Playboy's impact on me

[Albert Joson]

First of all I'd love to thank Peggy for creating this forum for all
of us Playboy fans to express our thoughts.  Well, here's my
experience with Playboy that I'd like to share.

I think that I'm one of the younger people at this roundtable.  Being
21, I'm a little envious of most of you that have seen Playboy in its
infancy through the present (nearing its golden anniversary!)  But
nonetheless, Playboy has really had an impact on my life.  As I look
back on it, Hugh Hefner and Playboy have played a big part in what I
wanted to do in life and where I am.

I'm not sure exactly when I heard about Playboy, but I do remember
some of my friends who would borrow an issue at the library and go
into their corner and look at it.  At that time I was a little
interested, but it was when I was 14 that I really became a big
Playboy fan.  It was the summer of '95 when we got our computer and I
got to go on the internet.  One of the first sites I went to was
playboy.com and I was hooked.  I wanted to know every playmate-past
and present.  Whenever I went to the bookstore, I'd peek a little peek
at the new issue.  I would loved to have bought an issue, but looking
younger than I was (and I still do) I felt the person behind the
counter wouldn't let me.  But the first issue I bought was Heather
Kozar's POY issue -- I can remember my heart beating fast, it was very
exhilarating.  And I've bought every issue since.

As I said earlier, Mr. Hefner and Playboy, not only the magazine but
the lifestyle, made an impact on my life.  Like most high schoolers, I
didn't really know what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I wanted to be
and do so many different things.  Either a writer, basketball player,
a photographer, an artist, or even a model scout.  But because of that
Playboy influence as well as my experience in the high school yearbook
staff, I wanted to be in the magazine business.  I found that graphic
design would be a great turn, so now I'm a student at Academy of Art
College in San Francisco.

Anyway, after school, it would most certainly be a thrill of mine to
be a part of the Playboy family.  A while ago there was an opening for
a design assistant in the design department in L.A., that would be a
great opportunity when the time is right.

I'm not exactly sure what pulled me to Playboy.  Maybe it's that
playboy lifestyle, with the women, money, and gadgets.  Or maybe it's
the beautiful women in the centerfold, who are the select few to be in
the infamous foldout.  Or maybe the classiness that is shown
throughout its pages.  It could be all of the above and much more.

Albert J