I wrote an article Tuesday about Playboy auditioning girls for an upcoming issue that features college girls in the Conference USA. The article featured a photo of a girl in a bikini that several female callers said was offensive and immoral. I asked them if they ever went to a beach or a swimming pool or picked up a magazine.
One editor said it would have been better if they hadn’t been in a cheap hotel room posing. I don’t think anyone could distinguish between that hotel room and maybe one at The Peabody. It had a bed, nightstand, television and dresser. Same as any other hotel room in America. They needed some place quiet and discreet so the girl’s wouldn’t be uncomfortable. It was a fairly sterile environment, no sex toys or cheesy music.
Let’s see, one caller said I have a character defect because I don’t have children and THAT’S why I didn’t see anything wrong with college girls trying out for Playboy.
I guess I’m wondering why people are offended about that and aren’t screaming outrage at what happened in Pennsylvania. A man walked into a school house, lined up Amish girls and shot them. That offends me, a lot.
I’ve never really been bothered by naked pictures in Playboy. I don’t buy the magazine but I’m not offended by it. I try to keep a live-and-let-live philosophy in my life. As long as people aren’t hurting others or animals, then I don’t bother them.
Those girls who tried out for the magazine seem relatively smart, self-confident and sure they wanted to do it. I didn’t find any ambivalence. These girls were over 18 and are out making their own decisions. They weren’t victims of anyone. They didn’t commit a crime. They all seemed strong and self-assured.
As for me, I’m haunted by how scared those Amish girls must have been. They live such gentle lives and I am so sad and angry that this man attacked them. I didn’t think twice about the girls trying out for Playboy, but I can’t get the Amish ones off my mind.
What do you think? Let me hear your opinions.
Guest Diva Cindy Wolff
Responses to “Playboy girls - Guest Diva Cindy Wolff”
October 4th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
I agree with you about the misplaced outrage to a degree. However does not this kind of free expression (or even art) fuel the distorted minds that objectify women and lead distorted individuals down the path of social depravity? We all get out of our minds what we choose to fill them with.
October 4th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
I have to agree with you , the girls are over 18 and making their own decisions. you can see a lot more everyday on TV ( CSI Miami/CSI Las Vegas ) ” Get Over It ” and write about the real problems in Memphis,
October 4th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
I would be willing to bet the women complaining about how immoral and degrading this picture is don’t look anything like the young lady in the picture.
October 4th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
I’m not necessarily offended by the existence of Playboy, but I do think this is worth noting. You can be horrified by the shootings at the Amish schoolhouse AND disappointed by the CA’s decision to run pictures of nearly nekkid women on the metro front. There’s plenty of outrage to go around, being mad over here doesn’t diminish your anger over there.
That said, Cindy, it is telling to see what gets people riled. I have not managed to write about the genocide in Darfur or sexually explicit rap music (Like Three 6 Mafia’s diddy, “Slob on my knob”) in a way that gets many readers to respond, but let me write about something relatively petty and my e-mail box is flooded. Go figure.
October 4th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
If these people are upset about this — of age people partaking in mutually agreeable conduct — what must they think about Republican US Representative Mark Foley soliciting underage male pages (pedophilia) and the House Speaker Dennis Hastert, et al, knowing yet doing nothing about it?
October 4th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Why is it NOT a big deal for them to pose for playboy but it’s a VERY big deal for someone like Ford Jr to be accused attending a party that had playboy models there? Do they give lap dances?
October 4th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
Rick - what, exactly, does the body type of those complaining have to do with the validity of their comments?
I’d really appreciate it if you would elaborate. I do not want to misunderstand your point.
October 4th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Yes, the girl is in a bathing suit. Has anyone been swimming lately? It’s not even a string bikini. All important parts are completely covered. If someone is that offended by a woman in a bathing suit, that person has bigger issues than can be dealt with on a local newspaper blog. This is America. . .land of the free. People have died to give us our freedoms. This is a small freedom but a freedom nonetheless. These are grown women making their own decisions. I celebrate that we have such choices. It’s not my choice but I don’t fault them for their choices. My son sees more flesh than that at a high school sporting events. Good grief.
October 4th, 2006 at 5:40 pm
I love America, land of the free, home of the brave…..
But I dont understand why in an age where women are fighting to be treated as equals and to be respected for their talents and abilities that they would even consider being in playboy…playboy makes money using women for their bodies.. Why would women support Playboy$$$
It’s not that much different than the black community fighting for 100’s of years for equality (that they have already earned) then supporting music groups that demean their female…calling them names that would not be printed in this newspaper…WHY do their CD’s sell millions$$$ Why would you buy that filth????
