did Hugh Hefner pull out Playboy Philippines?

A comment from a reader (as it falls) immediately caught my attention. Rumor has it that Hugh Hefner saw the dismal first Philippine issue of his beloved trademark and he ordered a complete pull out! Wow, how embarrassing for the publishers if this turns out to be true. I tried to use good ole Google to search for some confirmation about this but to no avail, so far. Though the item has been circulating the grapevine for several days now (I’m always the last to hear about these things), nothing official has been announced. Maybe it’s a hush-hush issue considering the embarrassment it would give both parties.

I can’t say I am surprised by the news (if it was true). The much-ballyhooed maiden issue of Playboy Philippines turned out to be a big disappointment to many, this blogger included. No, I
didn’t buy a copy. The “no nudity policy” turned me off. A friend, who later regretted having bought one, willingly lent me his after day one. This from a guy who would normally take days to savor a new purchase, be it a toy, gadget or magazine. In fact, I almost got the feeling that he was grateful I took it out of his hands! He he.

The cover alone was unimpressive. With a picture of Priscilla Meirelles holding a covered tray (?), it looks like a photo from a food magazine. Lousy, to say the least! And the inside pages are more of the same. Some of the shots were even too dark for my taste. And what about the articles? Honestly, I don’t know. I didn’t read them. Who reads articles in Playboy anyway? It’s the photos we’re after, and I must say they’re too bland for Playboy’s standards. Local editions of FHM and Maxim are definitely better. A friend even said that tabloid shots littering Manila’s newsstands are far more interesting, arousing.

In my opinion, Hugh Hefner has every right to pull out the Philippine Playboy issue. It’s way too far from Playboy’s international standards despite its lack of nudity. Too bland, too boring. In fact, as I was browsing through its pages, a thought entered my mind. Maybe it’s targeted for a more mature audience, really mature. You know, the dirty old men type. The ones who’ll have a cardiac arrest at the sight of nude sexy girls. He he. If that’s their target then they’ve succeeded. This is definitely geriatric material, something every nursing home should have!

If you like this post, then please consider subscribing to my RSS feed. You can also subscribe by email and have new posts sent directly to your inbox.