The two most consistent things in Pamela Anderson’s life, outside of environmental and animal activism, are marriage (she’s had five) and the ability to surprise.
In 1995, the actress married Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee 96 hours after she met him. After a notorious sex tape and two kids, they were divorced three years later. That freed her up to wed Kid Rock (2006-2007), followed up by two broken unions to the same man, party-boy poker player Rick Salomon (2007-2008; 2014-2015).
And on Jan. 20, the 52-year-old stunned the world when, out of the blue, she married film producer Jon Peters, 74.
Even more shocking: the announcement 12 days later that the “marriage” — which took place at a secret ceremony in Malibu, California, that included her sons, Dylan Lee, 22, and Brandon Thomas Lee, 23 — was over.
“Pamela had just spent a month in India on an Ayurvedic cleanse, to start the new decade off fresh. She was doing constant meditation and yoga. She came back very open,” said a source close to the couple. “Jon has pursued her for 30 years. They were texting while she was in India and agreed they’d have lunch.”
But Anderson doesn’t operate at the speed of most people.
“The day she returned, Jon invited family and friends [over for lunch] and proposed to her. He had a friend ‘officiate.’ Essentially, it was a sweet ceremony, but ultimately, [no license] was filed,” the close source said.
Almost immediately after joining Peters in Malibu, Anderson had regrets.
“She was homesick for her ranch in Canada. It’s a sprawling waterfront compound in Ladysmith, British Columbia,” said the close source.
And then there was the matter of being her own woman.
“It was important to Pamela she stay independent, financially speaking. But Jon’s as controlling as he’s creative, and he did not respond well to her autonomy,” said the close source.
“Pamela respected him,” the close source added. “He treated her like a princess. She felt she was ready to be married. It all felt right. Maybe even a sign, a gift from God after her monthlong cleanse. She was vulnerable, and she accepted his proposal. It was only supposed to be lunch.”
Anderson, who grew up in British Columbia, shot to fame as a Playboy Playmate in 1990, followed by a recurring role on the sitcom “Home Improvement” that often found her dressed in Daisy Duke cut-offs. Her next character’s costume was even skimpier — and more iconic: that red tank-style swimsuit she wore on “Baywatch” from 1992 to 1997.
But she quickly became as famous for her relationships as her career, linked to a litany of Hollywood men: actor Scott Baio, “Real World” cast member Eric Nies, “Baywatch” co-star David Charvet, “Lois & Clark” star Dean Cain, Poison rocker Bret Michaels, model Marcus Schenkenberg and surfer Kelly Slater, to name a few of the guys she didn’t actually marry.
She also reportedly dated Peters — who has producer credits on such blockbusters as “Rain Man,” “Flashdance” and “Caddyshack” — in the ’80s, although an insider says that relationship was not as it’s been portrayed. In January, Peters had told The Hollywood Reporter that he and Pam lived together 30 years ago.
“Some of these stories are not wholly accurate,” said the insider. “Jon has a penchant for hyperbole. For a few months, she lived in a spare house he had in LA Eventually, things got uncomfortable and she left. They stayed friends.”
So much so, Peters came to Anderson’s rescue when she and Tommy Lee split following a brawl in which, Lee wrote in the 2001 biography “The Dirt,” he kicked her in the rear and called her a “f–king bitch.” (Lee pleaded no contest to felony spousal battery and was sentenced to six months in prison. The couple reportedly, reunited and split two more times.)
“When Pamela and Tommy broke up [the first time], Jon had offered help,” said the insider. “He hid Pamela — along with her sons and both her parents — on his ranch in Aspen.”
And Peters allegedly never lost his longing for Anderson.
“He never ever gave up on Pam and I’m not sure he has now. He will try to woo her back,” said a friend of the producer. “It won’t work. But he won’t stop trying. Every woman he’s ever been with looks a lot like her.”
The close source agrees that a reconciliation is out of the question: “Pamela dodged a bullet. She was very uncomfortable after finding out certain things. I can tell you she didn’t like learning of his sexual harassment allegations and subsequent payouts.”
Pamela Anderson has released a video she says is evidence that her ex-boyfriend physically abused her. 