Strange Life Moments

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Strange Life. Normal Life.

We have mentioned this before, but one of our favorite features in the new incarnation of Penthouse Magazine has become the “Debrief” section which features little blurbs of strange life things … for lack of a more elegant way to put it. This time around, we have some of the strangest because, well, that seems rather the point, after all.

Follow Me On Only Fins

It’s no secret dolphins are among the horniest of sea creatures, but a new study has found the marine mammals share more in common with humans when it comes to sex than everyone previously thought. Research conducted by evolutionary biologists Dara Orbach and Patricia Brennan at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts found female bottlenose dolphins experience sexual pleasure through a clitoris, like humans.

The findings suggest not only do female dolphins possess a prominent and extremely sensitive clitoris, their anatomy positions it in a better spot than that of a human, making sexual stimulation unavoidable.

“Since the entire pelvis of dolphins is so different to humans, it was surprising to see how similar the shapes were,” says Brennan.

It makes sense, considering previous research has shown female dolphins have sex all year round, even when they’re not ovulating, that they frequently have lesbian dolphin sex and masturbate each other, and that they’ve even been known to use live eels as sex toys, suggesting that the amorous animals have sex for fun and not just for reproduction’s sake.

The more you know. …

If nothing else, this does add a whole new dimension to those crazy noises Flipper always made.

Lemmy See Your TattooAshes to Ashes, Dust to Tattoos: The Ultimate Tribute

A couple of Motörhead’s roadies have paid tribute to Lemmy Kilmister by getting tattoos infused with his cremains.

In 2015, the Motörhead creator and frontman passed away at age 70, just two days after being told he had cancer. His dying wish was that his ashes be split among golden bullets engraved with his name and given to his closest friends. Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and MTV host Riki Rachtman were among the special few gifted mini bullet urns of the singer’s ashes.

But it was Motörhead’s former road crew, tour manager Eddie Rocha and production assistant Emma Cederblad, who took their dedication to a rock-star level. They paid the ultimate tribute by getting permanent remembrances of Lemmy tattooed on their skin with ink blended from his ashes. Rocha went for a portrait of the late star, while Cederblad opted for a spade tattoo tribute.

Gone by not forgotten, the legend will be further immortalized in an upcoming biopic directed by filmmaker Greg Olliver.

Full disclosure: Some of us may have already forgotten him. Why have Motörhead when you could have Skynyrd those people figure.

Strange Life PicklesI’m Kind of a Big Dill

The Portland Pickles baseball team has found themselves in a right pickle after their salty mascot shared an unintentional dick pic(kle) on Twitter.

Furry mascot Dillon took over the team’s Twitter page for a day and shared a suggestively cropped, low-angle photo that made it look like the big green guy was exposing himself. Following mass social media hysteria, the team jumped in to explain that the erect green object in the center of the shot was actually Dillon’s pickle-shaped thumb.

“It’s come to our attention that this photo can be misinterpreted as a disturbing image,” the next tweet read. “Dillon would like to go on record and say that he was trying to give his fans a thumbs-up.”

It was too late, though. The pervy pickle post went viral and jarred fans, with one person tweeting, “Can safely say that I did not expect to see mascot anatomy on my timeline tonight.”

There’s a first time for everything.

Perhaps, but a dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste. We try to use ours every day. Of course we also live a strange life.

Strange Life with a Google Street ViewPutting the Mafia on the Map

A convicted murderer who was on the run for more than two decades was caught after being spotted on Google Street View.

Mob boss Gioacchino Gammino, now 61, became one of Italy’s most wanted fugitives after escaping from a prison in Rome in 2002. Though he was on the lam, he was sentenced to life in prison the very next year for a long ago slaying.

The mobster had been using a fake name and working as a chef before setting up a fruit and vegetable shop in Galapagar, Spain, where he was spotted by authorities on Google Street View. A scar on Gammino’s face helped police confirm the henchman’s identity.

Upon being arrested again, a shocked Gammino said to the police, “How did you find me? I haven’t even called my family for 10 years!”

Google really needs to change its name to Karma. Everyone already knows that can be a real bitch in one’s personal and strange life.

Strange Life with Sultan Gustaf Al GhozaliLaughing All The Way To The Bank

A student from Indonesia has hit the jackpot, becoming a millionaire overnight after selling thousands of his selfies as NFTs.

