The world’s greatest surfer, Kelly Slater, is far past his competitive prime. Oh, what he has achieved over the course of a 45-year professional career, winning 11 championships, an Eddie, 8 Pipe Masters etc. will likely never be eclipsed though, like many athletes, he has hung on too long and as a still very handsome 56-year-old will never win another heat.
Rumors floated that he was angling to be coach of the U.S. Olympic surf team over certain objections. But imagine him bobbing in that channel boat, watching, Billy Stairmand et. al. thread Teahupo’o, a wave he himself has conquered 5 times. Torture. It would be a pure torture more excruciating than the Dune pain box or getting stung on the testicles by a scorpion.
Slater watchers know that he needs the spotlight and so a quiet fade into obscurity is not in the cards. Likewise, entering the World Surf League booth would be a hefty step down, singing and dancing for 15,000 fans. Moving full time to his new Abu Dhabi facility might seem fun for a minute, and he would certainly be feted, but as someone who has spent enough time in the United Arab Emirates, the thrill quickly wears off
The right-leaning television network has just announced that it is bringing a reboot of the 90s hit Baywatch back to the small screen.
Fox and Fremantle have tapped Lara Olsen (“Spinning Out”) to serve as showrunner for the new “Baywatch,” which was originally created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz and Gregory J. Bonann. Starring David Hasselhoff, “Baywatch” originally ran from 1989 to 1999 and then was retooled as “Baywatch: Hawaii” from 1999 to 2001.
Olsen, Berk, and Schwartz will serve as exec producers on the one-hour drama, which comes from both Fremantle and Fox Entertainment. Here’s the new : “Daring ocean rescues, pristine beaches, and iconic red bathing suits are back, along with a whole new generation of Baywatch lifeguards, who navigate complicated, messy personal lives in this action-packed reboot that demonstrates there’s the family you’re born into and the family you find.”