Carmen Electra
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Carmen Electra was born Tara Leigh Patrick on April 20, 1972 in
Sharonville, Ohio, to Patricia Rose (Kincade), a singer, and Harry
Stanley Patrick, an entertainer and guitarist. She is of mostly
English, German, and Irish descent. She grew up near Cincinnati, Ohio
and got her first boost when a scout for
Prince spotted her fronting for a rap
group in Los Angeles, California. She released a self-titled album for
Prince's Paisley Park label in 1993. She then toured Europe as Prince's
opening act on his 1992 Diamonds and Pearls Tour. Carmen later returned
to work for Prince at his Los Angeles nightclub "Glam Slam". She
performed there every weekend with the Erotic City dancers, led by
choreographer and director Jamie King. In March 1997, she appeared in
cartoon form as the model for a character who is a singer and a vampire
("but a good vampire", says her publicist) in a comic book series
called "Embrace". Carmen later went to co-star on the television series
Baywatch (1989) as lifeguard Lani
McKenzie, and as host of MTV's game show
Singled Out (1995).