FEATURES
54 THE LAST DAYS OF CHRIS FARLEY
When greatness colors a person, it seldom stays jn the lines. Great talents,
great demons, great addictions—they so often seem to be of a piece. This affecting excerpt from a forthcoming biography of Farley shows a portrait of a man whose troubles withstood the best efforts of his loved ones. Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, Chevy Chase, David Spade and others recall Farley's last desperate days.
BY TOM FARLEY JR. AND TANNER COLBY
64 THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE
Not so long ago in a galaxy not that far away, a VCR and a 20-inch Trinitron
were most people's idea of a high-tech home theater. Ah, progress. STEVE MORGENSTERN highlights the latest components that will bring the multiplex to your living room, including flat-screen TVs, home servers, superspeakers, Blu-ray players and more.
88 PLAYBOY'S 2008 BASEBALL PREVIEW: A NEW ERA
Forget about steroids and perjury hearings America's favorite pastime is slugging with conviction. Hall of Fame sportswriter TRACY RINGOLSBY runs down season ahead and spotlights the best young players in each division.
100 THE MEN WHO HATE HILLARY
No woman in American politics has been the subject of such cruel scrutiny as
Hillary Clinton. In the process, she has unwittingly become a reliable diagnostic instrument for calibrating male anxiety. Cultural commentator and feminist LAURA KIPNIS studies Clinton's right-wing biographers and discovers their vitriolic
books reveal less about the woman who would be president than about themselves.
FICTION
70 IN OLD MOAB
Looking for a quiet drink along a stretch of sorry Utah desert highway, a drifter
mead finds a barroom full of wild women eager to party and an aMiable stranger
harboring criminal intentions. Novelist RON CARLSON assembles as atmospheric
account of how the unexpected wakes us to life.
THE PLAYBOY FORUM
39 WHY WE LOATHE LIBERALS
We're not sure when liberal became a four-letter word describing the left-leaning
group that, having screwed up everything, now wants to hand the country over
to the terrorists. Eric Alterman, author of Why We're Liberals, punches holes
in the irrational theories of conservative fearmongers.
20Q
68 BOB SAGET
He kept the banter decidedly PG on Full House and America's Funniest Home but
fans of his stand-up comedy know his uncensored humor is as disarmingly funny
as it is dirty. The same can be said of this hilarious tête-a-tête
with ERIC SPITZNAGEL, with whom Saget revels in his inner filthiness.
INTERVIEW
45 FAREED ZAKARIA
The Muslim Cary Grant and potential candidate for secretary of state is the
incisive columnist and commentator to whom Americans turn to interpret a world
in turmoil. In this frank and opinionated conversation with David SHEFF, Zakaria
challenges readers to question their assumptions regarding
America plays in the world and to examine the prospects for peace.
COVER STORY
When most people think of the former USSR, they envision a dreary, frigid place
ruled by a humorless kleptocracy. But that's because they haven't laid eyes
on Russia's most valuable asset: its arresting female populace. Photographer
Marlena Bielinska didn't give Olga Kurbatova many clothes to wear on our cover,
but thankfully Olga has a muff to keep her warm. Our Rabbit is ruffled with
pleasure.
PICTORIALS
58 STRIP POKER
The chips are stacked in all the right places for poker champ Jennifer "Jennicide"
Leigh.
74 PLAYMATE: AJ Alexander
Indiana's Miss May is a speed- loving beauty who's game for some racy adventures.
104 THE WOMEN OF PUTIN'S RUSSIA
Not since Stolichnaya slipped out from behind the Iron Curtain has a Russian
import been as intoxicating as these curvaceous comrades.
NOTES AND NEWS
11 SUPER BOWL BASH
There are Super Bowl parties, and then there are Playboy Super Saturday Night
parties, like this year's bash in Arizona, plus the Game Day charity celebration
at the Mansion, hosted by Brande Roderick.
A stadium's worth of Playmates and celebrities broke out in pigskin fever, including
Tiki Barber, Vince Neil, Marcus Allen, Jerri Manthey and many more.
135 PLAYMATE NEWS
Miss July 2002 Lauren Anderson turns heads in Spain as she supports her boyfriend,
basketball player Matt Walsh. Also, get fit with Filar Lastra's healthy advice
on AOL Latino.
DEPARTMENTS
3 PLAYBILL
13 DEAR PLAYBOY
17 AFTER HOURS
25 REVIEWS
31 MANTRACK
37 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR
86 PARTY JOKES
123 WHERE AND HOW TO BUY,
140 GRAPEVINE
142 POTPOURRI
FASHION
94 WELL TIMED, WELL HEELED, WELL HUNG
Your watch may tell you the time, but it tells other people important information
about your taste, status and sense of style. It's time you paid attention to
details. Here's how the right watch, shoe and necktie complete your look. BY
JOSEPH DE ACETIS
