Tales and Images

Patrick Stewart in Macbeth

2009-05-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Blood-soaked drama, abusive power, abominable brutality--terms synonymous with Shakespeare's Macbeth. Rupert Goold's dark production, which debuted in New York on February 12th at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Harvey Theater, comprises all of these frightening elements with a modernized interpretation that is positively chilling. Coming off of a wildly successful run in Britain, all shows for the five week American debut sold out within a week of going on sale, and Patrick Stewart's celebrated return to his Shakespearian roots in the title role undoubtedly has lured audiences in.

In a press conference held earlier this month, Stewart waxed passionately about the role. It was at the very young age of fourteen (!) when he first memorized Macbeth's lengthy speeches and colorful soliloquies, and relearning them at his current age of 67 was a pleasure for him. He read everything he could about Joseph Stalin, since Goold's production has a distinct Soviet-era feel and style. When questioned about his age as it relates to Macbeth, Stewart thought it created a fantastic dynamic: As an older man with a much younger and beautiful wife in Lady Macbeth, it provides the character with more inspiration to commit his heinous deeds, as if to say, "It ain't enough.I want everything."

Playing Lady Macbeth is Kate Fleetwood, the stunning British actress and wife of director Goold. Stewart jokingly claimed that her role should have come with a warning label because of all the "manhandling" his character does. Fleetwood did not study Stalin to prepare, but paid close attention to the sexual mannerisms of Nigella Lawson, Britain's sexpot TV star, chef and author. She also read "Women Who Kill" and confessed to being perversely fascinated by people with a similar history to Macbeth. Fleetwood and Stewart share a wonderful chemistry with each other that carries the audience throughout the epic, three-hour production.

What about those few over-zealous Star Trek fans showing up in full costume to view Stewart's stage performances? When asked about the phenomenon of his celebrity, Stewart takes great pride when he sees television fans convert to classical live theater. Although he wishes they'd leave the uniforms at home, he does feel single-handedly responsible for creating new audience members for his stage productions and derives great satisfaction from that.

Patrick did an interview with Playboy in 1992 where he spoke about his experience working on Star Trek and his most coveted Shakespearian role that we have yet to see him play: Hamlet.

For Those About to Rock, She Will Dress You

2009-05-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

I recently interviewed New York City designer Alison Roberto about her new rock and metal inspired clothing line Metal Couture after her photographer took some shots of me wearing different pieces (photos above).

Alison works in the music industry designing graphics for projects ranging from large-scale award shows to CD covers and websites, so her aesthetic for blending art, fashion and music comes quite naturally. Alison told me about her edgy new clothing line as well as the surprising pastime of Tommy Lee and why the skull is such a popular symbol in fashion.

PLAYBOY: What’s it like working with high-profile musicians?

ALISON: Working in the music industry really is a lot of fun and I get to spend extended periods of time with the gods of the metal world. I’ve had Spinal Tap moments with Testament, shared veggie tacos with Lamb of God, been treated to beers by Zakk Wylde and hung out in a boxing ring with Phil Anselmo.

Recently I saw Anne Lindfjeld, the gorgeous host of Headbangers Ball Denmark, who was in New York doing an interview with tattoo artist Paul Booth. She wore one of our shirts during the interview, which blended nicely with the macabre surroundings of Paul’s midtown studio. (Ed. note: You can see more of Anne on the Grapevine pages in the November 2008 issue).

PLAYBOY: A few of your designs depict golf imagery. What’s the connection with rock n’ roll and golf?

ALISON: Hell if I know! The only thing that I like about golf is driving the little cart around. My fiancé, Mike, is really the one who inspired the brand. He’s the voice of Headbangers Ball and the lead singer of The Burn & Cry, and he absolutely loves golf. After he played a round with Chuck Billy, the singer of Testament, I realized how many rockers are into golf: Tommy Lee, Alice Cooper, Vinnie Paul and Aaron Lewis of Staind, just to name a few. Alice has said that golf saved his life. It helped him stop drinking and gave him a new focus. After being dragged through countless golf outlets I found the true offender not to be the sport itself, but the fashion sense. I thought with this new audience of younger people and rockers that the sport is attracting, they really need a clothing line all their own.

PLAYBOY: What does the skull symbolize to you and why do you think the image has become so closely associated with rock n’ roll?

ALISON: The skull is a global icon for rebellion. It’s seems only natural for rock n’ roll to embody such a powerful symbol. Historically the skull has been associated with everything from secret societies and toxic substances to black-flagged pirate ships. In some cultures skulls were used in various ceremonies and mythical rituals in order to commune with the dead. It’s been thought to represent wisdom and guidance and also as a symbol for death. Skulls have often been used as ornaments or weapons to terrorize enemies. But the skull has definitely grown beyond its ancient significance and rock n’ roll has helped turn it into a fashion icon. Covered in jewels, silhouetted in leather, cast in metal, silkscreened on clothes or embroidered on a diaper bag, it’s this union of opposites that allows Metal Couture to straddle the line between sophistication and debauchery.

PLAYBOY: The color palette of your line is refreshingly light. Are you trying to encourage rockers to put away their dark clothing?

ALISON: No, not at all. I still rock all black on most days myself! I just think there’s a new breed of fashionably conscious metalheads out there who are entirely underserved. Over ten years ago when girlie tees were hard to come by, we had to buy men’s band tees and custom cut them to fit our bodies. It forced me to be creative while remaining sexy! My mission became finding and creating the best fashion forward materials and graphics without ditching our classic rock & metal staple icons. I think we should have choices that not only have amazing graphics, patterns & bodies, but colors as well. Not everything has to be dark & heavy all of the time. My hope with this line is to be able to mix it in with your regular everyday wardrobe. Guys can rock an acid washed tee underneath a blazer for work, and girls can compliment our poofy sleeved “skulls n’ razor blades” top with a high-waisted skirt.

PLAYBOY: Who are/were some of the best-dressed musicians?

ALISON: Rock has had a few dark periods–the 80’s pop metal era was not a shining moment for fashion–but I think we’ve managed to scrape out a few decent dressers; Keith Richards, David Bowie, Queen, Gwen Stefani, Debbie Harry, Marilyn Manson, Jim Morrison….and let’s not forget, Elvis. I love style that defies expectations.

PLAYBOY: What’s the strangest custom order you’ve ever done for someone?

ALISON: We haven’t had too many strange requests, but we certainly welcome them. Making custom golf polos for Chuck Billy was probably the coolest. We’ll be adding accessories in the spring. We get so many requests for the black tutu skirt and bracelets pictured on our models, so we’ve decided to expand into accessories as well as apparel.

I’m also happy to announce that on March 5th, 2009 Metal Couture will have its first runway show and launch party at Fontana’s in New York City. We’ll have models from Suicide Girls and Playboy and there may even be a few metal celebrity appearances (wink, wink). The event will be co-hosted by José Mangin, host of Sirius Satellite Radio’s Liquid Metal, and Allison Hagendorf, host of Playboy’s Rock the Rabbit and Miss Playboy Mobile. Limited tickets will be made available to the public, so keep checking our website for details!

Photos by Justin Borucki.

Meeting Erica Jong

2009-04-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

Eariler this month, author Erica Jong was in New York City to read from her new book of poems "Love Comes First" at my favorite independent bookstore, McNally Jackson Books. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend time with and speak one on one with this talented author.

