Hasselhoff visitation rights suspended
A US judge today suspended David Hasselhoff’s visitation rights for his two teenage daughters after a video surfaced showing the recovering alcoholic apparently intoxicated in his Las Vegas home.
“This videotape changes the landscape, it just does,” Los Angeles judge Mark Juhas said.
The judge set a May 21 hearing to determine if the tape is authentic and who was responsible for its release. His visitation order will remain in effect until then.
Hasselhoff, 54, did not attend the hearing, but his former wife Pamela Bach was there.
Portions of the video were aired last week on syndicated entertainment shows. The video shows Hasselhoff, wearing only blue jeans, lying on a floor and clumsily eating a hamburger while one of his daughters videos him and questions him about his drinking.
Hasselhoff said in a statement last week that he is a recovering alcoholic and the tape was made to show him what he can be like under the influence of alcohol.
“I have learned from it and I am back on my game,” he said then.
A message left today for Hasselhoff’s lawyer, Melvin Goldsman, was not immediately returned.
Debra Opri, who represents Bach, said her client was upset about the release of the tape and stunned by her former husband’s behaviour in front of their daughter.
“She’s devastated the videotape was put out in the press,” Ms Opri said. “When a mother hears this from her daughter, what does she think? ’I haven’t protected my daughters.”’
The syndicated entertainment shows said the tape was made about three months ago by Hasselhoff’s 16-year-old daughter, Taylor-Ann, in his home in Las Vegas, where the former Baywatch star has been appearing in a stage version of The Producers.
On the tape, a girl’s voice is heard saying: “Dad, you need to promise me you’re not gonna get alcohol tonight, OK?”
“If you get alcohol tonight, you’re fired from your show tomorrow,” the girl continues. “And a doctor’s coming over here in the morning to check your alcohol level and if there’s any alcohol in your system you’re gonna be fired from the show. Tomorrow. You hear me? No alcohol.”
“OK,” Hasselhoff replies in a slurred voice.
Hasselhoff filed for divorce from Bach last year after 16 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Bach, 43, filed her own divorce papers, also citing irreconcilable differences.
In addition to Taylor-Ann, they have a 14-year-old daughter. The couple share joint custody of the girls, Ms Opri said.
