2023 has been subject to a lot of pop culture trends so far, but I think it’d be fair to add Year of the Blonde Bombshell to the list of options, thanks both to Barbie becoming a Hollywood juggernaut and to Pamela Anderson’s re-ascension within the zeitgeist. The Baywatch vet has been embraced anew in light of her Netflix documentary and memoir being released, and fans have enjoyed bringing her iconic ’90s looks back as much as they’ve embraced pinked-out Barbiecore fashion. While the Venn diagram for Pammy and Barbie doesn’t necessarily feature tons of direct crossovers, the model revealed a sweet story about her connection to the doll’s creator Ruth Handler.
Speaking with Elle about her latest fashion campaign for Aritzia’s Babaton collection — which sees her wearing snazzy business attire while mowing the lawn and performing other outdoorsy chores — Anderson spoke candidly about her past, and how extremely uncalculated her clothing choices were during her 20s, not realizing that those specific looks would be embraced by influencers who hadn’t even been born yet. One of her most recognizable looks involves the quasi-legendary red swimsuit from Baywatch, and is itself something of a reminder of a very early Barbie release that rocked a similar outfit. And as it happens, that particular doll was at the heart of Anderson’s memory about its creator. In her words:
Ruth Handler actually gave me one of the first Barbies. She was a neighbor. It was the first platinum Barbie, in a red bathing suit.
The iteration that she’s referring to is over 60 years old at this point, as it was released in 1962, which was five years before the actress was born. Anyone looking to buy one of their own will need to shell out hundreds of dollars, at least when it comes to online sellers. I cannot imagine how much diehard fans might pay for the very doll that Ruth Handler gifted to Pamela Anderson. Probably enough to put a down payment on a dream house.
Anderson, who slipped back into the Baywatch bathing suit back in April 2023 for a new bikini line, doesn’t necessarily feel super aligned with Barbie, for all that they may share in common. (For one, she’s never publicly held any extended romantic relationships with anyone named Ken.) She shared her take on such comparisons, saying:
I resonated more with Barbarella, or maybe Barb Wire, than Barbie. [Laughs.]
I think Anderson’s fans would agree with that being the case, as it’s far easier to picture her hanging out with Jane Fonda’s sexualized sci-fi heroine Barbarella, from Roger Vadim’s 1968 cult classic, than 98% of the Barbie population. (As a mom herself, she’d probably befriend and advise Midge.) And even beyond the cult bomb that was Barb Wire, let’s not forget that she also voiced the titular entertainer-turned-superhero Stripperella in the 2003 animated series from Stan Lee, which is certainly worth of its own revival at this point.
Pamela Anderson: What To Watch If You Like The Baywatch Star
As far as dramatized and fictionalized versions of history go, both Barbie and Hulu’s Pam & Tommy have been celebrated and acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. That said, the latter did not get a vote of approval from Pamela Anderson, who said its release made her downright sick. So if any collectible dolls or action figures ever get released as tie-ins for the streaming series, it’s probably not a good idea to channel Ruth Handler and give one to the former Playboy Playmate.
Pamela, a Love Story is available to stream with a Netflix subscription, while Barbie is still breaking records in theaters.