I read Erica's first novel "Fear of Flying" published in 1973 two years ago. It was certainly interesting to read her unabashed thoughts and insights about sex from a young woman's point of view living in NYC in the 70s and how this influenced many women to act on their desires. (One might argue that Erica was the first to break down the barriers that helped "Sex and the City" become so popular). Her words continue to influence people to this day as evidenced by a girl at the book signing who was almost in tears when she spoke to Erica about how much it meant for her to identify with the unfulfilled character in Erica's book who was in an unhappy marriage.

I asked her the following question: "How do you think feminism has affected relationships between men and women in the 21st century? Some say it has had a negative effect with men citing confusion at how they should act in relationships and chivalry seems to have gone out the window." She responded by saying that women should never stop fighting for rights and that many women are still taken advantage of and mistreated because of their gender. Women's voices should always be heard.

In her new book of poems, Erica is clearly comfortable with herself and focuses not on sex, but on the simple pleasures of life.

Just When I Thought...

2009-03-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

...All the low-key, classy, stylized bars were a thing of the past in New York City, I discovered The Bourgeois Pig this past Sunday. The Victorian/Gothic decor is beautiful and creates the perfect atmosphere for escaping the banal-looking, cookie-cutter places that seem to be taking over Manhattan. You'll feel right at home wearing your finest threads, and after a few sips of special drinks like "Wolf's Breath" you might feel transported back to the time when one might have spotted Poe or Wilde brooding in the background writing their next masterpiece with a glass of absinthe at their side.

My other favorite bar Death and Company is located on one block away on E 6th St.

Books!

2009-03-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

My career with Playboy has involved not only working for the magazine and website, but also on some really great books. I made this cover collage of all the books I've helped produce, so if you are a fan of cartoon art, check out these wonderful titles:

Playboy's Little Annie Fanny by the extraordinary artists Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder. All of the multi-panel stories ever published in the magazine from 1962-1988 appear in these two volumes. One of my favorite fantasy artists Frank Frazetta, whose pivotal and influential work has inspired the look and feel of many sci-fi and fantasy movies, was friends with the now deceased artists and his work was parodied in a classic story from 1985.

Playboy: 50 Years The Cartoons. This is a collection of Hugh Hefner's favorite cartoons from 1953-2003. The cartoons are Hef's second favorite part of the magazine. No need to say what the first is.

Playboy's Eldon Dedini. A beautiful hardcover collection of Eldon's best cartoons that appeared in Playboy magazine from the past six decades. Eldon was a wonderful watercolor artist from Monterey, California. This was a very emotional book to work on; the artist was ill during the production stages but worked diligently on the project. When his work was finished and he knew the material was being shipped to printer, he passed away shortly after.

Author Bruce Jay Friedman's musings were illustrated by the French artist Andre Barbe in Sexual Pensees. Bruce is perhaps most well-known for being one of the writers of the movie Splash.

Gahan Wilson: The Complete Playboy Collection. If you are a fan of Charles Addams' cartoons (which inspired The Addams Family show and movies), you will love the macabre art of Gahan Wilson. He's one of my favorite cartoon artists and I've written about him and his work many times. His environmental and political cartoons from the 70s are just as poignant and relevant today. This deluxe collection comprises every single cartoon ever published of Gahan's in the magazine! It will be released at the end of 2009.

Sweet Emotions

2008-12-16T04:19:00.000-08:00

Each holiday season for the past decade the musical juggernaut known as The Trans Siberian Orchestra has performed their orchestral heavy holiday rock music to audiences around the country. This past weekend the group made stops at New York's Nassau Coliseum and New Jersey's Izod Arena (formerly known as The Meadowlands and now affectionately called "The Metal Lands") where they played three sold-out shows. Historically, guest musicians have made surprise appearances at these particular arenas, which have included Joan Jett, Jon Anderson (Yes) and Roger Daltrey (The Who), and this weekend was no exception when the legendary Steven Tyler of Aerosmith took the stage to close out all three shows. It was a perfect holiday treat to hear the classic songs "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion" to end the three hour, over-the-top spectacle from this entertaining group of musicians.

I was sitting in the 6th row and ran up when Steven Tyler came out and was able to take these really close shots.

This entry made playboy.com's homepage the day it was posted (click to enlarge):

2008-10-31T17:12:00.000-07:00

It’s Halloween and appropriately enough, I just finished watching It was a Dark and Silly Night, a new animated short by bestselling author Neil Gaiman and Playboy cartoonist Gahan Wilson. The film had its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival earlier this month and is the latest project from director Steven-Charles Jaffe , best known for his work on the blockbusters Ghost and Star Trek VI. Jaffe also produced the extraordinary documentary about Gahan last year.

The movie is based on the adorable strip that appeared in Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly’s compilation Big Fat Little Lit and follows a group of children who end up throwing one hell of a party at their local graveyard after befriending the resident ghouls.

Steven tells us a little more about the film:

I've always loved Neil's writing, Anansi Boys, American Gods, and of course The Sandman: Book of Dreams. When I flew to a mysterious castle in the mid-northwest to meet and interview Neil for the documentary, Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, I brought up It Was a Dark and Silly Night, asking how the collaboration between he and Gahan came about. Neil wrote it specifically for Gahan, saying, "It's full-on Gahan Wilson, but for five year olds!" I then received everyone’s permission to animate it. There's a great animation house in New Zealand that I worked with called Flux Animation (they did the Polar bear and the frog animation for Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth) and they did a wonderful job.

My favorite aspect of the film is the scene in the graveyard when the corpses come to life and party with the kids. Working in animation really pushes your imagination, as you are creating from scratch, and every frame has to be carefully thought out, or it gets costly (painfully so), but it's so satisfying when the characters come to life.

I’m hoping to include it as a special DVD extra on Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, so both films will be available to everyone soon!

I'd like to be skulking around a graveyard with Gahan for Halloween tonight, but instead I’m off to work on my next film: A thriller set in San Francisco, called I’ll See You Again.

Hauntingly Hysterical

2008-10-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

"You can be a king or a street sweeper, but everyone dances with the Grim Reaper."

Those were the final words spoken by convicted murderer Robert Alton Harris the day he was executed in California's gas chamber more than 15 years ago. Death by Laughter, the latest book by cartoonist Harry Bliss, captures that sentiment with more than 100 of his best and most irreverent single-panel cartoons collected from his daily strip "Bliss."

You'll undoubtedly find yourself identifying with many of the other disturbing problems that Harry parodies in this hilarious little gem: Infidelity, pollution, breaking-up, therapist visits and computer breakdowns are all turned upside-down and inside-out exposing truths no one wants to talk about.

Harry emailed us from his home in Vermont in response to a few questions we had for him, including how he got to know actor Christopher Guest, who wrote the introduction to Death by Laughter, and his favorite cartoon that he's drawn for Playboy to date.

PLAYBOY: Not only did Christopher Guest write the introduction to Death by Laughter, he owns some of your original artwork. What was your first encounter like with him?

BLISS: It was great meeting Chris and his wife, Jamie Lee Curtis -- two wonderful people; smart, funny, and very, very kind. My girlfriend and I met them for lunch in LA and we talked about all sorts of topics: cartoons, films, yoga, kids, and hybrid cars! Jamie has bought Chris a few of my cartoons and Chris and I have traded cartoons (he draws too).

