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Pamela Anderson Says Her Cameo In Borat Destroyed Her Marriage To Kid Rock

Kid Rock didn't like that the 2006 mockumentary referenced a certain scandal from Pamela Anderson's past. 

On top of being Kazakhstan’s top TV journo, Borat Margaret Sagdiyev is also a homewrecker. Who knew?

In Pamela Anderson’s just-released memoir, Love, Pamela, she said her appearance in the 2006 mockumentary Borat, starring Sacha Baron Cohen in the eponymous role, cost her marriage to rocker Kid Rock (real name Robert James Ritchie).

The road to Splitsville started at a private screening of Borat at talent agency CAA founder and former NBCUniversal vice chairman Ron Meyer’s home. The event was also attended by the likes of Steven Spielberg, music producer Rick Rubin — you know, really big shots.

Anderson had wanted to surprise Rock, whom she refers to as Bob in the book, that she was in Borat. But she also neglected to inform him that the movie touched on a certain sordid chapter from the Baywatch actress’ life.

“I forgot about the part in the film that referenced the ‘sex tape’,” she wrote. “Bob stormed out, calling me a whore and worse. He was embarrassed, and his reaction was not thought through.”

“After I chased Bob to his car, he peeled out, leaving me there alone,” Anderson added. “I turned back and apologised, then asked if anyone could give me a ride home.

"When I walked in, Bob was smashing a photo on the wall. He said he was sick of waking up to a picture of me and David LaChapelle every day. But it wasn’t me and David — it was Marilyn Monroe and Bert Stern.”

In Borat, the titular reporter becomes obsessed with Anderson after seeing her in an episode of Baywatch in the hotel room. The obsession sees him stalking her at a book signing where things go batshit crazy.

While the movie went on to gross over US$260 million (S$340 mil) worldwide (on an US$18 million budget) and pick up an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, Anderson and Rock’s marriage crashed and burned. They wedded in August 2006, filed for divorce in November 2006, and went their separate ways three months later.

In a 2019 interview with Deadline, Cohen recalled asking Anderson what Rock thought of Borat, “She texted back, ‘He’s getting divorced.’”

He continued, “I was like, ‘why?’ And she goes, ‘The movie.’ And I thought it was a joke.”

Before Rock, Anderson was married to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee for two years. Post-Rock, she said ‘I Do’ to poker player Rick Salomon (twice, in 2007-08 and 2014-15) and hairdresser-turned-producer Jon Peters (their union in 2020 lasted just 12 days).

In December 2020, she got hitched to her bodyguard Dan Hayhurst; she filed for divorce in January 2022.

Anderson’s memoir, Love, Pamela, is now in stores; her documentary, Pamela, a Love Story,” is now streaming on Netflix. Borat is on… Disney+.

Photos: TPG News/Click Photos

Watch exclusive 8 DAYS interviews on meWATCH and Mediacorp YouTube Channel.

Related topics

Hollywood Pamela Anderson Sacha Baron Cohen Borat Kid Rock

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