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| Date | Articles |
| Playboy January 2004 | 50 Years: A Playboy
Celebration Fear And Justice In The Kingdom Of Sex 50 Products That Changed The World Playboy Interview: Jack Nicholson |
| Playboy Febuary 2004 | Exclusive: Busting Robert
Blake, Inside The Case That Jailed A Star Men Are From Mars: Ray Bradbury Defends The Space Race Jaime Pressly Nude! Her Clothing Has Left The Building The Year In Sex: 365 Days Of Carnal Fun |
| Playboy March 2004 | Interview: Jim Carrey
Unmasked! "I Am My Own Experiment" Bloodhound: On The Trail With The Planet's Best Bounty Hunter Junk Junkies: Inside The World Of Weird Collectors WWE Supervixens Sable vs. Torrie: No Ring, No Ref, No Clothes! |
| Playboy April 2004 | 50 Cent Interview: "The
First Time I Shot Someone I Was In Junior High" The Politics Of Fear by E.L. Doctorow Baseball Madness: Our Fearless 2004 Preview Supermodel Rachel Hunter: Stacy's Mom Is Naked! |
| Palyboy May 2004 | Juiced! Ripping The Cover Off
Baseball's Steroids Scandal Inside Pam Anderson: The Naked Truth From America's Favorite Sex Symbol Johnny Depp Cleans Up: Has The Anti-Star Gone Hollywood? The Drink Doctors: Inventing Better Ways To Get You Hammered |
| Playboy June 2004 | Playmate Of The Year 2004: The
Wait Is Over! Naked Charisma: The Angel Star Sheds Her Wings... And Her Clothes Derek Jeter Interview: "My Dad Used To Beat Me - At Everything" Rise Of The Machines: We Click, Flick And Break The Hottest New Digital Gadgets |
| Playboy July 2004 | Terror On The High Seas: A
True Story Of Death And Rescue The Most Expensive Cars On the Planet: We Test Four Very Pricey Rides La Femme Nikita's Peta Wilson: The Secret Agent - Exposed! Playboy's Presidential Sex Quiz: Who's The Commander In Cheats? |
| Playboy August 2004 | Death In Detroit: A Family
Portrait No More Wonderbra! Eva Herzigova The Supermodel Is Supernaked Weird New Casino Games (And The Men Who Invent Them) America's 10 Sexiest Bartenders: Nude. They Make It Hard To Go Home |
| Playboy September 2004 | Interview: The Google Guys,
America's Newest Billionaires The Women Of The Olympics: 12 Pages Of Spectacular Nudes Outlaw Humor Plus: E-Voting |
| Playboy October 2004 | You're Interviewed! Donald
Trump:The Ego, The Women, The Money, The Hair College Girls Nude: ACC Coeds Go Wild The Great Caviar Scandal Video Game Preview |
| Playboy November 2004 | BAGHDAD AFTER HOURS By day in Iraq, soldiers battle insurgents, contractors dodge kidnappers and journalists rush to the sites of car bombs. But after sunset they let loose in an entirely different world. Here's our report on Iraq at night. BY NICOLAS PELHAM DREAM BOATS We sailed the seas to find the world's finest yachts. Don't want the headache of a $50 million float? No problem—you can lease these luxury cruisers by the week. Here's picturing you and your party posse bobbing in an oceangoing Jacuzzi. BY JASON HARPER HOLY WAR George W. Bush gave up drinking for Jesus. Fair enough. Other implications of W's faith aren't so innocuous: He blocks federal funding to groups that support abortion, opposes research that could save lives and sees violence in the Levant as part of God's master plan. When will America realize that homegrown religious zealotry is threatening our country? BY ARTHUR SCHLESINGER JR. THE IDENTITY ADDICT From September 2000 to March 2001, a high school dropout stole the identities of more than 200 people on the Forbes 400 list and pocketed $260 million before a simple mistake landed him in prison. He agreed to sit down with our reporter and reveal a fraud system that he says is simple enough for a 12-year-old to master. All it takes is gloves, a cell phone, the ability to schmooze bank officials and a color printer. BY MARK BOAL |
| December 2004 | REFLECTIONS ON COURAGE,
MORALITY AND SEXUAL PLEASURE America's foremost family of letters hashes out some of the most important issues vexing our nation today: shrill battles over morality, jostling between the sexes and the future role of literature in society. BY NORMAN MAILER AND JOHN BUFFALO MAILER THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING DINO Dean Martin, the Rat Pack's king of cool, is back. With his impeccable sense of humor and style as relevant as ever, it's time to reexamine the man's life and work—and uncover a little-known secret. BY BILL ZEHME PLAYBOY'S HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Forget visions of sugarplums. This year it'll be a Harley-Davidson, a Breitling watch and a Ferrari pen dancing in your head. OH, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE! We broke federal postal laws to intercept holiday thank-you notes written by Michael Moore, Nicky Hilton, Mel Gibson and others. THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF THE COLLECTOR Think guys who hoard comic books are a bit odd? Wait until you meet men obsessed with buying and selling original comic-book artwork. BY GLEN DAVID GOLD THE PERFECT NIGHT We've got the recipe for a romantic dinner for two. Ingredients include the right flowers and music, and coq au vin preceded by chestnut soup. BY A.J. BAIME IN THE PAINT With our slam-dunk preview of the new NCAA hoops season, you'll be set to make early predictions about March Madness and the NBA draft. BY DAVID KAPLAN PLAYBOY'S MUSIC POLL 2004 Now that the presidential election is over, rock this vote. Tell us what you think ruled and reeked in music this year. Also, we rap with Nas and Kanye West. 20Q DUSTIN HOFFMAN The eternal graduate tells us about losing his virginity, talking to Brando and why his libido is a "maniac." BY ROBERT B. DESALVO AND DAVID SHEFF CENTERFOLDS ON SEX: NICOLE WOOD The spa owner explains why you can undress her if you get dressed up. |
