The Playboy Blogger 2008 PMOY Poll Winner Is....

BRITTANY BINGER!

The readers of The Playboy Blogger have spoken! Brittany had a lot of support over on the Playboy Cyber Club boards, and rightfully so. She looks great on the beach, indoors, and well... just about anywhere! I wouldn't be surprised she becomes one of the more popular Playmates of the decade. She already seems to be a fan favorite, and I can't see her popularity do anything but grow. Hopefully she'll be active with Playboy for years to come. Congrats Brittany!

Celebrity Pictorial Wish List #1 Scarlett Johannson

Whenever a celebrity decides to shed her clothes for Playboy, it tends to be at least marginally newsworthy. One problem many people have with these celeb pictorials is the fact that some of their subjects are barely even celebrities. There's been an influx of reality TV girls to pose and while a lot of them are stunning, their C-list at best. I, for one, long for the day when we see some A-listers on the pages of Playboy.

A-listers like Scarlett Johansson.

I've been a huge fan of Scarlett's since her breakout performance in Lost in Translation. She was simultaneously vulnerable, ascerbic, and playful, all the while giving a totally authentic performance. Along with her performing abilities, she was a great beauty who's only become better since then. Shots like this:
seal the deal for me. I mean, come on! That shot is totally gatefold worthy. Scarlett's even posed nude on the cover of Vanity Fair. It may not have been Playboy caliber nudity, but still....I think she has it in her. Of course if this never comes to pass Scarlett fans will deal with it, but with shots like this, we'll always wonder "what if?".

I'm really in a Scarlett state of mind now... I think I'll go watch Scoop. The best Woody Allen film? Meh. But its enjoyable, and Miss Johannson has a very sizable role.

Review: College Girls July/August 2008

Well, its that time again boys and girls. This time I'm reviewing the latest issue of Playboy's College girls, and I have to say I was really wowed by the entire package.

September Carrino - Great choice for cover model. One peek at September's jaw dropping figure and there's really no choice. You HAVE to buy it. The cover is enough to make you a fan of September, and unobstructed view of her busty physique will leave you breathless. I'm not usually a big piercing guy, but i have to say she wears her hardware well. The outfit choice is super sexy. Love the top, the tight jean shorts, and even the those sneakers she has on. Such a pretty face and great smile too. In short, September's a show stopper.

Victoria Andrea - Right off the bat you get another cutie. Victoria displays a nice range of facial expressions and poses which is a plus. Really great body too, nicely proportioned and another really pretty face. Her outfit was alright, but I loved the headphone shots. The photography... I don't know... it kind of left me hot and cold. Despite that, the pictorial is a success and Victoria looks great.

Marlena Dee - I get a total pinup vibe from Marlena and I like it a lot. There's a lot of red in this pictorial, but I think it works well in contrast with Marlena's skin tone. The hoops and bright red lipstick make her already pretty face even more memorable. She has great personality in front of the camera, and who isn't a fan of the classic "tugging playfully at bikini" motif? We only get one shot of her bottom, which is sad because it's so nice. Another really wonderful layout.

Lyndsey Wolff - Four pictorials into the mag, and I'm already feeling spoiled. Have you ever seen a face cuter than Lyndsey's; all freckled and sweet? I really dig her hair too. As for her outfit... well its weird... at least until she takes her jeans off in one of the first shots. Then its a really nice panties/mesh top combo (the panties are pretty much see-through). The rest of the pictorial shows Lyndsey in various states of undress in different poses, leading up to some really nice full frontal shots. She clearly knows how to work the camera and shows great confidence doing so. More please!

Sandra Harrison - I can probably just say "sexy as hell", at leave it at that... but I won't. Just seeing Sandy in that top, those scandalously short jean shorts, and cowboy boots would have been enough, but this is a Playboy Special Edition so we get to see her out of them. Not a whole lot of variation of facial expressions, but she stays sultry and I stay interested. Her full frontal shots are the stuff of legends, and theres even a nice little peek from behind. But yeah, sexy as hell.

Arkasha James - Arkasha's pictorial is one of the reasons I really love the College Girls SE's. The whole coed motif really does it for me. Here we have Arkasha in a classroom wearing a really cute sweater with lacy pink panties and knee socks, and she looks smashing. She kind of gives off a bit of a shy girl vibe and her poses don't seem as confident as they could be (despite her winning smile), but this actually works in her favor. She's a real sweetheart, and has an ultra pretty face to boot. I think I may be crushing on her a little... awww shucks. *blush* Though I think the bulk of her appeal lies in her personality, her breasts are amazing too. (Had to throw something shallow in there somewhere.)

