Playboy Magazine: Liberal/Progressive/Democratic opinions on it

[Syrinx]

I know it sucks nowadays, because it's aimed at nearly illiterate people with the attention span of a mosquito. But historically, do you think the magazine is cool, because of Hefner's liberal/progressive positions, or do you think it stinks because you believe it objectifies women?

[Lestat]

1. The last month's issue sucked.

Charisma Carpenter needed to show more than her boobs. :grr:

[Syrinx]

3. Michael Moore interview coming up in the next issue.

I'm looking forward to that. Finally, an interesting Interview subject. The interviews used to be so good, lately Tom Green types have been the norm. :eyes:

[Lestat]

4. There's interviews in there?

I've never noticed. :shrug:

[Fenris]

2. One of the coolest

Still occasionally has good articles. Everyone jokes about just reading it for the articles, but in all seriousness, Playboy is one of the more intellectual popular magazines published in the last 50 years. Today, the pornographic part of the magazine is so softcore it barely qualifies as x-rated anymore.

[Syrinx]

5. Unfortunately the intellectual part has withered away

Damn, it was a good magazine before the mid-90's. Still decent, but I may let my subscription lapse this time. Just isn't as good as it once was. Still, I have some admiration for Hefner.

[DS1]

8. They hired the guy who started MAXIM to guide their

editing, which was a really stupid thing to do.

[Syrinx]

9. yeah, Hefner is already richer than God

Seems like he would be more interested in his legacy at this point than the bottom line.

[lapfog_1]

11. That's what I would have guessed!

As soon as I started reading this thread and people finding that
Playboy is no longer a magazine with some thoughtful questions or
good articles on current topics... my thought was "They probably
hired some guy from Maxim to attract younger male audience".

Sad. Maxim has its place (I can enjoy the occasional foray into
frat house humor, some of which can be hysterical!). But Playboy
should stick to their gameplan... part Penthouse, part GQ, part
SI, and part sophisticate. We can't just dumb down EVERYTHING in
America. God help us if we do (I think that's part of the VRWC
plan... dumb down everyone to *'s level, then he appears to be
one of the guys and we won't notice all of the crap that's coming).

[WillyT]

6. Here's A Google Search Of Past Interviews !!!

Link: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=playboy+interview&btnG=Search

Wonder if Playboy has ever put out its own comprehensive list of its interviews??? There have been some great ones!!!

:shrug:

[Syrinx]

7. there have been!

Malcolm X, MLK, Carter, I can't remember all of 'em -- I'll check your link. :)

But nowadays it's lame actors and comedians. They've really stepped down a notch or twelve. :)

[LTR]

26. They put out a CD-Rom a few years back

I also recall a few books as well.

[Kipepeo]

10. Objectifies Women

No doubt.

But I have more respect for it and for Hustler than I do for shit like Maxim or FHM. At least Hustler (and to a lesser extent Playboy) don't pretend to be something they're not. I can't stand the Maxim-FHM 'we're a respectable gentleman's magazine' bullshit. I'd rather a guy read straight up Hustler any day of the week.

[Syrinx]

13. I prefer Playboy to Maxim, but not for the reason you do

Maxim is just frat-boy bullshit. Lowest-common-denominator stuff. Playboy has really taken a nosedive in quality in recent years, but apparently that's the "free market" at work. Lots of dumbasses in the market. Playboy at its best was genuinely a "gentleman's magazine," with reasoned articles and great fiction, including authors like feminist Joyce Carol Oates. I always found Hustler crude and offensive for my tastes, but that's just me, and I would never advocate censoring it.

[Spider Jerusalem]

32. Maxim & FHM = "Respectable gentleman's magazine"?

My arse...on what planet could either be considered reading material for anyone who was either a gentleman or respectable? They're aimed at people who are too illiterate for Playboy, GQ or Esquire.

[WindRavenX]

12. I think it's awesome

And I'm a chick!

[Syrinx]

14. I love women who can call themselves "chicks"

;)

[WindRavenX]

19. Girl power yo

Seriously, I am a chick that is NOT afraid to say it loud and proud:
I love sex. I LOVE Playgirl.
Thank god this isn't the 1800s...I'd be hung..

[Syrinx]

21. sorry for the delay... a sandwich got my attention

I have no problem with Playboy grabbing my attention. Is Blueboy still in business?

[WindRavenX]

23. Ayup

I frequently keep that magazine in business (Playgirl, that is) :evilgrin:

[lapfog_1]

15. Amazingly

I hung out with my 22 year old neice last summer (I'm over 45),
and I was a little shocked at how much she (and her female roomies)
were into Playboy and porn (to the point of having porn posters
in their bedrooms, etc). And she is in a very conservative part of
the US... apparently the norm now for college girls.

One of her roomies is/was very hung up on Playboy... collected
everything bunny related. I guess it's cool.

[Zookeeper]

16. Playboy...

and to some extent similar mags, seem so retro. I know it's fashionable with younger women now, but I think the fad is the retro-irony of that type of magazine. Just look at Hugh Hefner. He would be laughable, if he wasn't so creepy.

As far as good articles...those can also be found in The New Yorker, to name one intelligent source.

[Syrinx]

17. ooh, the New Yorker. I ain't no New Yorker

But I am a Playboy. :)

[Zookeeper]

18. Well...

like I said, it sounds pretty retro to me...;-)

[Syrinx]

20. plus, the girls were hotter then

Damn they were so much hotter. Girls next door v. girls science built.

[Zookeeper]

22. Yes....

The women in Playboy look like they were built by science then dipped in clear plastic. Ahhh, the wonders of airbrushing!

[Syrinx]

24. I don't think you understand me

Back then they were natural. Now, they are plastic or rubber.

[Zookeeper]

29. I do understand...

I was agreeing. That artificial, plastic look is my biggest of many objections to Playboy.

You must be aware of Betty Page (not sure of spelling). I saw some of her pin-up photos recently and thought she was gorgeous. Natural, healthy, curvy and she managed to be so sexy without looking like an idiot.

[Syrinx]

31. oops, my bad

I shouldn't post when sleepy. :)

[theoceansnerves]

25. it's sucked for a while

the articles went to shit like you said, and the pictures have sucked since they started airbrushing absolutely everything. historically it's very cool though. the hunter s. thompson stuff is brilliant.

[LynneSin]

27. Playboy has always had a literate magazine

It's FHM, Maxim and those other troll magazines that gear it's reader status towards the lowest common denominator: stupidity.

[sus]

30. yeah but it'd be better if it were in Esperanto so EVERYONE could read it.

duh.

[LTR]

28. Still some of the most progressive writing out there

If you get away from the pictures for a minute (yes, there is more to it than pictures), Playboy is still pretty liberal.

They have always maintained a strong stance toward progressive issues. They have done some great commentary recently on the Iraq War and terrorism. They have also been big on First Amendment issues. Strongly pro-choice. Anti-violence. And they bash Bush in just about every issue.

They've gone downhill as of late due to the 'Maximization' of their content. There's not as much content in the Forum section as there used to be, which I always considered one of the most vital parts of the magazine. They need to find a middle ground between Maxim, Esquire (which has always been kinda dull), and The Nation.

And the interview is still a great part of the magazine. Though they've been interviewing too many bland people as of late (rappers, baseball players). They're not afraid to push the envelope (last year featured a long interview with O.J. Simpson). All in all, I think they're still relevant.

Hustler is another magazine that is also progressive. I don't read it, and I'd be embarrassed to, but they do feature some pretty progressive content, such as Greg Palast and publisher Larry Flynt. It's still a pretty disgusting rag. I'll read Flynt's blog instead.