Carmen Electra is taking her image back.
The Baywatch alum, 50, spoke to People this week about why she joined OnlyFans, a subscription-based service that delivers content directly to paying users.
Electra, who recently sued strip clubs for using her likeness in advertisements, shared that the appeal of the platform is being able to “be her own boss” and use her own “creative vision” in her work without someone telling her “don’t do this, don’t do that. Cover up this.” The Scary Movie star’s OnlyFans page, which launches Wednesday, will include things like beauty tutorials as well as lingerie photos and more “intimate” content. Unlike social media platforms like Instagram, OnlyFans allows for nudity. (While the site attempted to ban sexually explicit content in August 2021, it reversed course following backlash.)
“People are going to do what they want to do anyway with your photos,” Electra explained to the publication. “You might as well be in control of them and follow what you feel like doing inside.”
She added of her strip club lawsuits, that it feels “really good” to “stand up” for herself.
“I think what we’re going through now is people are finally standing up for themselves and who they are,” she noted. “It’s not always easy to do, but I do respect people that can stand up for who they are and be honest about it.”
Electra teased her OnlyFans arrival on Tuesday. On Instagram, she shared a sultry photo alongside the caption, “Wednesday! I have a huge announcement. Only for my fans. Are you a fan?”
Electra isn’t the first celebrity to join OnlyFans. In 2020, Bella Thorne was criticized after people claimed she made $2 million by misrepresenting her content on the site, leading to unforeseen consequences for other users like payment delays. Thorne said she was using the platform as part of research into a film.
“It’s a feature we are researching as I’m living it currently,” Thorne explained to The Los Angeles Times in 2020. “What are the ins and outs? What does a platform like this do to its users? What’s the connective material between your life and your life inside the world of OnlyFans? … How can it change your life for the worse and the better? How far are you willing to go, and how far do you want to go? You can be me, or this talented girl from Montana, and OnlyFans could change your life — if you want it to, of course.”
Shanna Moakler launched her OnlyFans page in 2021, telling Page Six, “I’m very comfortable with nudity. I always have been, being a former Playmate, being in Maxim. I’m not trying to get crazy in my career now at my age, but I’m definitely willing to have some fun and make it a great experience for everybody.”
Rapper Bhad Babie even claimed she made $50 million on OnlyFans, and purchased a $6 million dollar home in cash thanks, in part, to funds made from the site.
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