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Are you a Pamela Anderson look-alike? The B.C. Lions are looking for you

CFL team offers a chance to be discovered like the Baywatch and Naked Gun star

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‘You look like just Pamela Anderson!’

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If you hear that regularly, well, the B.C. Lions are looking for you.

The CFL team are hosting a Pamela Anderson look-alike contest on Sept. 12 at 4 p.m., just before the Lions host the Ottawa Redblacks at B.C. Place Stadium at 7 p.m.

The heralding of Ladysmith’s own Anderson is a no brainer for the CFL team, as it was at a B.C. Lions game against Edmonton on Aug. 9, 1989 that kicked off Anderson’s career.

“I went to a B.C. Lions football game and I was wearing a Labatt’s beer T-shirt because that’s how you got in for free,” Anderson told British talk show host Graeme Norton during an interview to promote her film The Last Showgirl. “My friends convinced me to go and the cameraman zoomed in on me and put me on the Jumbotron.”

Pamela Anderson
Ladysmith’s own Pamela Anderson was discovered at a B.C. Lions game against Edmonton on Aug. 9, 1989. Getting spotted on the Jumbotron was an instant stepping-stone for Anderson’s career. Photo by Handout /Vancouver Sun

Anderson’s game-time appearances attracted the attention of the beer company’s marketing types, and she became the Blue Zone Girl. Then, Playboy called and Baywatch came knocking, and the next thing you know, she became a big star.

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“Pamela Anderson’s star power is inextricably linked to the B.C. Lions,” Carolyn Cody, vice-president, business operations & marketing for the B.C. Lions, told Postmedia in an email.

“That moment when a cameraman spotted her in the crowd, the big screen lit up, and the fans erupted — it became part of our lore forever. It’s almost a rite of passage for staff to go digging through the archives, trying to find that original game footage, but it’s never been uncovered. I don’t think anyone at the time could have imagined how much she would shape cultural history. To hear Pamela tell that story over the years, and to see it woven into popular culture, has been incredible.

“We’re honoured the B.C. Lions had a small role in her journey, and this contest is a fun way to celebrate that connection.”

The contest will be held during a Backyard Party at Terry Fox Plaza. Contestants who wish to participate must arrive at between 4-5 p.m. to check in and receive a number.

Judges will be on hand to help narrow the field to the top 10. Finalists will be introduced on stage, where judges will then select the top three.

The in-game crowd then chooses the winner via applause. The winner will receive a $1,000 one-day modelling contract and be featured in a B.C. Lions merchandise photo shoot. Note: Contestants must have a game ticket to participate.

Postmedia reached out to Anderson’s team about the upcoming contest, but they declined to comment.

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A mega star during the 1990s, Anderson became famous almost as much for her personal life as her professional one. Then, she kind of disappeared from the zeitgeist for a decade or so.

But that all changed in 2023 with a documentary and memoir about her life, a TV series about renovating her family compound on Vancouver Island, and her much buzzed-about and Golden Globe-nominated starring turn in the 2024 indie film The Last Showgirl.

Anderson’s recent roll has continued big time this summer as she co-starred in the latest instalment of the Naked Gun franchise alongside Liam Neeson, who she was rumoured to be dating.

dgee@postmedia.com

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