Good morning Nell-and you make some interesting points here, darlin.

There is a discussion in feminism that birth control ended up in actuality giving men a lot greater freedom to have multiple partners than it gave women actual control over their sexuality. If anything, I think it precipitated a need for women to be attractive to many men and it's why you now see girls at bars doing crazy things just for attention. Women never escaped becoming the objects of desire, not the active participants which is why I still think Playboy is so backasswards.

Sure, I've heard that but having grown up back when the pill was first available (and a bit before that, truth be told) I know that the initial idea was that finally--finally!-- women would be free from the fear of unwanted pregnancies. Period. (No pun intended). Playboy took the public position that now women could be as active/free/unrestrained as men. And keep in mind that this was pre-AIDS and all of that. If you can't be with the one you lovce, love the love you're with--get it? It was also the dawning of the hippie/freedom movement. It wasn't considered yet another yoke thrown on us by the chauvanist pigs. Honest.

I do think Hef believes he is a feminist He's often been quoted as saying that he is, yes. and I do think he would enjoy company from women who are not conventionally attractive but would be interesting to talk to. He's also been quoted as saying that he doesn't look towards women as intellectual companions--especially his bimbos. His daughter, maybe. Mary the secretary, maybe. Holly? Yeah, right. But the fact that not only does he keep a harem, but he makes them all get surgery, dye their hair, and dress in certain ways makes me think he has some messed up ideas about women. I would think better of him, actually, if there was some diversity there, though I don't know why. And Kendra, Brigitte, and Holly don't inspire me to think they would call themselves feminists. He doesn't make anyone do anything. He may request. He may tell them that it's his way or the high way but they're making the choice to go along with his BS. They know where the door is.

It's funny that Playboy is such a forum for contemporary literature and essays that they don't have a show on PBS about the next great author or a roundtable discussion on the environment. I always thought Hef had a pretty insidious idea - take a skin magazine and take away anything that makes you think of a real woman with flaws, add in some "presence of a man" subliminal touches, write a few reviews of expensive stereos to make it seem so upper-middle class, and then throw in some inexpensive to purchase fine literature so women can't complain about their men reading it. Kinda. Sure. Yep--but keep in mind that back in the early 50's when he started the magazine (and where it's still stuck) he was simply perpetuating an ideal. It was unrealistic. It was false and it was demeaning to women--it sure was and is but it was a different time and a different attitude existed. I'm not defending it--God knows!--but Hefner was and is a man of his time and that time ended decades ago. He's simply stayed in his comfort zone and has the means to do so til he dies next month. The ladies (and I use the term lightly) have just hitched their wagons to an old wagon and are taking the free ride. Wel freeride if you discount the sell out of their individuality, rights and automitry (sp...sorry).

It's funny how all those girls who end up posing, getting surgeries on MTV shows read Playboy as kids. And they were never inspired to become writers, planned parenthood volunteers, or anything like that. The magazine inspires conformity and limited roles for women.

Well yeah. Y'think?

I was wondering the whole time I was watching the Mardi Gras Party.. Why is Bridget the only one that is showing her stomach? Kendra has rock hard abs and she wore a corset. I think Bridget should do the same. Those skimpy outfits are not cute (on Bridget).

The only thing I want to comment on from last night's episode is Cristal Camden...does anyone know how old she is? She looked roughly the same age as Bridget (or at least as old as Bridget purports to be) and it seems a little late for her to be trying to break in to the PB world as a cybergirl. If she's a former girlfriend, I wonder why she didn't beg to be in the mag then, when she was younger? Or maybe she did and Hef wasn't into it.

Hef didn't like the girlfriends to appear in the mag because they'd leave him shortly afterwards. Poor Holly had to wipe that ancient dick off with washcloths many times before Hef would even consider letting her pose.

Well, I missed a few weeks and surprisingly the view is more interesting watching it for the first time in a few weeks.

Can I just say that Kendra is shining this season? I don't care what anybody says, Hef loves him some Kendra. Bridget, I think, may be living in the mansion on borrowed time, but Kendra just has this youthfulness, not to mention the inability to participate in some of the more bullshit-centric aspects of mansion life. But I love her new haircolor (altho she needs her make-up to match--it makes her look a tad pale at times) and just her whole demeanor. Notice how Holly is in overdrive to make herself "the Chosen One", like on the Valentine's ep when she mentioned that she got "extra gifts." I would have been rolling if they'd done a shot of Hef giving each girl their own aside gifts.

