|
Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1,
1967) is a Canadian-American actress. She is a famous glamour model,
producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on
the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P.
She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February
1990. For a time, she was known as Pamela Anderson Lee (or Pamela Lee)
after marrying Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. She holds both American and
Canadian citizenship.
Anderson was born in Ladysmith, British Columbia, the daughter of Carol, a
waitress, and Barry Anderson, a furnace repairman. Her great-grandfather,
Juho Hyytiäinen, was Finnish, a native of Saarijärvi, and left Finland in
1908, changing his name to Anderson when he arrived as an immigrant.
Pamela Anderson has Russian ancestry on her mother's side.
The newborn Anderson won fame as Canada's "Centennial Baby", because she
was thought to have been the first baby born on Canada's Centennial Day
(she was born at 4:08 in the morning). However, the Campbell River Upper
Islander of July 5, 1967 reported a baby born two hours earlier on the
same Canada Day.
After graduating from Highland Secondary School in 1985, Anderson moved to
Vancouver and worked as a fitness instructor. During the summer of 1989,
Anderson went with her friends to a BC Lions game at BC Place; during the
game she was shown on the stadium screen wearing a Labatt's t-shirt,
causing the crowd to cheer for the 21-year-old Anderson. She was taken
down to the field to receive an ovation from the crowd. Labatt's
immediately offered Anderson a modeling contract and she accepted. In late
1989, Anderson decided to model for Playboy magazine. She first appeared
as their October 1989 cover girl. At this stage in her modeling career,
she had decided to live in Los Angeles to further pursue her career
ambitions. She became a centerfold for Playboy when the magazine chose her
to be their Playmate of the Month for their February 1990 issue. She then
chose to get breast implants. Anderson has since appeared in Playboy
several times in the 1990s and the following decade.
After her move to Los Angeles, she won a minor role as the original "Tool
Time girl" on the hit television sitcom, Home Improvement. She left the
show after two seasons and won the role of C. J. Parker on Baywatch.
Anderson was still modeling for Outdoor Life and appearing on the cover of
the magazine each year.
In 1996, she acted in the film Barb Wire playing Barbara Rose Kopetski,
which was thought by some to be Anderson's real name. The movie, a
thinly-veiled futuristic remake of Casablanca, was not a commercial
success. In April 1997, she guest-hosted Saturday Night Live. She also
appeared on one of two covers for the September issue of Playboy.
In September 1998, Anderson starred as Vallery Irons in the Sony Pictures
Entertainment hit syndicated show V.I.P. created by J. F. Lawton. Blending
action and humor in a fast-paced adventure series, with Anderson often
poking fun at her tabloid image, the show explored the exciting and
sometimes treacherous lives of the rich and famous. The series lasted
through a successful four year run.
In 1999, she appeared as a giantess in the music video for "Miserable" by
California alternative rock band Lit.
Her role as C.J. Parker gave her more popularity and gained her attention
from international viewers. She returned to Baywatch for the 2003 reunion
movie, Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding. She also appeared on The Nanny as
Fran's rival, Heather Biblow.
In 2004, Anderson returned to the spotlight. In May, she appeared naked on
the cover of Playboy magazine. It was the first time she had appeared
naked on any magazine cover. Later, she posed naked for Stuff and GQ
magazines.
Anderson became a naturalized citizen of the United States on May 12,
2004, while retaining her Canadian citizenship. She has lived in Southern
California since 1989.
In 2004, she released the book Star, co-written by Eric Shaw Quinn, about
a teenager trying to become famous. After this, she began touring the
United States, signing autographs for fans at Wal-Mart stores nationwide.
Her second book, the sequel Star Struck, released in 2005, is a thinly
veiled look at her life with Tommy Lee and the trials of celebrity life.
In April 2005, Anderson starred in a new Fox sitcom Stacked as Skyler
Dayton, a party girl (with implants), who goes to work at a bookstore. It
was canceled on May 18, 2006, after two seasons, although some episodes
had not been aired. On August 14, 2005, Comedy Central created the Roast
of Pamela Anderson to honor the sex symbol for the past decade. During her
final speech at the Roast, Anderson referred to her breasts as "Pancho and
Lefty".
In December 2005, NBC cut off a video of Anderson pole dancing topless on
Elton John's "The Red Piano." NBC said that the footage was inappropriate
for primetime. The video was shown on huge screens during the event, while
John played "The Bitch is Back".
In March 2006, it was announced that Anderson would receive a star on
Canada's Walk of Fame thanks to her many years as a model and actress. She
is only the second model to receive a star. In April 2006, Anderson hosted
Canada's Juno Awards, becoming the first non-singer and model to do so.