| January 2005 | COVER STORY Jenny McCarthy first appeared in PLAYBOY in 1993. Our readers spotted something special and elected her Playmate of the Year. From there, her popularity took off. She berated bachelors on Singled Out and starred in an MTV comedy. You can see her again on this season's Bad Girl's Guide on UPN. And she was a very bad girl, for Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda. Jenny gives our Rabbit cardiac awrist. THE SUCKER WITH THE MONEY Howard Hughes produced movies and set airspeed records. The public (and a long list of beauties) was fascinated by him. The Aviator aims to reawaken that allure. The truth? Hughes was a lousy businessman who lacked charm. BY NEAL GABLER DIARY OF A THREESOME FANATIC Meet a woman whose amorous adventures with a famous TV star (unnamed for legal reasons) included threesomes in town cars and elsewhere. BY ANONYMOUS CHAMPAGNE WITH A TWIST We provide the buzz on the best bubbly cocktails. BY A.J. BAIME BLOOD, SWEAT AND TRADE SECRETS This intrepid author went undercover to expose maquiladoras, Mexican factories in which workers, mostly women, earn about $10 a day. But what he found surprised even him. BY WILLIAM T. VOLLMANN JEFFERSON VS. HAMILTON The reputations of rivals Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton have flipped lately. Jefferson is now slagged as a slave owner, Hamilton lauded as a prophet. Does Jefferson deserve this? And how does Halliburton fit in? BY GORE VIDAL 2005 CARS OF THE YEAR We took the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and eight other amazing cars out for a drive. The open road has never been so exhilarating. BY ARTHUR KRETCHMER MEET THE FUTURE OF POKER The second-place winner in the World Series of Poker won $3.5 million. We hang out with him as he pays off his mother's mortgage, plays cards with friends and eats at Steak n Shake. BY PAT JORDAN |
| Febuary 2005 | COVER STORY Focker? We hardly know her. Teri Polo, co-star of the blockbuster sequel Meet the Fockers, decided to meet the press, or at least PLAYBOY, without the benefit of a wardrobe. A perfectly punctual subject, she was right on time for her appointment with Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda. But we think she may have gotten hungry during the shoot. See? She's about to devour our Rabbit Head. THE GREAT NORTH CAROLINA BANK HEIST David Ghantt pulled off one of the biggest robberies in American history with a little help from his friends. Then it all went bad for the former security guard as the gang squandered the loot on cars, Elvis paintings and hit men. By Adam Piore THE HANDYMAN Luke had the summer job of a lifetime: handyman in a town filled with desperate housewives. As word of his talents spread, his list of projects grew, and each task provided a new learning experience, in life and in sex. After four years of odd jobs, Luke grew wise to the truth about suburbia. By Rich Cohen NATURAL BORN KILLER Jerry Lee Lewis, the original rock-and-roll bad boy, is the founder least likely to still be rocking. With his career defined by controversy—starting when he married his 13-year-old cousin—the media quickly built and swiftly destroyed him. Lewis had to wait a decade for a Nashville comeback, but at 69 he is as iconoclastic as ever and reveling in his legacy. By Robert Gordon THE FRENCH KISS PLAYBOY'S in-house connoisseur buzzes the French countryside in a glorified crop duster in search of the ultimate cognac, the exquisite liquor that is fast becoming one of America's most, popular drinks. By A.J. Baime GETTING TO KNOW YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S BREASTS Breasts, as a few attentive readers have observed, come in many shapes and sizes. We sent our resident tit man to conduct a hands-on examination, scrutinizing science, rumor and lore. By Chip Rowe |
| March 2005 | COVER STORY This year, after successful performances in prime time, on the best-sellers' list, in modeling and in heiressing, Paris Hilton indubitably ranks as the girl with whom we'd most likely want to succeed. It explains her appearance on top of our list of the sexiest celebrities of the year, surpassing some bare and bountiful competition. Our Rabbit worked his way into this photo taken by Odette Sugerman. He's convinced we've netted a lovely catch. FEATURES STOLEN SCREAMS Edvard Munch's painting The Scream is world famous. It's been called "the primal image of urban alienation" and is a symbol of Norwegian national pride. In slightly over a decade, it has also been stolen twice by daring thieves. Here is the suspenseful story of how cunning detectives versed in the international art-theft game found the painting and nabbed the culprits the first time—and how that case may suggest who has The Scream today. By Simon Cooper THE YEAR IN MUSIC 2005 Thousands of you voted—and we listened! Velvet Revolver snags the award for best rock album, Kanye West wins for best hip-hop, and David Bowie is (finally!) inducted into the Playboy Hall of Fame. Who else won? You'll be surprised. Also: an ode to music goddesses from Gwen Stefani to Christina Aguilera, Q&As with Scott Weiland and the Streets, and first-hand tales of how your favorite rock stars lost their virginity. It's enough music to blow your speakers. SOUND + ART Looking for $200,000 worth of sound? PLAYBOY shows you how to get a premium audio system on the cheap. By Kyle Kolbe VANITY VINYL Your series ended, your movie went straight to DVD, and not even Vegas is calling. When all else fails in Hollywood, cut a record. PLAYBOY assembles the best of the worst in our own version of Celebrity Idol. By Jake Austen |
