Why Playboy Magazine is like a Soap Opera.

There's a saying, (somewhere) that if you turn on a Soap Opera which you haven't watched for months, you'll have no problem following the story. Change doesn't occur often on the daytime Soaps.

Well, today in the mail, I received the March issue of Playboy. I had an offer for a years' worth subscription to Playboy for a $1 an issue and decided, what the hell. It had been at least 6 to 7 years since I had a subscription, let alone had picked up an issue, and I could always add another magazine to my monthly read.

After paging through today's issue while eating a bowl of Count Chocula for breakfast, I felt as if I had traveled back in time. This magazine has not changed One bit.
NOT ONE BIT.

Yes, of course there are the usual pictures of gorgeous women in various stages of dress (and undress) but I'm talking about the entire publication itself.

The layout of the magazine, the series of three pictorials (including the centerfold) the placement of the articles, the B&W Grapevine pictures and Potpourri merchandise in the back.

The reviews (movies, music, etc...) the Forum, the Playboy Advisor all where they've always been. The Interview has the same layout and obligatory three photos.
Even the cartoons (which fortunately are still funny) are using the same cartoonists!

Now don't get me wrong, Playboy is still.....well, Playboy, which is a good thing. This issue, for me as a Howard Stern Show listener, was especially interesting, since Jillian Grace (Miss March) was discovered after appearing on his show. (and I was "curious" to see how she turned out) But geez, even the poses in her pictorial are the same old-same old (bent over here-bent over there, dripping wet, etc....)

You would think that in this day in age with "soft core" magazines like FHM and Stuff and with the endless competition on the internet that the veteran, the grand daddy of them all would have made some adjustments, some differences in layouts, wouldn't they?

Well, in conclusion, as an artist and designer, I'm somewhat surprised by the lack of growth this magazine has developed. As a heterosexual man though........................
it's still alright. :)