Sex, Crimes, and Videotape in ‘Pam & Tommy'
Lily James and Sebastian Stan star in a new Hulu series about a stolen sex tape that changed pop culture. Pamela Anderson
and her new husband, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, were on top of the world in 1995. He could still live the
rocka life in their Malibu mansion while she starred in the TV hit “Baywatch.” Using a Hi8 camcorder, they can
capture some of their happiest moments, including some very naked and sexual ones. Then the video leaked, much to the
couple's dismay. And moved. The eight-part scripted series “Pam & Tommy,” a wild, picaresque romp through the
nightclubs, palaces, and porn dens of mid-90s Hollywood, premiered on Hulu on Wednesday. But the show is
about more than celebrity antics or period-perfect riffs on its lead couple's bizarre trials and tribulations. The series follows the scandal that made
billions, destroyed lives, and made the celebrity sex tape a cultural touchstone. As glam gave way to grunge, cheap video and dial-up modems
exponentially increased the reach — and intrusiveness of the sexual imagery business.