The route to the top isn't easy. When the crew of Star Search came to Chicago, every model in town turned out for the audition. Devin DeVasquez, Playboy's June 1985 Playmate, was one of the last in line. "I got to the door just in time to hear the producer say, 'I'm sick of seeing girls!' I poked my head around the door and said, 'Just one more.' They called me back to compete, but I was busy doing the Playmate Play-offs show for The Playboy Channel. I sent flowers to the producer and asked him to think of me in the future. Apparently he did. One of the other girls they had chosen dropped out, so I got a call late in the season, went on--and won."
Winning on Star Search surprised Devin. "I was flattered. More than 68,000 people auditioned for Star Search that year. I thought it was terrific just to get onto the show. I was self-conscious about my little-girl voice, but it ended up being to my advantage. I was so nervous, it was hard to be anything but myself. The audience saw the real person." Star Search is the number-two show in syndication--second to Wheel of Fortune--with an audience of 22,000,000 plus. So now, our Miss June has more fans to add to the millions who saw her in Playboy. "Being in the magazine was a very positive thing for me," she told us. "Nowadays, when I read about 7-Eleven and the Meese commission and hear what they say about Playboy, I think, Hey, that's me they're talking about. Who are they to judge? I feel proud to be part of history."
As champion in Star Search's "spokes-model" category, Devin won $100,000. Has her life changed? "I bought a car, put the rest of the money away and forgot about it. It's given me an umbrella so that I can pursue my acting career." To that end, Devin has moved to Los Angeles. "It's a change. In Chicago, everything is in one place. Out here, it takes an hour to drive anywhere."
Devin has decided to focus her energies and, though she still does commercials, has cut down on her modeling. She posed for a signature poster for Starmakers, a Muscle & Fitness cover with Carl Weathers. She had a small part in a cable movie called Walk on the Wild Side. The Star Search victory also brought some work: She hosted a Star Search show in New York's Radio City Music Hall and appeared on Entertainment Tonight, CNN and a variety of talk shows. Now when she talks of her career, she talks of projects that are in the air. She may do a small part on Miami Vice. She has had three call-backs for a role in a comedy horror film. She might go into a studio soon to cut some tracks. "In this business, you're only as good as the last thing you've done. Being a Playmate was special. Winning Star Search was special. Now I'm on to other things." We're confident they'll be special, too.
