FEATURES 26 900 NYMPHETS: THE SMOOTH OPERATORS OF THE PHONE-SEX INDUSTRY Safe sex is a given when you do it over the phone! An insider reports on the
gritty world of dial-a-porn—and shares the secrets of its jive talkers
J. T. Baron
56 PUTTING SEX ON HOLD
Waiting may be the hardest part—but it often pays off big-time in the end.
Here's why postponing the inevitable just may lead to ecstasy
Karen Donnelly
60 THANK GOD THEY'RE COUNTRY BOYS!
If you thought sexy performers only came in spandex...think again! There's a whole
new breed of down-home crooners out there who are giving heavy-metal types a run
for their money
Alan W. Petrucelli
72 MORE THAN FRIENDS/LESS THAN LOVERS
You and he work long, hard hours together —and can't ignore your strong
mutual attraction. Or can you? Pages from a hot new book that offers a daring
alternative to the office affair David R. Eyler & Andrea P. Baridon PICTORIALS
20 MAN OF STEEL Dan Steele promises to get your motor running
40 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
Unleash the savage in you!
48 TRANSATLANTIC TRICKSTER
Man for May John Simmonds puts the Great in Britain
68 STARTING FIRES
When he's off duty, forest ranger Daniel Sawka lights a few fires of his own
84 THE DEVEREAUX FILE
A man as good as Robb Devereaux should be kept top secret.... FASHION
32 THE LOVE COLLECTION
A primer in steppin'-out style—à deux! FICTION
80 PASSING THROUGH
Some women can always rely on the kindness of strangers
L.T. Gallas DEPARTMENTS
6 THE EDITOR'S PAGE
What's up with this issue
7 LETTERS
Here's what you thought
8 TRENDWATCH
Fun stuff to give and receive
Helene Rosenhouse
10 IDOL GOSSIP
The dirt on Hollywood
Susan Bax
13 THE WOMEN'S ROOM
Going All the Way
Some things never change
Ellen Byron
15 THE MEN'S ROOM
Senior Class
The age-old dilemma Michael Konik
16 SEX TALK
Intimate issues and answers
Dr. Theresa L. Crenshaw
19 QUIZ
Are You Too Superstitious?
Sherry Suib Cohen
30 QUICKIES
Late-breaking health and fitness news
Judy Gee
38 ASK ISADORA
The last word on sex and relationships
Isadora Alman, MA
44 FANTASY FORUM
Romance can happen in the most unexpected places!
66 LOVESCOPES
What's in your stars?
Robin MacNaughton
78 REAL MEN
Does your man have what it takes?
106 COMING UP
EDITOR'S NOTE
Its January. Early January, in fact. Not the sort of thing I'd ordinarily mention
on this page—considering this is our May issue and all, that's really sort
of inappropriate. Ideally, I'd be working to inspire visions of me and the staff
emerging from our winter hibernation to once again take our talent search to the
street, the beach, the park and wherever else warm-weather hunkage (the feminist
take on "babeage," you know) abounds. Yes, as clearly as if you were
there, you'd see us skipping about the newly green town in head-to-toe pastels,
flinging daffodils and PLAYGIRL business cards at the feet of legions of gorgeous,
unsuspecting male passersby. In jogging shorts. Snug ones. In case you haven't
noticed, however, this isn't an ideal world we live in, and more to the point,
I've got something of greater significance to attend to.
It's about you. And all those nice—most of them anyway—"Future
Perfect" letters you were kind enough, and interested enough, to send. For
those of you who aren't with me on this, back in our January issue, I asked readers
to write in and tell me about the PLAYGIRL of their dreams, and solemnly swore
that providing "the dream" revolved around something beyond the obvious
"We Want Tom Cruise Naked/We Want Massive Erections" theme—the
staff and I would do our damndest to make that dream a reality in 1992. At any
rate, though it's January for me, it's probably some time in April for you, and
I didn't want you to think for a minute that I took your suggestions for granted,
or worse yet, never got around to reading them.
Without further ado, then, let me fill you in on some of your wish list doables,
which basically fell into two categories. Real men, for starters. As in, real-,
regular-looking men, not to be confused with Real Men, our monthly amateur model
section. "I am a little tired of perfect models with trimmed pubic hair,"
said a self-proclaimed 20-year-subscriber. "I would rather see men who are
a little bit more like my husband, and the men who surround me at work, only in
a little bit better shape. The 20-year-old cuties are nice, but many of your readers
are closer to 40 and would like to see some good-looking men of our own generation."
Her sentiments were echoed by dozens of other (younger) fans. "Don't be afraid
to use bald men or men with beards in your magazine. Why does every model have
to look like a college kid?" a PLAYGIRL devotee from Virginia railed, even
as another came right to the point with a simple "Older is definitely better
and sexier." It wasn't the first time we'd heard it.
Then there was the little matter of what more than a few of you have termed "cold
poses." One anonymous scribe, whose typewriter and way with words I've come
to recognize, spoke volumes with these words of wisdom: "In every sense,
the men in PLAYGIRL are depicted in a way that says, 'look, but don't touch.'
They are almost absentmindedly naked, as if they haven't noticed that they forgot
to get dressed.... When will I be able to open a magazine and get the same sexual
ego boost my boyfriend gets from Penthouse, where perfect unattainable goddesses
beg him for sex every month?" She then went on to suggest some spicy ideas
for a pictorial fantasy involving an Italian garage mechanic—I'm thinking
of offering her a job.
Actually, there's more, but here we go with that space thing again, so you'll
just have to stay tuned. Incidentally, we have a 19-year anniversary rolling around
next month. If you asked me, I'd probably have to say that had something to do
with our genuine interest in the thoughts and hopes of people just like you. And
then I'd say, "Thanks."