PLAYBOY: Is there a different artistic process involved when you create illustrations for the various mediums (books, magazines, websites) your work appears?

BLISS: These days, all I seem to be doing is black and white cartoons, like the cartoons in syndication, on my Web site and in The New Yorker, so the process is the same. My work for kid's books is always in color and each book takes six to ten months, whereas I kick out the single-panel cartoons daily. With books, I'm the artist illustrating an author's words, so I guess there's a certain limitation in that, but it's a limitation I'm quite comfortable with, in fact, and I've grown to enjoy the collaboration. As far as the panels go, I generally begin by drawing a scene, say, a couple in bed talking, and once the drawing is finished I begin to imagine a narrative or back story for the people in the drawing -- what are they all about? Imagining the characters' motivations will often inspire a caption. Working this way, I feel, injects a certain sense of humanity in the work, and this is an important aspect I try to achieve in the panels. And sometimes the panels are immature, like me, and that's okay too.

PLAYBOY: Many of the dogs in your cartoons are personified exhibiting just as much angst and strife as the humans in your cartoons. Do you own a dog?

BLISS: I do have a dog. Well, it's my girlfriend's puppy, named Penny, and she's a terrific animal. I have a deep affection for animals and anthropomorphizing them is my way of bringing empathy to their existence.

PLAYBOY: In 2000 you illustrated the cover of the book Madam President in which the authors predicted there would be a female president of the United States within the next decade. When Hillary almost won the democratic nomination this year, you must have felt that your illustration was prophetic. What did you think eight years ago when you drew it?

BLISS: I've always felt that a woman could be president -- even when I'd done that book jacket. Other countries have elected women as leaders, so it has always seemed odd that the United States might be wary of this prospect. I suppose that being a cartoonist and a solipsist I kind of live in a bit of a bubble in that I tend to reject racism and sexism. I know they exist, but I just can't get my mind to admit it. Hillary would have made a great leader. Sarah Palin is another story. I respect her accomplishments, but she's not ready to be president, and McCain really underestimated women in this country by thinking Palin could ease their Hillary pain.

PLAYBOY: Nearly 30 cartoons of yours have appeared in the pages of Playboy in the last decade. Do you have a favorite?

BLISS:My favorite Playboy cartoon is Dude Descending a Staircase, No. 1, which is a spin on Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase. It's not a typical Playboy cartoon and I give Hef a lot of credit in giving me the OK for that one. Duchamp has always been one of my artistic heroes, even as a kid, so that cartoon stands out. It was difficult to do and when I do speaking gigs and that image shows up, it always gets a big laugh, which makes me happy. Penny is biting my toes, so I have to go now.

Molly's Box

2008-08-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

Molly Crabapple ’s been very busy hosting Dr. Sketchy drawing sessions in her hometown of Brooklyn and abroad, but last week she unveiled her latest project - an impressive body of work inspired by Manhattan’s vaudevillian hotspot, The Box.

Six illustrations (one of them pictured here) are on display as part of an all-female exhibition called 5 Identities 5 Destinations at Ad Hoc Art in Brooklyn, NY. Molly’s pieces take up the entire back wall and as you walk towards them, it seems as if the characters will jump off of the canvas and into the room. With the variegated costumes of the dancers and the lively kinetic energy of her line, she seems to have captured the essence of what’s made The Box such an alluring party-spot.

We should know. Playboy partied at The Box with Duran Duran in November to celebrate their new album, and for the December 2007 issue, legendary photographer Harry Benson photographed some of The Box’s entertainers with models for a fashion spread.

It was particularly interesting to see Molly’s interpretation of a club that’s become a notorious hangout for celebrities looking to ogle scantily-clad dancers, cross-dressing midgets, fire-breathers, and contortionists.

Molly’s illustrations will be on display at Ad Hoc Art until August 24, 2008.

Pinups and Tattoos

2008-07-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

Tattoo artist Samuel Perez, who works out of Alley Kat Tattoo in New York City, recently inked Olivia De Berardinis’ illustration of Kendra from the September 2006 issue on a client’s leg and sent over a photo. It came just as an article about Olivia was published in the Los Angeles Times. Olivia discusses how she drew inspiration from Playboy as a young girl, and the work she does for the magazine today.

2008-07-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

Cartoonist Edmond Kiraz recently unveiled a show of his original art, including eleven of his Playboy cartoons, at the prestigious Musée Carnavalet in Paris.

Visitors to the exhibition are greeted with an enlarged copy of the words I wrote for the exhibition catalogue:

It was in 1970 when Kiraz’s first cartoon appeared in Playboy magazine, and since then his artwork has become a recognizable constant amongst its pages for good reason. His doe-eyed, lithe, lingerie-clad females painted in opulent settings add sophisticated sensibility with a Parisian flair. Highly adept at portraying eroticism with indifference, his mademoiselles are completely distinct. His roster of male characters include randy psychiatrists, piano teachers, cuckolds, boyfriends, libidinous executives, sassy swingers and historical figures, especially one Toulouse-Lautrec who has made numerous appearances in Kiraz’s cartoons. His unique style and timeless sense of humor have entertained Playboy’s readers for the past 37 years and continue to enhance the magazine to this day.

Born in Egypt, Kiraz has lived in Paris for most of his life. Along with Playboy, his work can be seen in numerous French magazines, and he’s published fourteen collections of his work. He is the archetype of the sophisticated Frenchman: a gourmet diner, bon vivant and raconteur. He travels a great deal and luckily for us, loves drawing beautiful women.

The exhibit runs until September 21, 2008.

Why We Love Duff's

2008-07-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Nestled a block from the East River in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is the infamous Duff’s bar. With cheap drinks, beautiful bartenders (that’s Tracy pictured here), a jukebox filled with heavy metal and hard rock classics and benches plastered with Playboy centerfolds, need we say more?

Playboy Store London, Cheers!

2008-07-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

During my recent trip to London, I visited Playboy's largest retail store in the world, located in the shopping mecca on Oxford Street.

Open since September, this is the newest of all eight retail stores (the others are located in Las Vegas, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Auckland) and features 4,000 square feet and three levels of pure Playboy-product bliss, including rabbit ear-shaped hangers for the clothing and lingerie.

With camcorder in hand, I sashayed all over the store and up and down the 39-step spiraling staircase with Natalie, who gave me a grand tour. Click here to watch the video I shot to meet her and see this impressive retail outlet.

This story was highlighted on playboy.com's homepage. Click to enlarge image:

Heavy Metal Readers

2008-06-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

My recent trip to London involved attending the Metal Hammer Awards where the band Testament won a Golden God award for best album.

The band relaxed post-show with some of their favorite reading material.

From the Musicians' POV

2008-05-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of films dealing with the political and military aspects of the war in Iraq, but a new documentary focuses on the civilians. Heavy Metal in Baghdad goes into the heart of Baghdad and into the lives of five young Iraqi musicians struggling to survive and create music. It’s a poignant and powerful political story that just happens to involve heavy metal.

