She's been the butt of jokes, gone through public humiliation and government scrutiny, and seen every friend turn away, but the unsinkable Tammy Faye Bakker Messner has emerged with her faith intact. Still larger than life today, the "queen of the eyelashes" is revealed in a sometimes campy and outrageous documentary that chronicles her rise and fall and rise, as the "CINEMAX Reel Life" presentation THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE debuts TUESDAY, NOV. 28 (8:30-10:00 p.m. ET), exclusively on CINEMAX.

Other playdates: Dec. 18 (2:45 p.m.), 24 (6:40 a.m.) and 29 (7:15 a.m.).

Narrated by drag queen RuPaul Charles, this feature-length documentary follows Tammy Faye from her love-at-first-sight encounter with Rev. Jim Bakker through the glory days of their PTL (Praise The Lord) Christian TV ministry to the scandal that brought their world tumbling down. Among those interviewed are ex-husband Jim, her son and daughter, singer Pat Boone and others who watched the saga unfold.

The story of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker is also the story of contemporary televangelism, which was born with them. The Bakkers rose from the ranks of traveling evangelists to the height of fame and prosperity via PTL, building an empire that included the popular Heritage USA theme park. But this rise was not without struggle, marked by clashes with Pat Robertson at CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network), which the Bakkers help build, and Jan and Paul Crouch at the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Nothing would be as scandalous and traumatic, however, as the stories of adultery and embezzlement that surfaced at the height of their reign as the first couple of Christian television. The Bakkers lost their thrones, Jim lost his freedom, being sentenced to 45 years in prison for fraud, and Tammy Faye lost her husband, filing for divorce shortly thereafter. Along the way, she had to overcome addiction to prescription drugs and battle cancer before settling into a happy second marriage with her present husband, Roe Messner.

From baby photos to professional head shots, Tammy Faye is a child of the camera, whether working the traveling evangelist circuit with Jim Bakker or serving as a secular talk show host, competing with Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake.

In a live performance at a Christian college, she shows how infamy has taken its toll, expressing reluctance to appear for fear of mockery. But Tammy Faye's fears are washed away when she begins to sing, for that is when she lets her faith shine for all to see.

THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE is produced and directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato; narrated by RuPaul Charles; executive in charge of production, Harry Knapp. For "CINEMAX Reel Life": producer, John Hoffman; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

Contact Info:
Paul Marotta(New York)
(212) 512-1322 5025

David Magdael (Los Angeles)
(213) 624-7827 5025