Often compared to Brigitte Bardot in looks, the daughter of Fifties teen idol Marty Wilde originally sought a career in the fine arts. Alas, a lack of selfdiscipline thwarted her goal (“I wasn’t too good about getting up in the morning”), so she became a pop singer (where discipline is usually a detriment). Born Kimberly Smith on November 18, 1960 in London, she crossed over to these shores with her 1987 remake of the Supremes ‘You keep me hangin’ on’. Her subsequent singles have turned gold and platinum, but coy Kim turned bright red when she “inadvertedly” flashed the audience in her February ’89 performance in Italy’s San Remo Pop Festival. As the British press chuckled: “Pop stunner Kim Wilde gave fans an unexpected eyeful. The red-faced singer popped out during a sexy dance routine but quickly spotted her boob (Brit slang for mistake) and covered up with a black leather jacket. Ironically Kim earlier commented: “Unfortunately, the sex symbol trip seems to sell loads of newspapers. Our biggest-selling paper has a woman with her tits everywhere on page 3. It’s incredible, but that sells, you know.” You bet, but at least Kim’s greatest, uh, hits keep hangin’ on two.…
Kim claimed her “pop top” was all a mistake, but as her favorite “tits everywhere” tabloid The Sun noted: “She had a similar accident on stage at Wembley Stadium last summer, and has vowed to wear “less flimsy” dresses in the future.” Asked if she’d every consider “a nude layout in a magazine”, Kim laughed: “No, I don’t think so”, but added: “I do look after my body”. Now readers of at least one magazine can return the favor.