The film has received a lot of positive attention, but it was an essay written about the movie by American guitarist Alex Skolnick of the heavy metal band Testament that seemed to capture the essence of the film with an acuity only another musician could offer. After the premiere on Friday, I spoke to Alex, and he was happy to contribute his essay to Playboy’s blog, which is excerpted here:

HMIB puts a very human face on the misunderstood, overlooked population of Iraqi civilians, via this group of dedicated musicians. Right away I feel I know these guys. They're just like any other cool metal guys from other countries. They speak pretty good, if broken, English (much of it learned from metal lyrics), they use the 'f' word a lot and they wear black clad t-shirts with logo's of their favorite bands. These are guys with whom you can share a beer and listen to a Slayer CD, fist in the air. They have a great sense of humor (despite all they're going through) and love metal. They want the same things most of us want, to be able to pursue our dreams and have a good time doing it. But for them, like anyone else in Iraq, it's not so easy.

Any thoughts I've ever had about my own 'struggles' being a musician were quickly put to shame when I saw this film. Sure, I've dealt with my share of cancelled flights, lost luggage and equipment failure. But bombings, curfews, sniper fire, and having your country under siege 24 hours a day while on the brink of civil war? For the guys in Acrassicauda (which translates from Latin to “Black Scorpion”), this is a daily reality in Iraq, where putting on one concert in Iraq is more challenging than booking an entire tour in the US. There is a litany of questioning, searches and inspections. Electricity is fleeting and there is an early evening curfew. As a result, gigs are extremely rare, and that's just in the beginning when we first get to know the band. Things only get worse from there.

While most musicians have been victims of equipment theft at one time or another, these guys have to watch their entire rehearsal spot destroyed by a bomb, with all their equipment inside. When the filmmakers attempt to donate instruments, CD's and other items to the guys, there is a wall of US bureaucracy that prevents the items from reaching the band. The band, meanwhile are unable to travel to Europe or the US because of their Iraqi passports.

These situations escalate and illustrate some of the many ironies presented in the film, one of the biggest being that the metal fans and musicians of Iraq have been suppressed by the very forces which should be embracing them the most. Whether US politicians (especially conservative Republicans) want to admit it or not, there is something very pro-Democracy and pro-American about metal. When we see these Iraqi guys with their Metallica and Megadeth T-shirts and CD's, they are proudly displaying products which are reflective of our capitalist systems. They're not ashamed of that and show no ill will toward the US. In other words metal is achieving what our foreign policy is not.

Heavy Metal in Baghdad premiered in New York City and Los Angeles on May 23rd and will be available on DVD June 10th. Testament’s new album, Formation of Damnation, was released in the US on April 29th. They were also recently the featured artist of the week on MTV.

This story was featured on playboy.com's homepage. Click to enlarge image:

The Pin-Up Poet at Comic Con 2008

2008-05-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

We were introduced to Andrea Grant at last year’s Comic Con and this year we met up with the Canadian beauty again to find out about her two new projects: The third installment of her comic book series MINX and her new book titled THE PIN-UP POET.

Standing over six feet tall, Andrea is a prolific artist and model who is devoted to expressing herself through many different mediums. Much of what she creates reflects her views about the stereotypes and traditional roles of women in society. She says of her work, "People want to play it safe. I don’t want to create safe work. I want it to be provocative, to smash all the ridiculous ideas to pieces. Boring ideals no longer serve us culturally.”

Andrea’s poems in The Pin-Up Poet haunt, inspire and provoke. Each poem is accompanied by a photograph of Andrea shot by various photographers, including Viva Van Story and Chas Ray Krider.

Oooh, La, la...

2008-05-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

Burlesque star Dita Von Teese, recently announced that she'll be performing as a special guest for a limited engagement in February 2009 at the world famous Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris, France. She'll be debuting three new acts, including one where a few of the cabaret's beautiful, classically-trained dancers will join her on stage.

Playboy has had a long love affair with the legendary Crazy Horse, which has been a Parisian hotspot since 1951. Photos of their stunning dancers first appeared in 1978 for that year's April issue and in 2008 the sister troupe in Las Vegas was photographed at the MGM Grand for the June issue.

It's very rare for the public to be able to see Dita's shows since she became the darling of the fashion world and performs mostly at exclusive invite-only events, but if you can't make it to Paris for her two-week stint, there's always YouTube.

*I've visited both Crazy Horse cabarets in Paris and Las Vegas and I think it's the most classy, artistic, live erotic show in production.

Yee-Ha!

2008-04-14T20:17:00.000-07:00

This is the final week to see the exhibit Sole Desire: the Shoes of Christian Louboutin at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Famous for those red-hot soles, Louboutin’s shoes are a favorite accessory of many celebrities, including Playboy's December 2002 covergirl, Dita Von Teese.

Her crystal-studded “Lipteese” cowgirl boots, which Louboutin designed especially for her MAC Viva Glam burlesque show, are one of the highlights of the exhibit. If you can’t make it to see them in person, check out this video where you can catch a glimpse of the boots and watch Dita skillfully ride a giant lipstick.

On the Isle of Devils

2008-04-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Gahan Wilson's band of ghouls, monsters and ghosts must have felt right at home this past weekend in Bermuda when the documentary about the cartoonist and longtime Playboy contributor was screened there. Hollywood director, producer and cinematographer, Steven-Charles Jaffe, whose roster of film credits includes Ghost, Star Trek VI and Strange Days, sent us this report from the island:

Hamilton, Bermuda, April 5, 2008
My film, Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, was invited to be shown in the documentary competition at the eleventh annual Bermuda International Film Festival by Deputy Director Duncan Hall. When I began making the film I knew I would have to please Gahan's fans (including myself), but I also had a responsibility to seduce a new generation of cartoon and comic book fans by introducing Gahan's work in a medium they were not originally designed for - cinema. The screenings in Bermuda were attended by a majority of Gahan Wilson "virgins," and as much as I enjoy the response from his die-hard fans, it's becoming more gratifying to hear the enthusiastic responses people who have never seen his work. These Wilson virgins approach me after the screenings, asking where they can find his cartoons, and tell me how eager they are to see more of them. After demonstrating his genius for more than fifty years in Playboy, last night Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird received a SPECIAL JURY AWARD. For a filmmaker, this makes the journey all the more gratifying. To be continued....

(Pictured: Producer/Director Steven-Charles Jaffe with former Bermuda resident and author, Mark Twain, as they share a Gahan Wilson moment.)

Gahan Wilson's Ghouls Bite Into the Big Apple

2008-03-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

Born Dead, Still Weird, the moving documentary about the life and work of cartoonist Gahan Wilson, Playboy’s Master of the Macabre, was screened in New York City Tuesday night at The IFC’s Stranger Than Fiction film series.

It was a night unlike any other--almost all of New York’s finest cartoonists from Playboy and The New Yorker could be found under one roof for this special event.

During the Q&A that followed, director Steven-Charles Jaffe was asked how he discovered Gahan Wilson’s work. With a big smile and a slight blush, Steven described the outrageous story: “I was 10 years old and my best friend had taken his father’s copy of Playboy into the woods. As I was seeing naked women for the first time, I saw something called ‘The Weird World of Gahan Wilson’ and as I was staring at these offbeat cartoons, my friend set fire to the field we were standing in. So in an instant I was exposed to naked women, Gahan Wilson and pyromania. To this day, Gahan’s cartoons are still the first thing I look for in Playboy.

The Porn Star as an Art Star

2008-01-16T19:56:00.000-08:00

The female form has long been a source of artistic inspiration. Picasso, Rodin and countless other artists have used live models to create masterpieces, so it’s no wonder that the process of creating a drawing from a live nude model striking a pose is such a timeless tradition. Many art students will confess, however, that studio drawing classes with live models in art school are generally quite cold and clinical. It’s quiet, there are bright lights and the models are usually very ordinary looking amongst very ordinary backdrops. To even get this type of experience you have to be enrolled in an art school or seek out special classes.

