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Pamela Anderson attended a private service for Sam Simon on Saturday, honoring her late friend amid rumors that Simon’s family has barred her from his funeral, allegedly angry that Simon gifted her with an $800,000 ring in his final days.
Simon died last week after a prolonged battle with cancer. After making a fortune as co-creator of “The Simpsons,” he spent much of the rest of his life donating huge sums of money to charitable causes. His primary interest was in helping animals, an issue also close to Anderson’s heart, and the two became good friends. Shortly before his death, Simon reportedly gave Anderson a ring worth $800,000. Simon’s family was allegedly furious that Anderson accepted Simon’s generosity in his weakened state, and is said to have excluded her from his funeral.
However, Anderson did attend a private service for Simon over the weekend, sitting in the front row. PETA president Ingrid Newkirk says in a new statement:
Sam Simon’s private service was held on Saturday, and Pamela Anderson was in the front row. She called Sam the only real gentleman in her life. Pam and Sam were both PETA honorary directors. They bonded over their concern about animal abuse, and if he gave her a ring, it’s strictly between the two of them and no one else. She cheered him up and arranged for a personal trainer to help him be less dependent on his cane, while he supported her as she struggled with divorce. They were solid pals, and Sam was a generous man who knew his own mind right up to the end.
Gossip Cop has reached out for clarification on whether Saturday’s service was different than the funeral from which Simon’s family allegedly wanted to bar Anderson. In any case, it’s clear that Anderson’s friendship with Simon transcended any one gift, and that she was determined to honor and memorialize her late pal.
