Tommy Lee pens wistful note on auctioned-off safe that once held infamous Pamela Anderson sex tape

The safe that once held the infamous Tommy Lee-Pamela Anderson sex tape has been sold.

Included as part of Julien’s Auctions’ “Played, Worn & Torn” event, Lee’s safe was estimated to sell for between $5,000 and $7,000, but ultimately went for just $2,560. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the non-profit organization MusiCares.

Personally owned by Lee, the safe was sold with a note from the musician, penned in silver ink on the front: “This is the safe that ruined my life! Tommy Lee.”

Anderson and Lee met in 1994, married in early 1995, and went on to have two sons before divorcing in 1998 when Lee was sentenced to six months in jail for assaulting her.

The safe was a pivotal part of the Baywatch star and Mötley Crüe drummer’s sex tape saga. The video was reportedly made during the couple’s honeymoon and later stolen from Lee’s Malibu mansion in 1995, when it was under renovation.

Lee had fired an electrician, Rand Gauthier, whom he reportedly owed $20,000. Gauthier, a former adult film star, had become disgruntled with the couple after they allegedly refused to pay him what they owed. He later broke into Lee and Anderson’s home and stole the contents of their safe, which included the eight-minute sex tape.

According to a police report, the contents of the safe also included an AK-47 assault rifle, a .45 calibre rifle, a Mossberg shotgun, a Rolex, a gold and diamond Cartier watch, gold and emerald cufflinks, a ruby and diamond cross, the white bikini Anderson had worn to their beach wedding, and a collection of family photographs.

Gauthier used his contacts in the adult film industry to sell the tape online. VHS copies of Pamela’s Hardcore Sex Video were going for $59.99 and being shipped worldwide.

The video is considered the first celebrity sex tape and is undoubtedly the first to be distributed on the internet. Long before Kim Kardashian rocketed to fame with the release of her sex tape with her boyfriend at the time, Ray J, Anderson and Lee’s home video went viral.

Lee and Anderson later sued Internet Entertainment Group, one of the companies selling the video. A settlement was reached, but they never received their money because the business went bankrupt.

The saga ultimately inspired the 2022 Hulu drama, Pam & Tommy, starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan as the celebrity couple.

Lee commented on the Hulu show being made, saying in 2022: “Let the motherf***ers know, we broke the internet first.”

Anderson, however, has since said that the series was made without her permission or involvement.