Thanks to Alex Zoppa and Mitch Fontaine and Joanna Angel’s Burning Angels.com, that’s no longer the case. I came across an invitation that discreetly advertised an erotic drawing event with live models who happened to be XXX film stars. You were to bring your own drawing materials and two glasses of wine would be provided with the $20 entrance fee. I was intrigued for many reasons, but mostly because I couldn’t imagine that an adult film star could sit still long enough to be turned into a piece of art.

The event was held last Friday at Alex Grey’s center in New York City--a truly magnificent space. Alex’s spiritual and psychedelic artwork adorn the walls and the moment you walk through the door your mind shifts to a very peaceful state. It seemed an unlikely location for this event, but that made it all the more fascinating.

The room where we were directed was quite large and dimly lit with a very inviting bedroom scene setup with some unique lighting fixtures, candelabras and tables. The vibe was hip and relaxed with the music of Portishead playing. Three very attractive Burning Angel models came out completely nude and struck and held various poses, including some that looked like they were stopped mid-scene in one of their adult movies. The packed-house of artists in attendance started blissfully sketching away.

Alex Zoppa created Adult Drawing as an extension of his website www.mywhitewall.com, an online artist community. He wanted to bring artists together, but give a jolt of energy to the art scene with an irreverent event. He feels that the alternative models of Burning Angels work so well because of their unique look, which doesn’t represent the old porn cliché.

Burning Angel January Darling, the host for the evening, said that she had posed for art classes in college but enjoys “Adult Drawing” because she can add sensuality with a dominating attitude, mixing beauty with sex.

The combination of the girls, the art and atmosphere worked incredibly well and was a unique and refreshing way to spend a Friday night. I saw some beautiful sketches, including Alex Grey’s, who allowed us to reproduce one of his here.

The next "Adult Drawing" will take place on Friday, March 14th, at CoSM, 542 West 27th Street, NYC.

(Drawing by Alex Grey)

What's So Funny About Global Warming?

2008-01-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

It's 63 degrees outside on a January afternoon in New York City as I write this, so it seems the perfect time to review cartoonist Sidney Harris’ new book “101 Funny Things About Global Warming.”

Even though the effects and serious consequences of global warming have been known for a long time, it has once again become a national priority with many articles and documentaries flooding the media with dire predictions. The cartoons in this book, however, tackle this subject with humor. It’s an approach that manages to effectively combine laughter with sense of urgency, a welcome respite from the preachiness.

A cartoon by Sidney Harris shows two urbanites walking down a sidewalk with the caption, “They say it’s a bad sign when the pigeons are coughing.”

Another by Warren Miller depicts two Eskimos looking out over a body of water with the caption, “We’ll have to start looking at senior citizens homes. There’s not enough ice these days to float Grandma.”

There’s also an excellent series of sketches by Sidney that parody public figures, mostly politicians, and their often dismissive attitudes about the environment and conservation. A sketch of Gale Norton, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who was criticized for making misleading reports regarding the environment and other issues, is captioned, “Forests and rangelands have grown like a cancer.”

This little hardcover gem contains a hundred and one cartoons on the subject by many of today’s top cartoonists including Playboy magazine contributors Gahan Wilson, Mort Gerberg, Nick Downes, Jack Ziegler, Mike Williams, Ed Frascino, Glen Le Lievre, Lee Lorenz, Joseph Farris, Warren Miller and, as noted, Sidney Harris, whose first Playboy cartoon appeared in 1961. Keep your eyes peeled for the March 2008 issue where his latest cartoon will appear.

C'est What?

2007-12-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

When it was suggested that I should go see C’est Duckie!, a wildly popular performance troupe from London debuting in New York for a limited run, I did a little research to find out what I could before opening night. I looked at their website, read a piece published in The New York Times, and spoke to a friend who had already purchased tickets for her birthday, but none of this prepared me for what I experienced.

I arrived with my girlfriend at the CSV Cultural Center on the Lower East Side last Friday night and walked into a large, black, very dark room with a few tables and a stage all surrounded by a curtain of multicolored metallic streamers. The void outside of this curtain of streamers felt very surreal and seemed as if we had just wandered into a side room of Willy Wonka’s factory. Who knew what would emerge from the darkness?

A waiter/actor appeared and suggested a bottle of champagne and we were given a menu to order from along with forty “Duckie dollars” for our table. The menu did not list food, but acts. Acts? Yes, acts. Twenty-two different delicacies to choose from including “Natcho Snatcho (pictured),” “Enter Me Lightly,” and “James Bond in Perverted Pussy.” With only forty Duckie dollars, it was a difficult decision, but we started with “Divided Diva.” This involved my petite girlfriend being sprawled across the table and getting sawed in half, during which she and everyone sitting at our table howled with screams and laughter.

“Art Class” was next and a performer in a costume appeared who jumped on our table and struck a pose on all fours revealing exaggerated, hairy, fake genitals, which all of us sketched with a crazed fervor. (I must add that the charcoal and drawing paper provided for this act were of excellent quality). Our special of the week, “Drag Queen Under the Table,” was exactly that: A drag queen dove under our table, inciting a few odd looks and arm flailing along the way. The pace was maddening, the vibe was maniacal. As one act ended, another began. All of this table-top entertainment was interspersed with brief stage shows, which seemed like deleted scenes from Cabaret. I imagined that this is what a night out might have felt like in the underground during 1920s Weimar, Berlin.

I’ve seen quite a healthy dose of burlesque shows, Coney Island side-shows, strip-club acts and performance art in the last ten years while living in New York City, but C’est Duckie simply cannot be categorized.

It’s not a show. It’s an experience.

"C’est Duckie!” runs from Thursday, December 20 through Saturday, January 19, 2008 at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center, 107 Suffolk Street, NYC, (212) 352-3101.

12.29.07 6:57 AM CST by DG
Your review is spot on. btw: the show is presented by Performance Space 122

A Devilish Collection

2007-12-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

Frank Thorne recently sent me a copy of his new book The Complete Iron Devil and my eyes are still whirling after reading it.

Frank has had a long and illustrious career in illustration, comics, cartooning and a wonderful history with Playboy that started in 1980 when his full-page comic Moonshine McJugs first appeared. The hillbilly comedy focused on the blonde and beautiful Moonshine, and the outrageous sexual antics she got herself into. In 2003, Frank’s talent was once again showcased in the magazine when he started doing full-page color cartoons for us (his latest can be found in the January 2008 issue, on stands now).

The Complete Iron Devil is a deluxe hardcover collection of previously published stories, which originally appeared in single-issue comics during the 90s. It’s the third version of the collection, which has also been published in Spanish and French.

Though I knew to expect the over-the-top sexual scenarios that were common in Moonshine McJugs, this erotic juggernaut is perhaps the most X-rated storyline Frank's ever created.

With more than 150 pages of illustrations, newly colorized in a sepia tone, the fantastical stories transport you into the diabolical worlds of a well-endowed goddess and a modern-day brothel worker. There are some very graphic scenes, so the book is definitely not for everyone.

