“Dear Vanity,” Carmen wrote as the caption to a Feb. 16 Instagram post that included a picture of Vanity’s drop-dead gorgeous body and amazing hair. “We’ve never met but in my eyes, [you are] the most beautiful Prince protegé ever. R.I.P. Love,” the Scary Movie actress added.
How incredibly sweet — and very sad! Clearly, Carmen felt a connection with Vanity, despite never connecting face-to-face. After all, they both have a lot in common. Just like Vanity, Tara Patrick — the women who would become Carmen Electra — got her name from Prince, according to LA Weekly. The Purple One also signed Carmen to his Paisley Park Records to kick-start her singing career, just like Vanity. Relive all of Vanity’s biggest hits after .
Plus, Vanity also acted. While Carmen has appeared on Baywatch and in movies like Good Burger, Starsky & Hutch, and Meet The Spartans, Vanity had roles in films like The Last Dragon, Action Jackson and Never Too Young To Due. With so many similarities between them, Vanity’s death hit close to home to Carmen.
Vanity passed away in a Fremont, California hospital on Feb. 15, after battling severe health issues. A drug overdose in 1994 caused massive damage to her kidneys and she had to reportedly undergo nearly daily dialysis treatment. She gained fame in the early 1980’s with her girl group, Vanity 6. The trio had a major hit in “Nasty Girl,” but disbanded after three years together. Vanity put out two solo albums afterward and pursued acting. Following her overdose, she became a born-again Christian and cut her ties with Hollywood.
Our thoughts continue to go out to Vanity’s friends and family during this heartbreaking time. HollywoodLifers, share your favorite memory of Vanity in tribute to her.