Pamela Anderson Remembers Sam Simon

As longtime friends, kindred spirits and fellow activists, Sam Simon and Pamela Anderson shared a close bond. We asked the actress, model, producer and author to share memories of Simon in advance of The Creative Genius of Sam Simon: A Lifetime of Memorabilia, one of Sotheby's upcoming auctions featuring property whose proceeds will benefit the Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation.

Sam was a rebel. Dignified about it, with an interesting selfless grace, an artist with an exceptional art collection. His philanthropy matched his colourful style. It was eclectic, but made perfect sense. His home was pure compassion – a fighter, literally – a boxer. 

A gentle boxer. 

His collection is wild. It has one of my favourite Mel Ramos images where we both agreed “the woman looked hot.” Respectfully, it wasn't always the case with Mel. (I know. I sat for Mel.)

Sam was a lover of beauty and colour, wine and cigars. He liked a bit of poker, but was sad to take money from friends or see anyone lose. So it bored him finally. I think he liked the social part of it, the curiosity of darkness. (Con artists are fun to watch.) They are like cartoon characters, with bad habits and dirty mouths.

“[SAM'S] LIFE IS A PIECE OF ART.”

PAMELA ANDERSON

Sam was so curious. And sweeter and funnier than anyone I know. I know there will be themes to these auctions, a lot of TV memorabilia and some of the most beautiful art pieces. I wish he were here to give you the tour. I was fortunate to get the tour a few times. He was so proud of his Rodin, his collection of Alberto Vargas – I could go on and on. I introduced Sam to Ed Ruscha a few months before he passed and he said it was “like Make-A-Wish.” We went to Ed’s studio and spoke of Sam's mother who Ed remembered. She had her own gallery, so Sam was exposed to art his whole life.

His life is a piece of art. He painted it, the most beautiful picture (in felt pens of course). He danced his way to the end. I was honoured he liked to draw me – in Lisa Simpson’s dress – saying I "stole it.”

I just miss him like crazy. He was so vulnerable, but so, so strong. He showed me what love is and it looked like nothing I've ever seen. And he promised me not to settle for less. That’s why I have two puppies. (That's enough for now.) I don’t feel alone. I feel like Sam is all around me. I was blessed to be so close to him. To know that I made him happy, when he was struggling so much, is a memory I’ll cherish till the day I fly away and meet him and have those talks and laughs again, sitting on the edge, just being us.

He was a ball. God, I miss him.

by  Alexandra Owens SOTHEBY’S AT LARGE

Benefit Auction for Cool Earth

Ring proceeds wholly go to Cool Earth newest project in Papua New Guinea. Please bid. It WILL make a difference. 

http://stores.ebay.com/pamfoundation

Papau New Guinea rainforest crisis

Today, Cool Earth launches its new project in Papua New Guinea. It’s been three years in the making and means the Cool Earth model has been replicated on three continents, in all three of the rainforest biomes.

The lessons we’ve learnt in Peru and the DR Congo are making sure Papua New Guinea has the world’s most effective rainforest project.

Papua New Guinea is a country like no other. It couldn’t be more diverse. A thousand languages are spoken with many having fewer than 1000 native speakers. Over three quarters of the country is covered in the world’s third-largest rainforest, sheltering more undiscovered species than anywhere on earth.

But it is also poised on the brink of disaster.

The country is experiencing a land grab on a national scale. The government’s plans for agricultural development – mainly industrial logging and palm oil – has led to millions of acres of land to be leased to private companies. More often than not, this is without the knowledge, let alone the consent, of indigenous communities. Families who have relied on the forest for everything face a life in an urban slum.

Logging land to make way for Oil Palm takes a matter of days, but destroys an ecosystem that has taken nine million years to evolve. Cool Earth’s Yakolima project will halt this destruction.

Situated in Milne Bay province in Eastern Papua New Guinea, the project includes villages of Gadaisu, Godidi and Kaifouna, a total population of 310 people. These villages are situated on the west of the advancing palm frontier. If they halt the palm, they will save 120,000 acres of pristine forest.

Over a three year period we’re aiming to achieve zero deforestation within the partnership areas and to double community incomes. We will use exactly the same light touch, community led approach that has so far shielded five million acres of rainforest from the loggers. We already have five more villages asking to work with us.

5.2 million hectares of land in Paupa New Guinea has been handed over to loggers.

In 1996 the government Special Agricultural Business Leases. It allows land owned by communities to be leased, with their consent, to people or groups interested in carrying out agricultural projects, and was originally meant to help communities develop agricultural projects.

For a while, it was used only on a limited basis, for small scale projects.

But in the last ten years, there’s been an explosion in the number of SABLs issued, and in the amount of land leased in each one.

The government changed their forestry laws making it much easier for big foreign companies to get permission to clear big areas of forest for agricultural projects.

In reality, these projects are often a foil for large scale logging.

In 2014 there was a study of 36 agricultural projects involving 51 SABLs. Just four of these projects had the potential to produce crops, either because the soil was unsuitable, the developer was inexperienced, or there was no support from local landowners.

In many of these areas, the amount of logging far exceeded what was required for agricultural purposes, and in lots of cases there wasn’t any evidence of agricultural development happening at all. The companies had just taken the logs and left.

This has left local communities with land that’s completely degraded: they’re unable to grow food for themselves and their homes are at increased risk from landslides and coastal erosion.

