An actor from hit action-drama series Baywatch has revealed the way he kept his member from shrinking while on set.
A number of TV shows defined the ’90s, whether it be Friends, Seinfeld, Law & Order or Dawson’s Creek, there was a lot to watch back in the day.
But arguably, the most unique of these iconic series was none other than Baywatch, starring the likes of David Hasselhoff, Carmen Electra and Pamela Anderson among others as lifeguards on the beaches of Los Angeles.
For all you Gen Zers that haven’t seen before, it was essentially a bunch of toned, fit, oiled up stunners running in slow motion on the beach to some intense music, and that made it one of the most popular shows of the ’90s.
Of course, there is more to it than that, but when you think Baywatch, you think slow-mo action sequences, let’s be honest now.
Actors on the American drama had to be in great shape and in tight swimwear while filming, which may look great on screen, but came with their own problems for those in front of the cameras.
David Chokachi is known for playing Cody Madison in Baywatch, and has shared a secret of his in how he made sure that he presented his parts well, as he faced ‘shrinkage’ issues due to filming in ice cold water with minimal clothing.
He was speaking as part of brand new Hulu documentary series, After Baywatch: Moment In The Sun, which featured several of the show’s stars speaking candidly about their time working on the series, reminiscing on how and why the show was as popular as it was.
The 56-year-old opened up on how exposed men on the show in particular felt about wearing nothing except some skimpy trunks.
Chokachi had a technique to make himself appear bigger. (Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
He revealed: “The problem was that a lot of times it’s 6.30 in the morning and it’s freezing, and it’s like ‘Alright, get in the water’. The shrinkage is ridiculous.”
Obviously, no actor wants to sell himself short, in *any* area, so Chokachi had to do something to fix this problem.
“I had my own technique. I would basically try and find a little towel or jacket and hid under it and I would do a little personal fluffing,” he began to explain.
“Then it created a little circulation and you could represent yourself a little bit better.”
Despite this fix, he still asked to wear shorts instead, though producers stopped him because ‘lifeguards did wear speedos because they are more effective in the water’.
Chokachi was on the show from 1995 to 1999 after replacing main cast member David Charvet.
The pressures around men on the show to look good was a topic that was discussed by the cast in depth, and how they had to look good in spite of how they felt.
A lot of these features returned for the 2024 docuseries. (Getty Images)
Carmen Electra, a ’90s stunner in her own right, played Lani McKenzie, and spoke about the subject, explaining: “I think Baywatch was ahead of its time because the men were featured and men looked hot.”
Alexandra Paul, who played Lt. Stephanie Holden, said the pressure was equal on both sides: “Men can be sexualized just as much as women and Chokachi is a perfect example of that in the opening credits.
“He’s coming out of the water and his muscles are popping out, he throws head back, and in slow motion you see his c**k in his suit and it was hot.”
Kelly Packard, known for playing April Giminski, also weighed in, saying: “On the show the men all had to wear next to nothing and there was little left to the imagination.”
“The 90s were full of these dudes who were super ripped and had these eight packs and just like wearing underwear,” David explained, saying that the ‘Baywatch look’ became popular at the time.