I love the way Hef was with Kendra's mom. She really isn't a bad looking lady. She looks different though, possibly a face lift? Colin always has his bitchface on though. I would imagine a young guy like that would be elated to even be in the PB mansion.

I think he is horribly embarrassed by his skany, ex-druggie, brain damaged, stripper sister. That or he is especially sensitive to the aroma of dog shit and old man smell that wafts through the mansion.

But, really, for some of these girls (and Kendra, I'm looking at you) this is the pinnacle. Is a girl like Kendra going to go to college or was she destined for the pole? There's a huge dichotomy between a girl like Kendra and someone like Bridget or the other chick with the Master's degree (Allison Waite?) who posed. Having an education and choosing to pose is feminist, no arguments there. I maybe think that women who are choosing to work in any part of the sex industry because there are no other good choices are not feminists, while choosing to exploit the fantasies of men for better money than being a executive is feminist. I'm still thinking this out, so feel free to poke holes in my argument.

Did anyone else see shades of the catwoman, Jocelyn Wildenstein, in Crystal Camden?

I always imagined the PB mansion would be a buffet of broads, boobies and butts everywhere you looked. It might have been like that in the 70's but that's ovuh. Maybe Colin's disappointed it's obviously not like that anymore.

The mansion needs a major renovation badly! The grounds look good but the mansion not so much. It looks so stale and musty. Between Mary and Hef's old man friends, it really reminds me of a nursing home. Maybe he should use it as a retirement home for old lady Playmates. Bridget wouldn't have too long to go till she qualifies -- hee, hee.

Regarding feminism and Playboy, while it's true that women today can choose to pose nude, work in topless clubs, have sex on camera, participate in orgies, etc., it's still not accepted as respectable by the rest of the world, no matter what people say. I just can't reconcile the notion of feminism (I'm old enough to remember the pre-feminist work environment) with using your body to make money. I think you always pay a price, even if it's down the road a ways. There are a lot of creeps out there who will never let you forget that you did it. Does anyone remember the Anna Nicole Show episode where she was given free clothes in exchange for promoting a store called Century 21 in NYC? The store's owner was unbelievably creepy, sitting next to her in the limo and leering at her and trying to make suggestive conversation and hook up with her. Anna was pressed against the car door and wouldn't give him eye contact. Look at all the reality TV shows where the women are sexually free and how quickly everybody calls them hos and sluts.

I have a friend who's been to a couple Playboy parties at the mansion (she's a D-list actress) and she says that the majority of the men there are creepy. They aren't there looking for wives and mothers or friends or employees. It's not all prettied up like they show on the GND episodes. They come there feeling entitled to have a beautiful half-naked woman have sex with them. Jill-Ann said that that actor that played the huge convict in The Green Mile treated her that way and was furious when she wouldn't put out (or maybe it was her friend).

A long time ago, a social scientist-type did some kind of research on some of the earlier Bunnies, and a relatively high number of them were substance abusers or leading otherwise unhappy, dysfunctional lives; some were suicides. Some that were interviewed said that being involved with Playboy was a terrible mistake. Of course times have changed and women are less willing to accept society's blame for sexual behavior, but I still suspect a double standard.

As for HH, I think he has weird hang-ups about women. I think he's likes them to look like all-American (white) teenagers. No man who has regularly scheduled orgies with women who want to be Playmates or otherwise associated with Playboy respects women. He doesn't give a rat's ass about women's pleasure. How can it be more obvious? The women who attend those things are hoping to use their sexuality to get jobs, get gifts, get money, get access, etc. C'mon, HH doesn't respect them. I don't think he respects Holly or Bridget either. I wonder whether Bridget will be like one of those earlier women -- she gives signs of not handling aging well, of always comparing herself unfavorably to the other younger women, of not wanting to face reality.

Kendra looking hot in Miami
Her body is fierce.

Cristal was hideous...all I could think was that if they're using her in the magazine, they must be desperate. She looked like a tranny to me!

