Traci Bingham

Traci A. Bingham (born January 13, 1968) is an American actress, model, and television personality. Beginning her professional career in the early 1990s, Bingham is best known for her role as Jordan Tate on the NBC action drama television series Baywatch (1996–1998).

Early life and education
Bingham was born Julie Anne Smith to an African American and Italian mother and a Native American father. She was the youngest of seven children born in North Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Betty, a librarian, and Lafayette Bingham, an aircraft technician who served in World War II. For high school, Bingham attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School; graduating in 1986.

Career
Bingham began her career in minor acting roles. Aside from Baywatch, Bingham's appearances include the television series D.R.E.A.M. Team and Beverly Hills, 90210, and the film Demon Knight. She also played minor roles in the popular American sitcoms The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Married... with Children. In 1991, Bingham appeared in the video for "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Eight years later, she appeared in the video for "I Really Like It" by Harlem World featuring Mase and Kelly Price.

In June 1998, Bingham posed for a "Babes of Baywatch" pictorial in Playboy magazine. Bingham has appeared on a number of reality television programs. In 2004, she was in the second series of The Surreal Life. Her castmates included Ron Jeremy, Vanilla Ice, Erik Estrada, Tammy Faye Bakker, and Trishelle Cannatella. Two years later, she flew to England to appear in Celebrity Big Brother, where she made it to the final six contestants and was evicted on the final night of the show. She selected Families of SMA as the charity to receive a donation from her participation in the show because her niece had died from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

In 2005, Bingham was hired as a spokesmodel by Empire Poker, an online gambling site that ceased operations in 2006. In 2007, Bingham appeared on VH1's The Surreal Life: Fame Games and won the $100,000 grand prize. In 2008, Bingham appeared on Fox Reality's Gimme My Reality Show! competing with six other celebrities to get their own reality show. Bingham appeared on The 2008 World Magic Awards television show.

Activism
Bingham is a vegetarian. In May 2002, she appeared in a vegetarian advertisement wearing a bikini made of lettuce, and in May 2006 she appeared nude in an ad as part of PETA's "I'd Rather Be Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign.

Personal life
Bingham has been married twice and has no children. Her first husband was Finnian Lozada. From August 29, 1998 until January 18, 2001, Bingham was married to songwriter and musician Robb Vallier.