A Magazine as American as Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet
Written: Feb 27 '05 (Updated Feb 28 '05)
Product Rating:
Trendiness:
Pros: Great articles and interviews…
Cons: Airbrushed Playmates; layouts too short.
The Bottom Line: Playboy Magazine holds a time honored position that is as much a part of the American lexicon as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.
When I was a teenager growing up on the relatively tame but bigoted streets of Newport, Rhode Island, I had a paper route. On this route there was one particular stop I liked to make the first Friday of every month, for that is when the new Playboy Magazines hit the stands. That was back in the days before false moralizing forced most vendors to wrap their Playboys in plastic and secret them away behind he counter like some radioactive bomb designed to corrupt the ethics of young boys. I am embarrassed to admit that when the clerk was being less then attentive I would lift a copy, put it in my bag and beat a hasty retreat home. Once there I would marvel over the latest issue, and then toss it before anyone (my mother) could happen upon it.
Once an adult I started subscribing to Playboy Magazine and over the years I have gotten the publication off and on. This mostly depended on where I was at the time and what state my romantic life was in. I do not currently subscribe, but the magazine has not changed in all of the years I have been reading it; that is one of the good things about Playboy Magazine, the consistency, the familiarity, and it also one of the less attractive features. As other magazines in this genre continue to push the titillation envelope Playboy Magazines has remained conservative, insisting on maintaining the artist bent of the female body, as opposed to the obscene or exploitative.
The Cover
The cover of Playboy Magazine is a collector’s item onto itself. Always colorful, except for the 25th Anniversary issue that was all black, the cover is a feast for the eyes. And on every cover hidden somewhere on the featured playmate or celebrity is a bunny head begging to be found. Some heads are obvious, others are far harder to find, but it is fun trying to find the little bunny.
The Layout
The basic layout of the magazine has not changed in all of the years I have been reading it. There are not (thankfully) a lot of advertisements and those that are present are in proportion to the content of the magazine. And believe it or not, there are not a lot of nude layouts in Playboy Magazine; most of the content is devoted to articles, interviews and other interesting tidbits of information (more on that later), including those about sex.
One of the regular sections in the magazine is the Playboy Advisor, a question and answer section where regular readers’ queries are answered on a wide variety of questions. These can range from questions about how the set up and home entertainment system, to women’s G-spot, to how to cure having bumps, to how to give good face. Want to know the best region in California produces the best avocados; ask the Advisor. Want to know about Bluetooth technology; ask the Advisor. Want to know the best condom to use; ask the Advisor.
Playboy has reviews as well; reviews on new movie releases, video and DVD, as well as new books, music and video games. Playboy reviews are always confined to the newest releases; you will find any golden oldies here unless they have released. However their movie reviews include not only mainstream movies, but independent films as well.
Yes, Playboy has a Forum, but is nothing like the famous Penthouse Forum with its racy tales of sex in exotic places and faces. No, this Forum is the thinking man’s gathering place, for it is here they you’ll find discussions the pressing issues of the day; if you like to discuss politics, and controversial social issues, then you’ll enjoy the articles and editorials in this section. Articles and editorials exploring vital social, economic, governmental, and constitutional issues are the norm here. If you want to be challenged, intellectually, read this section.
Playboy Interviews
That writing in Playboy Magazine takes the form of the best interviews with celebrities to be read anywhere, including those publication specifically designed for the purpose. Playboy interviews ask the hard questions that most know personalities do mind answering. People come into Playboy interviews knowing that the fluff will be left on the floor; they are here to answer serious questions about topic not liable to be brought up elsewhere. This dynamic and frank exchange makes for very interesting and engaging interviews.
Miles Davis, Martin Luther King Jr., Fidel Castro, former President Jimmy Cater, Ansel Adams, Stephen King, George Clooney, Bernie Mac, Earl Weaver, Ben Affleck, Mike Wallace, Johnny Depp have all been interviewed within the pages of Playboy Magazine. And Nicole Kidman recently joined their august ranks with her interview in the February 2005 issue.
And if Playboy can’t get the personality to sit for a whole interview, perhaps they will be willing to answer some quick inquires about themselves in the magazines 20 Questions section. A mini-interview of sorts the 20 Questions are usually not as in-depth as regular interview questions and are fun, upbeat, generally lighthearted, but they are enough to provide a snapshot of your favorite actor, actress, public figure, or other noted personality.
The Articles
Believe or not I do enjoy the articles in Playboy Magazine; they are always well written and cover a plethora of subject matters. Designed mostly for men, the magazine’s articles almost always features an article on sports, personal electronics & gadgets, automobiles, home theater, politics, grooming, clothing, and other subject matter of special interest to men.
Along with the excellent articles, Playboy also features short stories and other fiction, some by virtual unknowns and other works by noted authors such as Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, Anne Rice, etc. Entertaining, original, and usually a bit off center, Playboy's fiction is top-rate, and never fails to surprise me in a most delightful way.
The Pictures
The nude layouts in Playboy Magazine have not changed much over the intervening years; they are tasteful shots of beautiful women is near-provocative poses. Yes breasts are prominently featured but that is about it; this is not Penthouse and definitely not Hustler.
There are generally three to four featured nude layouts in addition to the Playmate of the Month who receives her own centerfold. There is a fair amount of airbrushing of the models (Playmates and others) which I have always found troublesome. It’s almost to the point now where the women look more like paintings the real human beings. If I am going to look at nudity, I would prefer it be real and not manufactured courtesy of Adobe Illustrator. And one last complaint: the layouts are all too short. The cover promises big, but the magazine delivers small. They have always been too short, and I almost feel cheated after reading an issue.
Some many call it all pornography, I do not label it as such, but if you insist, then it is soft porn at best. As the years have progressed I have found the layout more and more sedate and dare I say commonplace. For a man of advanced age there is very little titillation contained within the pages of Playboy. Sure the Playmates are nice to look at, but at a certain age, the average man should outgrow them.
And I of course have heard that Playboy Magazine demeans and objectifies woman, I disagree with this promise as well. There is nothing obscene or demeaning about the human body, we were all born naked after all. No one makes these women pose for Playboy Magazine; they do so voluntarily and in large numbers. And there is nothing wrong with celebrating and admiring the female form. The Europeans have a much healthier attitude about the human body then we Americans; we could learn a lot from their mature treatment of the altogether.
Conclusion
On the one hand I have outgrown the need for Playboy Magazine’s simple almost adolescent formula, but on the other hand I miss the articles and other excellent writing that so mark the magazine. However, there is a place for Playboy Magazine in the pantheon of girlie magazines, a time honored position that is as much a part of the American lexicon as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.
PLAYBOY is a magazine of literature, political thought, sports, commentary and humor. Although PLAYBOY Magazine is most well-known for its pictorials ...More at Magazineline
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