Every day for five years, computer science student Sultan Gustaf Al Ghozali took a photo of himself. Each photo is virtually the same and features the 22-year-old staring expressionless at the camera. The student decided to take advantage of the NFT trend by uploading his selfies to the blockchain as a joke.

“I was thinking it might be funny if one of the collectors collected my face,” he says.

Ghozali priced his photos for a mere 0.0001 ETH ($3), but the NFTs went viral are now selling for more than $12,000 a pop. He reportedly sold over 200 selfies in the first day, and since December has surpassed $1 million in NFT sales.

Strange Life with Sophia UristaUrine Trouble Now

When you gotta go, you gotta go. But Sophia Urista, frontwoman for the rock group Brass Against, found herself in hot water after relieving herself on a fan’s face during a live show!

A video that went viral shows the singer bringing a new meaning to the term “livestream.” She called a fan onstage during a live performance at the Rockville metal festival in Florida, then dropped her pants and emptied her bladder all over the stranger’s bald head and face for a solid 10 seconds.

Before the incident, Urista exclaimed to the crowd, “I gotta pee. And I can’t make it to the bathroom. So we might as well make a show out of it.”

After being waterboarded with the singer’s bodily fluids, the man was seen spewing some of the liquid in the direction of the audience.

What seems like pretty standard rock ’n’ roll behavior was slammed as “disgusting” and “pure trash” by horrified internet commentators and fans. On a post that promoted the band’s upcoming European tour, one person wrote, “Will you be pissing across Europe?”

The singer issued a public apology on Twitter following the backlash. Or rather, backsplash.

Other that pointing out that the name Urista does have some similarities with the word urethra, we really have no comment on the next in a very long history of bizarre stage performances. You can follow Urista and her strange life on your own, should you desire. … We do not kink shame here.

We do have some interest in the NFT issue, however, since people (universally seeking big chnunks of change) have been saying Penthouse should definitely be in that game. Should you have a theory one way or the other, we’d love to hear from you via our Contact Form.

Lana Rain

Posted on by Team Penthouse

15 Questions with Lana Rain

Companies normall start with sort of a bare basics (as it were) list of stats or fun facts about a model, but this time around ManyVids simply rolled out the questions and let ‘er rip (literally). Of course that could be because of the lengthy and extremely well-reasoned answers Lana provided. You do not see this depth of rumination in many model submissions anymore. We find that sad. … Of course that also means that Lana Rain makes us quite happy.

Thus we shall share.

When did you start creating content?

I started creating content in 2015. Over time, I realized that I had a more natural ability to create content than I did to livestream, so I started to focus more on that. Creativity was always my strong point, and I felt like I was always lacking in the social department, since I spent most of my time alone growing up messing with things like photo and video editing.

When did you start to get into anime?

That’s a much deeper question for me than one might initially think upon asking, but I’ll try my best to answer. I have always had an affinity toward anime ever since I watched it on TV as a kid. Because, unlike regular Western TV shows, especially during that era, where nothing within itself was taken seriously, anime showed me a side of life that was worlds apart from what I was accustomed to everywhere else; this is not what I needed in a world where I already felt didn’t make sense because of how everyone treated each other and themselves. I loved the attention to detail, the colorful and vibrant hair — which, at the time, was absolutely unique to me — and designs that felt like the idea of beauty in aesthetics were given consideration, all of which contrasted with what I would see people wear around me. Most importantly, continuity opened me up to my earliest experiences of storytelling and world-building. Details like power levels and differences between characters and villains were all taken into account and given importance and thoughtful consideration. By contrast, in American cartoons, everything was forgotten by the next episode like it didn’t even matter, and most elements were built upon shallow jokes. I guess cartoons sort of reflected how I felt the children in my school treated everything, which was shallow, fickle and fleeting. So all I wanted to do was run away from that because I was essentially doing anything and everything to find some sort of logic and structure in life that I could understand and attach myself to.

How do you come up with ideas for your content?

I don’t know if I could have been as creative as I am without being able to cosplay for my videos. There is something fun about picking a character — since I already love to cosplay — and then figuring out what kind of story I could apply to that character after researching the story they are from and their personality.

Who are your top five favorite characters to cosplay?