Kait Lane - Theres something about a blonde in blue lingerie. Kait is a great looking girl with a sort of Elisha Cuthbert vibe to her. Her pictorial kind of seemed like a Playmate pictorial to me and she kind of looked like a Playmate. By that I mean she was very confident, posed very well, and could work any kind of facial expression in front of the camera. Bodywise... very nice. Her butt in particular tickled my fancy. Add to that a pretty, expressive face (and a beautiful set of eyes) and you have a really nice pictorial. I don't know if I get the college girl vibe from it, but impressive nonetheless.

Krista Guterman - If I had to sum up Krista's layout in two words, it would be "bedroom eyes". Her poses are varied and she comes off as very seductive. She has a few pretty intense full frontal shots that would bring almost anyone to their knees. A minor gripe would be that I didn't like the outfit, but that's about it.

Victoria Thorne - This layout felt very samey to me. Victoria's a lovely girl, but I think the personality level was lacking. The poses were okay and I did dig her outfit. She's a great looking girl, but I just wanted a bit more.

Gia Wright - Pretty in Pink would be an apt title for this layout. Gia really works the outfit well and looks fantastic throughout the pictorial. She has an irresistible face too, and I'm a sucker for that pink lipstick she's wearing. She has a nice personality in most of her shots, a nice body, and her final full frontal shot ends her shoot with a bang. Another girl I want to see more of.

Laci Willis - Laci is the type of model that I really tend to dig; a petite brunette. She's got a cute face with short hair which I think really suits her well. The shots with her sheer button down shirt are astounding, especially one where one of her breasts is exposed with the other covered. For some reason that one just floored me. She straddles the line between sexy and sweet like a pro and rocks the full frontal shots pretty hard. Thumbs up.

Heather Nichole - Another Playmate looking model. This layout wouldn't look out of place in an issue of Lingerie. She gets points for a hot bra/panties combo with a really sexy necklace. Her poses are more on the sultry side leaning toward the blonde bombshell look. Not bad.

Lana Tailor - Lana is just fucking awesome. Such a great face on that girl... and her outfit really works, especially with her tied back hair. And her petite frame! Gorgeous. Plus she has this crazy, sexy energy that practically spills off the page. The pose variety is exceptional with equal parts bottom focus, breast focus and full frontal. I dare you to take a peek at her enchanting eyes and not be put under her spell.

Natalie Kane - Natalie gives a nice little layout using the classic coed theme. After slipping her shorts and top off, she covers herself with a UCLA scarf. I think that its a really fun choice that really brings out how cute she is. Her face has nice and bright expressions and when she gets down to business with her lay-down poses, she turns on the sexy. I also love the way her nipples perk in the photos. Turns up the cute level another notch. Go UCLA!

Destiny White - Both a College Girl and a Cyber Girl, Destiny takes a mighty purdy picture. That being said, she's almost a little too smiley for me. There just didn't seem to be enough variation facially. It's forgivable though because her poses are varied a decent amount, and she's very easy on the eyes. I'm a sucker for pretty brunettes, and Destiny fits that bill. And besides that, just look how her breasts look as she leans back slightly. It's poetry! Poetry I say!

Mandy Calloway - Another cute girl with a great smile and a pretty face. I feel like I'm repeating myself quite a bit with this review because the pictorials are so consistent. Look, all you have to know is that Mandy's layout is another example good College Girl photography and she's a lovely looking girl. (PS: I really like those big nipples of hers. They're making it it hard to move on to...

Brittany Nicole - With a nice tight butt and cute boobs, Brittany poses the hell out of her layout. I like the sort of "island girl motif", and the way her hair is done is nice. She's maybe not as confident as some of her counterparts in the mag, but she shows a lot of personality. A really strong layout. I'm intrigued by Brittany. Can't wait to see her next work!

Lauren D'Marie - What a way to end. Lauren could kill you with her smile and if you somehow survived that, watching her breasts hang out of her jean vest will surely finish the job. Her final photo treats us to an unforgettable full frontal shot exposing her goddess-like body in its full glory, with a come hither look sure to melt the coldest heart. Lauren is gorgeous beyond explanation. 'Nuff Said.

So can you tell I really liked this issue? Well I like it enough to bestow it with an A+ despite my minor gripes. Buy it now!

If time and money allows, my next project will be reviewing the latest Girls with Girls.