In a mammoth interview published in the highly recommended issue no. 280 of The Comics Journal, Frank discusses his work for DC Comics, Marvel, Heavy Metal, National Lampoon, High Times and, of course, Playboy. He states that although he feels The Complete Iron Devil is his magnum opus in its genre, Moonshine remains his favorite creation.

Aww, shucks, Frank!

Death is a Laughing Matter?

2007-11-14T13:54:00.000-08:00

Living the Playboy lifestyle usually doesn’t include thinking about aging, retirement or the great beyond, but viewing the cartoons in Last Laughs, just released by Scribner, will certainly make you laugh about these subjects and perhaps cause you to think about them in an entirely new way; as a cartoon by Frank Modell points out, “I don’t think of it as prison. I think of it as long-term care.”

Mort Gerberg gathered the funniest cartoons from 26 of the brightest and talented cartoonists working today, including Playboy regulars Gahan Wilson, Sidney Harris, Leo Cullum, P.C. Vey, Jack Ziegler, Frank Modell, Glen Le Lievre, Lee Lorenz and the late great J.B. Handelsman, and compiled them in this book. An accomplished cartoonist himself, Mort has contributed to the pages of Playboy for more than 40 years. He’s also illustrated numerous books and wrote an essential guide that’s helped many aspiring cartoonists since its publication called Cartooning: The Art and Business.

Last week The New York Historical Society and Scribner celebrated the release of Last Laughs with a party that included a presentation by Mort, who was joined by cartoonists Marisa Acocella Marchetto and Jack Ziegler. Mort was a fantastic showman, rhinestone tie and all, as he highlighted some of the cartoons from the book to the delight of the audience as indicated by their howling laughter. A drawing session followed where the three cartoonists created a cartoon on the spot from subject matter elicited from the audience (think Mad Libs, cartoon-style).

I caught up with Mort after the presentation and asked him a couple of questions:

PLAYBOY: What were you thinking when you came up with the idea for this book?
GERBERG: The inspiration came after a ski trip in Salt Lake City. I saw an older man who announced that he had just skied for free because it was his eightieth birthday. I’m cheap and I want to ski for free, so I thought that was a great goal. People are continuing to be very active well into their older years. I play tennis with people in their 70s. People are living longer, but instead of being in denial about aging and death we should embrace and laugh about it.

PLAYBOY: You were born in Brooklyn and live in Manhattan. Has being a born-and-bred New Yorker affected your humor?
GERBERG: My humor usually arises from being annoyed at something. You don’t do cartoons about something easy, fun or pleasant and there are many more things to be annoyed at living in New York City like noise, dirt, slow people and traffic. There’s always something to get pissed off at here. How can you make fun of things while lying on the beach in the sun, staring at an azure sky?

PLAYBOY: Sometimes is difficult to find people that live life with humor. Why do you think that is?
GERBERG: I don’t meet people like that. Maybe it’s the people I choose to associate with. Everything is funny to me and I don’t take too many things seriously - except cartoon rejections.

PLAYBOY: During your presentation you said that cartoonists are like oysters: Introduce a little irritant and out comes a pearl. How do you feel about the current state of things in America and has it affected your cartooning?
GERBERG: That saying stems from living in New York and being exposed to more irritants. There are two ways to deal with irritation: get angry or make fun of it. Making fun of it is much healthier. This is the worst president America has ever had and he’s really damaged things in the world. My opinion of him often pops up in my cartoons. Jeff MacNelly, the political cartoonist best known for his comic strip Shoe, put it best when he once said, “If I didn’t have the job as an editorial cartoonist I think I’d be a political assassin.”

Mort Gerberg, flanked by cartoonists Marisa Acocella Marchetto and Jack Ziegler.

Inside the World of Gahan Wilson

2007-10-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

Gahan Wilson’s cartoons have appeared in almost every issue of Playboy since 1957. This December marks his 50th year with the magazine. Millions of readers have fallen in love with our all-star ghoul keeper’s menagerie of monsters and dark humor. He’s also written numerous fiction and non-fiction pieces for us with such titles as: “Horror Trio” and “Dracula Country” so it’s no wonder that he’s fondly known as Playboy’s Master of the Macabre. With Halloween just around the corner it seems the perfect time for Steven-Charles Jaffe’s documentary titled GAHAN WILSON: BORN DEAD, STILL WEIRD, which premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival this past Saturday.

More than three years in the making, the film takes you on an intimate journey with Gahan and includes extraordinary personal stories from numerous luminaries, artists, writers, filmmakers, comedians and others that have been inspired and influenced by Gahan’s work: Guillermo del Toro fondly recalls the first time he saw Playboy and how he immediately identified with Gahan’s cartoons; Stephen Colbert shares a deeply personal story; Hef discusses Gahan’s cartoons and their importance to the magazine; and, in what is perhaps the most incredible story of all, Vietnam veteran Larry Laughlin shares his experience with one of Gahan’s cartoons while on the battlefield. There is a certain vulnerability and sweetness that emanates from each person as they discuss Gahan’s work and what it has meant to them. You will definitely find yourself laughing, crying and simply reflecting on what is said long after the film ends.

In an interview that appeared in our Brazilian edition of Playboy earlier this year Gahan spoke about cartoonist Charles Addams whose cartoons spawned The Addams Family television show and films. Though their artistic styles are quite different, Charles had an affinity for the macabre like Gahan, so their work is often compared. When asked about Charles, Gahan said, “I remember as a child seeing his cartoons and having a feeling of encouragement because he sort of vindicated me. I saw there was an adult out there in the real world, who was a successful one, and he was as nutty as I was and that really helped me through. Later on I got to know Charlie and he was a very nice man. I told him that and it made him happy. Today people come up to me and say the same thing. They thank me because I make them feel a little less insane. That makes me feel very good.”

It was an honor to be at the festival to celebrate the film with Gahan and the director and his crew. Gahan has created a profound body of work and continues to give us remarkable cartoons that we publish to this day. Steven-Charles Jaffe has done an outstanding job of revealing the man behind the art.

Click here to read this on Playboy.com

Guitar Euphoria at Roseland Tonight

2007-10-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

Rodrigo y Gabriela are back in New York City. The guitar duo has been making waves this year with their debut instrumental album and tonight’s show at Roseland Ballroom marks their third appearance in The Big Apple. This show is particularly special because it’s one out of only four dates that they will be joined by the Alex Skolnick Trio.

Though you couldn’t tell by listening to their music, (they describe their style as “fusion music” with Latin harmonies and rhythms) Rodrigo y Gabriela are great lovers of thrash and metal. They played together in their own metal band before breaking off into the style that they are now well known for. In a series of spots that aired on MTV in August, the duo discuss how influential Alex Skolnick’s guitar playing has been to them, so they asked him to join them for these very special appearances.

Alex Skolnick is best known as the lead guitarist for the thrash-metal band Testament and is considered by many to be one of the best guitarists in this genre. Among his many musical projects, he fronts The Alex Skolnick Trio, who have made quite a mark in the jazz world by putting jazz arrangements to hard-rock classics. Tonight they’ll be playing songs from their three albums including the latest Last Day in Paradise.

Tickets for tonight’s show cost $30/$35 at the door. There's still a few tickets left at press time, but last night's show in Boston sold out.

Behind the Scenes With Cartoonist Doug Sneyd

2007-10-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

You’ve seen his beautifully rendered watercolor cartoons grace the pages of Playboy for more than 40 years, but have you ever wondered how they got there? What about the cartoons that don’t make it into the magazine?

