Sunday 13 January 2008

Girls of The Playboy Mansion

I’d never seen this show before, then I watched 4 episodes in a row. It’s every feminist’s worst nightmare and every wrinkly old man’s greatest fantasy.
Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends are as follows: Holly (Gwen Stefani’s mum) Bridget (melted Barbie) and Kendra (the thick one- well, thicker).
As if them all sleeping with a geriatric isn’t bad enough, it is truly sickening that they aren’t allowed to have other boyfriends. They are essentially just kept prostitutes.
There is another extremely creepy undercurrent running through the show, in that all the women seem incredibly infantilised. They all have pink bedrooms and puppies and kittens, and there is something really teenage about them, even the ones in their 30s. This coupled with the regular nudity, plus the obvious jealousy between the women and it all adds up to a big old wrong with a capital ‘w’. Even the title is dubious- are they topless, sexual children? No. They are desperate, plastic surgery-deformed women.
So far I’ve not really seen any one on one time between Hef and his ‘wives’, he just seems to flounce in and bugger off again in his disgusting crusty old dressing gown. I bet he doesn’t wash it between bimbos.
Holly seems to be the ‘proper’ girlfriend, and she is the nicest, but she is obsessed with image and Hef’s exes (sharing your boyfriend would make you feel somewhat insecure though, I’m sure). It's a bit weird when his exes come round and they are twice or three times the playmates age. Bridget and Kendra just seem to be in it for the cash. Kendra isn’t even good looking, and certainly doesn’t have a good personality. And Bridget is definitely knocking on… she’s one botox injection away from being replaced by a prototype.
In the episode I watched yesterday one of their sister’s came to stay, and she was a sweet, fresh faced girl. They decided to give her a playgirl makeover and nylon hair and orange skin and stuff.. It was amazing how she went from being cute in her own right to being a generic blonde doll. It was celebrated that at last she ‘fitted in’ and ‘looked beautiful’.
The programme was very light-hearted in tone, basically making fun of the girls for being stupid. I can'tt say it's not entertaining, it is, in the same way other fluffy reality stuff is. But it felt like the real story was taking place somewhere else, in what wasn’t said or seen. I basically find the whole set up offensive and insulting to women. I find their whole ‘look’ to be unimaginative (their dissing of anyone brunette spoke volumes). But the real villain here is Hugh Hefner, and anyone who goes to his house, where women are treated as brainless commodities. Shame on you all.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have to disagree with you on this one. I do enjoy watching the show, i think it is interesting. Albeit, it's not the way i would choose to live; but it takes all sorts. Different people take different paths in life and as long as they are not hurting anyone, what is the problem. I myself am not a blonde barbie doll type, i am engaged to be married and live with my fiance and springer spaniel, so the playgirls life is not for me. I agree on not thinking much of Brigitte and Kendra but i kinda admire Holly. I do believe she loves Hef and she's like the mum. Call me naive but that is what i think. Just cos it's not our way does not mean it's wrong.