  1. Rei Ayanami Plugsuit (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
  2. Motoko Kusanagi (GitS: SAC [Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex])
  3. Exusiai (Arknights)
  4. Shinobu (Demon Slayer)
  5. Bowsette (Super Mario)

What food have you never eaten but want to try?

There are too many to count, but I’ll try to name some I can remember off the top of my head. Sea urchin pasta, meat tartare burger, all the unusual raw fish and sushi that they offer in Japan. I want to see what fruit is like in Southeast Asian countries. I know that stuff like durian and even some commonly known ones like mangoes taste way better over there. I have a close friend who swears by the fact that mangoes in the Philippines taste so much better that she says it’s basically a different fruit.

Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?

I don’t think it’s a matter of belief. For me, it’s more a matter of the fact that nothing is stopping the open possibility, especially with how little we know about our universe or the structure of our reality.

What movie can you watch over and over again?

While I enjoy some movies, I’m really not much of a movie person. The idea of rewatching movies over and over gives me anxiety for whatever reason, so probably none.

If you could have a superpower what would it be?

It depends on how realistic in terms of practicality I’m supposed to take this question. Does everyone else have superpowers, or am I the only one? If it’s the latter, then it would have to be teleportation because it doesn’t intrude upon other people’s perception of how reality works, on top of still being able to play into normal life.

What mythical creature do you wish actually existed?

It’s not a mythical creature, but the megalodon existing again would be awesome. It scares the ever-living hell out of me, but things that I feared in nature the most were also always the most beautiful to me.

What type of content can someone expect to see when they subscribe to your VIP FanClub on ManyVids?

Most of my VIP FanClub content is short masturbation clips for people who are more into that kind of stuff over detailed scripted videos.

What game have you spent the most hours playing?

I don’t really play games that often. Most competitive games that I like I’m not passionate enough about for me to take seriously, given my goals and restrictive schedule. If I play a game these days, it is really just because I care about the story, such as the NieR franchise. But if I had to think back to my past, it would probably be Pokémon Silver. I didn’t know how to read English when I was five because I was put in a French school. So, my silly young self had the genius idea to restart the game countless times to figure it out and see if I could do anything different to get past certain points. That Sudowoodo pretending to be a tree pained my existence.

Where was your favorite travel destination?

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the luxury of being able to travel much yet, but so far, out of the few places I’ve been, Colorado was definitely my favorite place. I was blown away by just how many iconic nature spots there were all over the state, and I could see mountain views from just casually driving through the state, which was a wonderful experience. Estes Park was just magical, and I barely got to scratch the surface of it. I would absolutely potentially buy a home there in the future.

Do you speak multiple languages? If so, which ones?

I’m from Quebec, so I learned French before actually learning English; I eventually forgot most of it because I stopped using it. I don’t have any particular motivation to learn it again either. I would much prefer to learn Chinese or Japanese.

What is your favorite thing to do on your days off?

The past year, I’ve been really invested in learning how to draw. Unfortunately, I had to dedicate the year to other things, so I barely got to do it, but the few times that I did went very well. This year, I plan to put more focus and hours into it, which I am honestly really looking forward to. I don’t really have time to do casual things like play video games or watch stuff unless I absolutely want to watch something, but I consider even that as productive time since I use it as well needed inspiration.

What is a quirk you have that no one knows about?

I’m not sure if this is considered a quirk, but due to my Asperger’s, whenever I become interested in something, I tend to become hyperfocused, allowing me to learn new things very quickly. Despite all the negatives I experienced throughout my life due to having Asperger’s in the kind of society we live in today, there are definitely a few things that I consider to be very useful.

Naturally it would not do for us to fail at providing a handy-dandy link to Lana Rains at ManyVids. We naturally encourage you to visit her there, but if you want to make an impression, doing a little reasearch first could not hurt. You might at least start at Fandom before wandering off. Granted, that link while handy certainly suffered on the dandy scale. It happens.

Murph Memorial

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Murph Memorial: Honoring the Past

Michael Murphy - US NAVY File PhotoThis past winter, on a group chat with old comrades, one suggested we all do a Memorial Day workout together, either virtually or in person. The workout in question is a CrossFit beast named the Murph, after deceased Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient Michael Murphy, of Lone Survivor film fame. Popular each Memorial Day, it consists of 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 squats, bracketed by a mile run before and after.

