When lifeguard CJ Parker, played by Pamela Anderson, ran in slow-mo down a sandy California beach in her iconic cherry red swimsuit — you know the one, low in the front, hiiiiiigh on the sides — she didn’t just turn “Baywatch” into the number-one TV show in America, she became the enduring symbol of 90s sexuality. In this episode, Jess and Susie trace that swimsuit’s surprising history — and its ripple effects.

Guests:

• Pamela Anderson, actor, activist and author 
• Susan Douglas, professor of media studies at the University of Michigan and author of “Enlightened Sexism”

FOR MORE:

• Pamela Anderson Doesn’t Need Your Redemption. She’s Just Fine. (NY Times)
• How Baywatch Went from Early Belly Flop to the Big Screen (NY Times)
• Pamela: A Love Story (Netflix)

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