The world knows of beauty bombshell Pamela Andersons, but it’s safe to say that no one knows who Pamela Anderson is. Last week, for the first time in her career, Anderson released her story in the Netflix documentary “Pamela, a love story” and social media is singing her praises.
For a woman who’s become an icon of a generation, idolized by many and ridiculed by millions, this is the first time the international superstar tells her story about the events that took place in her life from her perspective, and this time, people are finally listening.
In the documentary, Anderson begins her story from childhood detailing the troubling events from her parent’s dysfunctional marriage to being sexually assaulted by her babysitter. Yet in no way did it stop Anderson from pushing through and landing in Los Angeles where she was given the opportunity to be featured in Playboy Magazine, which her mother fully supported. “If I had the body I would do it too,” Anderson’s mother chuckled in her home based in Canada.
Anderson was one of the few models to be featured on the cover of Playboy 14 times while also taking part in 15 editorial features. Her mixture of the girl next door and confident sexual prowess captivated millions helping her launched her acting debut as CJ in the hit show Baywatch which became a television sensation making its way all over the globe. Later we find out that while Pamela was indeed the reason why people even watched the show, she was only being paid $4,000 a year. As her career seemed to go on an upward track toward fame, in comes the scandal.
When the tape of Anderson with her late husband Tommy Lee on their honeymoon was stolen and sold to millions, Anderson did whatever she could to fight back. Yet she was met with jokes, patronizing remarks, and insinuating statements that the sex tape was intentionally done. When Anderson tried to take the sex tape scandal to the court, the judge explicitly stated that since Anderson was a centerfold and a sex icon, there was nothing to be done and ultimately this is what she deserved.
For people in power who have the ability to create an impact to save not just her career but her mental health, telling her that she got what she deserved is what made her realize that she was fighting a losing battle. Her image was stolen from her and there was no way she could get it back. And so for the sake of her mental health, she signed away the right to the video, decided to put the event in the past, and focus on being a mother to her two boys, Brandon and Dylan.
The amount of injustice that’s happened to Anderson is painstakingly relatable. From abuse, assault, miscarriage, gaslit, and having her private moment with the man she loved being sold for profit without consent or commission, Anderson’s tale hits a chord on a deeper level.
Why? Because almost every woman can in some way relate to what has been done to her. Anderson’s stories are one of the millions of women who suffer in silence for the fear of not being listened to or worse, being ridiculed for it. God forbid a woman dares to love and live as a flawed and imperfect human yet this has been Anderson’s life from day one.
As the world made a laughing stock of her image, she continued to work in Hollywood smiling through the sexist questions and inappropriate remarks. Anderson learned to take the lemons and make the lemonade despite people taking a sip and spitting it back at her face.
This storyline has been a repetitive cycle for countless women in Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe, Britney Spears, and Lindsey Lohan are just a few women who weren’t given the right to be human and if they did show any human flaw, it would be used as a weapon against them in the hope of creating great publicity. And we the public, continue to eat this up creating the demand for Hollywood to bring stars up only to break them down in front of the whole world. Anderson was a Hollywood commodity, an instant cash cow to be used, abused, and then thrown to the wolves.
And because Hollywood has no limits, Hulu debuted the drama series show “Pam and Tommy” in 2022 which showcased the events of the sex tape scandal. Anderson was not notified of the show and did not receive any proceeds. Some say that her settlement gave Hollywood the freedom to run with the story, but where is the moral compass?
The Netflix documentary “Pamela, a love story” is the first time the star has to not only set the record straight but tell her story without constant interruption and gaslighting.
She also released her book “Love, Pamela” detailing her rise to stardom including the countless inappropriate sexual jokes made about and to her. So much so that her bio opens up with actor Tim Allen flashing his penis at Anderson stating that he saw her naked on the sex tape so it was only “fair game.”
This time around, at the age of 55, Anderson has the microphone and she is speaking her truth.
At the premiere of the Netflix documentary, she arrived with her sons Brandon And Dylan Lee who stood by her side the entire night. During an interview, Brandon stated how incredibly strong her mother has been throughout her entire career, their entire childhood, and that “it’s only going to be a matter of time before we come knocking” regarding the injustice that’s been done on Anderson for years.
And as a writer, a woman, a mother, and an overall human being, I cannot wait for the day when Pamela gets the justice and recognition she rightfully deserves.
In my opinion, it’s going to happen. And it’s going to be glorious.
Image sourced from 1000 Towns of Canada