Home / Entertainment
Arsenio Hall recalls star-studded night with Pamela Anderson in 1980s comedy club
The comedian says the crowd 'roared like a tidal wave' during his set
Arsenio Hall recalls a memorable night in the 1980s with Pamela Anderson in his new book Arsenio: A Memoir, which hits shelves April 7, 2026.
The 70-year-old comedian shares a vivid memory from his dating days with Anderson, 58, writing, “Heads swivel when I walk into The Comedy Store with Pamela Anderson on my arm. The audience stirs. Jaws drop.
Cigarettes fall out of men’s mouths. I sit Pam at a corner table and go onstage for my set.”
Hall adds that the energy from the crowd fueled one of his “best sets ever,” concluding the night with a playful, confident strut back to Anderson: “With thunderous applause roaring behind me like a tidal wave, I take Pam’s hand. She’s still laughing as I strut toward the back door of the club.”
In a recent Esquire interview, Hall reflected on their friendship, saying, “I think until she got married, we stayed homies. Pam is a very smart, talented person and we're still friends, even though our lives and our paths don't cross like they used to.”
Arsenio: A Memoir not only revisits Hall’s dating anecdotes but also recounts his groundbreaking interviews during The Arsenio Hall Show’s six-season run from 1989 to 1994.
Celebrities, politicians, and cultural icons such as Bill Clinton, Madonna, Magic Johnson, Tupac Shakur, and Maya Angelou are all featured.
The memoir also explores Hall’s decision to step away from late-night television, offering readers a candid look at his career, his personal life, and the trailblazing impact of his show, which brought Black culture into American living rooms nightly.
Arsenio: A Memoir is available for preorder now and will officially release April 7, 2026.
