She may not have squeezed her fabulous body into that iconic red one-piece swimsuit, but former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson early Wednesday morning proved she’s still got it. She swooped into Dubai’s new nightclub VIP Room at 1am swathed in a demure floral Vivienne Westwood (no heaving bosom or running across sandy stretches involved) with a mission to breathe glamour and star power into a room filled with merry clubbers.
“It’s nice to come back after five years and it’s good to see everybody again. I always have ulterior motives,” said Anderson told tabloid! in her squeaky-yet-sexy voice. The last time she was in the UAE, she channelled her star power in a Make A Wish Foundation charity auction dinner in Abu Dhabi to help critically-ill children.
“By ulterior motives, I mean for positive things,” she added with a laugh and a wink that would melt any cynic out there. The star of America’s pervasive cultural export Baywatch, who played the buxom lifeguard CJ Parker, turned on an entire generation in the 1990s. But the sex symbol-turned-animal rights activist now has set her eyes on graver subjects.
“Every time I travel, I use it for animal rights. There are specific things in the Middle East I want to talk about,” said Anderson, who had previously lobbied for the freedom of Dubai’s Sammy The Shark held captive in a local aquarium.
“It’s always been on my mind. Soon, I will be heading to the Cannes to host a party for Bridget Bardot to raise some money for her animal rights at the Cannes Film Festival,” said Anderson.
When asked whether her UAE plans revolved around working on building that ambitious eco-friendly hotel in Abu Dhabi, she told us that the project has been put on hold. During her last visit, Anderson had announced plans to build an environmentally-friendly resort.
“We were planning on it but it fell apart due to the recession in America and here. It just didn’t happen, I would love to do that. I am really sad that it didn’t happen and I really want to do it,” said Anderson.
The 45-year-old pin-up also slammed reports that she will hit the beach one last time in a Baywatch movie spin-off. In recent weeks, reports have been swirling that Anderson will wear that red suit again.
“No, I have never heard of it. Nobody has ever called me. This is funny, but I don’t want to do it. I don’t like to remake things. The television show was so sweet, I had rather not make a spoof of it,” said Anderson. She recalls her stint as lifeguard CJ Parker as “wholesome and sweet”.
“I hope they still perceive me as that Baywatch star. I like that image because it was a great time in my life … I am proud of that time. Some things may have gone out of control – my marriage etc. But now I am back to being healthy in a wholesome, assembled world,” said Anderson. Oozing confidence in a =sweet dress cinched at her tiny waist, her top tip to women out there is to be comfortable in their own skin. It was clear that she lives by that philosophy as she glided into the VIP Room at the JW Marriott Dubai and let her hair down to hits such as Sexy And I Know It. But it’s not all fun. Her biggest fear about being a celebrity?
“That I have to do club appearances for the rest of my life.” Then: “I am kidding,” she added with that loud laughter.
“Seriously, I have always loved VIP Room. It’s a great place and I am supporting my friend Jean Roch [VIP Room founder],” said Anderson, who partied late into the night.
