Baywatch star will compete on Dancing With the Stars; plans to meet with MKs about supporting a law to ban fur imports in Israel.
By DAVID BRINNPamela Anderson(photo credit: MCT)
Calling Israel a "a progressive, wonderful example to the rest of the world"for not maintaining any fur farms, actress Pamela Anderson made her localdebut on Sunday, a day ahead of her guest appearance on the Channel 2reality show Dancing With the Stars.Appearing at a press conference at the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv with theproducer of the show, Asaf Gil, Ilan Devries, the vice president of Reshet,and her dance partner, Australian dance professional Damian Whitewood, theardent animal rights activist said she was planning to meet with MKs about abill to ban fur imports to Israel presented by Kadima MK Ronit Tirosh andcurrently being discussed in the Knesset Education committee.RELATED:Same-sex partners perform on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ The Weekly Schmooze: Trick or treat with Houdini "I won't have time to go to them because of my schedule with the show, butthere's a plan for them to come to my hotel on Tuesday," said Anderson. "Anychance I get, I'll speak about the issue. It's almost 2011 we have so manyalternatives to things to enable to be more compassionate in our choices."She acknowledged that she had sent a letter last week to Shas ReligiiousAffairs Minister Yaakov Margi calling on him to back the bill to ban fur.She linked to a PETA video, writing that even a few seconds would be enough for Margi to agree that the way the animals suffer and die in the fur trade violates Jewish principles, which prohibit unnecessary suffering to animals.Anderson, who competed last year on the US version of Dancing With theStars, said she had received no pressure from anti-Israel groups to delayher planned visit.
"I've always wanted to come here," she said. "My good friend David Chappellewas just here - his exhibit is still up at the Museum of Contemporary Art -and he had the most fantastic time. We don't get to hear about all thewonderful things in Israel, and just looking out my window here at the hoteland seeing the beautiful beach, my goodness, it's gorgeous! I'm sure I'll begoing back with raving reviews."The 43-year-old Anderson who will be dancing with Whitewood on Monday and Tuesday night's episode, will also be giving reviews of her own - of theother contestants, including Aki Avni and Gili Shem Tov, who made Dancingwith the Stars history by competing with another woman, professional dancerDorit Millman."I'll probably just smile and nod and leave the judging to Damien," saidAnderson, saying that after competing last year, she respects the dancerstoo much to criticize them."There's less pressure making the final basket in a basketball game in thefinal seconds than there is to be a contestant on Dancing With the Stars,"she said.Reshet's Devries said that the theme of the two shows Anderson will beappearing on will be 'sensual dance' - the rumba and the tango, a fittingmatchup for the actress who rose to fame as a buxom lifeguard on the hit TVshow Baywatch and has appeared numerous times unclad in Playboy. But rather than propel her sex symbol image, when she was asked to compete on Dancing with the Stars in the US last year, she took the task seriously. "I always wanted to learn how to dance and I thought it wouldn't happenunless I put a lot of pressure on myself, so I just dove in. And I metDamian, and he's taught me everything I know," she said, referring to herpartner on the American show and on the Israeli show.Anderson, who until now, was likely to be remembered for her X-ratedInternet romps with then husband Tommy Lee, is intent on reshaping herimage, focusing on both dancing and her involvement in animal rights issues."I'd like to be remembered for being a good mom," she said in response to aquestion. "And all the work I do for animal rights. A lot of my career hasbeen frivolous and silly, and to be able to incorporate my beliefs andpassions into the very important issue has been inspiring and keeps megoing... and now, I've learned how to dance as well."While praising Israel for breaking the gender barrier with Dancing with theStar's first same sex partners, Anderson answered a question with a negativeresponse as to whether she would follow suit."I'll be sticking with Damian," she laughed.