| April 2005 | COVER STORY Christy Hemme beat out nine slamming beauties to become the newest WWE RAW Diva. Previously she fueled many a fantasy as a cheerleader, a roller-skating Hooters girl, a Man Show Juggy girl and a dancer with a group that heated up Harley rallies. Senior Contributing Photographer Arny Freytag is down for a rematch. Our Rabbit gives Christy, here wearing a fur kindly provided by BLOOD AND BETRAYAL Until a six-hour gun battle with American forces took his life, there was no bigger proponent of regime change in Iraq than Saddam Hussein's eldest son, Uday. Passed over by Saddam because of his vicious and wanton lifestyle, Uday slowly assembled the elements of power—media, military and political management—needed to oust his tyrannical father. Our reporter talked to a wealth of sources in Uday's inner circle and obtained hundreds of pages of Uday's private documents, enabling him to piece together a surprising new take on the would-be dictator. By Peter Arnett CELEBRITY SEX QUOTES Ben Affleck said what? Angelina Jolie wants who? When celebrities don't have a script to follow, they're deliciously, delightfully frank. By Larry Engelmann A FULL HOUSE Poker night at your place doesn't have to be a gamble. The right table, cards, chips, liquor and short-skirted waitress can make the difference between a disappointing evening and ESPN-worthy rounds of Texas Hold 'Em. Here's all you need to know about being the host with the most. By Phil Gordon IT'S AN AD, AD, AD, AD WORLD Advertising tycoon Donny Deutsch knows a few things about turning quick impressions into dollar signs. His aggressive, hip ads got young adults to drink Tanqueray, created a worldwide hit with the song "Days Go By" for Mitsubishi and made Ikea a household name. Here, the Elvis of advertising comes clean about his beef with Bill O'Reilly, why most ads suck and why he can now admit that Ikea furniture is crap. By Rob Tannenbaum |
| May 2005 | COVER STORY The hit show Desperate Housewives got everyone hot for homemakers, so we put out the call for real-life sexy mothers to show us their domestic goodness. After perusing nearly 1,000 submissions, we discovered that every town has a Wisteria Lane and a resident knockout neighbor like cover girl Michelle Baena, photographed by Senior Contributing Photographer Arny Freytag. Our Rabbit gives Michelle his full support. FEATURES THE MEANING OF IT ALL If you think the big bang is just a theory, don't tell Simon Singh. The author of Big Bang scoffs at the implication that a deity is required to explain the origin of the universe and posits 10 reasons to blame the big bang. Bishop John Spong, comedian Julia Sweeney, philosopher John Leslie and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins tell us why all of this matters. RUNWAY MODELS The skies, and your girl, will seem friendlier aboard a private jet that boasts such luxuries as a king-size bed and shower. You can buy or charter the new yachts of the sky from Boeing, Dassault, Bombardier and Gulfstream. By Jason Harper THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF PARIS AND NICKY The Hilton sisters may have turned doing nothing into an art form, but in this two-page comic, the superhero starlets save the world from Jessica Simpson. By Richard Rushfield and Adam Leff, Illustrated by J.J. Sedelmaier BIG LEAGUE BLUES We make our picks for all the major league clubs. Prognosis: a banner year for fans who live in a major market but not for everybody else. Hope springs eternal, unless you live in Tampa Bay. By Tracy Ringolsby POSTCARDS FROM THE PROUD HIGHWAY When he died in February, Hunter S. Thompson—"the 20th century's greatest comic writer," as Tom Wolfe eulogized him—was in the midst of working with the editors of PLAYBOY to compose a guide to life, a compendium of hard-won advice for what he called, not altogether satirically, a doomed generation. Among his valedictions: Kick a bully in the balls, take your beatings, make people smile, and drink lots of water. The final words of an American master. |
| June 2005 | COVER STORY Bai Ling's name means "white spirit," and the sensuous Chinese actress—who memorably starred in The Crow and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow—says she is a free spirit. She tells us about nakedness, one-night stands and her role as a tattooed senator in Star Wars Episode Revenge of the Sith. Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda captures her uninhibited sexuality on film. The Force is with her and our Rabbit. KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED: THE BRAIN Known as Mukhtar—"the Brain" in Arabic—Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks; his capture in 2003 was a devastating blow to Al Qaeda. Our terrorism expert relies on a variety of sources, published and confidential, to portray this evil genius. By Rohan Gunaratna INTO THE DRINK Whether you're poolside or at the beach, you need a drink that can multitask. Here is a greatest-hits collection of summer cocktails, including little-known classics, new twists and a staple that nobody gets right. By A.J. Baume THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE STAR WARS GALAXY Which Darth is more macho? Which Golden Girl sang to cantina aliens? Are midi-chlorians really magical space scabies? Feel the Force around our Star Wars retrospective and find out. By Scott Alexander and Josh Robertson THE PLAYBOY FIDELITY SURVEY: SECRET SEX We are bombarded with images of infidelity on TV—sometimes it seems as if no married couples keep their vows. But how prevalent is cheating? We surveyed more than 1,400 adults and polled 15,000 visitors to Playboy.com to learn the attitudes, definitions, motivations and torrid details of fidelity today. MARILYN REVEALED Somewhere between the myths and the biographies, the real story of Norma Jeane's transformation into Marilyn Monroe disappeared. Here, accompanied by a unique, never-before-published image of Marilyn nude, taken from a famous |