Anderson was repeatedly referenced in the 2006 comedy film Borat: Cultural
Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan as the
title character seeks to kidnap and marry her. Anderson appears in person
at the end of the film confronted by Borat in a staged botched abduction.
She performed on February 13–14, 2008 in a Valentine's Day striptease act
at the Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris.
On July 9, 2008, Anderson entered the Australian Big Brother house for a
three-day visit. Her appearance on this show also marked Anderson's foray
into reality television with a series of her own, Pam: Girl on the Loose,
which debuted on August 3, 2008 on E! in the United States.
In December 2009, Anderson guest-starred as Genie of the Lamp in the
pantomime Aladdin at the New Wimbledon Theatre in Wimbledon, south-west
London, England. Anderson took over the role from comedienne Ruby Wax,
with former EastEnders actress Anita Dobson and comedian Paul O'Grady also
booked for the role.
In addition to her fame from modeling and acting, Anderson has received a
great deal of press attention for her well-publicized personal life. Her
relationships have made headlines in gossip magazines for years. Anderson
married Tommy Lee, drummer of Mötley Crüe, on February 19, 1995 after
knowing him for only 96 hours and the couple eventually had two sons,
Brandon Thomas Lee (b. June 6, 1996) and Dylan Jagger Lee (b. December 29,
1997) named after Pamela's great grandfather Dale Jagger Grosco who fought
in World World II. During this time, she was known professionally as
Pamela Anderson Lee. Anderson filed for divorce from Lee twice and
reconciled with him twice, before the couple finally broke up for good. In
March 2002, Anderson publicly stated that she had contracted the Hepatitis
C virus from Lee (supposedly from sharing tattoo needles), and began
writing a regular column for Jane magazine. In October 2003, Anderson
jokingly said on Howard Stern's radio show that she does not expect to
live more than ten or fifteen years, but this was misconstrued and taken
seriously by many Web sites and tabloids. However, she admitted to
newspapers that she still often had sex with him since their divorce.
A home sex video of Anderson and Tommy Lee on their honeymoon was stolen
from their home, and made a huge stir on the Internet. Anderson sued the
video distribution company Internet Entertainment Group. Ultimately, the
courts awarded Anderson and Lee $1.5 million plus attorney fees for their
share of the profits. Thereafter, the company sold copies of the stolen
honeymoon tape across the country. It was very popular.
A second tape, which was made before the Tommy Lee tape, involving
Anderson and musician Bret Michaels from Poison was later announced, and
an abridged version of less than 60 seconds appeared on the internet.
Frames of the video first appeared in Penthouse magazine in March 1998.
The tape was successfully blocked by Michaels, but a four-minute sex tape
is still available on the Internet.
Since her divorce, she was engaged to the model Marcus Schenkenberg and to
the singer Kid Rock (Robert J. Ritchie). She broke up with Schenkenberg in
2001 and with Kid Rock in 2003. It was announced on July 18, 2006 that she
would marry Kid Rock on July 29, 2006 on a yacht near St Tropez, France.
"Feels like I've been stuck in a time warp," said Anderson in her blog
entry. "Not able to let go of MY family picture ... it's been sad and
lonely and frustrating ... I've raised my kids alone in hope of a miracle.
Well my miracle came and went. And came back and back because he knew that
I'd wake up one day and realize that I was waiting for nothing." "I'm
moving on," she declared. "I feel like I'm finally free ... I'm in love."
There was extensive unconfirmed media speculation that the marriage was
pregnancy-related, but the theory was based only on Anderson's
representative's refusal to comment on the question.
She sold her home in Malibu, California to move to a more private
location. In an interview with Gavriel Maynard, Anderson stated "I don't
know why people consider me stupid, I'm actually really smart."
On November 10, 2006, it was announced that Anderson miscarried while in
Vancouver shooting a new film, Blonde and Blonder. Seventeen days later,
on November 27, 2006, Anderson filed for divorce in Los Angeles County
Superior Court from Kid Rock, citing irreconcilable differences. Some news
reports have suggested that Kid Rock's outrage during a screening of
Borat, in which she plays a cameo role, led to the filing for divorce two
weeks later.
Anderson told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres in September 2007 that she
was engaged. On September 29, Anderson and Paris Hilton's ex Rick Salomon
applied for a marriage license in Las Vegas. Anderson married Salomon
between her two nightly appearances at the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino
in Hans Klok's magic show in a small wedding ceremony at The Mirage on
October 6, 2007. However, on February 22, 2008, Anderson has requested
through the courts that the marriage be annulled citing fraud.
Anderson is a vegetarian, an advocate for animal rights, and an active
member of the animal protection organization People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA), taking part in several campaigns for animal
rights. She became a vegetarian in her early teens when she saw her father
cleaning an animal he had hunted.