I don't think Holly's totally delusional about marrying Hef...I think she is like a lot of girls who are slowly wearing a guy down until he caves in. He isn't totally opposed to the idea. He said in an interview 2 months ago that she was the love of his life, he just hasn't had much luck with marriage and he thinks marriage changes relationships (which it usually does). I think he is hesitant but a lot of hesitant men give in. Can't blame her for trying!

I don't think Hef has any intention of divorcing Kimberly and severing those ties. She lives next door with their boys - it's a nice arrangment for all involved.

If anything I could see him agreeing to (grand)father a child with Holly, but marriage? No way. Oy, even his sperm use walkers at this point.

Pasdetrois, you need to get your friend on here and dish. I'm sure she has some good stuff on those PB regulars. Jill Ann's book remembers that Craig (can't remember his last name, but he had a late night tv show) was real skeevy with her and her friend. They said that he goosed them under their skirts. Bill Maher is also a regular and I hear he's pretty creepy too.

I think the women who say Playboy is a feminism thing and are 'freeing' themselves are delusional. I think they are they trying to convince themselves that posing for masterbation fodder is a normal thing. To me anyway, feminism is about not losing out on a job due to gender and not getting paid less due to said gender, among other things. It's about being treated as an equal in life and career. I don't see where posing for PB helps that.

I completely disagree with this.
Most of the young woman flashing and such on "Girls Gone Wild" are in college, and that education doesn't mean they're feminist or doing it to subvert outdated social standards of female sexual behavior. I see Playmates as the same way. If you asked them to define subverting outdated social standards of female sexual behavior, you'd get a giggle or a blank look.
I truly believe that women engaging in these types of stereotypical sexual displays are victims of sexist ideals as much as repressed women who don't have sex for fear of being considered a whore. It's the flip side of the coin- both are stereotypes propogated by men- either virgin or whore. There's no unique celebration of individual sexuality, just women participating in the male ideal of what's sexy.


YES!
I knew she looked like a victim of fucked up plastic surgery, but also that she looked like some other victim of fucked up surgery. Now I know who it is! I think it's the cat eyes and cheek implants.

Yea Crystal Camden is not going any higher than cyber girl of the month or week or whatever, it should really be of the day. She seems nice enough, but her face is kinda messed up.

On the other side, i thought the reaction of the girl who won PMOY was really cute, and you could tell she didn't want to tell her friend who was also up for it because she didn't want anyone to feel bad. I think she's really pretty and is kind of girl next doorish as far as personality goes.

I am a huge fan of Bill Maher's show Real Time, and about 90% of the time agree with him politically, but I find his take on women and relationships to be antiquated. He does book intelligent women on his show, but in his personal life seems to go for very young bimbos. His mindset seems to see a dichotomy between women who are his equal intellectually (read NOT sexy) and the type of woman he wants to fuck. I would venture to say that this is how Hef views women as well.

Does Hef even want to fuck anymore? A couple of shows ago he demanded all the girls join him in an "exciting" game of dominos. I am sure Kendra was trying to find a sharp edge on a domino to kill herself and not be subjected to old person activities ever again.(...or is that just what I would be doing?)

I doubt pretending to like activities you don't enjoy just to please "your man" is feminism and female empowerment.

That's true, but she pretty blatantly tried to use him for mansion tickets by implying she was interested in him and would sleep with him if he took her. It was only after she confessed that she had a serious partner, and actually told him she really wanted the ticket as she'd been banned and could only go as a date (after her partner found out and made her stop) that he got angry with her for trying to use him. Not that I'm excusing the guests' behavior in general, I'm sure there are pigs there, but in that case I can't blame him. That chick is crazy.

Kendra looks so happy in those Miami pics. I wonder how long she is allowed leave from prison, err, the mansion.

did anyone see the preview of the next episode? KENDRA AND BRIDGET ARE LEAVING?!? it cuts to a clip of Bridget wiping her teary eyes, and then to Holly saying something like "just because there's only one girlfriend now does NOT mean that it's going to get boring!" I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! wow... did anyone else see that?

Haven't seen this -- sounds like Holly's dream or April Fools. They're gonna have to get 10 bodyguards built like wrestlers to get Bridget out of there. They'd have to drag her out of there kicking, screaming and crying. Where else can she behave like a 6 year old? She'll be commited right away to the nearest looney bin.

