Michael Newman talks ‘After Baywatch’ documentary, and raising awareness on Parkinson’s

Actor and lifeguard Michael Newman. Photo Courtesy of Michael Newman.

Michael Newman chatted about “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun,” the new docuseries on Hulu, and he opened up about raising awareness on Parkinson’s.

“The important thing in life is not victory but combat; it is not to have vanquished but to have fought well,” said Pierre de Coubertin, French Educator who was primarily responsible for the revival of the Olympic Games in 1894. Michael Newman, affectionately known as “Newmie,” is such an individual.

‘After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun’

On being a part of “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun,” Newman remarked, “I did the teaser tape to help out Gregory Bonann, the creator of the show, to pitch it to the networks.”

“It was a full, busy and crazy day in the beach in 1988, before the show came out,” he recalled. “That tape was something we just created, and we had no idea about what we were going to do with it. The tape was a five-minute short, and it ended up in the right spot.”

“Gregory Bonann got together with his brother-in-law Doug Schwartz and his writing partner Michael Berk. I was on the show until 2000, and I watched it evolve into a worldwide phenomenon. Little did we know that we would be talking about ‘Baywatch’ over 20 years later, and see it come back,” he elaborated.

“Watching it come back is really powerful and gratifying. ‘Baywatch’ is the gift that keeps on giving,” he acknowledged.

“Back in the early ‘90s, when we were shooting the show, we had more freedom language-wise and with the wardrobe. I used to have a lot of fun back then. I tried my best to make all the rescues seem very realistic,” he noted.

“I got to go to work, and I got paid for doing what I love: all the rescue scenes, diving, boat driving were things that I excelled in, and I got to do it all on the show, so that was cool,” he added.

David Hasselhoff on Michael Newman

In “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun,” David Hasselhoff praised Newman as “the best person on the show because he was real,” and rightfully so. Newman was also a full-time firefighter while filming “Baywatch” and being a lifeguard.

Michael Newman on working with Matthew Felker

On working with Matthew Felker as the director, Newman stated, “Matt had a clear vision and a drive to make this documentary. I told him that I am not really interested in being an actor anymore, but if he wanted to give a plug about Parkinson’s disease I would gladly do it, and he took me on. We wound up becoming really good friends.”

“I showed him a little bit about what it was like to be a Los Angeles County lifeguard, and he interviewed many people for this project over a five-year span,” he said.

“From the very beginning, Matt had a vision about what he wanted the show to be about: it was not about the typical ‘Baywatch,’ and they were able to dig deeper and really show the quality and worth of the actors and the lifeguards (who have other things going on in their lives besides the lifeguarding),” he elaborated.

“We wanted to show the story of what the lifeguards are really like… they have different things to do and different professions to facilitate,” he acknowledged.

“Matt was very driven, he knew what he wanted, and he accomplished exactly what I was hoping we could do,” Newman expressed.

“Matt and I still keep in touch, and I am grateful that he allowed me to tell my story about Parkinson’s,” Newman said. “Matt trusted everyone and he valued everyone’s stories, and we trusted Matthew in return. Matt has become more than a director; he has become a good friend.”

“Once again, I am very thankful to Matt for allowing me and all the other actors to tell their true stories, especially to take these stereotypical characters and turn them into real people and showcase their real struggles,” he added.

Newman’s “Baywatch” co-star Nicole Eggert served as a producer on this documentary.

Partaking in national and international competitions

Newman shared that he enjoyed partaking in national and international competitions amongst other lifeguards. “I did a lot of international travel because lifeguards have competitions with each other. I was the captain of my traveling team, and we would go to different countries and compete,” he said.

“I had a great time traveling and meeting the fraternity of men and women that call themselves ‘lifesavers.’ I won the Ironman championship back in 1995, so it was fun to travel and compete,” Newman noted.

“Matt shows the good, bad, the difficult, and the ugly, and he allows viewers to gain a deeper appreciation and respect for those actors even more,” he added.

Newman on raising awareness on Parkinson’s

Newman’s goal is to raise awareness on Parkinson’s, and he noted that was the main reason why he got involved with this documentary. “Matthew committed to using this as a platform to allow me to speak about Parkinson’s, which I’ve been battling for 18 years,” he said.

“I still do a lot better in the water than walking on land,” he admitted. “This made me realize the side effects that this disease causes, and I was not afraid to put myself out there to talk about it, and let my story be told.”

“Hopefully, it will inspire people to open their pocketbooks and generate some income to help fund research to help find a cure for Parkinson’s.”

Advice for young and aspiring lifeguards

For young and aspiring lifeguards, Newman said with a sweet laugh, “Watch the water.” “You can put band-aids on people’s legs, or you can tell people to get their dog off the beach, but the most important thing is to watch the water,” he underscored.

“Don’t divert your attention to anything that is happening on land; that’s not what we pay you for. Watch the water,” he reiterated.

Newman on the greatest lessons learned from lifeguarding

On the greatest lesson that lifeguarding has taught him, he shared, “It taught me to be responsible and vigilant around any body of water. Because of my training, I was ready to make a rescue whether I was on duty or not.”

“My son is following in my footsteps. He has been a lifeguard for almost 20 years, and he just took his captain’s test for the rescue boats, which are an amazing tool to be used to rescue large groups of people.”

“Also, respect the ocean in every way that you can. Don’t litter; pick up trash at the beach,” he added.

Success

Regarding his definition of success, Newman said, “As a lifeguard, success meant having everyone leave the beach and return home safely.”

“It also makes me proud to know that I have inspired generations of people to become lifeguards themselves,” Newman acknowledged.

“I can’t tell you the number of letters I get from people thanking me for motivating them to become lifeguards, and for inspiring them to help save other people’s lives,” he added.

Message for his fans and supporters

For his fans, he remarked, “Thank you to all my fans for believing in me, and for taking interest in this honorable profession. I appreciate all the love you’ve given me. Please join me in the fight to find a cure for Parkinson’s.” 

To paraphrase the lyrics of the Tim McGraw song “The Cowboy in Me: “We ride and never worry about the fall, I guess that’s just the (lifeguard) in us all.” Michael Newman embodies these country music lyrics, and his life story and indomitable spirit are an inspiration to us all.