Posted on 09/04/2003 9:33:25 AM PDT by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
Four Penn State Playboy bunnies hopped into two local businesses yesterday, gaining publicity -- and some new male admirers.
The students showcased in this month's Playboy magazine gathered to sign autographs at McLanahan's Student Store, 414 E. College Ave., and Graham's, 124 S. Allen St., to help promote the "Girls of the Big Ten" issue.
As their names appear in the magazine, "Josie Lynn" (junior-elementary education), "Shana Antonette" (junior-psychology and international business), and "Kayla Huyen Nguyen" (junior-telecommunications) gained the attention of a steady stream of mostly young men and some women.
All three participants said it was a positive experience and that they would do it again. "Hell yeah, I would do it again, and you can quote that as 'hell yeah,' " Lynn said.
The featured students also said others shouldn't be shy about posing for Playboy. "If you have the opportunity, you should. Playboy is a positive, classy magazine," Antonette said.
Nguyen said there are other perks to being one of Hugh Hefner's models. "You only live once and if you can make it, do it," she said. "And besides, you get to go to the [Playboy] mansion."
Nguyen said her parents were initially mad that she wanted to pose for the magazine, but became supportive because she is 21 and old enough to make her own decisions.
Lynn said that at first her boyfriend didn't want her to pose because he was concerned about other men looking at her. But she said her determination made him proud. "Now he walks around saying, 'That's my girlfriend,' " Lynn said.
Antonette wants readers to know she is single and "maybe looking."
Autograph-seekers waited patiently to have their copies of the magazine signed by the four models.
Jack Lindemuth (senior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management) said the issue reflects positively on Penn State. "Girls use false names and this gives them money," he said. "College kids need money, so hey, any way you can get it."
Julie Hess (senior-mechanical engineering) arrived to get a signed copy for her boyfriend. She said any publicity for the school is good publicity. "The school isn't just about academics," Hess said. "We are a well-rounded, eclectic university and Playboy shouldn't be an identifying factor."
Kevin Burnett (freshman-public relations) had no problem with the women posing. "It's a college thing," Burnett said. "If they are going to do it for all the schools, we might as well represent."
Heather Shupp (junior-microbiology) agreed. "I don't think it's negative. I mean, congratulations to the girls," she said.
Even those who came in unaware of the bunnies on hand seemed unconcerned. "I really didn't give them a second look. I just came in for ice cream," Kristen Pierce (sophomore-management) said.
Jeremy Lapinski, member of the Class of 1997, had one complaint about the image of Penn State the models might reflect. "Penn State is such a meat market anyway," he said. "I do wish that maybe some more classy-looking girls would represent us."
Joking. I'm joking. :)
"And even though I consider myself a feminist, I'm willing to be exploited for money."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.