April 28 (Bloomberg) -- Pamela Anderson -- buxom actress, animal rights activist and single mom -- made her debut on Washington's political scene over the weekend at the annual Hollywood-on-the-Potomac fete known as the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Anderson, 40, Canadian by birth and an American citizen since 2006, toured the White House, took a paddle boat ride in the tidal basin and climbed those creepy outdoor steps in Georgetown where a priest plunged to his death in ``The Exorcist.''

The former Playboy model left the White House dinner early and missed the moment when President Bush questioned whether the presence in the same room of Anderson and Mitt Romney, a Mormon former presidential candidate, was ``one of the signs of the apocalypse.''

Anderson talked to me by cell phone on Friday afternoon, just after meeting with Department of Health and Human Services officials to lobby on behalf of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. On Saturday evening, she was a guest of Bloomberg News at the White House Correspondents' dinner, where she wore a long white backless dress with a plunging neckline.

Capaccio: Welcome to Washington.

Anderson: I'm an American citizen so, you know, I thought I'd come throw my weight around. I don't feel out of place wearing my hot pants.

`Please Use Me'

Capaccio: What triggered your interest in animal rights?

Anderson: I've been rolling nickels and quarters for animal rights since I got my first nickel. My dad was a hunter. We were raised on venison. I realized I had an opinion and I was really protective of animals. I took a lot of strays in and everyone knew to go to me if they found an animal.

When I started ``Baywatch,'' I had all this worldwide attention and people talked to me about personal issues and I thought `that's so boring. How could I make a difference?' I wrote a letter to PETA and its president Dan Mathews. I said `please use me in any way. I'm so sick of talking about my boyfriends and my breasts.'

Capaccio: You have taken on Canada's annual seal hunt and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Anderson: Those are two big issues right now. I was just in Paris speaking on behalf of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and trying to stop the seal hunt. That's at the top of the list. It's barbaric and cruel and there is no reason for it. It's just a cash bonus for these greedy fishermen.

Lots of Vegetables

Capaccio: How responsive is a corporation when Pam Anderson comes calling?

Anderson: Kentucky Fried Chicken has been awful. They are the worst fast-food chain when it comes to any kind of humane treatment of animals. It's not anything I want to eat.

Capaccio: You've been going after them for a couple of years. Have they responded in any way?

Anderson: It's opened up a conversation.

(KFC Corp. spokesman Rick Maynard said in a statement that the company is committed to ``the well-being and humane treatment of chickens. We're proud of our responsible, industry-leading animal welfare guidelines.'')

Capaccio: Are you raising your boys to be vegan? Do they eat meat?

Anderson: They do because their dad (ex-husband Tommy Lee) eats meat but he's a lot more vegetarian than he used to be. With me and my friends around there is not a lot to grab but vegetables.

Burlesque Show

Capaccio: You were in Paris in February dancing at the Crazy Horse (a cabaret known for its nude female dancers).

Anderson: Performing at the Crazy Horse is a little risque. I come from a Playboy background. I was asked to do a burlesque show and I thought if I'm going to do this, and do it one night only, I'm going to do it at the Crazy Horse in Paris and I want to honor Brigitte Bardot. I'm a fan of hers because of her animal rights and activism. She found out I was in Paris and asked me to represent her at her annual press conference to ban the seal hunt in Canada.

Capaccio: A lot of people want to know about the scene in ``Borat,'' where you look distressed as you're chased by Sacha Baron Cohen. Were you really surprised or was that a set up?

Anderson: It was set up. I know it's pretty shocking. People never think I'm that much of an actress.

Capaccio: You had suitable shock when you ran through the parking lot.

Anderson: Yes, I did. But when you look at Sacha Cohen, he really did look like he was going to hurt me.

Capaccio: Well, you played a crime-fighting heroine in `Barb Wire' years ago. You probably could have kicked his butt.

Anderson: I could have, actually. I'm a kick-boxer.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tony Capaccio at acapaccio@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 28, 2008 14:54 EDT