I love America, I support these womens right to be in playboy and peoples rights to buy CD’s the demean them…
Just stop crusading for equal rights if your going to throw your equal rights in the gutter for a few $$$ or to be part of a music crowd…
Thanks, God Bless America…
(and forgive us too)
October 4th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
I’m disappointed with the paper for running this story, but not because I care one way or the other about the morality of Playboy. Rather, I’m disappointed because this is simply not news. Playboy, Maxim, FHM and other gentlemen’s magazines come to town all the time recruiting. Why is this of interest? Why does this deserve so many column inches? Isn’t this just an excuse to put a little T and A in the paper and gin up another faux controversy? Couldn’t we have found something, anything, to put in that space that would have made the public a little more informed? Perhaps, since the recent horrendous violence against young girls offends you so much, you could report on that. I’m willing to bet young girls in Memphis are at risk too.
October 4th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
Nope the girl posing doesn’t bother me at all.I remember when I was young and in college and was in shape like that. The Amish girls getting tortured and shot does bother me. They are such a gentle people don’t bother anyone and keep to themselves. It is a sad world we live in when one person can totally destroy such beautifu people.
October 4th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
Why don’t you cut out the trivial crap, i.e., girls in bikinis and post some serious information. Give me a d— break.
October 4th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
To the ones that don’t see anything wrong with Playboy. Do you all support pornography or did you not know that Playboy is the King of pornography
October 4th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
WHO CARES??? If a girl feels it necessary to pose in a magazine, be it Playboy or not, it is her business!!!
October 4th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
Give me a break. We are talking morals here…and what about the outrageous cover up on Capitol Hill? What about that pedofile praying on our children? Who is saying something about that? Doesn’t it concern our readers? Thats way more evil that those girls in bathsuits.
October 4th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
I DONT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE PICTURE, AND IF YOU DONT LIKE PLAYBOY, THEN DONT BUY IT. IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THESE ARE ADULT WOMEN AND WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIRSELVES IS THEIR BUSINESS. I DONT READ PLAYBOY EITHER, BUT IM NOT AGAINST THE FREEDOM TO READ WHAT YOU WANT. I AM DEEPLY SADDEDNED BY WHAT HAPPENED IN PENNSYLVANIA AND NO ONE SHOULD FORGET THE TRAGEDY THERE.
October 4th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
I have to agree with you. I’m a mom of two, 35years old and if I were in their shoes I’d do as well. Your philosophy in life is exactly how it should be. Whether you have children or not doesn’t give anyone character. Actually, I think who ever said that should really sit down and think about what it means to have character. There are far more worst things going on in the world that need our attention.
October 4th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
The only people who should be offended by that are the ones who still do it in the dark with their eyes closed, the lights off, and in one position only.C’mon, even God fearing people know that God created us naked and He created us in His image. If there’s something wrong with looking at naked person of the other sex then I guess I have a place reserved in Hell. Lusting after someone can be done whether or not they are naked.For those of you that think otherwise, you’re going to be a sinner till Judgement Day. So, if you think you’re better because the image offends you and because you can speak out against it then let the first stones be cast. Just remember, you’re in a glass house too.
October 4th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
I am soooooo sick of the Memphis Morality Police.
I am so glad they’re upset about this and can’t do a damn thing about it.
Look out I-40 — that is the EXES OF EVIL,
And it is long past time to stop playing nice with them.
October 4th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
I also am a little overweight…..is my opinion still considered? Wendi and Cindy, this is great stuff! Controversy is one of the reasons people read the paper. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are right or wrong, just to be able to be heard, to be free and, yes, to be seen in your bikini in the paper. Life is very, very good. Thanks to God, our veterans and people everywhere!
October 4th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
I do not see how the two things relate. What do half naked girls in a Memphis hotel room (cheap or otherwise) have to do with Amish girls in a school shooting? Bringing that in muddies the water and is not really a logical comparison.
That being said, yes these women are over 18 and free to choose what they wish to do (as far as any of us are really free to choose given the glut of images and ideals we deal with on a daily basis). Certainly these women should be able to choose (or pick their poison) as they see fit.
October 4th, 2006 at 9:25 pm
I CARE 
I think responsible people should not support or encourage women or men that start a road of pornography. Thats what is wrong with the children in our schools, :what ever your decision is I support,NO I don’t support posing in a pornographic magazine, and what we as responsible people should teach them is the Quality Life. pornography is not a Quality life and causes guilt.Sorry Valerie, I CARE.
October 4th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
I am utterly amazed by the on-going myopic vision of the world that too many people have. In a world full of hate, destruction, famine, genocide, crime, ecological disasters and utter chaos; I find it amazing that people fixate their emotions and engery on passing judgement on an individual adults actions and passing these judgements on as the reason why we are troubled.
The world is not troubled because an “of age” woman, in a free country, and of her own accord chooses to pose for Playboy, the world is troubled because too many of it’s inhabitants are concerned about these women posing for Playboy and not focusing on the real issues, the ones that materially impact the fabric of our society, our world and our future.
So, while you are focusing on whether or not Playboy is moral., whether or not nudity is permissable, whether or not you agree with another human being having the freedom to make these types of choices; ask yourself, what have you done for the people dying in the Darfur, what have you done for the poor that go hungry tonight, the homeless that as we speak are seeking shelter from the element, the illertate that can’t even read this post, and all those less fortunite than yourselves?
