Carmella Danielle DeCesare was born on July 1, 1982, in Avon Lake, Ohio. Carmella had a knack for schoolwork and continued her studies after high school. At college, she studied business administration. But beneath a serious demeanor, Carmella longed to be famous. In fact, she had always nursed ambitions of becoming a model. In early 2002, barely 19 years old, she decided that she would have to take the proverbial bull by the horns and make her dream come true. Her first, bold step towards doing so was to sign up for a FOX reality show called Who Wants To Be A Playmate Centerfold?. This special followed playboy magazine's nationwide search for the perfect Miss July. From hundreds of hopeful applicants, the judges honed down the selection to 12, one of whom would go on to take the prize.