Even in the projects that looked like they might be suitable for agricultural projects, a lot of landowners claim that they never agreed to the SABLs, and there are strong rumours of fraud and forgery. Most SABLs last for 99 years, meaning local peoples’ land rights are effectively destroyed.

These SABLs cover 12% of Papua New Guinea’s total land area. At least 5.2 million hectares have been handed over without the consent of landowners.

The study concluded that a “large-scale land grab” had occurred – all under the guise of sustainable agricultural development. It concluded that “greed and corruption at all levels… have tainted a noble landowner empowerment initiative”.

It’s no wonder that when we first meet with communities, their first question is often whether they will keep ownership of their land. These are people who have been exploited and harmed time and time again by governments, companies, and other NGOs.

It’s why we make it very clear at the start of any partnership that all our projects are designed, developed, and controlled by local people. They will always own the land, and can decide as a community how funds are invested.

At the start of each project in Papua New Guinea, we will fund a Department of Land survey. This marks the boundaries of customary lands using GPS and provides official ownership paperwork to the community that means SABLs can’t be issued.

We will also always assist communities if they are approached in the future, providing help with paperwork or legal issues.

https://www.coolearth.org/get-involved/

COOL EARTH STATS

501,966 ACRES SAVED

120,458,658 TREES PROTECTED

130,525,463 TONNES OF CO2 STORED

      Cool Earth's Vivienne Westwood, Andreas Kronthaler and Pamela Anderson 

WHY RAINFOREST?

Deforestation is a major cause of climate change – putting more CO2 into the atmosphere
than all of the world’s transport combined. The reality of climate change is no longer up for
debate. It is real and it is happening now. Our changing climate is the most pressing
challenge facing our world today.
Keeping rainforest standing is the simplest and cheapest way to mitigate climate change.
Despite this, we are destroying the world’s rainforest at a faster rate than ever. Of the
world’s remaining forests, 46% are fragmented, 30% are degraded, and only 24% are
intact.
Despite only covering 6% of the world’s land surface, rainforests contain 2/3 of all
biodiversity. 99% of this is still to be studied.
1.6 billion people depend on the rainforests for their livelihoods. This means one in ten
people in the world rely upon the rainforest. But rainforest people are not just victims of
deforestation. They are the only thing that will keep rainforest safe. Local people have been
conclusively proven to be the forest’s most effective custodians.

The rainforests of Papua New Guinea are on the front line of the Palm Oil war. Of all the
drivers of deforestation, Palm Oil is the worst. An ecosystem that has taken millions of years
to evolve is destroyed in a matter of days. Without action, half of Papua New Guinea’s
rainforest will be lost in the next six years.
 

http://coolearth.org/

My vegan boots

“Pammies" are cruelty free footwear, made from recycled electronics. Progressive fabrics making use of waste instead of harming animals. This is my passion- To get a pair of these on every body who enjoys the beach lifestyle and everyone who enjoys the comfyness of slipping on something easy and warm to bring their dogs to the beach or anywhere outdoors.

Take part in a sensual revolution. 

Sensuality is a sexy kindness. Empathy is realizing that every choice we make effects others.

Thank you for choosing "Pammies."

With Love,

Pamela

http://www.pammieslife.com

The Honourable Christy Clark Premier of the Province of British Columbia

The Pamela Anderson Foundation 

September 17, 2015 

The Honourable Christy Clark Premier of the Province of British Columbia 

Dear Premier, 

I am proud to tell people that I hail from British Columbia, and I spend a great deal of my time on Vancouver Island. But as an honorary director of PETA, I won't hold my tongue when I witness cruelty to animals, and I am deeply disturbed that my beloved province is allowing people to hunt and kill wolves. 

We all want to restore the populations of endangered caribou, but gunning down wolves is not the answer. Hunting is a grossly inefficient method of wildlife control, because more animals will simply move into the less-populous area to replace the ones who have been killed. For wolves, who usually mate for life and live in close-knit family groups, hunting can devastate entire communities. Many animals experience prolonged, painful deaths when hunters severely injure but fail to kill them. And hunting disrupts the delicate balance of the ecosystem. 

Caribou are threatened because humans have overdeveloped their habitat. Rather than spending millions in taxpayer dollars to kill more animals, we need to invest in a plan to protect Canada's forestland, which would also preserve the habitats of many other species, offset carbon emissions, and, because the forest acts as a natural water filter, provide everyone with cleaner water. Killing every wolf in the country won't save the caribou if the animals have no protected habitat. 

I'd be happy to meet with you to discuss further how British Columbians can protect our beautiful land and all its inhabitants. 

Sincerely yours, 

Pamela Anderson

Ebay Foundation Store

photo by Emma Dunlavey

"I hope this very special Tiffany engagement ring can bring joy to someone - while, I put the donation to great use - 100 % of funds raised go to The Pamela Anderson Foundation - this will mark the launching of my foundation's new Ebay (all for charity) store, where there will be signed books, magazines and more memorabilia"

Ring proceeds wholly go to Cool Earth's most urgent rainforest crisis in Papua New Guinea.Please bid. It WILL make a difference. 

http://stores.ebay.com/pamfoundation

RAW book signing dates and locations

Sept. 18

3pm Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel (1133 West Hastings Street)

Vancouver

Sept. 22

4pm Barnes & Noble Upper West Side (82nd and Broadway)

New York City

Nov. 19

6pm Ron Robinson  (327 Fifth Street) 

Santa Monica