Opinion: The Not-So-Great Playmate Search

An article at Silicon Valley Insider reports that YouTube's 55th Anniversary Playmate casting contest isn't doing as well as hoped. Only somewhere around 62 submissions have been posted, needless to say a very disappointing number. Though the article asserts that the contest should have been a far huger hit that it's been, I'm not really surprised.

The first and foremost problem is that YouTube does not allow nudity. Do I have a problem with this? Of course not. However, if you're teaming up with a media entity synonymous with nudity to grant someone a title that will require her to pose nude, you better deliver nudity. Otherwise, what's the draw? I'm not saying that I'm demanding these girls take off their clothes, and I'm not necessarily opposed to the clothed casting vids. My argument is that people expect nudity and if they don't get it chances are that a portion of them won't come back.

Another problem I think this contest has run into is the fact the casting videos are being released online for the entire world to see. True, if you're auditioning to become a Playmate chances are you're prepared for the entire world to see you naked, but are you prepared to read the comments of the people who watch your audition? People who comment on YouTube videos can be very complimentary, but some can be downright cruel. A traditional casting call would provide feedback from professionals while casting on YouTube may subject you feedback on some anonymous judge who might just want to be a troll.

Finally, casting a Playmate from an internet video seems kind of crass to me. Two minutes of grainy net video (half of which consists of hopefuls mugging in lingerie) doesn't seem like enough info to make that great of a decision. It's admirable that they're attempting to make the choice "democratic", but in the long run it seems to be a flawed system.

The Silicon Alley Insider calls this a blow to Playboy's battle to stay relevant. I call this a poorly conceived plan that ultimately should have been better thought out. I still honestly think that there is a market for Playboy. It's an iconic brand that features beautiful women, but its also a brand that stumbles occasionally. PEI is obviously still trying to find its way in the digital world, but hopefully they'll find their way very soon.

Playboy in the Press: Posing Alone Doesn't Make You A Playmate

Okay, I know this is really nitpicky, but it drives me insane every time I notice this in print. It seems like every time and athlete or actress poses for Playboy, people in the press seem to get very confused. For example, an article at www.telegraph.co.uk covering the upcoming Ashley Harklerod pictorial made reference to pro swimmer Amanda Beard as being a former Playmate. Amanda of course did pose, but was not featured as a centerfold. Posing for Playboy DOESN'T automatically give one the title of Playmate. As I said, it's really not a big deal that they make this mistake, but... blergh! So let me spell it out to all you members of the press in a condescending fashion...


Amanda Beard - Hottie, but not a Playmate.

Juliette Frette - Playmate.

And if you haven't picked up the latest issue of Playboy yet, you're missing out. Juliette's pictorial is really great and her centerfold just magnifies her beauty a thousand-fold. Make sure to give the Playmate write up a read too. Juliette penned it herself and explains why she as a feminist posed for the magazine. The fact that she's a talented writer makes me like her that much more. Congrats Juliette!

Sara Jean Underwood: A Playmate Appreciation

I'll be honest with you. Most years I'm a little disappointed with Playboy's pick for Playmate of the Year. This is not to say the women who win the title don't deserve it, but my favorite girl usually gets left behind. It's bound to happen, but when reviewing their pictorials I can't help but wish they got a bit more recognition. In 2007, one of my picks finally got the spotlight.

For many, their first exposure to Sara Underwood (or Sara Jean as she was then known) was on the cover of the October 2005 edition of Playboy sporting little more than a painted on football jersey. She got even more exposure as Miss June 2006, eventually ascending to the Playmate of the Year throne in 2007.

It's really no surprise that Sara's garnered as much attention as she has. Not only is she a beautiful woman, but she looks... well... real. The phrase "girl next door" is thrown around quite a bit when it comes to describing many girls who pose for the bunny mag (hell, I'm even guilty of over using it), but with Sara it's one hundred percent true. She pulls off the girly-girl look wonderfully, but its not too much of a stretch to picture her in a sweatshirt on a Friday night watching the local football team. While some girls are so gorgeous they can be intimidating, Sara seems like someone you'd easily be able to walk up to and make conversation with. This kind of appeal makes it obvious why she's virtually universally adored by Playboy fans.

Of course you could talk about how great her body is too. Her bottom is one of the best ever to grace the pages of Playboy, and her natural breasts are truly a sight to behold, but that's just part of the entire package. Sara's personality in front of the camera really pushes her over the top. She can look cute as button in one shot, and become mind-blowingly sexy in the next. Add to that the fact her smile is probably one of the top few in Playboy's history, and you have a truly special girl.

