"Where Are They Now"...Singer/Actress/Prince Protégé Denise "Vanity" Matthews

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Singer/Actress Vanity: 'Memba Her?!

Posted Aug 16th 2009 1:48AM by TMZ Staff

In the '80s, Denise Matthews aka Vanity became famous as the lead singer of Prince's all female trio Vanity 6 and starring in films like "Terror Train" and "The Last Dragon." Guess what she looks like now!



The 50-year-old born-again Christian resurfaced on the Trinity Broadcast Network, looking ultraconservative.

http://www.tmz.com/2009/08/16/nasty-girl/



Before becoming an evangelical Christian, Denise had a crack cocaine addiction.

Prince initially wanted to her stage name to be Vagina, but Matthews refused.

[Merlot]

1. Dang she looks angry!

[Hello_Kitty]

2. Apollonia was way cooler. eom

[robinlynne]

3. I saw Apollonia a few weeks ago. still as hot as before.

[glinda]

8. Didn't she find religion also?

[robinlynne]

9. don't know. it was at a party. I didn't speak with her.

[Sanity Claws]

4. She lost her joy of life

I guess addiction can do a number on one.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

6. I don't know how accurate this Wikipedia entry is, but...

...her life has stretched a bit beyond "tragic," especially since most of the tragedy was self-inflicted:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_%28performer%29

Like many of Prince's former band mates, including Prince himself, Vanity, later in life made radical changes in her lifestyle mostly due to religion. She gave up her stage name "Vanity" and became a born-again Christian in 1994, the year she almost died from the effects of smoking crack cocaine. According to Matthews, after being rushed to the hospital, doctors said she had 3 days left to live and she was on life support. She told everyone in interviews that Jesus spoke to her during this time and saved her if she promised to give up her Vanity persona. In 1995, Matthews was quoted "When I came to the Lord Jesus Christ, I threw out about 1,000 tapes of mine—every interview, every tape, every video. Everything." (Totally Awesome 80's by Matthew Rettenmund, page 57). In interviews she gave during this period, Matthews expressed embarrassment and shame about her "sinful" life as Vanity—from her crack cocaine addiction to her lifestyle and wardrobe choices. Soon after, she broke off all ties to Hollywood and her former life.

In 1995, after a month-long courtship, Matthews married former football player Anthony Smith (he was a defensive end with the Los Angeles Raiders at the time). They divorced in 1996.

In 1996, Matthews became Director of Public Relations for The Genesis Technology Group.

After needing a kidney transplant in 1997, Matthews decided to fully devote her life and work to evangelism. An evangelist and born-again Christian, she now travels to speak at churches across the United States (and sometimes other countries) and currently resides in Fremont, California.

The detrimental effects on her health stemming from her use of crack cocaine for over a decade during her days as Vanity now require Matthews to perform dialysis at home multiple times a day.

Matthews' autobiography, Blame it on Vanity,was written, graphically designed, published and distributed herself, was released in December 2008. She created a special website for the book: http://www.blameitonvanity.com/

[tinkerbell41]

5. Nikki Sixx!

She had a years long crazy coked out affair with Nikki Sixx from M. Crue. Jesus, glad i never got near that shit.

[Number23]

7. Sweet Lord in Heaven...

Obviously, nothing "vain" about that one anymore!