| July 2005 | COVER STORY In the past two years swimsuit model Joanna Krupa has been named the sexiest woman in the world by magazines on four continents, but now that she's posing with no bikini strings attached she has positioned herself for total global domination. Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda photographs this sun-kissed beauty in her native habitat. The grains of sand that shape our Rabbit pass time on Joanna's hourglass figure. SEVEN DEADLY DISASTERS Killer lakes? Asteroids from space? Yellowstone erupting, Nashville collapsing and Manhattan under the sea? Last December's tsunami was one of the most devastating disasters on record—but worse is possible. By William Speed Weed 25 EASY PIECES Tech toys have been transformed from high-maintenance nightmares to the chill, helpful companions you hoped they could be. From GPS navigation to digital cameras to the high-definition TV with the best picture ever, we have the tech you need to live the life you want. By Steve Morgenstern HIGH IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES Transporting 250 pounds of top-quality marijuana over the Canadian border in a helicopter during an orange alert seems like a scene from a comedy, but this is no Cheech and Chong movie. We gained access to the inner workings of a Canadian smuggling operation that nets a $20 million annual profit by providing Americans with triple-A vanity weed from British Columbia. The demand is for 2,000 to 3,000 pounds a day. By Robert Sabbag THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF BRANDO Eccentric screen legend Marlon Brando was no stranger to tragedy, having endured his son Christian's conviction for murder and his daughter Cheyenne's suicide. Only 13 days before his death last year, Brando signed a codicil that changed the executors of his estate and alienated longtime friends. If you thought Brando's life was bizarre, you won't believe what has gone down behind the scenes since he died. By Peter Manso |
| August 2005 | COVER STORY When Diora Baird first saw her Guess billboard she said, "Oh great, people are gonna get so sick of looking up at my boobs." Not so, of course, and now we'll see even more of Diora, with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers. Here, Odette Sugerman photographs her with Belle de Jour–inspired spirit. Our Rabbit fits Diora like a glove. THE END OF THE MOB The Sopranos could get renewed until the Cubs win the Series, but the real-life outfit isn't faring so well. Jimmy Breslin, the most streetwise reporter in America, wore out some shoe leather on the streets of New York and discovered that, with most bosses now dead, locked up or standing trial, the Mafia itself will soon sleep with the fishes. Plus, I Heard You Paint Houses author Charles Brandt solves the last mystery about who killed Joey Gallo, and Nick Bryant asks why the feds don't believe a credible and talkative ex–Mob boss. PLAYBOY'S NFL PREVIEW The franchise quarterback has resurfaced as the most precious commodity in the NFL, and there are a lot of good ones. Who's going to wave hardware in the air in February, and who's going to wipe guacamole off his shirt? We have all the pigskin-related predictions right here. By Rick Gosselin A FULL BOAT Take a funny guy who loves poker. Stake him $10,000. Send him on a weeklong cruise with 735 eclectic Texas Hold 'Em fanatics all trying to win more than $7 million in the biggest event on the World Poker Tour. What happens? Well, he's still not rich. By Joel Stein OLD SCHOOL This year golf's most prestigious championship, the British Open, returns to the game's source: the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, where golfers have roamed for six centuries. We take a look at some of the great moments that adorn the most storied venue in all of golf. By Evan Rothman |
| September 2005 | COVER STORY Jessica Canseco, the gorgeous ex-wife of the controversial one-time MVP, finally breaks her silence about her five years as a baseball wife, coming clean about sex, lies and Jose's destructive steroid abuse. Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda scores big as the taut beauty pirouettes sans tutu. Our Rabbit watches closely from the waistline. Iraq has become a repository for just about every weapons system known to man. The situation is literally explosive, with an estimated 10 million mines buried in the dirt, often in populated areas. We patrol Baghdad with ace bomb tech Staff Sergeant Jeffrey S. Sarver of the Army's 788th Ordnance Company, an elite unit that protects troops from improvised explosive devices. Sarver's distinction: He has disarmed more of them than any man in the war. By Mark Boal SPORT STARS The roadster is the ultimate sports car, and those designed in the 1950s and 1960s reached a pinnacle of style and performance that has yet to be matched. Get reverent about the five finest two-seaters ever built. By Ken Gross MANY HAPPY RETURNS In a 50-year career spent studying financial markets, Wall Street vet Raymond F. Devoe Jr. has survived 18 bubbles. The man knows money, and he has sound advice on how to plan your financial future. By Raymond F. Devoe Jr.. PLAYBOY'S 2005 COLLEGE PIGSKIN PREVIEW Get blitzed with our picks for the top 25 college football teams and the Playboy All America Team, as well as our 2005 Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete winner and an interview with USC coach Pete Carroll on the state of the game. By Gary Cole |
