Canadian-American actress and model Pamela Anderson opened up about the terrible state of her self-confidence before she posed for the infamous Playboy magazine in 1989.
Anderson shared that posing for the men’s lifestyle magazine brought her a sense of “freedom” as she pointed out that she suffered from “debilitating” shyness while growing up.
The “City Hunter” actress, whose autobiography, Love, Pamela, just hit the New York Times bestseller list, has teamed up with the female-empowering social networking app Bumble to support victims of domestic abuse.
Read on for more details.
Pamela Anderson Says Playboy Magazine Freed Her
During a “one-on-one” special with Morgan Hoffman of ET Canada, the “Baywatch” alum openly discussed how she struggled with shyness as a young girl before posing for Playboy magazine in 1989.
Anderson, 55, labeled her shyness as “debilitating,” explaining that it was so bad she would wear a hat and almost cover her whole face with it so she could only see out a little.
“I hated the way I looked, I hated everything. I was so shy and I always thought everybody was pretty and I just didn’t have that confidence or self-confidence,” she told the news outlet.
Anderson divulged that she’d turned down the opportunity to pose for the magazine several times before it finally happened in 1989, which she claims is what gave her her power back.
“Then I was in Vancouver and Playboy approached me a few times and I said no. Finally, I was in a situation and thought ‘Why not? Let me try this.’ Then I got to L.A. and I was horrified,” the actress shared.
“Then I did my first photo shoot with Playboy… it was the first flash when I opened my eyes, and it felt like I was falling off a cliff. It really felt like I was just… allowing, instead of trying to control. And it was my first feeling of freedom,” she stated, adding, “Then I was off to the races.”
She Had A ‘Spidey Sense’ About The Playboy Mansion
Elsewhere on the show, the “Home Improvement” star spoke about what she meant and the reason she said she had “spidey senses” not to stay in the Playboy mansion at the time.
Anderson said her sixth sense had always been active, and she just knew not to stay at the mansion, as she narrated a certain time when a photographer had said that they’d be alone during a photo shoot in Hawaii.
The actress revealed that she told a stewardess who arranged for her to go home on a flight free of charge. She noted that it’s a hunch, sharing that she’s listened to the “red flags” several times before.
Pamela Anderson Accused Tim Allen Of ‘Flashing’ Her
Anderson recently claimed that her “Home Improvement” co-star Tim Allen “flashed” her when they both worked on set in 1991.
In her new memoir Love, Pamela, she alleged that the “Santa Clause” actor opened his robe to show her his nakedness, but Allen has since denied it, saying, “No, it never happened. I would never do such a thing.”
During a February interview with ET Canada, Anderson upheld that the incident did happen and Allen “had to deny.”
“You can’t make that stuff up. He has to deny it because look at the times we’re in. If he said, ‘Oh yeah, I did that…’ he’d be…” Anderson trailed off, implying the actor would get canceled.
She narrated in detail how it allegedly happened, saying, “It was the first day of filming, and I was in my dressing room and I came out, and then he came out of his dressing room and he had this robe on.”
She then noted that Allen opened and closed the robe and allegedly told her that they were even because he had seen her naked, and she’s also seen him naked. Anderson claimed that the actor felt embarrassed and was acting like “a little giddy schoolboy.”
Pamela Anderson Partners With Bumble
According to People magazine, the “Blonde and Blonder” actress recently partnered with Bumble to help victims and survivors of domestic violence. Anderson’s partnership with the social networking app was said to have been inspired by Bumble’s CEO, Wolfe Herd, watching her Netflix documentary “Pamela, a love story.”
“Pamela is a powerful voice for women everywhere and her experiences and unwavering dedication to helping others epitomizes Bumble’s mission to empower women,” Herd said.
According to the news outlet, Herd will donate to the National Domestic Violence Hotline “on behalf of Pamela and survivors everywhere.”
Anderson, for her part, noted she “was moved” when the company approached her to iron out the partnership. “Stepping into the unknown has always appealed to me, and in doing so, I hope to help empower and inspire other women to give love another chance,” she said.