Doug Sneyd’s new book Unpublished Sneyd offers a glimpse into this process along with more than 90 sketches of unpublished cartoons. The first book of its kind to be published by a Playboy cartoonist, it’s your chance to discover everything you’ve ever wondered about the man responsible for creating those pulchritudinous cartoon females. Read about Doug’s influences, his cartooning process, and his answer to the enduring question, “Have you ever met Hugh Hefner or been to the Mansion?”

Unpublished Sneyd can be ordered directly from the artist for $25.00 (plus shipping and handling) on his website or by emailing the artist directly at info@dougsneyd.com. Each book will arrive signed next to an original black and white sketch of a lovely “girl next door. Here is Doug's rendering of yours truly:

Buck Brown, Master of Visual Wit, Remembered

2007-07-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of cartoon legend Buck Brown. Buck passed away last week from complications of a stroke.

Robert “Buck” Brown’s relationship with Playboy began in 1961 when he stopped by the office in Chicago to drop off a batch of ideas. Hef immediately liked his work and bought several of his cartoons. That day launched Buck’s career with Playboy that spanned four decades. He chronicled American culture in his cartoons using acrylics in glorious color and bold black-and-white wash.

Buck’s cartoons ranged widely in subject matter from the sexual revolution, golfing and westerns to parodies of figures from history and literature. His cartoons depicting relations between black and white Americans are perhaps the most poignant. As an African-American, his insight and humor were an important contribution to the magazine during and after the American civil rights movement. Playboy’s longtime cartoon editor, Michelle Urry, worked closely with Buck throughout his career until her death in October. She has said of his work, “Buck rendered the most incisive comments on race relations in America in his tour-de-force painterly style.”

Buck’s first cartoon was published in March 1962 and the latest in the August 2007 issue. He was one of our most prolific contributors with nearly 600 cartoons published to date, most of them in full-page color.

A character very popular with Playboy readers is the lovable little horny old lady, Granny. Her outrageous antics were depicted in numerous cartoons. Hef liked her so much that he made her a centerfold in our September 1980 issue.

As long as I knew Buck, his passion and fervor for creating never waned. I spoke to him at length on the phone in May and it seemed that no matter what obstacle he faced, he was always thinking of new ideas to bring humor into the world.

This post received some wonderful comments, including Buck's family:

07.09.07 6:09 AM CDT by Wil
Those who missed out on meeting Buck Brown in his too-infrequent public appearances but who do belong to the Playboy Cyber Club will want to check out the transcript of his on-line chat there. He was a very talented humorist, and he was a gentleman. Playboy used to run an ad campaign asking, "What sort of man reads Playboy?" If one were to ask instead, "What sort of man **writes** Playboy?", for four decades PEI has been able to reply with much pride, "Buck Brown". We have all suffered a great loss.

07.09.07 11:26 PM CDT by Super Amanda
Dear Playboy: Buck Brown's illustrations were some of the first things you saw when you sneaked a copy of Playboy as a little girl hoping to know what you might look like as a teenager. For me he was a huge part of my childhood. You men know how it is? You always end up on a page with print at first? Well luckily Playboy invariably had those wonderful cartoons on most of the article pages as still does today. I love Vargas, Al Capp etc but nobody could draw a pair like Buck and he gave every type a shot-just look at Granny! Buck Brown's illustrations still flicker subliminally in all the minds that are tantalized by the nearly vanished duality of the naughty and the wholesome that is Playboy humor. In fact you weigh Playboy's ability to leap other magazines in diversity of thought, culture and staff with folks like Buck Brown in it's nuclear family, it doesn't seem like the coolest magazine, it seems like the only one. My deepest condolences to Mr. Hefner and the entire staff at Playboy.
--Amanda Casabianca

07.10.07 4:52 PM CDT by Saundra Bishop
Buck played poker every week for more than 40 years with my husband and 3 or 4 other men. They called themselves the Mystic Knights of the Sea, Lodge # 2. He even named characters in cartoons after them. All of the guys would ocassionally use the game to blow off steam. Buck was no exception but he never stayed mad. My experience over the years was that he always seemed glad to see me and that made me feel good. He always complimented my cooking (however hastily thrown together or mundane it was). He was always telling jokes, the kind you would chuckle about later. In fact, there was almost a weekly "Buck Joke" that the guys retold their wives. He never missed a party and is still talking appreciatively 25 years later about my mother fixing pigfeet especially for him at a party. Upon reading this blog and his obituary, I realized that we largely forgot that he was famous. There was no pretense about him. It seems kind of trite to say it, but I mean it with all sincerity; he was a one of a kind and we will miss him greatly.

07.10.07 8:51 PM CDT by Robert Brown
It is great to see all of the kind words in this blog. A family friend, Saundra Bishop, informed my mother that this blog existed. The past two weeks have been very difficult for my family. The man the world knew as 'Buck Brown', we called Dad. He was a wonderful man, husband and father and I miss him dearly. My sister has done a wonderful job telling his story to the press. He thought the world of Playboy and was very proud of his relationship with the magazine. Mr. Heffner, I would like to personally thank you for the handwritten card you sent to my mother. It means a lot to know that you care.

Sincerely,
Robert 'Bobby' Brown

07.15.07 10:52 AM CDT by Ryan Solovjovs
We seem to be losing a lot of good cartoonists lately. Shame.

07.19.07 10:02 PM CDT by Tracy Hill
Dad if you didn't know it before, you know it now. The world loves you. You will live on through your art, your grandchildren's hearts, and our incredible memories. You were simply the best, in every way. We love and miss you.
Your biggest fan,
your daughter.
Tracy Hill

07.20.07 9:10 PM CDT by Sharon Wofford
Buck Brown was my uncle. I cannot tell you how "cool" it was in the 70's to have an uncle who cartooned for Playboy. I will always remember when I would go for a visit to my uncle's house. He would have limited time to spend with us and then he would always have to go draw again to meet his deadline. Sometimes he would let me sneak in and see some of his paintings. I usually didn't get the joke and he would laugh and tell me he would explain it to me when I got a little older. His legacy will continue to live on through our wonderful family. Thank you Playboy, for sharing my Uncle Buck with the world.

08.04.07 10:58 AM CDT by Chuck Cobleigh
Playboy cartoonists were the true leaders of the field and Buck Brown's work stood out and stayed with me for forty-plus years. I can still see the highwayman admonishing Granny, "Put your clothes back on, Ma'am. You're scaring the horses." To have been privileged to receive that sort of wit month after month was surely a blessing. The warmth and humanity of his humor makes his loss seem personal, even though I knew him only through ink and glossy paper.

09.13.07 12:50 PM CDT by Andrew J. Sordoni
More than 25 years ago I wrote a fan letter to Playboy cartoonist Buck Brown and received a rather formal and sober response. Ten years later I wrote again, made telephone contact and visited with Buck at his home. Subsequently we collaborated in an exhibition of his art (legit paintings in the soul genre) and humor (cartoons in black/white and color). The show was mounted at the New York Friars Club in the fall of 1995 and the festivities included remarks by comedian Freddie Roman and noted artist LeRoy Neiman. Following the Friars show, Buck and I made several jazz cruises together where he sketched the musical celebrities, created album covers for CHIAROSCURO Records and held forth with ribaled stories on a daily basis. For his talent, his humanity and his uniqueness, I loved him and will spend the rest of my life honoring his memory.

