Love, Pamela: A Memoir of Prose, Poetry, and Truth

The Colony was Anderson’s gated community in Malibu where she lived for many years.

She calls this upscale neighborhood “a playground for starlets, retired movie stars, writers, musicians, mistresses, and artists” (151). She recalls how she was naturally drawn to the community’s coastal setting and wanted her home to be “a place of safety and stability for my boys”(138). Anderson shares her pride in her renovation of her home at The Colony, which took years of work and all her money. In hindsight, she considers her home “a great investment” in spite of how it often felt like “an eternal money pit” (211).

Baywatch was a television show that aired from 1989-1999. This drama series is set in Los Angeles County and follows a group of local lifeguards as they patrol beaches and cope with personal and professional challenges. Despite poor critical reviews, the show became hugely successful and is remembered as an important part of 1990s pop culture in the US and internationally. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Baywatch remains one of the most watched television shows of all time (“Largest TV Audience – Series.” Guinness World Records).

In her work Love, Pamela, the author recalls feeling initially reluctant to audition for the show due to the need to drive a long distance to the audition. New to Los Angeles and to show business, Anderson was fielding different offers and accepted a smaller role on another hit show, Home Improvement. Anderson recounts how the Baywatch producers relentlessly pursued her for the show, hiring her on the spot when they eventually met her. Anderson shares her fond memories of shooting Baywatch, explaining that the producers worked her own interests into her character, Casey Jean (or C.J.). She remembers, “We spoke about my grandfather and how I loved the ocean, animals, crystals, how I could feel energy” and how this translated into Casey Jean being a “bohemian free spirit who loved incense and candles, a healer and an animal whisperer. A true reflection of me” (97). Anderson enjoyed the show’s outdoor shoots, castmates, and water activities, but left the show after five seasons to focus on raising her sons.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is a non-profit international organization that lobbies for animal rights. Established in 1980, PETA aims to stop animal exploitation and abuse in laboratories, the fashion industry, entertainment, and the food industry. PETA is a controversial organization even among fellow animal rights activists. PETA animal shelters euthanize significantly more animals than other shelters, though PETA argues that this is because they take in animals other shelters would turn away (Lloyd, Janice. “PETA Says ‘Exploiters’ Raise Euthanasia Issue.” USA Today, 2012). Among other controversies, the organization also came under fire for a 2014 ad campaign that falsely claimed a link between cow’s milk and autism. 

In her memoir, Anderson recounts how she was always interested in helping animals, and was opposed to hunting and animal cruelty from a young age. As her profile grew, Anderson decided to partner with PETA to raise awareness about animal rights. She has worked with the organization on numerous campaigns and is proud of their “great, worldwide success” (101).

Choose Love is an international non-profit that helps people facing emergencies and displacement. Anderson explains how she came to learn about Choose Love while living in France. She supported the organization by visiting a refugee camp at Calais, France, where Choose Love distributed food and other essentials. Anderson worked with the charity to supply a Wi-Fi and phone van for the camp. Anderson remembers this as a “humbling experience” and portrays Choose Love as a caring and effective organization (205).