Okay, yes. I may mean educated, rather than having an education. I'm not sure that a college degree means much more than a high school diploma at this point, but I still think there's still a huge difference between the girls for whom posing is an achievement because they are not particularly smart and a smart girl who thinks it would be interesting, cool, lucrative, whatever to be in Playboy. And I love your point about individual sexuality - maybe you can't subvert an illusion?

Crystal's mouth and cheekbones were very not pretty. I was amazed that she photographed better than she looked. Her skin seemed crazy stretched.

I do too agree, I knew she resembled someone, but couldnt quite my finger on it. She def has a Anne Heche look to her

Sorry, but I'm none too impressed with the new PMotY.

Sure, she's "the girl next door" with big fake boobies, but she comes off like a completely dim bulb with a boring personality to match, she really isn't all that stunning outside of the studio, and she annoyed the Hell out of me when she kept nervously playing with her hair after she found out she'd won the title---it was a little too child-like and weird for me.
They should've given it to the highly-educated hot brunette instead.
Now wouldn't THAT be a refreshing change of pace? A Playmate of the Year with an actual MBA, comon!
((mind you, I'm sure Bridget would shit her pants in jealousy))

Speaking of Bridget, her friend Crystal seems just as syrupy sweet and nice as she does, but she also looks as old and washed-up as she does. That poor gal can't be a day younger than 37, can she?
I'm all for mature babes posing to their prettiest as well, but there just seemed a bit of desperation to her entire shoot, like she was hopelessly clinging to this youthful ideal.

I also agree! The was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw that picture and even the rest of the pics was "they're photshopped". There's a couple more pictures of the supposed brother "hanging out" at the playboy mansion and they all look like he's just pasted to the background.

Quelle surprise. I noticed that I've seen him in more than one party/event on this show, along with Corey Feldman, if memory serves.

Bwah! I'm skeptical (is it sweeps week yet?) but that would be entertaining to see.

Free Kendra!

Who is the brunette with the MBA? I'm not up on my Playmates. She sounds interesting.

Does the PMotY get to keep the car as long as she wants or does she have to give it back in a year? I missed the last episode, dang it. Last night was just a repeat of the bunny search ep.

We should start a Free Kendra campaign. lol!

man that Playmate of the Year is not my idea of a beautiful woman, that skinny body boyed up by the huge fake boobies, the shake and bake tan, ugh. And another blonde of course. The PMOTY is awarded with cookie cutter prescison. There have been stunning playmates in the past: the doomed Dorothy Stratten, and, no matter what you think of her personnally, Anna Nicole Smith was spectacular, and NOT skinny.

PMoTY looked really ugly to me. And her reaction? I thought she was really upset to have won it, like she may have regretted posing for Playboy.

It's funny to think that ANS (RIP) is one of the most beautiful PMoTY. Hell, even ANS in her crazy years is more attractive than this woman

Of the 4 girls who were the front-runners for PMotY, I actually think the girl that won was the least attractive. I'm not saying she's a heffer; however, the brunette girls had a slightly more 'exotic' look. But Hef does like the blondes so there ya go. I thought the basis on how the PMotY was chosen sounded a little iffy. Hef asks the editors their opinions, gets the readers to vote but then he might go and choose someone different which rather nullifies the reader input. Kind of shady. If, in the end, said vote doesn't matter, what's the point? Asking a collective their opinion and then just throwing it away rather blows. It is oddly reminiscent of the '00 election. Ahh, Florida. Majority rules? Not so much.

I totally missed that preview for the 'down to one girlfriend' scenario but something tells me they're tweaking that edit for a good sweeps buzz this month. No friggin' way is Hef gonna toss out Bridget & Kendra in the middle of production. If that was the case, they would fight tooth and nail to stay. THAT'S MY PUFFY PILLOW, BITCH! BACK OFF! Their mantra would probably be, 'Do not go gently into that good night.'

Alison Waite - she actually took a year off grad school to live at the Playmate house and help promote the magazine.

The preview about Bridget and Kendra leaving was a joke, right? If taped months ago, wouldn't we have heard about it?

Re: next week's preview. I think that's all hype. If you'll notice, it was the guy with the E! voiceover saying "Are Bridget and Kendra leaving?" And Holly said something like, "I take the time when the other girls are gone to show Hef that you can still have fun with just 1 girlfriend." I think what's actually happening is that the cameras are following Kendra while she closes on her condo, and following Bridget going out of town, probably for some fluff, bullshit correspondent gig. I can promise they're just trying to mislead in the promos. Kind of like in the first season, the promos for the episode of the Wax museum had Bridget saying "I have a marriage announcement to make." And in the episode, she throws on an ugly dress and fake-marries a wax sculpture of George Clooney.

