They say you shouldn’t play favorites, so we didn’t: This year all 12 of our 2019 Playmates of the Month will be honored as Playmates of the Year.
“Without evolution, nothing will ever succeed. It felt right to start the decade with a big change,” says Kristi Beck, Playboy’s senior manager of partner strategy who helped make the decision to honor all the women instead of just one. “I’m indebted to all of our powerhouse, unique 2019 Playmates, and I’m excited to see all 12 represented as our Playmates of the Year in 2020.”
Honoring collaboration over competition, all our Playmates from last year—along with 2019 PMOY Jordan Emanuel, who helped celebrate the changing of the guard—converged on a Los Angeles mansion in January for a shoot of historic proportions. The set buzzed with energy as photographers Ali Mitton and Chloe Chippendale, in collaboration with stylist Kelley Ash, captured the 12 PMOYs together (outtakes presented on this page). See the results—a veritable sisterhood of sizzle—on page 100.
Boss Lady
When we heard Jameela Jamil (above), outspoken star of NBC’s The Good Place and founder of the advocacy brand I Weigh, was interested in sitting for the Playboy Interview, we decided to take things a step further. Because Jamil’s goal of a more inclusive world aligns with our own, we asked the entrepreneurial Brit to name some talent she felt deserved more attention. Topping the list was actress-comedian Quinta Brunson, author of this issue’s defiant humor essay, Average Acceptance Now. No stranger to overachievement, Jamil was also pivotal in inviting April Playmate Marsha Elle into the Playboy family.
A-Plus Plus
Holly Ruprecht, our associate director of subscriptions for Playboy Plus, had quite a January. First she presided over a panel on brand partnerships alongside Plus models Elsa Jean and Ana Foxxx at the XBIZ trade show in West Hollywood (above), where Playboy Plus won the XBIZ award for nude photography site of the year. The following week Ruprecht booked it to Vegas for the AVN adult expo, where she repped the brand and sold limited-edition T-shirts featuring Plus models—and where Playboy Plus collected a GFY nomination for best erotic/soft site.
Farewell, Old Friend
For more than 50 years Gahan Wilson (above) kept PLAYBOY readers entertained with his offbeat and irreverent cartoons, which typically plumbed the dark and dusty corners of human circumstance, generally to hilarious end. In November he passed away at the age of 89. Good-bye, Gahan, and thanks for all the laughs.
Getting Jazzy in June
The Playboy Jazz Festival kicks off June 6 at the Hollywood Bowl for its 42nd year. Longtime host George Lopez will emcee the slammin’ two-day slate of performances from musicians including the Isley Brothers (above), Musiq Soulchild (below), Femi Kuti and the Positive Force, Anat Cohen, Allison Miller and more. Get your tickets now at HollywoodBowl.com.
