Playboy Laughs

Take a look into the comedic side of the infamous Playboy brand. Following her success with Playboy Swings, Patty Farmer looks at Playboy's relationship with comedians and cartoonists in her latest book about the iconic company. Explore the sets of the organization's groundbreaking TV shows, like Playboy Penthouse and Playboy After Dark. These popular variety series brought top-tier comedians, impressionists, and monologists—as well as the finest musicians—into people's homes each week. Readers will learn how, before he ever dreamed of how successful the Playboy brand would be, Hugh Hefner harbored aspirations of making his mark in the world as a cartoonist. Playboy Laughs delves into the darker aspects of the time as well, tackling the ways Playboy and its comedy stars helped break down social and racial barriers as well as sexual ones. Known for her devotion to meticulous research and clear, honest storytelling, Farmer has gained the full cooperation of the Playboy organization—and Hugh Hefner himself—making this not only an entertaining read but a trustworthy history of an under-appreciated aspect of American culture.