Pamela Anderson biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Pamela Anderson was born on July 1, 1967 to a working class family in British Columbia. After high school, she worked as a fitness instructor until she was "discovered" at a Canadian football game. Anderson, wearing a form-fitting Labatt's tee shirt, was broadcast over the stadium's giant screen. She was then hired by Labatt's to appear in their advertisements.

An offer from Playboy soon followed. She would go on to appear in five more issues of the magazine.

Baywatch

Anderson parleyed her modeling success into a series of bit parts on television programs. She got her first big break in 1991 as the "Tool Time Girl" on the sitcom Home Improvement. While there, she attracted the attention of casting agents from Baywatch, who were looking to replace Erika Elaniak, the shows then-current blonde bombshell. The hour-long show portraying the lives of Malibu lifeguards was a nearly plotless vehicle for semi-nude video montages and the critics panned it accordingly. However, fueled by frequent shots of the voluptuous Anderson, the show became the highest rated program worldwide.

Anderson's television success did not transfer well to the big screen. Despite mass publicity, including an appearance by Anderson at the Cannes Film Festival clad in a skintight cat suit, her first effort, Barb Wire, was both a critical and commercial failure.

Anderson returned to television as the executive producer and star of V.I.P, in which she plays the owner of a bodyguard agency staffed exclusively by models. The series remains a success in syndication.

Personal Life

Anderson's 1995 marriage to Motley Crue rocker Tommy Lee captured persistent media attention. They couple had two children, Brandon Thomas and Dylan Jagger. However, the marriage was continually fraught with controversy, including an incident in which stolen honeymoon tapes of the couple having sex were broadcast over the Internet. The marriage ended in divorce in 1998 after Lee was arrested and convicted for spousal abuse.

In March of 2002, Anderson went public with the news that she has hepatitis-C. She claimed she contracted the disease by sharing a tattoo needle with Lee. The personal tragedy failed to derail Anderson's year-long romance with rapper Kid Rock (a.k.a. Robert Ritchie). The two married on July 29, 2006, on a yacht near St. Tropez France. In November 2006, it was announced that Anderson miscarried. A few weeks later, she filed for divorce from Kid Rock, citing irreconcilable differences.

Borat

That same month, Anderson made headlines when she appeared in the mockumentary hit, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan starring British comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen. In the film, Anderson played herself in what appeared to be a real-life botched kidnapping. Audiences debated whether or not the appearance was planned or a surprise. Anderson refused to comment, but told MTV that Cohen was "such a nice guy." The film was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Anderson announced she was engaged to socialite Rick Salomon. The couple married in October of that year, but they filed for divorce shortly after, on December 14th. Two days later, the exes were seen shopping together, and Anderson announced that the two were working on their relationship. Their truce, however, was brief: In March of 2008, after only nine weeks of marriage, the couple officially annuled their union citing issues of fraud.

More Roles

Anderson is currently starring in her own television series, Pam: Girl on the Loose which debuted in August of 2008. She also starred in two more comedy films that year, Blonde and Blonder and Superhero Movie. Her newest project, Hollywood & Wine is slated for release in 2009.

Off-screen, the life-long vegetarian is also an outspoken advocate for PETA, protesting the use of fur and the hunting of seals. Most recently, she auctioned off a 2000 Viper sports car that appeared in Pam: Girl on the Loose to support the nonprofit organization.

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