One of Anderson's campaigns as a member of PETA has been against the use
of fur. In 1999, Anderson received the first Linda McCartney Memorial
Award for animal rights protectors, in recognition of her campaign. In
2003, Anderson stripped down for PETA's "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear
Fur" advertising campaign. On June 28, 2006, Anderson posed naked with
other protesters on a window display of the Stella McCartney boutique in
London, England. It was a PETA gala event before the PETA Humanitarian
Awards. Anderson went inside the boutique and said she would take her
clothes off if the event raised enough money for PETA, which it did.
She has also campaigned against Kentucky Fried Chicken. In 2001, Anderson
released a letter in support of PETA's campaign against Kentucky Fried
Chicken, stating "What KFC does to 750 million chickens each year is not
civilized or acceptable." She later made a video about KFC's treatment of
chickens. In January 2006, Anderson requested that the Governor of
Kentucky remove a bust of Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, from
display but her request was refused even when she offered her own bust in
exchange. In February 2006, Anderson decided to boycott the Kentucky Derby
because of its support for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
She has also campaigned against seal hunting in Canada. In March 2006,
Anderson asked to speak to Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the annual
seal hunt but she was refused. In May 2006, she petitioned random
individuals on the street for their opinion on the Canadian Seal Hunt. In
December, 2009, Anderson, photographed in a t-shirt with a drawn picture
of a seal pup on it, was featured in a new ad campaign for PETA. She
appears next to the headline "Save the Seals" in the ad and urges the
public to help end "Canada's annual seal slaughter."
Anderson joined forces with PETA in a campaign for the boycott of
fruit-juice maker POM. The "Pom Horrible Campaign" has resulted in the
company halting animal tests.
In March 2005, Anderson became a spokesmodel for MAC Cosmetics's MAC AIDS
Fund, which helped people affected by AIDS and HIV. After becoming the
official spokesmodel, Anderson raised money during events in Toronto,
Tokyo, Dublin, and Athens.
Anderson became the celebrity spokesperson for the American Liver
Foundation, and served as the Grand Marshal of the SOS motorcycle ride
fundraiser.
She wrote an open letter to President Barack Obama urging the legalization
of marijuana.
Anderson's Playboy career spans approximately two decades (1989–2007), and
she has appeared on more Playboy covers than anyone else. She has also
made appearances in the publication's newsstand specials.
During an appearance at the World Wrestling Federation's Royal Rumble in
1995, Anderson promised that she would accompany the winner of the Royal
Rumble to WrestleMania. Anderson returned for her appearance at the World
Wrestling Federation's WrestleMania XI on April 2, but as the guest valet
for WWF World Heavyweight Champion Diesel and not the Royal Rumble winner,
his opponent Shawn Michaels; Michaels ended up being accompanied to the
ring by Jenny McCarthy. After pinning Michaels, Diesel left with both
Anderson and McCarthy.
In anticipation of her appearance at the Royal Rumble, several skits were
produced featuring wrestlers fawning over Anderson. One commercial
featured Anderson coming home and checking her answering machine. As
Anderson strips down behind a curtain, messages from wrestlers such as
Shawn Michaels, Diesel, and Doink the Clown can be heard.
At the 2006 Canada's Walk of Fame induction ceremony, Anderson shared a
kiss with WWE diva Trish Stratus.
She appeared on former Pro Wrestling commentator Mark Madden's
Pittsburgh-based sports talk radio show in October, 2006.
Newman House is a pop architecture icon built in 2003 in St Kilda,
Victoria, Australia which features a large effigy of Anderson's face.
Built by local celebrity Sam Newman (an admirer and personal friend of
Anderson), he commissioned local architect Cassandra Fahey to design the
building and was able to use the image with Anderson's permission. Permits
were issued retroactively when it became a major local landmark and won
the award for Best New Residential Building in the RAIA Victorian
Architecture Awards.
Serbian comedy rock band Prljavi Inspektor Bla˛a i Kljunovi released the
song "Lepa si, Pamela" (trans. "You're Beautiful, Pamela") on their 1998
album Seks, droga i Bodiroga (Sex, Drugs and Bodiroga). In the song the
band's frontman Igor "Prljavi Inspektor Bla˛a" Bla˛ević declares his love
to Pamela and makes threats to Tommy Lee, and the album cover features an
image of Pamela and Bla˛ević in bed. In 2009 Bla˛ević met Pamela in
Belgrade, presenting her with the Seks, droga i Bodiroga disc and the
large image of Pamela and him featured on the album cover.
Pamela is also seen on the television series, Invader Zim, appearing in
Walk of Doom, Dib's Wonderful Life of Doom, Mortos de Soulstealer, and The
Girl Who Cried Gnome. However, she did not speak in her appearance on the
show. |
