June issue

[cubfan23@earthlink.net]

Thanks for the initial review of the June issue, Gretchen. But, 
without having seen the magazine itself, the removal of the Playmate 
of the Year from the cover of the issue that honors her is a critical 
mistake that causes all of the potential improvements (and otherwise) 
to pale in comparison. I was wondering what you thought of that, and 
if you agree that this may be more distressing than anything else, 
pro or con, that the new crowd is doing.

Dave Waldon

At 6:34 PM -0400 4/21/03, Gretchen Edgren wrote:
>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.