Biography - Carmen Electra

Born Tara Leigh Patrick in Sharonville, Ohio on April 20, 1972, Carmen Electra was spotted by legendary pop star Prince in Los Angeles in the early 90s. Electra was fronting for a rap group at the time, and Prince soon signed her to a record deal with his label Paisley Park Records, in addition to helping her come up with her fiery stage name.

Electra’s record was released in 1992 to little response from listeners or critics. The famous model and television personality moved on to acting, appearing in guest spots on a variety of television programs before appearing in Playboy in May 1996. Her head turning spread in the men’s magazine put her on the radar, and she soon landed a major role in “Baywatch” alongside super-hunk David Hasselhoff. The show’s popularity declined significantly during this time due to the departure of regulars Pamela Anderson and Yasmine Bleeth, and Electra left the show after a season. Her fame was rising nonetheless, as during the latter half of the 90s Electra became one of the most prominent faces on MTV with her spot on the popular reality shows “Loveline” and “Singled Out.” Also an occasional guest VJ, Electra often appeared on MTV’s “Rock n’ Jock” sports challenges and became emblematic of the network’s late 90s shift toward non-music programs and the development of other in-house personalities like famed VJ Carson Daly.

Famous for courting attention to her undeniable sex appeal, Electra made waves with appearances on Howard Stern’s radio show and with her short marriage to basketball bad-boy Dennis Rodman. Her career in amusing B-grade Hollywood films has continued as well with memorable appearances in the blockbuster spoof “Scary Movie”, “Get Over It”, “My Boss’s Daughter”, and the high-profile remake “Starsky & Hutch”. One of her most successful ventures to date is her DVD series “Carmen Electra Aerobic Striptease”, which consists of exercise sessions with the sexy star based on stripping movements. Electra also frequently performed with the exotic dance/burlesque troupe The Pussycat Dolls, which is currently dominating the airwaves as a mainstream hip-hop act.

It’s hard to pin down the prolific stunner, who is currently married to former Jane’s Addiction rocker Dave Navarro. Never pigeonholing herself to one corner of the entertainment world, Electra continues to be a popular actress, model, and a well-known face on television.