Tequila attends Maxim’s Hot 100 Celebration in May 2009. Dani Campbell, a firefighter from Florida who was the runner-up on the first season of “A Shot at Love,” said she was lured on to the program by the idea that she could date a Maxim model. “But some of the stuff on the show ended up being a little bit obscene and just crazy. It made you think, like, what is this person?” said Campbell. “She seemed like she needs that attention and the limelight.” (Jason Merritt / Getty Images)
Tila Tequila, at home with the book she published in December 2008, “Hooking Up With Tila Tequila.” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
In 2008, Tequila made headlines when she began dating Courtenay Semel, daughter of former Yahoo! Chief Executive Terry Semel. Courtenay also dated Casey Johnson, who would later become one of Tequila’s flames. (Alexandra Wyman / Getty Images)
In Hollywood, Tequila acquired an eclectic group of friends, including Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. “She has the voice of a chanteuse of days gone by,” Corgan said in a statement issued to The Times by Tequila’s publicist in February. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)
Advertisement
Tequila, shown with “Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis, has often made money by doing promotional appearances at nightclubs. In fall 2009, she launched the beta version of an 18-and-older website called Tila’s Hot Spot Dating, in which subscribers who pay a $19.99 monthly fee are privy to racy live chats with the star. Internet consultant Patrick Ford was brought in to help build the website, which he said was originally going to be a joint project between Francis’ company Mantra Films and Tequila. (Charley Gallay / Getty Images)
In December 2009, Tequila began dating Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson. The two quickly got engaged; Johnson, 30, died only a month after she began seeing Tequila. Several gossip blogs deemed their relationship a publicity stunt, referencing a December video the two uploaded from bed -- clad in push-up bras as Tequila kissed Johnson and showed off the 17-carat engagement ring Johnson had given her -- as evidence. (Noel Vasquez / Getty Images)
Tequila says Johnson’s death threw her into a tailspin. She wrote online about her grief and posted videos of herself sobbing. Here, Tequila plays a tribute song to Johnson in her Studio City home. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
In January, Tequila sent what she said was an ultrasound of her fetus to Radar Online, told the media that rapper the Game was the baby’s father and posted a video of herself dancing in lingerie to show off her belly -- though she was still quite thin. She poses here at a red carpet event in March. (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)