| October 2005 | COVER STORY Cover girl Sara Jean from Oregon State and painted lady Victoria Thornton from Arizona State are just two of the sexy students in our Pac 10 shoot who are making us high on higher education. Senior Contributing Photographer Arny Freytag captured the coeds on and off campus; Mark Frazier painted the student bodies. Our Rabbit puts himself in a position to be blitzed by the beauties. College students still know how to have a good time (just examine the rest of this issue to see how), but the sun is swiftly setting on the days when young scholars were expected to sow their wild oats. With lawsuits pressuring schools to crack down on irrational exuberance, college life is turning into pre–middle age. We look at who pulled the plug on the party and ask why so few students think it even matters. By Richard Morgan FOR LOVE OF THE GAME Video games have more byte than ever. Here's the best of what's coming this fall: the hottest games, the next-gen systems and, back by popular demand, nude shots of the sexiest video game gals—this time on trading cards. NASCAR CRASH COURSE The author of The Godfather Returns drafted four of his literary friends, revved up an RV and hit the Talladega Superspeedway intent on a weekend of observing varieties of NASCAR fanatics. Then they went native and came away hooked. By Mark Winegardner COLLEGE SEX 101 Want to know what that pretty girl in lit class really thinks about sex? Get a clue from our unscientific survey, in which 101 flesh-and-blood coeds come clean about bedroom tricks, cheating and fantasies. Want a preview? Somebody wants to play the serving wench if you'll be Captain Jack Sparrow. |
| November 2005 | COVER STORY E!'s The Girls Next Door has shown us what life is like at the Mansion for Hef's girlfriends, Bridget Marquardt, Holly Madison and Kendra Wilkinson. Senior Contributing Photographer Arny Freytag gets into the spirit and captures the blonde beauties after they've doffed their clothes and begun to get playful with one another. They have our Rabbit tied up in knots. IN BED WITH ELVIS Fledgling William Morris agent Byron Raphael began working for Elvis Presley in 1956. Among his responsibilities: making sure the King was visited by a steady stream of beautiful women, including stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood. What went on behind closed doors wasn't as steamy—or as normal—as his fans would think. BY BYRON RAPHAEL WITH ALANNA NASH SHOOT TO KILL Get hot for teacher as billiards pro Jennifer "Nine Millimeter" Barretta demonstrates pool tricks that will knock the chalk off your cue. BY SCOTT ALEXANDER THE REAL HARVEY The writer of the autobiographical comic on which the film American Splendor is based contemplates fame and his new book, The Quitter, in a new comic strip. BY HARVEY PEKAR THE STRANGE HERESIES OF THOMAS GOLD In 1980 Cornell astronomer Thomas Gold declared that petroleum doesn't come from fossils but rather has been part of the earth from the beginning of time—and that way down below lies a virtually limitless supply of energy. Scientists scoffed; now they're beginning to think he could be right. BY SONIA SHAH DOWN LINEMAN Barret Robbins of the Oakland Raiders had a beautiful family, a fat salary and a great career. So how did he end up getting shot twice by cops and then charged with attempted murder? Friends and former teammates step forward to ponder the most famous mental meltdown in sports history. BY PAT JORDAN |
| December 2005 | COVER STORY We could never say good-bye to Marilyn Monroe, nor would we want to. More than 50 years after her appearance on our debut issue's cover, the screen goddess returns in a photograph taken by Bert Stern during her last session. This month we look at the mystery surrounding her final hours. Our Rabbit, a gentleman who prefers blondes, is right on the mark. Few deaths are as mysterious as Marilyn Monroe's. Was it suicide? Murder? In a special report we examine the evidence—including uncensored transcripts of tapes Monroe recorded for her psychiatrist—to get closer to an answer. By Lisa Depaulo THE TICKET MASTERS Four days before the Super Bowl two brokers hustle choice seats for the big game with even bigger stakes—a gamble that could make or lose them as much as $80,000 in one week. By Jonathan Littman PARTY OF THE YEAR! Angelina and Jen squabble, Tom jumps on the couch, and Martha flashes some ankle. What a crowd! What a party! Illustration by Bill Nelson LOLITA 50 YEARS LATER Vladimir Nabokov's controversial masterpiece Lolita was published 50 years ago. Thirteen authors and artists explain why the novel still resonates. PLAYBOY'S HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Forget frankincense and myrrh. True wise men bear such gifts as a Ferrari laptop, a Ducati Sport1000 or even a Playboy Super Bowl–weekend party package. 2005 MUSIC POLL We put the opinions of critics on mute and let you define the soundtrack of the year: Franz Ferdinand, Amerie, the Ying Yang Twins and more. NOTHING BUT NET With our annual preview of the college hoops season and picks for the top 25 teams, March Madness should be much less maddening. By David Kaplan |
| January 2006 | The Loves of King Kong - Fay Wray,
Jessica Lange and Naomi Watts have all played the beauty
opposite the beast in major King Kong movies. Here's how
having a relationship with a supersize simian affected
their lives. By Kathleen
Sharp. The Magical World of Shel Silverstein - Artist, singer, author and bon vivant Shel Silverstien was an integral member of the Playboy family for decades. As a new generation discovers his brilliance, we take a rollicking look at this American Renasissance man. By Steve Pond. Car Wars - For the better part of a century, what's been good for General Motors has been good for America. Now the world's number-one carmaker is about to be eclipsed by Toyota. Our eminent automotive expert went on a pilgrimage to Detroit to discover what went wrong and what's being done about it. By Arthur Kretchmer. Rubbing Elbows - A prominent litterateur shares memories of a lifetime of encounters with some of the world's greatest writers, editors and know-it-alls -- From Isaac Bashevis Singer to Mario Puzo. By Bruce Jay Friedman. 2006 Cars of the Year - The Playboy driving team redlined dozens of top models to find one car that rules them all. Drool over the winner, then rev yourself up over the sweet rides that qualify as the most fun to drive, the best supercar and the best car to take to your high school reunion. By Ken Gross. |
