The Next Web

Hasselhoff and the tech blogosphere: a strange love affair

Written on August 18, 2008 – 12:36 pm
Ernst-Jan Pfauth, editor in chief

ReadWriteWeb reports that German tv star David Hasselhoff left MySpace and started his own space this week: Hoffspace. Surprisingly, the network already counts 10,000 users. For some reason, they weren’t scared by the hilarious welcome blog post by the Hoff:

In my travels round the world I have always been surprised that no matter where I go people recognize and know me, from Europe, Australia and India to the Philippines and the Zulu Nation in South Africa. This got me thinking… I realized that while two people from two entirely different countries and backgrounds may seem to have nothing in common, the only thing they might have in common is me… So I decided to start a network where people from across the world might come together and get a conversation started over me. Where it will lead, I don’t know but the world would be a better place if everyone talked a little more to each other…

The sad thing is that he doesn’t want to be funny at all. But, truth to be told, I have to give the man some credit though. In June I wrote about Hasselhoff’s attempt to create an Internet hype by starting his own lip-syncing competition. I wrote it works the other way around. You see, mr. Hasselhoff misses the point here that eighties stars are only cool when other people - not yourself - start a hype. Like Soocial did. This Dutch start-up uses David Hasselhoff as some sort of ridiculous mascot. It worked, ’cause Erick Schonfeld raved about it on TechCrunch.

Well, Hasselhoff has proved me wrong. Because this time, he started his own hype in the blogosphere: Hoffspace was already featured on TechMeme, ReadWriteWeb, and some other blogs. Hasselhoff and the tech scene, it remains a strange love affair.

I hope you like that post!

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Erick Schonfeld, hasselhof, hoffspace, TechCrunch

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Can somebody tell Hasselhof it works the other way around?

Written on June 9, 2008 – 3:00 pm
Ernst-Jan Pfauth, editor in chief

A friend of mine has an impressive stack of glossies. She’s an intelligent girl, but when it comes to magazines this doesn’t seem to matter. A few days ago I glanced through one of those journals, and my eye fell on an article about the most popular YouTube videos. The poor “web editor” had a hard time explaining why Rick Astley, the long forgotten singer of “Never Gonna Give you Up“, was on the first place. Apparently, she hadn’t heard of RickRolling.

Eighties stars are popular these days, maybe we can call this decade already “retro”. Take David Hasselhof for example. The Baywatch/ KnightRider hero is the new PR guy for Soocial, a Dutch start-up that takes care of your contacts-syncing needs. Minor detail: he has no idea that 750 people laughed about a short Soocial promo movie at the last Next Web Conference, featuring him. Some people DO hassle the Hoff.

But now, the German hero has started his own competition. In one of the most genuinely-written blog posts I have ever read, Hasselhof explains the procedure:

Anyway… I was thinking… You guys keep seeing me singing and performing but I want to see what you can do… So here it is - the first official HoffSpace competition - I want you to send in your videos of you singing or lip-syncing my songs from all over the world. I want to see great locations, great costume, great performances and great imagination… Upload them to the video section and mark them as Hoff Video Competition… I am going to think about a prize but it will be something very cool!!!

Despite his enthusiasm, I’m afraid this competition will not blow any life into the Hoff’s singing career. You see, mr. Hasselhoff misses the point here that eighties stars are only cool when other people - not yourself - start a hype. Not because the star has made great songs, no, just because he or she looks ridiculously outdated.

But don’t worry David, the whole Soocial-thing is a good start for a second career. Most eighties stars haven’t got a write-up on TechCrunch yet. Before you know it, your “Looking for freedom” has been watched 25 million times and you give shows all over the world. Just call Rick whenever you loose your faith.

david hasselhof, hoffspace, rick astley, rickroll, soocial

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