Kendra and Bridget are just visiting their families in this week's episode, according to the episode summary. Sorry, Holly. (Also I noticed that the clip they threw in the preview, of Holly saying "I think he needs to get rid of the other girls," is from first season. I don't think she would ever come out and say something like that now... she's way too coy and conniving in her bitchiness these days.)

When are we going to see Holly's family of monsters visit the nursing home (oops, I mean mansion) already?

I also thought that the girl Hef picked to be PMotY was rather "meh." Sure, she's not an ugly duckling and would be considered attractive to many people, but from the little I saw of the other contenders, she was not the prettiest by a long shot.

Is Cristal the chick who tried to be one of the Vegas club workers, got turned down, and was "consoled" by Bridget by being asked if she wanted to go with her to get some Sprinkles Cupcakes?

I seriously thought Cristal was in her 40s and almost fell out of my chair when I looked her up and it said she was 'born' in September of 1981.

So that was her sex reassignment surgery date?

And she was a former 'girlfriend' of HH. For someone who's supposedly the arbiter of female hotness, he has really shitty taste.


Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. If she was born in September 81, I should be looking rode harder and put up wetter than she (horrors!), since I was born in August 81. She looks 10-20 years older than I am.

From that article about Alison Waite:



The ex suggested her? Interesting. But I thought the ex's first name was something else--Kimberly or something?

She's beautiful though. The PMOY seemed sweet but that girl was stunning in a more mature, not-white-bleached-blonde-and-tanned way.

BWAHAHAHHHHH!!!!
((she must have less brain cells than Kendra to actually think the rest of the world would buy that birthdate!))

Oh please, she looked older than Bridget, I thought she was near 40! Because at times, Playboy has shown older women, heavier women in the magazine!

On speaking of Bridget, I don't get all the hate on her looks. Yes, she's the oldest, but I think she looks more natural than either Holly (I guess that's a DUH!) and Kendra. She's also heavier, but I think it looks more healthier. Now, as for her little girl personality... that grates.

Bridget looks more natural because I think she's the only one with natural breasts.

Out of the three of them, Holly is definitely the least attractive. I think Kendra is very pretty when she doesn't have white blonde hair and a smattering of makeup on her face. I like Bridget's hair, even though it reminds me of stage mother hair.

The thing I hate on with Bridget and her looks is that I believe she's lying about her age. She looks like she's someone who took excellent care of herself (and drew well in the gene pool) for being 40 or so. But whatever age she claims to be, she doesn't look it. There's no shame in being 40, but I hate when people lie about their ages.

Personally I think that bridget has a nice womanly body. Her face is not the most gorgeous, but it is pleasant. I understand how the baby personality grates, but she seems to be a legitimately nice person considering the hot house enviroment she lives in.

His daughter's name is Christie, so maybe that is who noticed her.

If Cristal is 25, I'm Hugh Hefner. There's no way in hell she isn't past 35. Woman looks haggard.

There's no way Cristol is in her mid-20s.

I think Bridget is a babe as well. The cutesy thing is old, but of them all, I like her bod, hair and personality. Kendra has the prettiest face of the three. Holly would be better looking if she put some low-lights in her hair.

I don't know how well the Playboy Casino pays, but it's pretty sad when there are ex-gfs trying to get jobs there. Also, that Bentley twin's remark about moving to Vegas if the money is right? Honey, it's not like you're an executive being wooed to a new job. Weren't the jobs as dealers and waitresses? These women should be a cautionary tale of how just relying on your looks won't get you far in life.

Not true. My beautiful sister has made a fortune marrying rich men. These women aren't playing it right. I posted earlier the "girls" aren't working it to the max advantage. A clever kept woman knows to get good jewelry (and as much cash as possible) 'cause these are tangible assets they can walk away with. The nice cars will be taken away as soon as the girls are booted out.

We know Hef isn't especially generous with the cash and his taste in jewelry runs to cheapo PB pendant necklaces with thin, fakey looking rub-off gold chains Yuck! What a sport and a big spender that Hef is!