Her PMOY title, coupled with a pretty extensive collection of shots both in print and in the Playboy Cyber Club is sure to catapult her to classic status in a short period of time. Here's hoping that Sara continues her relationship with Hef and Co. for a long, long time.

Here's to you Sara!

Tennis Pro Ashley Harkleroad to pose for Playboy

Tennis-x.com reports tonight that American tennis player Ashley Harkleroad will be posing in the August issue of Playboy. She was defeated earlier today by Serena Williams at the French Open, but quickly stole the spotlight away by announcing her upcoming nude pictorial. According to the Tennis-x article Serena told the press she was surprised Playboy didn't call her first. Is this an omen of things to come? Hmm...

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Downey to Portray Hef?

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that Robert Downey Jr. is in talks don Hugh Hefner's signature silk pajamas for an upcoming biopic based on the life and times of the iconic Playboy mogul. I think Downey is a great choice despite the fact he's not a a dead ringer for Hef. If his role in Iron Man taught us anything, he was born to play a millionaire playboy. While Downey hasn't committed to the project yet, I can't think of a major Hollywood player out there that could pull the part of as well as he could. Let's hope this pans out.

Review: Lingerie June/July 2008

Okay, here goes nothing. I just completed my first review for the new blog. The review will cover every pictorial in the magazine.

Without further ado... I give you Playboy's Lingerie June/July 2008 edition!

Tindra Mantel - Great choice for cover model. Tindra has the whole package; nice breasts, pretty face, and her photos have real personality to them. I dug her outfit quite a bit. Her lacy gloves really worked for me. She also did a great job mixing up both sexy and sweet looks.

Denisa Keltnerova - Denisa definitely works the sultry angle, but maybe a bit too much. Would have liked to see her mix it up a bit. Her body is great and I have to admit I liked that she rocked a little pubic hair. The final picture in her layout is breathtaking, making up for the sultry overload. Very nice.

Ashley Lowe - Although the look on Ashley's face in some of her pictures is a little "Deer in the Headlights", I have to say I was really enamored with her set. Her outfit is a home run. The necklace she wears accents her breasts perfectly and her stockings really show off how great her legs are. Even better than that, she had a great "girl next door" vibe, which I love. The pose variation also works great, leading to a really stellar pictorial.

Jennifer Keellings - Jennifer really rocks the blue babydoll. I love her more voluptuous body, and she has a very cute face. I would have liked to see a little more personality on her face, although, like Denisa, she can really work the sultry angle, especially with a "hand down panties" shot. She also got my attention with a blue necklace that really enhanced her sex appeal. Why? Don't ask me, it just worked.

Amanda Duncan - Okay, I'm a little biased because Amanda is one of my favorite Cyber Girls of all time. She looks stunning both in and out of the black lingerie she sports in the pictorial. I really like the subtlety of her facial expressions. They come of as very intimate to me. Her poses are confident and sexy. Her breasts are nothing short of fantastic. I'm a huge fan of this pictorial.

Genevieve Michelle - This is another fantastic pictorial. Genevieve's outfit is a little out there, but it somehow suits her perfectly. Another great variety of sexy and sweet poses. Her facial expressions really show a lot of personality and brings the set alive. Some of her non nude shots hold my attention a bit more than her nudes. I was VERY impressed by this layout. She also has a killer pair of breasts and tight bottom which is a plus ;) I look forward to seeing more of her.

Malene Espensen - Very busty with a sweet face and piercing blue eyes. Super cute girl. I would have liked to see a better outfit for her. For some reason I didn't think her bra and panties were that eye catching. Very engaging and nice shot variation. Not bad at all!

Janie Andrews - I had a lot of problems with this pictorial but it was mainly because of the photographer and no fault of the model's. Janie's body is great, and has a cute face, but the photographer got a little to arty with some of the poses and some poses came off as a little too overtly sexual for my tastes. I'd like to see some more shots of Janie, only done by another photographer.

Shannon Tate - Another great outfit choice. Her red lingerie really works with her personality which is a mix of sensual and mischievous. You can tell she's up to no good with when she smiles (this is a good thing). The pose variation isn't bad and its obvious Shannon knows how to work a camera. Another great pictorial.

Gemma Massey - Cute, cute, cute, cute girl... but a lot of her shots lack personality which is a real shame. She does shine through in a few shots, but overall I feel that this shoot was a missed opportunity. She's got the looks, but I just wanted to see a bit more. The potential is there, lets hope next time its realized.

