June issue

Gretchen Edgren budsms@ix.netcom.com
Mon, 21 Apr 2003 18:34:55 -0400


Just got my June issue today, and I must say the new formats look very
inviting. I particularly like the fashion spread, which actually features
clothes a young guy could afford!

The movie "reviews" seem actually to be previews (which are given their own
space several pages later). This deprives readers of critical judgment, but
results in a selection of more timely films. The danger here is that the
previews become mere blurbs. 

Unwritten Law's "road diary" is a clever gimmick. The music and book reviews
are concise and mostly staff-written (so long to the free-lance reviewers,
with the exception of Dick Lochte, who in an earlier incarnation
(60s-70s)was a Playboy promotion-dept. exec. 

There's a substantial book excerpt by Frank Sinatra's valet, lavishly
illustrated with photographs.

Fans of classic Playmates will remember Cathy St. George, Miss 8/82, here in
a nonvintage (no mention of her year & month) segment of Centerfolds on Sex.
Fans who know diddly-squat about vintage Playmates may drool over what Cathy
has to say. 

The article about l'affaire Phil Spector-Lana Clarkson may indicate that OFM
is getting a bit faster on its feet these days, since the event happened in
February and appears in print in April. There used to be a minimum
three-month lead time. This might be the single biggest improvement the
magazine could make...although it remains to be seen if accuracy (Playboy's
painstaking copy checking is legendary) will be compromised.

No fiction in this issue, but some is promised in July.

All in all, looks like a fun read. 

gretchen