Pamela Anderson throughout the years has been surprising viewers since she first ran down the beach in that iconic red swimwear, but it's not always for the better. She has always been a controversial figure, not only because she became a pin-up icon while starring in two of the most popular TV shows of the time. There was a lot more drama going on behind the scenes and in Anderson's life. But she is one prominent person who is not afraid to do what she desires, even if it causes a lot of controversies.

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Even though Pamela Anderson grew up in a small town, she has long been among Hollywood's top headline-grabbers, from many marriages to starting the celebrity sex-tape frenzy to the newest gossip on her love life.

Let's take a closer look at a few of her most controversial incidents.

8 The Banned Ads

Pamela Anderson is an ardent animal rights activist, and while compassion for our fellow beings is a positive thing, the actress has a history of being involved in contentious causes. As per the Daily News, "in September 2009, the CNN Airport Network refused to air a video of her stripping to raise awareness for PETA.".

Then, in 2010, a commercial starring Anderson was prohibited in her own nation of Canada, particularly in the region of Montreal. The campaign's picture, which urged viewers to "have a heart" and "become vegetarian," featured Anderson in a bikini, with lines and tags painted over her torso and the message, "All animals have the same parts." According to local authorities in Montreal, the ad went "against everything ideals public institutions are striving for in the endless war of equality between men and women."

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7 A Shotgun Marriage

Pamela Anderson's dating history is quite colorful, but perhaps the most controversial was her shotgun marriage with Tommy Lee. Tommy's first move when Pam met him at a New Year's Eve party in 1994 was to grasp her face and lick the sides of it, given the fact that he was apparently high on ecstasy at the moment. Friends warned her about the drummer, so she nonchalantly canceled on him after confirming a date.

Tommy, not someone to take rejection, found her in Mexico in 1995 during a picture shoot. It must have intrigued her because the couple married 96 hours later. Her mother learned about the engagement from a People magazine article, which she described as "heartbreaking and shocking."

Pam had four more spouses after the couple split, after three years of marriage, and two kids.

6 The Sex Tape Scandal

Pamela Anderson's marriage to Tommy Lee was not the only aspect of their relationship that sparked controversy. The duo taped a personal tape together while they were married, which became infamous.

The footage was stolen in 1995 by a technician who had serviced the couple's residence and who they declined to pay. The tape made its way back outside into the public, causing quite a controversy.

5 Friendship With Assange

Pam Anderson has been connected to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after having several meetings and making colorful posts about the famous whistleblower. Pam even went to visit Assange in prison in the United Kingdom, where he is seeking extradition to the US on treason charges and has advocated for his release. Assange, whom she considers a "hero" and "one of my favourite people," has received a lot of support from the actress.

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4 Outstanding Debts

Pamela Anderson has a status as being one of the world's most attractive women, but in 2009 she was awarded a slightly less desirable distinction. As per TMZ, the actress was placed on California's Top 500 Delinquent Tax Payers lineup after the IRS issued a $1.7 million lien on her.

According to the newspaper, Anderson was obliged to pay the IRS $259,395.75 in delinquent taxes two years later. While a second statement from the state of California slammed her with a $112,118.90 charge.

Pamela later claimed that the unsettled obligations were only a "temporary but embarrassing situation."

3 An Unwanted Hepatitis C

After sharing tattoo needles with her ex-husband Lee, the actress disclosed in 2002 that she had acquired Hepatitis C from him.

Anderson broke the news on Instagram in November 2015 to announce that she had been treated in a now-deleted post. She commented, "I think anyone struggling with a disease that they say you can live with is still – it still plays into a lot of your decisions in your life.” Anderson said in a conversation with People. "Twenty years ago they told me I would die in 10 years. And 10 years into that, they told me I would be able to live with it and probably die of something else, but it all was very scary stuff.”

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2 Cover Girl For Playboy Magazine

Most aren't ready to get undressed for Playboy. Pamela Anderson, on the contrary, has not only graced the cover of the magazine but has also shot for it several times. She's "appeared on [the magazine's] cover 14 times — more than any other woman in Playboy history," as per her feature in Playboy.

1 Feminist Or Not

When Pamela Anderson made disparaging remarks about feminism and the #MeToo movement, she received criticism. Anderson remarked in a November 2018 conversation with 60 Minutes, "I think this feminism can go too far. I'm a feminist but I think that this third-wave feminism is a bore. I think it paralyzes men. I think that this Me Too movement is a bit too much for me." "I'm sorry, I'm not politically correct, maybe," she added afterward.

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