Sex Sells

Author: Jeff Little

As we all know, people didn't have sex in the 50's. At least that's what the media would have had us all believe. Nudity in American films was out of the question, television had fictional and actual married couples sleeping in separate beds, and even literature came under fire if it contained content that was considered "too racy".

Sex in the 50's could be compared to the old "elephant at a cocktail party" adage. It was something big and obvious that everyone noticed but no one wanted to talk about.

In December 1953 the old style of thinking was about to be shaken-up. Not by an elephant, but by a rabbit. And soon everyone would be talking about the magazine that the rabbit represented.

Playboy Magazine, created by then twenty-seven-year-old Hugh Hefner, has displayed the famous rabbit logo somewhere on every cover starting with its second edition in 1954. But the first issue did not even display a date. Not knowing how the public would react to such a groundbreaking magazine, Hefner was not sure there would be a second issue.

But there was a second issue, and a third, etc., etc. etc. for the past fifty-two years. Playboy Magazine is still published today.

Earlier in 1953 Hefner had wisely purchased rights to nude photos of Marilyn Monroe, which had originally been intended for a calendar, and wisely featured them in the first issue. Marilyn, already in great demand, was featured on the cover and the magazine literally flew off the stands. Its first release sold nearly 54,000 copies (at 50 cents apiece).

Hefner was off and running with innovative ideas like the centerfold (a three-page foldout featuring a nude woman's photograph in the center of the magazine). The first centerfold was, you guessed it, Marilyn Monroe.

Not just a "nudie magazine", Playboy has featured content for parts of the mind other than the libido sense its inception. Featuring clever jokes, interviews, and various pieces on music, the arts, pop culture, literature and current events, Hefner's magazine has showcased some of the world's finest writers, artists and newsmakers over the past fifty-plus years.

John Lennon, Alex Haley, Ian Fleming, Shel Silverstein, Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Hawking are just a few of the illustrious personalities that have been featured in Playboy's monthly issues. And it still features top talent today (giving embarrassed purchasers the option of saying, "I only buy it for the articles.").

Playboy's popularity peaked in the 70's and circulation has been dropping steadily ever since due to competition from a now huge number of adult publications that are readily available. But Playboy is still recognized as the gold standard in men's entertainment with a worldwide group of readers(?) numbering in the millions.

Tame by today's standards, Playboy was considered anything but in 1953. It was deemed scandalous by many and totally pornographic by others. But its "classy" and sophisticated approach to its subject matter obviously won the day in the end.

Thanks to Hugh Hefner and Playboy, we can now be more open about sexuality, nudity, and art of all forms. And married couples on television can even sleep in the same bed.