As "20/20" investigates star sex tape scandals, we have PARIS HILTON, ROB LOWE and PAM ANDERSON all caught in the act!

She went from society party girl to infamous sex-tape celebrity overnight. But did PARIS HILTON's much-publicized video make or break her burgeoning Hollywood career? Tonight on ET, as "20/20" investigates celebrity sex tape scandals, we have Paris, ROB LOWE and PAM ANDERSON all caught in the act!

"We're probably just seeing the beginning of the celebrity sex tape era," ABC News Correspondent CHRIS CONNELLY tells ET. "The sex tape era is kind of this confluence of reality TV and our obsession with fame and sex, and also this technological revolution where everyone's got a camcorder and a computer that has streaming video."

A three-year-old video featuring Paris having sex with SHANNEN DOHERTY's ex, RICK SALOMON, came to light last November and was widely circulated on the Internet. Lawsuits between the Hilton family, Salomon and the Internet distributor erupted, but the damage was already done. Or was it?

"I think this tape helped her career by leaps and bounds," says KEVIN BLATT, the publicist for Marvad Corp, the adult entertainment company that bought the Hilton sex tape to sell on its Web site.

"I think the numbers are obvious," agrees Connelly. "It may have been embarrassing to her, but her show ['The Simple Life' is] a hit. She's being offered another one by FOX. She's got a deal and she's up and running; people are talking about her."

A few years ago, Pam Anderson weathered a similar storm when a videotape surfaced of her and then-beau TOMMY LEE in a variety of compromising positions. But the former "Baywatch" beauty went on to produce and star in her own TV show, "V.I.P." and recently even mocked her video in 'Scary Movie 3.'

Lee's MOTLEY CRUE bandmate, VINCE NEIL, followed suit with his own leaked sex tape, but that too seemed to bolster his reputation.

"I actually think it enhanced my image," says Neil. "When it came out ... I got a lot of, 'Hey, Vince, all right!'"

"As embarrassing as it might be to explain to your parents or your current boyfriend or girlfriend, having a celebrity sex tape out there does not seem to hurt your career. It seems to help," concludes Connelly, who says that Rob Lowe's career "was going to go hopelessly into the toilet because of the sex tape of his that came out a long time ago ... perhaps he was in the doghouse in Hollywood for awhile ... but now, my gosh, he came back so strongly with 'The West Wing' and really has turned things around. So, while people think it will demolish their careers, it might not be that way."

Connelly points out that being in on the joke could be the best way to perform damage control.

"The important thing is to get them laughing with you, not laughing at you," says the "20/20" correspondent. "And so something like Paris Hilton going on 'Saturday Night Live' and making light of what's happened to her; Pamela Anderson down the road being in 'Scary Movie 3'; having a laugh with what happened seems to be the best way for a celebrity to get through something like having a sex tape out there."

"20/20" airs at 10 p.m. EST tonight on ABC.

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