Pamela Anderson to show Israel how to tango

Baywatch star will compete on Dancing With the Stars; plans to meet with MKs about supporting a law to ban fur imports in Israel.

NOVEMBER 7, 2010 20:16

Pamela Anderson (photo credit: MCT) — Pamela 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.

"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 Religiious

Affairs 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 the

Stars, said she had received no pressure from anti-Israel groups to delay

her planned visit.

"I've always wanted to come here," she said. "My good friend David Chappelle

was 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 the

wonderful things in Israel, and just looking out my window here at the hotel

and seeing the beautiful beach, my goodness, it's gorgeous! I'm sure I'll be

going 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 the

other contestants, including Aki Avni and Gili Shem Tov, who made Dancing

with the Stars history by competing with another woman, professional dancer

Dorit Millman.

"I'll probably just smile and nod and leave the judging to Damien," said

Anderson, saying that after competing last year, she respects the dancers

too much to criticize them.

"There's less pressure making the final basket in a basketball game in the

final 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 be

appearing on will be 'sensual dance' - the rumba and the tango, a fitting

matchup for the actress who rose to fame as a buxom lifeguard on the hit TV

show 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 happen

unless I put a lot of pressure on myself, so I just dove in. And I met

Damian, and he's taught me everything I know," she said, referring to her

partner on the American show and on the Israeli show.

Anderson, who until now, was likely to be remembered for her X-rated

Internet romps with then husband Tommy Lee, is intent on reshaping her

image, 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 a

question. "And all the work I do for animal rights. A lot of my career has

been frivolous and silly, and to be able to incorporate my beliefs and

passions into the very important issue has been inspiring and keeps me

going... and now, I've learned how to dance as well."