The Kentucky Derby, Playboy and Ellen

The Girls Next Door is a reality show featuring Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends. They all live together at the Playboy Mansion, have posed nude for Playboy and are referred to as Playmates. The show appears to be part of a branding strategy designed to introduce the Playboy brand to new audiences - women, young girls and gay men, I assume.

In an episode I caught last weekend (don’t judge me), the Playmates attended the Kentucky Derby and were greeted by large crowds at the various social events they attended. I was surprised to see that the majority of their fans were middle aged women and teenage girls. One mother could barely contain her excitement when her daughter got a signature from one of the Playmates. She told the camera crew that her daughter, who could not have been more than 12, was a huge fan.

Did this woman get caught up in the moment or was she genuinely excited that her daughter looks up to women who make a living posing nude for Playboy?

I like Ellen DeGenerese. She is funny, seems good hearted and has a great TV show.

Carmen Electra was on Ellen’s show yesterday promoting her latest appearance on the cover of Playboy. I believe she said it was her fifth time to be in the magazine. At the end of the segment Ellen held up a copy of the Playboy issue and encouraged everyone to go out and pick up a copy. To this, the entire audience of early thirties women cheered with all their hearts.

Did Ellen and the audience get caught up in the moment or do they really think the latest issue of Playboy is something worth cheering for?

In my opinion, Playboy has every right to publish and promote itself but is a degrading magazine that should be looked down upon by decent people. I fear Playboy is doing a very good job of making me seem like a prude who can’t relax and just get caught up in the moment.