Daniela Pechova - Another instance of the photography taking the focus away from the model. I didn't feel the poses were naturalistic at all. Her outfit and jewelry seemed way off mark as well. I don't think the blame falls on Daniela's shoulders, but I was really disappointed by this one.

Cikita Pechova - I almost wrote Cikita off as boring at first glance. Luckily I decided to take another look. That second look showed me how alluring her face was, how cute her outfit was, and gave me a new appreciation for her fantastic breasts. Her facial expressions are sort of "samey" but they do the job. She as a really unexplainable appeal and I find myself wanting to see more pictorials of her. Must be magic!

Vilayna Lasalle - Wow. One look at Vilayna's face will put you under her spell. She really rocks the short hair and her simple black bra and panties hit it right out of the park. I'm not usually a fan of smoking poses, but with a woman this attractive I found myself forgiving this gripe. She has a great butt, and small breasts that suit her perfectly. The pose variation is great. Her vibe is very "femme fatale" but her smile is super cute when she utilizes it. Lets hope she does this more. Oh... and I dig her hoop earrings. I really dig hoops earrings... its a thing I have...

Jasmine Pavel - She has a great look. Love her lingerie and all the heart accessories. Adoreable. Another member of the cute butt club and her breasts are great too. Love the pose variety. Her aresenal of looks seems to comprise almost entirely of sultry, but it works for her. She's more attractive with each glance.

Casting Calls - A mixed bag. I'm lumping Ali Grove, Beth Fithen, Victoria Thorne, and Jenny Perry in with the rest of the casting girls just because they only had one or two shots each in the mag. My problem with this feature is that there are way too many women to focus on. It's great that Playboy publishes them, but I'm just alright with it. I don't think it adds to the package at all but that's just me.

Final Thoughts: Not a bad issue of Lingerie. It kind of loses steam in the middle but great layouts with Ashley Lowe, Amanda Duncan, Genevieve Michelle, Shannon Tate, and Vilayna La Salle make it a worthy purchase. I give it a solid B.

Coming Soon: College Girls

The Playboy Blogger 2008 Playmate of the Year Poll

As you no doubt know by now, Jayde Nicole has been named Playboy's 2008 Playmate of the Year. The class of 2007 had a really strong group of women, so I was torn over who I wanted to support. I have to admit Jayde wasn't really on my shortlist, but after seeing her PMOY pictorial I have to say that she convinced me she was worthy of the title. Her winning smile, gorgeous face, and sexy figure gives you no choice but to respect (wink wink) Hef's choice.

Are you happy with Jayde's victory? If not who do you think should have received top honor? Participate in our poll to make your voice heard!

The Playboy Blogger Philosophy

Before I start with the fun stuff, I just kind of want to put some of my thoughts out there of how I want this blog to be.

1. Seeing as I am blogging about Playboy, expect there to be respectful discussion of the nude female body. As such, The Playboy Blogger is listed as having adult content, so if you're under 18 this isn't the place for you. If you want to comment about a model's breasts, butt, or pubic area, try not to be super vulgar about it. Though I expect a good percentage of the people who check The Playboy Blogger out to be male, I want this to be a friendly place for both male and female fans. Please do not post your sexual fantasies about models as they will be deleted. Don't take this as me discouraging sharing your opinions about what makes a model sexy. In fact, I encourage you to share your thoughts, but not in a super explicit manner.

2. When I review Special Editions mags and other Playboy related material, the opinions I express are solely mine and not endorsed by PEI or anyone remotely connected with the House of Hef. Disagree with my opinion? That's just fine. I want your feedback. You might just help me see the light :) When I review the magazines, I base my opinion not just on the looks of the models, but also on variation of poses, the model's personality, outfits (or lack thereof), and photography as all of these factors affect how the aesthetic beauty of each layout. My reviews will be honest, but I will never flat out insult a model just because their layout isn't my cup of
tea.

3. As stated before, I'd really love as much feedback as I can get. If you have any suggestions or ideas that could improve The Playboy Blogger, drop me an e-mail at DigiHef@gmail.com or leave a comment for me right here. If you catch wind of any Playboy news, feel free to send it on over to me and I'll give you credit for pointing me in the right direction.

If I think of anything else, I'll add it as we go along. Thanks, and enjoy!

Hey all, Digi Hef here. Welcome to my new blog! I've created this space for fans of all things Playboy, male and female alike. I plan on posting Playboy news, reviews of the various magazines that come out from month to month, and various other things related to the world's best Men's magazine. Feel free to drop me some comments on what you'd like to see me cover and I'll do my best to fit it in. Hope you check me out often!