the release of a videotape in which he appears inebriated:

"I am a recovering alcoholic. Despite that I have been going through a painful divorce and I have recently been separated from my children due to my work, I have been successfully dealing with my issue. Unfortunately, one evening I did have a brief relapse, but part of recovery is relapse.

"Because of my honest and positive relationship with my daughters who were concerned for my well being there was a tape made that night to show me what I was like. I have seen the tape. I have learned from it and I am back on my game. I thank God for the love and concern from my daughters. The tape was never meant to become public, but got into the hands of individuals who are not worthy of mentioning, who maliciously released the tape for their own self purpose. I hope that someone else will learn from the tape, as I have."