Pamela Anderson Says Chimpanzees Should Not Live Like Her

Opinion Journal ^ | 4/28/2006 | Pamela Anderson

[Loud Mime]

No Way to Treat a Relative Chimps shouldn't be forced to live like me.

BY PAMELA ANDERSON Friday, April 28, 2006 12:01 a.m. EDT

King Kong is my hero. He's big, muscular, sensitive, a terrific actor--and he's not real. The use of computer-generated imagery has really taken off in Hollywood. So why has Madison Avenue suddenly gone bananas for real apes? Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, with at least 95% of the same DNA. We're closer to them than they are to gorillas, so when I see chimpanzees being used as on-screen comedians, dressed up in silly costumes to sell credit cards, I think, Is this any way to treat a relative?

This issue has been on my mind a lot lately. It started when my kids went on a field trip to what was billed as an exotic animal refuge in Malibu. I excitedly tagged along only to find that it was like a shabby petting zoo that rents lions, tigers and a fascinating pair of chimpanzees to productions like "The Gong Show" to perform pathetic tricks under lights in front of loud crowds--conditions that are very stressful. I chose to have that kind of life; these animals didn't.

[Loud Mime]

She cares for animals; uh, Tommy Lee?

[George Smiley]

Even chimpanzees have enough sense to not implant fake tits the size of Detroit in their chests.

[wolfpat]

I never missed an episode of "Lance Link: Secret Chimp"

[Fintan]

I wonder if she actually read this article after it was written for her?

[Lee'sGhost]

Crud. Too early for pictures yet.

[Paleo Conservative]

I think 95% of chimpanzees are more intelligent than Pamela Anderson.

[BunnySlippers]

Actually the article is more thoughtful than I expected. She talks about the violence of real apes.

We, in California have seen this lately.

And, yes, she's an airhead ... but maybe not now.

[sgtbono2002]

She and the Chimpanzee's have a lot in common they are both into eating large banana's.

[TheWasteLand]

And they can both vote in Spain. Well, not Pam.

[BunnySlippers]

Actually, I was surprised at the power and violence of chimpanzes which she talks about. In CA we had a man who was attacked and his face ripped off literally ... as well as his extremities chewed to extinction.

This just happened this week somewhere else.

These animals are vicious in the extreme.

[Dinah Lord]

I LOVED Lancelot Link and the Agency to Prevent Evil (APE). Remember his girlfriend, Mata Hairy???

[Loud Mime]

[HEY4QDEMS]

[rvoitier]

"This issue has been on my mind a lot lately."

Well, it is a small issue.

[jdm]

If I stare at the monitor for about 15 seconds, a monkey with a gun soon appears.

[Aggie Mama]

Ha! I thought the same thing after the first paragraph. =)

[Condor51]

"...it was like a shabby petting zoo that rents ... to productions like "The Gong Show" to perform pathetic tricks under lights in front of loud crowds -- I chose to have that kind of life...."

ps: Dear Pam, please let any of your 'fans' know which petting zoo you're currently performing at.

[BufordP]

When "relatives" attack

[napscoordinator]

I don't get her crazy PETA junk, but I do like her and actually think she is a nice person in general (from talk shows anyway).

[Loud Mime]

I really liked Pamela Anderson when I first saw her on Tool Time; I just didn't care for her weight gain, if you get my drift. She did the Hollywood slut game for a bit, now seems to realize there's more to life than stardom.

She's an animal rights activist. Good for her. Perhaps next she will have a go at caged birds and imprisoned aquarium fish.

I do wonder what it would be like to talk with her without the lights and all. I once had lunch with Bobby Knight and a couple of his friends.....we laughed till we were sore. I gather that there's more to Pam than we know.