Carmella DeCesare. Her name rolls off the tongue like honey dripping from a spoon. By her moniker alone, the woman Jwe've crowned Playmate of the Year 2004 could be mistaken for an exotic creature from a faraway country. Extraordinary? No question. But Carmella, whose roots are firmly planted in her hometown of Cleveland, is the girl who sits next to you in English class. She's the girl who makes your sandwich at the local sub shop. Hef would simply put it this way: She's the girl next door.
With this title Carmella joins Playboy royalty, including PMOYs Jenny McCarthy and Anna Nicole Smith. Still, you get the feeling she'd be more comfortable wearing a baseball cap than a tiara. The klieg lights of Hollywood are no doubt alluring, but for now she's keeping her day job. "I'm an account executive for a title search agency," she says poolside at the Playboy Mansion, where she's filming her PMOY video. "It's a good job. If I got a position elsewhere, I'd be willing to relocate, but I don't want to go someplace with high expectations and then be disappointed."
Carmella was at the aforementioned day job when she learned she had been chosen as PMOY, and although she was tempted to scream like a lunatic, she managed to refrain from disturbing her co-workers. "When I got the call I was in tears," she says. "Everyone was like, 'What's going on?' I had to say, 'Nothing."'
Carmella sums up Playmate life in one word: busy. "I've traveled everywhere," she says. "Sin City is the best." She's also partied with A-listers, but true to form she's kept her cool. "I've never been starstruck," she says. "One of my favorites is Drew Carey. He's from Cleveland, and you can tell. He doesn't act like he's above anyone."
In addition to being schooled in staying grounded, Carmella has become a pro at Playboy promotions. "At first I was like, 'You want my autograph? Why? I'm not famous!' I didn't believe it was real. Now I realize how much Playmates are in the public eye. There's never a dull moment, and honestly, it's awesome."
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