Lampooning celebs for laughs

LOS ANGELES - Flanked by a squadron of dancing German maidens and swinging his best Vegas-ready groove, David Hasselhoff - former

Baywatch

star, European rock god, ex-

America's Got Talent

judge, and drunken YouTube sensation - stormed onto a packed Sony Studios soundstage and launched into a hearty rendition of the '70s classic "Hooked on a Feeling."

"I'm high on believing that you're in love with me!" "The Hoff" crooned, maneuvering through a throng of cheering fans and celebrities for the taping of The Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff, which premieres Sunday on the cable network.

But sometimes love hurts. A highlight reel of Hasselhoff's career was punctuated by the cringe-worthy home video of him shirtless on the floor of a hotel room, slurring his words and drunkenly trying to eat a hamburger while his daughter pleads with him to stop.

And as he sat above the proceedings in a lifeguard chair, a parade of comedians and a surreal mix of personalities including former costar Pamela Anderson, wrestler Hulk Hogan, actor George Hamilton, comic Gilbert Gottfried, and talk-show host Jerry Springer spent more than three hours killing Hasselhoff softly with their jokes, labeling him a washout, a lush, a has-been.

"How can you embarrass a man who so thoroughly embarrasses himself?" quipped roast master Seth MacFarlane, creator of Fox's hit Family Guy. Greg Giraldo told Hasselhoff that when alcohol does its taxes, "it lists you as a dependent."

"How's that chain of all-you-can-eat-off-the-floor restaurants working out for you?" joked Jeffrey Ross, stealing a look at the guest of honor. As the comic carnage continued, Hasselhoff grimaced, moaned, and shifted in his seat, but a smile rarely left his face.

Hasselhoff, 58, is the 15th "guest of honor" of the Comedy Central Roast, a series of annual specials that have grown in the last few years into the network's most popular offering, attracting between 2 million and 3 million viewers. Uncensored versions of the roasts have been hot sellers on DVD.

Producers say the Hasselhoff roast, which follows comedic skewerings of Anderson, Flavor Flav, William Shatner, and Bob Saget, is perhaps the most lavish and meticulously produced yet.

The Comedy Central roast is a steroid version of the tame televised roasts Dean Martin hosted in the 1970s. And in the end, the "roast" is a crash course of affection and tribute for the roastee. The jokes, while vicious, are never meant to be personally harmful. It is one of the few forums where comedians and celebrities can feel comfortable in blasting one another with the understanding that nothing is to be taken seriously.

The tradition of "roasting" began with the Friars Club of New York, a fraternity of show business insiders, in 1909 and became a more formal event in 1949, when Maurice Chevalier was the first "roastee" at a luncheon. Distinguished by dirty jokes and ribald humor, the events are designed to honor celebrities with "spectacular careers.' "

Said Michael Caputo, general manager of the Friars Club: "We only roast the ones we love." Quentin Tarantino is scheduled to be roasted by the Friars Club in October.

Still, the no-holds-barred nature of the roasts has sparked controversy. A 1993 Friars roast of Whoopi Goldberg drew fire when then-boyfriend Ted Danson appeared in blackface and used racial slurs.

In 1998, Comedy Central started showing roasts held by the Friars Club of New York before deciding in 2003 to produce its own.

When he agreed to participate in Comedy Central's event, Hasselhoff knew his campy acting career, his popularity in Germany, and his problems with drinking would make him an easy target.

He prepared for weeks for the grilling and approached the event not as an ordeal but as the best and funniest way to address his notorious past and put it behind him.

Said Elizabeth Porter, Comedy Central's senior vice president for talent and specials: "David was game, thoughtful, strategic, hilarious, and open. He can say, 'I've fallen down and messed up. And you know what? I'm going to deal with it in a humorous way. I'm going to deal with the elephant in the room, drag it out, shoot it, and then it's done.' "

Still, many in the audience probably felt sorry for Hasselhoff. Some of the raw language and punch lines directed not only at him but at others on the dais provoked shocked gasps and surprised "can-you-believe someone really said that?" laughter from the audience.

Porter said the roasts have given a boost to the edgy brand of Comedy Central, which also has South Park, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, and The Colbert Report: "We as a network should push to be loud and provocative and impactful. It speaks to our world where there is this bizarre daily consumption of celebrity culture. The roast is the way of dealing with it with self-deprecation."

At the after-party, Hasselhoff, who is currently shooting a reality show with his daughters for A&E, was in the mood to celebrate.

"It's humbling to be here, and I'm happy to be sober," he said. "It wasn't so brutal. I'm glad to be where I am in life, with my career and my family. I'm very honored."