Carmen Electra

Illustration: Rob Kelly

If sex sells, then Carmen Electra is the Ron Popeil of libidinal marketing. She’s been hawking the stuff for years—red-bathing-suit-bedecked in Baywatch, on MTV’s Singled Out, in Playboy, in two Scary Movie installments and even sweating in her own Aerobic Striptease workout DVDs. Electra, 35, is one of a rare breed of va-va-vooms who are famous basically for being themselves. It comes as no surprise that she’s now sharing her down-to-earth secrets of seduction in the just released book How to Be Sexy. Electra recently talked dirty with TONY from her California home. 

So, are you having a sexy day?

I woke up at nine and I’m still in sweats and a wife-beater! I just had a slice of cold pizza for breakfast; my hair is in a ponytail. I don’t feel sexy—I feel comfortable.

Being comfortable can be sexy.

Yeah. But I think of an over-the-top image: a dominatrix, black leather. In my mind I see these over-the-top, larger-than-life images when I think of what is sexy.

Sexy, sexy, sexy: The word is funny, no?

It is funny. It’s interesting because such a big part of my image—at least the one I’ve put out there—is a sexy image. To be honest, I’m probably the opposite. I feel more insecure. I’m usually thinking, Do I look okay? Is what I’m wearing okay? I guess when the cameras are on over the years, I’ve learned how to turn it on.

My boyfriend thought the pictures of you in your book without makeup were the sexiest.

Aw. Everyone has a different opinion about what’s sexy.

He also thought the book was a bit PG-13. There’s a lot of hair and makeup tips.

It’s not racy. You can always go in that direction. Like with Aerobic Striptease, people expected it to have nudity—to actually see a striptease—but it’s really a workout. There’s no nudity. You can do with it what you want. That’s what I wanted to do with the book, too. I wanted it to have a sweetness, and a campiness, rather than a serious kind of sexiness.

You say Ann-Margret and Jimi Hendrix are sexy. Who is sexy today?

Oh my God, there are so many people! I stopped answering those questions. Years later, I somehow end up being asked, “Do you still think this person is hot?” One time I said I thought Johnny Depp was hot. I went on a European tour and people started asking me about us. I’ve never even met him!

Do you still think Joan Jett is sexy?

I do. I stand true to that comment! [Laughs]

You refer to flimsy underwear as an instant confidence booster. Where do you shop for it when you’re in New York?

Agent Provocateur.

Nice. So where do sexy and feminist meet?

It depends on your reason for wanting to be sexy, and doing it for yourself because you want to feel good and happy. If you do it in a way that is right for you, it’s empowering. If you’re doing things— scandalous things—because you’re crying out for attention, ultimately you are hurting yourself. At the end of the day it’s about having fun with your sexuality, being positive about it—and just doing it for yourself.

In the book you mention your ex-husband Dave Navarro. Why isn’t your ex Dennis Rodman in there?

Because I started writing this around the same time that Dave and I were splitting up. We’d been in a seven-year relationship. We’ve remained good friends and talk almost every day. Some of this was about my dating experience with him—it was natural, I didn’t plan it.

You say you like men to make the first move. Why is that?

I’m a lot more shy in person than I appear to be. The image I put out there is as a more aggressive kind of woman. When I’m traveling, people say, “You look like a miniature Carmen Electra.” They expect me to be 5'8" in platform boots and have big hair. Instead, I’m 5'3" in Chucks and jeans.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d add a couple of inches to my height. Yeah. One or two. I’ll take one.

How to Be Sexy (Broadway, $22.95) is out now.