Dhruv Trivedi
‘Pam & Tommy’ follows the tumultuous tale of a whirlwind celebrity romance and a video recording that became one of the most (in)famous sex tapes of all time. The story, which draws quite a bit from true events, features some eclectic characters based on real people. Thus, a lot of the interesting dynamics seen on-screen are actually versions of what actually happened!
Possibly one of the most interesting connections in the show is the not-so-explored relationship between Rand and Erica. Though it initially seems like they are just friends and Rand has a bit of a crush on Erica, episode 4 hints that there is a lot more to their relationship. And what about the real people that the characters are based on? Were the real Erica Boyer and Rand Gauthier married? What happened between them? We dug around and found the story!
Were Erica Boyer and Rand Gauthier Married in Real Life?
On the show, Erica and Rand are initially depicted as close friends and the latter goes out of his way to help the former. Erica lives with her girlfriend, but episode 4 reveals that she and Rand are also married! Due to a lack of funds (on Rand’s part), the couple is unable to get a divorce despite being essentially separated.
The real Erica Boyer and Rand Gauthier reportedly met in the late 1980s after being set up on a blind date in San Fernando Valley. At this point, Boyer was quite well known in the local adult film industry and, after she started dating Rand, convinced a few directors to allow her boyfriend to star alongside her. Thus started Rand’s porn career, wherein he performed under the alias Austin Moore. Erica and Rand then got married (reportedly in 1989), but details of their wedding remain scant. They spent a few years married before separating. The show’s depiction of an extended period of separation where they can’t get a divorce because of a lack of funds is unconfirmed and could be a fictional embellishment.
Why Did Erica Boyer and Rand Gauthier Get Divorced?
Erica and Rand were reportedly married for a few years before separating around 1991. The former then got married to NFL player Derrick Jensen, and the two had a son named Davis. Reasons for Erica and Rand’s separation are also unclear. However, it was seemingly years later that she found out about Rand’s underground stolen sex tape enterprise. Thus, it is unlikely that their divorce was caused by the tape fiasco.
According to sources close to the adult film actress, she preferred to perform in scenes with women but revealed that she performed with men because it paid better. Her friend, Nina Hartley, also described Erica as “bisexual” after she got married (seemingly to Rand). In the show, Erica is depicted as being in a happy relationship with her girlfriend after separating from Rand. In reality, she also got married to Derrick Jensen after splitting up with Rand. Therefore, we can speculate that the reason for their divorce isn’t because Erica switched preferences from men to women (as hinted on the show).
Thus the real reason for Erica and Rand’s divorce is unclear and could be an amalgamation of various factors, as is generally the case. What we know with relative certainty is that the two were good friends who were married for about two years. A few years later when Rand stole the infamous Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee tape, he and Erica were also seemingly in touch. However, her involvement in the entire sex-tape affair appears to be minimal as she claimed to have only learned about it years later.
Read More: Where Did Pam and Tommy Live? Was Their House Really Located in Malibu?