| Febuary 2006 | COVER STORY After becoming the first winner on America's Next Top Model, the uninhibited Adrianne Curry up and stole Christopher Knight's heart on The Surreal Life. Now she gets loose-lipped about her reality show My Fair Brady and her spinout with super-model Tyra Banks. Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda serves Curry extra spicy. Our Rabbit goes for the gold. THE TAKING OF SEX.COM Sex.com was perhaps the most valuable address on the web. See how the site became a gold mine during the dot-corn boom, then watch as the party implodes in a swirl of swinging, speed, spending and, ultimately, rancorous litigation between two men fighting to control it. BY MICHAEL GROSS THE BIG SHOW A jaundiced journey through the freaky world of 21st century bodybuilding, in which today's champions are so pumped up they make Arnold Schwarzenegger look like your mom. BY CHARLES M. YOUNG THE NO-BULLSHIT CAUCUS Does everything out of Washington have to come laden with evasions, qualifications, special pleadings and out-and-out untruths? No. A handful of our politicians—John McCain, Dianne Feinstein, Barney Frank and others—deal in straight talk with a minimum of manipulation. BY JEFF GREENFIELD DIARY OF MY HEALTH The author of The Pugilist at Rest leaves no prescription unfilled as he uproariously details his manifold ailments and pharmacological reliefs. BY THOM JONES LOVE IS A MUCH REWRITTEN THING Even the world's greatest love poets had to begin with first drafts. We've collected some of the false starts. BY JOSH ROBERTSON OYSTER CULT Serving the world's most celebrated aphrodisiac at a social gathering makes a more sensuous statement than passing out edible underpants. We share a few pearls of wisdom about preparing these sumptuous bivalves. BY A.J. BAIME |
| March 2006 | What's Going On Here? - Catastrophic hurricanes like Katrina are only
harbingers of extreme climate changes to come. The fate
of humanity, not to mention the rest of the planet's
animal and plant life, is already in desperate peril - as
shown by the facts presented in this excerpt from what
may be the year's most important book. By Tim Flannery. The Year in Music 2006 - From veterans lighting up the comeback trail to promising new artists from every genre, the winners in our annual music poll prove that 2005 was abundant with aural pleasures. We also check out the rise of Houston hip-hop, ponder the fate of the New Orleans music scene and reveal which songs members of Smash Mouth, Spoon and other bands were listening to when they lost their virginity. Playing For Keeps - Here are the things to play with when playing's the thing. Our ultimate game room has it all: a pool table that would make Minnesota Fats do sit-ups, a selection of classic pinball and arcade games, pinup-girl poker chips, a chess set made from auto parts, a high-end backgammon set (for when Hef comes over), a table hockey game,a Ping-Pong setup, foosball and more. Don't ever tell us you're bored. BY Joel Johnson. Jeremy Bloom Can't Lose - America's best hope for gold in Turin could be Jeremy Bloom, a freestyle skier so competitive that he plans on making his muscular five-foot-nine physique and model's looks from his MTV gig to the NFL. Meet a man who may have the word limit in his vocabulary but hasn't much use for it. By Pat Jordan. |
| April 2006 | Faith & Reason - From the church's repression of Galileo to
intelligent design, religion has waged a ferocious and
futile battle against scientific thought. Michael Ruse,
author of The Evolution-Creation Struggle, surveys the
ongoing conflict. Also, philosopher Daniel Dennett looks
at the future of institutional religion, Kurt Vonnegut
argues for more Sermon on the Mount and less Ten
Commandments, and Lewis Black and Bart Ehrman speak up
for reason. Of Maus and Supermen by Robert Levine & Scott Alexander. Eating: A Love Story by Andy Murray. Crashing Augusta by Jonathan Littman. |
| May 2006 | Features To Baghdad and Back With Dick Cheney In December, on a trip conducted under extraordinary security, Vice President Dick Cheney visited Iraq, Oman, Afghanistan and Pakistan with a small group of journalists. One of them, a Washington reporter for Fox news, takes us behind the scenes to reveal privileged glimpses of a volatile region and onto Air Force Two for some unscripted face time with America's number two. By James Rosen. Playboy's 2006 Baseball Preview Last season was filled with jolts and surprises. How much unpredictability is in store for 2006? Factoring in a new champ, new faces, and old faces in new places, writer Tracy Ringolsby conducts a team-by-team roundup. Plus, Bill James rumninates on luck, and we end the suspense with our annual predictions. It's Not Just How Fast You Move Your Legs Nike's co-founder revisits his days on the college track team and recalls his relationship with Bill Bowerman, the legendary coach who, in the process of creating 19 Olympians, affected the lives of all his runners in weird and wonderful ways. By Phil Knight. And Now For Something Completely Different... Highlighting this year's crop of motorcycles are some totally out-of-the-box rides, among them the ultimate street fighter-hooligan bike-wheelie machine, the most powerful boxer twin engine ever and a bike that will make you wish you were a POW just so you could fly like Steve McQueen. By James R. Petersen |
