Playboy is coming to Mississippi State University for its “Girls of the SEC” pictorial, which will be featured in the magazine’s upcoming October issue. Playboy photographers will hold auditions at each of the 12 universities in the Southeastern Conference for the issue. Auditions for full or part-time female MSU students will be held March 19 and 20 at an undisclosed location in Starkville.
People on campus and in the community are already expressing mixed reactions about the publication’s presence in the city.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing, although I do feel sorry for the guy whose girlfriend ends up in Playboy,” senior business major Adam Foote said.
Senior biochemistry major Jessica Platz said Playboy’s appearance in Starkville has its positive and negative points.
“I encourage any female to audition; they should be proud of themselves because they are obviously beautiful, but at the same time I feel sorry for girls who think they need that kind of confirmation that they are beautiful,” Platz said.
Lynn Cossman, director of women’s studies at MSU, said she doesn’t support the magazine’s recruitment methods.
“Personally, I’m disappointed in Playboy’s efforts to recruit from college campuses,” Cossman said. “As a faculty member I have to realize that many of our students value the same things we do as a faculty. As such, I would think Playboy would have a fairly low turnout in their recruitment efforts.”
Students collected signatures for a petition on the Drill Field and in front of the State Fountain Bakery Thursday protesting Playboy’s use of MSU’s name. The group has collected more than 500 signatures, said MSU alumnus Noland Buller, one of the petition’s organizers.
“I think the fact that it’s a student-driven petition is evidence for my point,” Cossman said.
The religious community in Starkville has also raised concerns about Playboy’s upcoming appearance. John Bohn, priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Starkville said he is morally opposed to the magazine.
“In America we have freedom of the press, but I find their content morally offensive,” Bohn said. “I think Playboy … preys upon the vulnerabilities of young women who are seeking fame and attention.”
Despite facing opposition, Playboy public relations executive Stefan Prelog said that the turnout of women for the auditions is usually fairly high.
“There are always at least a couple dozen who show up,” he said. “There is no limit to the amount of students who want to audition.”
Playboy contributing photographer Kim Mizuno said the magazine is looking for students with a specific look.
“We are looking for certain girl next door qualities, we aren’t looking for girls off the street who just want to take their clothes off. Those are a dime a dozen,” he said.
During auditions, prospective models will go through an interviewing process that includes being photographed.
“Girls usually come in a bikini to try out,” Prelog said. “The shots do not have to be fully nude. Our photographers will work with the girls to make sure they are as comfortable as possible during the audition.”
After the auditions, the Playboy editorial staff will choose anywhere from one to a handful of students for the pictorial. A photo shoot for the actual issue will then take place at an undetermined location in Starkville, Prelog said.
The conference chosen for the college issue rotates every year. Playboy has not been in Starkville since 2001, Prelog said.
Dean of students Mike White said he has no concerns about the Playboy auditions being held in Starkville as long as it stays confined to the city.
“They aren’t doing anything illegal as long as they are conducting their business away from campus,” he said.