05.26.08 11:23 AM CDT by Joyce Owens
I met Buck Brown years ago, trying to remember where and when. I was not a Playboy reader. My husband is a noted journalist, who at one time worked at Ebony Magazine and I think Monroe met him there. My husband was surprised that the originator of Granny character was a black artist! I am a visual artist and I met Buck at various art events. We could have met, for the first time, at the annual South Side Community Art Center years ago. Any time I saw him he was always personable, friendly, funny and understated. I was planning to show his work at Chicago State University and had even asked him about it. He said he was retired and I would need to speak to his wife. We do have one of his paintings in our collection that I have shown alongside other artists of stature in the collection. He deserves a retrospective of his work with a catalog raisonne. The Granny art could be shown in a museum, maybe the MCA or the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Playboy could host a show within their building. A university would probably be limited to his paintings.

I sure would love to do it!

07.21.08 12:06 AM CDT by Douglas Lewis
Mr. Buck Brown was in my mind the greatest cartoonist for Playboy... I'm looking for one of his cartoons of Granny in bed with her raising the sheet up and saying to her man, didn't you leave any for retirement? I would like very much to be able to locate the cartoon and hang it on my wall. Do U know where I can find it? Thank you. Doug

12.21.08 11:05 AM CST by Phillip Smithson
I grew up sneaking a look at my dad's playboys. He and my mom always got a great kick out of Buck Brown's Granny. My mom is alone now & fondly remembers those cartoons. I'd like to get her a collection of them, but so far unsuccessful. Was anything like that ever published?

12.22.08 12:05 PM CST by Jennifer
In 1981 Playboy published a collection of more than 200 of Buck’s cartoons in a paperback called “Playboy’s Buck Brown.” Unfortunately it’s out of print, but you might have some luck on eBay. Many of his cartoons also appear in the book published in 2004 called “Playboy: 50 Years The Cartoons” which is widely available.

In Memoriam: J.B. Handelsman

2007-06-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of cartoonist J.B. Handelsman.

Bud, as he liked to be called, had a long-standing relationship with Playboy. Nearly 400 of his cartoons have been published in the magazine, with the first appearing in the September 1965 issue and the latest in the July 2007 issue.

The majority of Bud’s cartoons deliver profound political and social statements. He tackled heavy subject matter with cynicism and humor creating drawings with an almost minimalist line and wash, as well as in glorious color. We will miss him very much.

Here's to You, Shel!

2007-06-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

Last night we celebrated the release of Playboy's Silverstein Around the World, a collection of travel essays by beloved cartoonist and writer, Shel Silverstein. The book comprises all 23 of his illustrated travelogues that were published in the magazine from 1957 to 1968 and includes a touching foreword from Hef, an insightful introduction written by Mitch Myers and many photographs, some never published before.

The intimate gathering was held at the beautiful Rizzoli bookstore on 57th street in New York City and included an exhibition of 11 original pieces of Shel’s artwork.

Pictured below: Mitch Myers, Shel's nephew (with Playboy editors Jamie Malanowski and Amy Grace Loyd looking on); Cartoonist Gahan Wilson with Playboy editor Lee Froehlich; Christie Hefner; From L to R, Cartoonists Arnold Roth, Mort Gerberg, Don Orehek, Ward Sutton; back row: Mike Ewers and Gene Myers.

Scoping Out the Comic Con 2007

2007-02-27T15:03:00.000-08:00

Is it possible to find comics, cartoons, toys, games, anime, actors, actresses, writers, artists and lots of beautiful girls under one roof? If you were in New York City this past weekend you certainly could find all of this and more at the second annual New York Comic Con, held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. There were over 250 exhibitors, 140 artists and a bevy of special guests in attendance, including legendary comic book writer Stan Lee, author Stephen King, and our February cover girl, Tricia Helfer, just to name a few. It’s a place where you could buy discounted graphic novels, books, comics, and toys directly from publishers and manufacturers, play the latest video games, participate in gaming tournaments, see screenings of upcoming movies and TV shows, attend lectures and panels and get up close and personal with artists and actors.

Some of the most creative forces in the comic book industry were located in a section of the convention called Artist’s Alley. Popular artists such as Neal Adams of Batman and X-Men fame were on hand selling their art, creating sketches and telling stories next to emerging, self-publishing artists looking for exposure and new fans. I was particularly interested in meeting the femme fatales of the industry. Here are just a few of the beautiful and talented female artists in attendance:

Molly Crabapple’s first book Dr. Sketchy's Official Rainy Day Colouring Book was released last year. At the Comic-Con, not only could you buy a copy directly from Molly and have it signed, she had t-shirts, cards and artwork for sale. There was something magical about watching Molly smile and thank her fans as she personally handed them their merchandise… It sure beats buying it from a store or website, but don’t let that stop you.

It’s easy to see why Andrea Grant is known as “The Pinup Poet.” She’s a writer, model, photographer, and CEO of Copious Amounts Press. She was on hand to promote the comic book she wrote called Minx a story of a girl that becomes half wolf and her journey between the dreaming world and the real world.

Andrea, who has a deep interest in mythology, was every bit a goddess when I visited her.

And finally, many will admit that one of the biggest attractions at the Comic Con is the omnipresence of models and female fans that come dressed as their favorite characters, so here are a few snapshots of some lovelies:

Today at the Plaque

2006-10-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend Heather Eve.

A Death in the Family

2006-10-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

The following was written by Playboy's editorial director, Chris Napolitano. I worked with Michelle for nearly seven years.

It's with a heavy heart that I pass along some bad news for all at Playboy.

On Sunday we lost a legendary member of our family when Michelle Urry, Playboy's longtime cartoon editor, died after a lengthy bout with cancer.

The news comes as something as a shock. Michelle was an intensely private person, and kept her health issues to herself for many years. During that time, she performed her job with grace and aplomb, and was a wonderful ambassador for Playboy to the outside world. She was instrumental in pulling together book deals — most recently negotiating contracts with Steerforth Press, resulting in the publication of Sexual Pensees by Bruce Friedman (of which she was the editor) and others (an earlier title, 50 Years of Cartoons was a great success, financially and PR-wise).

During her 30-plus years with the company, she rose through the ranks from her start as an assistant to Hef to a position as the vice president of the licensing department in the 1970s.

Her place in the world of cartoons was unmatched; working closely with Hef, she regularly brought the best out in such preeminent artists as Jules Feiffer, Gahan Wilson, Buck Brown, Arnold Roth and B. Kliban, whom she discovered. Each month her work was enjoyed by millions, and she will be missed and mourned by many.

She is survived by her son Caleb and husband Alan Trustman. The family is planning a small private memorial service next Tuesday. Details on where to send condolences and remembrances will be forthcoming.

We will hold her in our hearts always, and honor her in the best way we can — by continuing to publish the best cartoons in the world, which I know will keep her spirit burning brightly.

ADDITIONAL PRESS FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE FEBRUARY '07 ISSUE OF PLAYBOY, RESPECTIVELY. Click image to enlarge and read article:

PHOTOS FROM HOLIDAY 1998 CHRISTMAS PARTY @ PLAYBOY 730 CROWN BUILDING

Jules Feiffer & Michelle
With Art Spiegelman
With Gary McCoy