| June 2006 | Cover Story Kara Monaco played Cinderella at Disney World, was named one of America's sexiest bartenders and then became a Playmate. Now Miss June is your 2006 Playmate of the Year, and the platinum-haired princess returns in a gilded carriage to live out her fairy tale come true. Senior Contributing Photographer Arny Freytag captures the magic. Our Rabbit is in line to be her Prince Charming. 2006: A MYSPACE ODYSSEY Parents fear it, at least one college has considered banning it, and Rupert Murdoch likes it so much he paid $580 million for it. More than 64 million members hook up, make friends and gawk at sexy profiles on MySpace.com, but others call this virtual playground a time-wasting cyberdumpster. Our man hunts for identity and a few meaningful "adds" deep inside this controversial community. By Dave Itzkoff FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN He's a seasoned golf pro and an accomplished writer, with one of the sharpest minds in the game. We ask the experienced CBS commentator to pick the world's 10 most extraordinary golf destinations-from Ireland to New Zealand-in an effort to turn you green with envy. By Gary McCord ROSEBUD It was only a matter of time before the cosmetic-surgery industry turned its talent to the female sexual organ. The list of procedures available to women today includes lifts, snips, G-spot collagen injections and even hymenoplasty, a surgery that trans-forms the most active women into veritable virgins. Our intrepid female reporter takes a closer look at the quest to create the perfect pussy. By Heather Caldwell THE WIT AND WISDOM OF JOHN KRUK Whether he's debating strategy on ESPN's Baseball Tonight or inadvertently keeping David Letterman's audience in stitches, everybody loves Krukker-rants and all. The former Phillie talks without a filter, so his deadpan stories about personal hurdles and the state of the game are always hits. By Pat Jordan |
| July 2006 | COVER STORY Named the most searched-for model on the web, voluptuous Vida Guerra traces her path from Cuba to the pages of PLAYBOY and chats candidly about her debut album, playing a virgin in her new movie and the attention-grabbing potential of her posterior. Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda throws us some serious curves. Our Rabbit hugs one tight. THE NEW HUMAN What it means to be a human being is changing right before our eyes. With advancements in genetics, robotics and nanotechnology, we have started to alter our minds, memories, progeny and maybe even our souls. Radical Evolution author JOEL GARREAU details how the next scientific frontier will be inside us. Also, MARGARET ATWOOD ponders immortality, RAY KURZWEIL considers our singular future, and MARY MIDGLEY rationalizes why we can't live forever. NOT YOUR FATHER'S HI-FI A look at the newest mini-gadget wonders that keep tunes, pictures and movies within easy reach. BY SCOTT ALEXANDER DRIFTING Go sideways or go home. Drifting, the world's hottest motor sport, is the best import from Japan since the Walkman. Though it emerged in the United States only a few years ago, Americans are now racing to match their Japanese counterparts. BY CRAIG VETTER MY LOVE MACHINE After conceiving and constructing the JiIIJet, a high-concept hot tub conducive to female climaxes, the master illusionist took the ultimate step and got a patent for his liquidy orgasmatron. BY PENN JILLETTE |
| August 2006 | COVER STORY What really makes a bikini float is the woman filling it-think Brigitte Bardot, Raquel Welch and cover model Monica Leigh. Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda sheds light on the result of decades of swimsuit evolution. Our Rabbit is the missing link in Miss March's gold two-piece. Features WHY ARE WE IN IRAQ? The director of the documentary Why We Fight has interviewed nearly 200 Americans about their thoughts and feelings on war and security. Actor Ethan Hawke, ex-soldier Jessica Lynch, trucker Ted Chapman, scholar Cornel West and Senator John McCain are among the cross section of the country captured here. BY EUGENE JARECKI THE BIKINI AT 60 Louis Reard designed the world's tiniest swimsuit for women 60 years ago, and we've been thanking him ever since. PLAYBOY celebrates the evolution of the two-piece, as well as the curvy women who fill it. ALL ROADS LEAD TO BRAZIL One woman forges a glorious path to the promised land as she walks us through her first Brazilian bikini wax. BY SLOANE CROSLEY Plus: ROCKY RAKOVIC shares her pain by having his family jewels waxed bare. ALL CLEAR See-through spirits are the perfect pour for summer. We toast the intoxicating history of vodka and gin. BY RICHARD CARLETON HACKER PLAYBOY'S 2006 NFL PREVIEW We convened more than 25 of football's finest players, coaches and analysts-such as Cleveland's Ted Washington, the Ravens' Brian Billick and Carolina's DeShaun Foster and asked them 25 things we'd love to know about the NFL. We also say who's up, who's down and who's going to the Super Bowl. |
| September 2006 | COVER STORY Hef's three girlfriends-Holly Madison, Kendra Wilkinson and Bridget Marquardt-return for our cover as E!'s top-rated series, The Girls Next Door, starts season two. Senior Contributing Photographer Amy Freytag orchestrated the simultaneous shooting of the front and back cover photos. Our Rabbit laces up on the front, then morphs into his distant German cousin on the back cover for a rear-window view. INSIDE DEEP MINE 26 The U.S. is still the OPEC of coal, the cheapest and most plentiful energy source known to man. Descend into a Virginia coal mine with the workers who gamble their lives every day but make headlines only when it looks as if they'll lose. BY PAT JORDAN SMASHING WINDOWS Last year Hunter S. Thompson's ashes were shot out of a cannon. Now comes another blast: a missive fired off 25 years ago to Ralph Steadman, his friend and illustrator, after Steadman complained about his own son's behavior. The good doctor's bizarre parenting advice somehow still resonates. BY RALPH STEADMAN WITH HUNTER S. THOMPSON ARTISTIC LICENSE We rounded up a garageful of sports cars so exotic and exceptional that you are unlikely ever to see one. These ultra-exclusive beauties, crafted by small companies such as Pagani, Bugatti and Saleen, make Lamborghinis seem affordable. BY KEN GROSS PLAYBOY'S 2006 PIGSKIN PREVIEW As we celebrate 50 years of selecting the Playboy All America Team, we tackle such crucial college football matters as our picks for the top 25 squads, our 2006 Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete winner and our Coach of the Year, Penn State's Joe Paterno. BY GARY COLE |