It’s about time we focus on people and the increasingly hostile world that we all live in. In the grand scheme of moral righteousness, I think that we as a society misplace our efforts on a grand scale.
October 4th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
My comment on the playboy issue is that perhaps if it wasn’t illegal to pray to God, and talk about Jesus, and Gods law in school, then more young girls would understand that pornography is immoral. Our government is busy passing draconian laws that usurp our constitution, and bill of rights, and all you can report on is teenage girls posing in bikinis. Come on! On the Amish shooting, Just one more example of why all teachers and principals, and coaches should be armed at all times while on campus. Oh no! someone could get hurt! That is correct….the murderers could be stopped before they shotgun to death some poor innocent little christion girl…Jesus Christ!!! Come on America…. take back your country.
October 4th, 2006 at 10:27 pm
What’s wrong with this picture you ask? Playboy is not in the swimwear fashion business. Is Playboy going to talk about what these girls are majoring in at the University of Memphis? Will Playboy publish their GPA’s? If so, what “reader” do you think will care? As long as she looks good in her scarf. What if one of these girls wants to become the first female President of the United States or the next Secretary of State, do you think she will put in her resume her “modeling” experience in Playboy?
Cindy, you hit the nail on the head when you said, “as long as people aren’t hurting others (or animals?)”. Are you so naive to believe that porn , or Playboy in this case, has nothing to do with the rape, molestation, and just all out victimization of ALL females , no matter the age of the victim? An Amish school? A Colorado school? Do the research. Call it what it is, porn promotes all females simply as objects- without a mind, heart or soul. Why weren’t all of the girls’ full names and pictures in the article? They did not want their parents and families to find out. All a predator needs is a full name, age, where these girls go to school and a picture, which was in the article.
October 5th, 2006 at 12:19 am
yes that photo bothers me. It bothers me that she had any clothing on at all.
October 6th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Cindy, you really don’t get it, do you? Exploitation of women is pervasive in our society. Publishing such pictures prominently on the front page of ANY section of a family newspaper is on the left side of a continuum which culminates on the right side with incidents such as the murders of young girls at the Amish school in PA and the high school in Park County, CO. Somewhere along that continuum are rude comments on the public streets, suggestive advertising on TV, porn films, strip clubs, prostitution, wife-beating, and rape of both children and adult women.
The message our society, including our sons, receives is that women are merely objects to be ogled, used, and discarded with absolutely no regard for their right to life or their dignity as human beings.
I can’t stop these young women from using their naked bodies to gain fame and fortune, but I can sure as hell criticize them for feeding our society’s depraved view of sexuality in general and women in particular. And I can certainly voice my outrage at the CA for printing such an offensive picture in such a prominent place in the paper. You have a prize-winning photographer on staff in Karen Pulfer Focht. You don’t need to print soft-core porn to sell newspapers. This was clearly a case of printing a sensationalist photo to accompany an article people may have overlooked otherwise, in order to boost sales. I’m surprised you agreed to be a part of it.
You often write columns expressing your outrage at cruelty to and exploitation of animals, and rightly so. The irony here is almost too rich for my blood.
October 7th, 2006 at 9:14 am
For those posters who don’t see the connection between the photo and accompanying story and the shootings of the Amish girls in PA and the high school girl in CO:
The Playboy photos are on the far left of a continuum of violence and exploitation of women. On the far right are the murders of those young girls. In the middle are strip clubs, porn films, physical abuse of women by husbands/boyfriends, and rape. Women become nothing more than objects to be vlewed, exploited, mistreated, and even killed by men.
Women who participate willingly in pornography perpetuate this mindset in much the same way that African Americans who call each other the N-word perpetuate racism.
As for those of you who say if you don’t like Playboy don’t buy it, I agree. But the photo was not in Playboy; it was prominently displayed above the fold on the front page of a section of a family newspaper. This was nothing more than a cynical and sensationalist ploy to sell more newspapers.
October 8th, 2006 at 10:13 am
I would have been offended if they had been taking pictures of Dennis Hastert in a bathing suit in a motel room.
October 8th, 2006 at 11:30 am
Personally, I’m glad we live in a country where women are ALLOWED to pose with as many or few clothes on as they choose, and not threatened with death if those pictures come to light.
October 4th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Like you, the last minutes of those young Amish girls has haunted me. My own daughter is 10 and it makes me cry to think of someone terrorizing her like that. That crime was a true offense against God and humanity.
I’m not offended by your article or the fact that these girls choose to pose for Playboy - live and let live. I am amazed that such smart women could be so foolish as to think this decision will not haunt them in later life. They are so young and even though they are considered mature for their age, they are being shortsighted about the impact of such a decision. Understand - I disagree with their decision but support their right to make it.
Those who are offended by it are being narrow-minded in my opinion, and I am offended at their outrage and self-righteous attitude. They don’t have a right to make decisions about what is right for me and my body. My actions, as long as my choices are legal, are no one’s business and these holier than thou busy bodies should refrain from passing judgement. And to attack your character only shows the weakness of their own.