Ms Naughty Porn for Women Blog

The New York Times has a two-page feature article about the demise of Playgirl magazine. It features interviews with the three women who edited the mag and gives fairly frank details about what went wrong:

So she and her fellow editors, all women in their 20s and all relative neophytes to the world of magazines — and pornography — resolved to fill Playgirl with something different. They aspired to bring Playgirl back to its roots, back to a time when the magazine covered issues like abortion and equal rights, interspersing sexy shots of men with work from writers like Raymond Carver and Joyce Carol Oates.

All the while, the editors juggled the demands of the publisher, Blue Horizon Media, which they said pushed to fill Playgirl with even more nudes and fewer words.

“It always felt like this uphill battle,” said Jessanne Collins, 29, who was Playgirl’s senior editor.

Apparently the people who ran the magazine have nothing to do with the Playgirl site – a pity.

By the way, the timeline showing a progressively blase attitude to naked men after three weeks… Make it eight years and that’s where I’m at; paying more attention to lighting and contrast than cock size. Sigh.

Playgirl is dead and this has led numerous know-nothings in the media to come to the conclusion that women don’t like porn.

First there was this from Momlogic.

In a small survey at the momlogic office, staff members were shown–well, members–and asked if they thought they were attractive. The responses were less than positive:

“I don’t like any parts of the penis.”

“This is gross.”

Thanks for nothing, Moms. Another advertisement for contraception, it seems.

Now the Yahoo attempt at being girly, Shine, has joined in:

I guess the obvious answer is that besides enduring, outdated social constructions, men tend to be more visually oriented when it comes to sexual fantasizing, women a bit more cerebral, and guys, I don’t mean for that to sound condescending.

Uh, how about apologising for being condescending to the girls? Jeezus, I’m sick of the constant re-iteration of the “women aren’t visual” myth.

Interestingly, I notice that the article is listed under the “astrology” section of Shine. So obviously it’s serious journalism.

Well, Playgirl Magazine is finished.

Writer Jamye Waxman confirmed the rumours in this blog post. She says it’s a shame because Playgirl could never quite be the intelligent sex magazine for women it wanted to be.

The staff at Playgirl does get it, but what they were allowed to do with that knowledge never completely translated… both because their hands were always tied and because, well, the people who approve what you get don’t always understand where you’re coming from. Especially when they’re not the people who read a magazine like Playgirl.

Of course, the real issue is that Playgirl magazine has become a victim of technology. Why would anyone really bother with buying a hard copy sex magazine (and facing down the sales assistant as you hand over the money) when you can access smut online without leaving the house?

I actually suspect that Playgirl mag would have folded earlier if the company had been able to make use of their domain name before 2006. Up until that point a court order had prevented its use thanks to a wildly fraudulent episode with a scammer way back in 2000.

Nonetheless, it’s the end of an era. Playgirl mag was launched in 1973 as a feminist response to Playboy and it’s long been a flag of sexual equality for women… even though it’s usually considered a gay magazine.

As an Australian I’ve never actually read the US Playgirl. Our own version, Australian Women’s Forum, folded in 2001 thanks to censorship and declining readership. AWF had had its day. I like to think I carried the torch online – you’ll find many of the articles I wrote for AWF at For The Girls.

Meanwhile, Playgirl will use this news as a way to plug their membership site.

Interestingly, a search on Google News reveals that the main media outlets reporting on the magazine’s closure are gay websites.

Naughty And Uncensored is the latest release from the Playgirl/Wicked studios. I’m not sure exactly how naughty and uncensored it will be, but this is the first time those scary flies-eyes sunglasses have appeared on their covers.

Here’s the official blurb:

Hidden in the deepest recesses of each of us is a secret. A desire to share our wildest moments with another. What holds you back? Why do you censor yourself? Get over it. Get going. Get naughty.

Hmm. And here I was thinking I was naughty already.

No doubt this new movie offers pretty much the same stuff as all the other Playgirl movies. Which is fine if you’re after glossy production values, relatively predictable sex scenes and lots of good looking men.

I recently reviewed Playgirl’s Addicted To Niko for For The Girls. On the whole it wasn’t bad, I guess, although I did get fairly bored after the first two scenes. Niko makes for beautiful eye candy but his acting isn’t so great. I guess you can’t expect too much of a beefy male stripper. At the same time, everything looks very pretty and the production values are spectacular.

Here’s some of the notes I made while watching the film:

* Niko goes swimming, drinks champagne in the spa, kissing, slo-mo boob kissing… Cunni – and yep, this time she comes. Or at least pretends to, which is enough. I do like how she clenches her thighs around his head, made it look a bit authentic.

* He goes down, she leans on the statue. Actually, that statue is a bit freaky, looks like it’s about to join in. It’s nearly got its hand on her boob… Now she’s giving him a blowjob, and it looks like the statue is lining up for it’s turn! And now the music has gone all elevator style.

* Niko seems inclined to make a chimpanzee “hooting face” every now and again. I’m not sure if a hooting face is a sexy thing for chimpanzees, but Niko makes it look kind of good.

* Cue the sex. Hmm, this is a cuddly position. Nice. Then she’s straddled him. And now he’s standing up. Well, I guess that shows he’s been working out. In case you hadn’t spotted the other evidence of it. Extremely uncomfortable-looking doggy style. I guess she’s been doing spinal twists in yoga. Oh bloody hell, now she’s sucking her finger. Niko goes all jackhammer, pulls out and cums on her back. Sigh.

* Well so far this movie is Niko fucks a bunch of women and comes on them. He doesn’t seem able to make many of them come, but gee, isn’t he good looking?

* Hmm, that stone greek column seems to have a bit of a wobble up. Look out below!

* This scene has an interesting surreal and sensual feel to it. Although if this is a museum, why the waterfall? And why is it so steamy? And where did that bed come from? OK, surely steel drums is not the right music for this scene?

* OK, now we’re into the sex. Uncomfortable positions, legs in the air. Now they’re even worse. He’s going to have an eye out if she loses control of her stiletto. I’m getting a leg cramp just watching this.

You can read the proper review of this movie at For The Girls.

Playgirl has brought out another two titles in the last couple of months. Addicted to Niko is the newest one. The official blurb says:

“With his chiseled abs, his piercing eyes, and his massive personality, Niko has taken the world of erotic fantasies to his own new and unique level. Now explore Niko in all his glory!”

Massive personality? Er, OK. I do know that I thought Niko was spectacularly good looking in the scenes I’ve reviewed and thus he made for some seriously good eye candy, even if he was engaging in every porn cliche in the book. I’m not sure if this is a compilation tape of all of Niko’s previous scenes but if you’re the type who just wants to ogle glorious man flesh (in a “massive” manifestation) this might be the movie for you.

Last month’s release was called Sexy Moves. I don’t think I’ve got much to say about that – even the blurb seems a bit bland though the cover is nice enough.

You’ll find all the Playgirl movies plus a heap of others at Porn Movies For Women.