| October 2006 | COVER STORY Fall is here, which can only mean PLAYBOY is on heightened campus alert. We're throwing our annual back-to-school party by featuring the hottest student bodies in Girls of the Big 12. Senior Contributing Photographer Stephen Wayda demonstrates why cover model and Miss August 2005 Tamara Witmer is at the head of her class. Our Rabbit adorns a laptop with a view. THE BASEMENT In early February 2005 two pledges descended into the basement of the Chi Tau fraternity house at Chico State University for a final test of endurance. Hours later one of the young men was dead. Our reporter unlocks the secrets of this night of hazing that went terribly, lethally awry. BY JONATHAN LITTMAN PLAYBOY'S COLLEGE TRIVIA QUIZ Can a student really earn credit for a course in tightwaddery? How about getting a degree in adventure sports? You'll think we're making some of this stuff up—and we are, but only some. Give our test the old college try by separating the bogus from the merely bizarre. BY ROCKY RAKOVIC MY PLACE AT EIGHT? Ask any woman: Delectable dining is the best foreplay. The host of Food 911 walks you through three easy-to-prepare three-course meals that will have her staying over for breakfast in no time. BY TYLER FLORENCE JONESY Never mind the bollocks—walk in the shit-kicking boots of original Sex Pistol Steve Jones, as the punk-rock legend cuts loose about the band's legacy, his drug and sex addictions and how he became the wildest, most unpredictable DJ on West Coast radio today. BY DAN HALPERN SEXUAL PENSEES A New York humorist and PLAYBOY contributor with a philosophical bent casts a knowing eye on the sexual dance in this whimsical piece illustrated with the fluid line drawings of Andre Barbe. BY BRUCE JAY FRIEDMAN |
| November 2006 | ISLAM IN THE CRUCIBLE Prodded by U.S.-backed government officials, many religious leaders in Middle Eastern Arab countries are trying to persuade the next generation of Muslim youth not to adopt an ideology of martyrdom and anti-American warfare. The author of The New Iraq gives a firsthand account of the struggle to reclaim Islam from the terrorists who hijacked the religion and discusses how this effort could impact global security. BY JOSEPH BRAUDE THE WORST BREAK OF MY LIFE A penile fracture is every guy's worst nightmare, but in this astonishing—and edifying—account of his own catastrophe, the former lead singer of That Petrol Emotion tells how a man can weather disaster and spare the rod. BY STEVE MACK WELCOME TO THE NEXT LEVEL The next generation of video games isn't next anything—it's now. In this special section we preview the hottest games for fall and beyond, look at the state of the current console wars and invite you to take a byte out of our third annual set of slinky video game vixens with their biosuits powered down. BY SCOTT ALEXANDER HOW SUITE IT IS The Hugh Hefner Sky Villa has opened on the 34th floor of the Palms Casino Resort Fantasy Tower in Las Vegas. It will run you about $35,000 a night, but you won't find more sumptuous lodgings anywhere. Take a peek inside with several Playmates, including Amanda Paige and Sara Jean Underwood. FICTION THE WISDOM OF THE DOULAS Doula is the Greek word for slave, but Mitch doesn't work for those wages. In this tale by the author of Home Land: A Novel, Mitch is the only male midwife in his city and has an unorthodox approach to postnatal care. The family that hires him must figure out if he is a certified doula or simply certifiable. BY SAM LIPSYTE |
| December 2006 | THREE SENATORS GORE The true first family of American politics has been the Gores. Al's cousin gives us Gore-centric details about what makes the clan tick. BY GORE VIDAL LOVE, JERRY For the first time, PLAYBOY readers gain intimate epistolary access to legendary writer J.D. Salinger and the femme fatale who may have inspired him. BY NEIL COHEN INO MAS! A renowned playwright and filmmaker takes the measure of the Ultimate Fighting Championship matchup between Royce Gracie and Matt Hughes and defines what it takes to be a champion. Note: You don't need to win the bout. BY DAVID MAMET PLAYBOY'S HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Anyone game for a primo espresso machine, sculpture-like stereo equipment, a model Ferrari or tickets to the Super Bowl? Wrap it up—we'll take it. EROTIC PASSAGES How does writing capture the sensual experience, its anticipation and tactile thrills? JAY MCINERNEY, JANE SMILEY, A.S. BYATT, JUNOT DIAZ and LAUREN WEISBERGER share the love. JAMES BOND'S DESK Even 007 needs a desk. Now the magazine that first published a James Bond story in America displays his unique taste in paperweights. PLAYBOY'S MUSIC POLL 2006 Tune in to our annual survey of the year's best music, featuring interviews with DJ Irie, John Medeski, John Scofield and Rod Stewart. CENTER OF ATTENTION Navigating your way through March Madness will be a slam dunk thanks to our annual college hoops preview and top 25 picks. BY DAVID KAPLAN TWISTED CHRISTMAS Mel Gibson, Ann Coulter, Saddam Hussein and others spread holiday cheer in their own idiosyncratic ways. |
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