Summary

• Pam & Tommy takes liberties in retelling the sex tape scandal, leaving viewers to question what happened to Rand Gauthier in real life.
• Despite breaking into Tommy's vault and stealing the tape, Gauthier never faced jail time due to the novelty of Internet crime at the time.
• In real life, Gauthier profited from the tape's distribution and continued working as an actor in adult films, but faced financial struggles and debt.

Hulu’s 2022 limited series Pam & Tommy takes liberties in retelling the story of the couple's infamous sex tape leak, fueling questions about what happened to the real-life thief Rand Gauthier. Pam & Tommy dramatizes the true story of the whirlwind relationship between Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan) including the theft and leak of their private sex tape by Gauthier (Seth Rogen). While Pam & Tommy stays true to most of the details provided by the 2014 Rolling Stone article the show is based on, it changes a few minor parts for the sake of the television format.

The real Rand Gauthier did break into Tommy's vault and steal the tape in 1995 after being unceremoniously fired without pay for contracting work on Pam and Tommy’s house renovations. He was eventually caught but never faced jail time for his actions due to Internet crime being such a new concept. Judges for the case struggled with the legality of its distribution, and no one involved ever faced legal repercussions. Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee didn’t see any money or justice from their lawsuits, nor did Rand do any jail time for the theft and online distribution of the tape.

How The Real Rand Gauthier Stole Pam & Tommy's Tape

Gauthier's Discovery Of The Tape Was Accidental

In real life, Rand Gauthier’s theft of the Pam and Tommy tape was surprisingly easy. Familiar with the house thanks to his work, Gauthier was able to break into the garage where Tommy kept his safe. Gauthier’s original goal was to take only Tommy’s guns and Pamela’s jewelry – he had no idea the tape existed. Thus began Gauthier’s race to capitalize on his findings, an act he saw as justifiable revenge given that Tommy Lee wouldn't pay him for his work. For over two months, Pam and Tommy had no idea the safe was even gone.

During that time, Gauthier teamed up with Milton Ingley, a.k.a Uncle Miltie, the '90s pornography mogul, to start distributing the tape online. By the time Tommy and Pam realized the tape was missing, it had already been widely distributed and seen by thousands. When they hired Hollywood private investigator Anthony Pellicano, they didn’t have a clear idea of who may have stolen the tapes, and it actually took much longer for them to narrow down the culprit.

In real life, by the time they were able to track down Gauthier, the tape had been seen by hundreds of thousands of people, copied hundreds of times, and reposted all over the Internet. There was very little Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee were able to do to stop the spread of the tape or seek justice. It’s likely Hulu’s Pam & Tommy amended the true story of Rand Gauthier’s theft and downfall for the sake of runtime and put Gauthier at the forefront of the story to make the most of Seth Rogen. Ultimately, though, the story isn't about him, so his fate is left unexplored.

What Happened To Rand Gauthier In Real Life After The Tape Scandal?

Gauthier Did Not Become Rich From His Crimes But Escaped Legal Punishment

Pam & Tommy leaves the questions around what happened to Rand Gauthier open-ended. Though the story moves away from him and his role in the crime, the act that he was unpunished for the theft adds an interesting context for the story. After causing an enormous Internet sex scandal that rocked the lives of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, the real Gauthier was never imprisoned and didn't see any significant legal repercussions or receive any reprimands.

Gauthier worked as an actor in adult films for a time with over 70 credits to his name. In 2014, he did an interview with Rolling Stone in which he claimed that by the time he was forced to shut down the website that had the tape, he had not made back enough money to pay off his mob-connected backers which forced him to become a debt collector.

As of the time of the interview, Gauthier was continuing work as an electrician in Santa Rosa and growing marijuana on the side. In the end, Gauthier's theft and exploitation of the celebrity couple did not turn out to be the get-rich-quick scheme he was hoping for. Pam & Tommy attempts to suggest that was justice enough for Gauthier, but it is likely that the real-life victims of his crime disagree.