Swearing proved a not-unpopular answer to that particular ask; most of us on the chat are out of the military and all over the spectrum of workout motivation. But when it became clear that the person suggesting the activity meant it as a way to focus on something positive in the future — instead of grieving an impending personal loss — we started talking about potential plans.

Twenty years ago, nearly all of us were seniors in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps; the last is our former instructor, who commissioned us as military officers the spring after 9/11. We knew we were graduating into a sharply changed world, but like any early 20-somethings, we had no idea what was in store.

If we had innocence left at the end of our adolescence, we soon lost it. We all deployed overseas, some multiple times. Our experiences varied wildly; some saw infantry combat, others flew above it, and some of us deployed in support roles. We were stewards, holding our places in line for as long as we stayed in.

I was lucky to be with a headquarters unit; the troops I deployed with survived the war, but a few fell in the years after it. My favorite watch chief, who worked with me at a subsequent unit, died of cancer about a decade after we returned from Iraq. In recent years, at least two more former comrades have had obituaries listing “sudden” death, typically code for either suicide or a drug overdose. In 2019, veterans were over 50 percent more likely to take their own lives than civilians, and substance use disorder is associated with suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts among veterans. Though I’m lucky I’ve known only a few who’ve succumbed, doubtless my old ROTC buddies — some of whom lost friends in Iraq — have stories of former colleagues that echo those fates.

Our entire generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was chronologically young, if emotionally aged, when we returned from the war. But now we’re staring middle age in the face, with the requisite slate of middle-aged losses and shifts in perspective; we’re deciding what to remember and what is best forgotten. In the 17 years since our first deployments ended, my friends and I have endured divorces, friends’ and parents’ deaths, cross-country moves, and career 180s. Some of these changes were hard-fought and came slowly, while others barreled our way at Formula 1 speed. We used to meet up with some regularity when we were all stationed near Washington, D.C., or San Diego, but these outings waned as we scattered to disparate corners of America. Now, when we find ourselves in the same pocket of the country for a spell, it’s a bonus. Though two of the seven of us are still in the military, none of us can lie to ourselves that we’re the same people we were when we met.

That’s been especially true in these past few years; in a pandemic, nothing is normal. The entire nation is reeling from loss piled upon loss, in addition to deaths: jobs, human contact, a sense of civil discourse. We’ve been forgetting the feeling of what we recall normal life to be. Further layers of impermanence have tested friendships, too. Political and personal values — and even attitudes toward civic responsibility — morph over time, straining bonds forged in once-shared purpose. The conflicts we fought in are in theory over, only to be replaced by remote strikes and support for proxy forces.

In the aftermath of the United States pulling out of Afghanistan last August, even the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledged with startling frankness: “At this moment, it may seem like all is lost, like your service or your sacrifices were for nothing … Remember that now is just one moment in time and that things will continue to change.”

I related to that statement. In the aftermath of ISIS taking over Iraq in 2014, I certainly questioned my service. The survival of my fellow troops seemed the only purpose worth fighting for.

So amid the storms of 2022, a Murph on the horizon might seem like no big deal. But when the world’s problems seem overwhelming, taking on a local, personal challenge is a good place to start. So push-ups and squats have become part of my workout routine. I only started running consistently a few months ago after a four-year hiatus; my right foot finally healed after breaking a bone. I haven’t attempted pull-ups in years. Admittedly, performing several hundred of each exercise doesn’t seem likely.

But one former sister-in-arms is a CrossFit instructor and competitor. She offered us tips about breaking the Murph into chunks. There are adaptive forms of the workout, too, for those who don’t quite possess the strength and stamina for the original.

Muscles, minds, marriages and belief systems can all break down between youth and middle age. In midlife, as in war, one cuts one’s losses. By remaining adaptive, we decide what bits from the past can be honored and salvaged in order to build something new. The results — like my old bones or our relationships with each other — may be rickety, but this is a start that can help us grow in the years ahead. For those of us lucky enough to come home to celebrate decades of Memorial Days, the Murph is just one more thing that helps us measure how much our bodies have aged — and our hearts, too.

Teresa Fazio is a former Marine Corps officer and the author of the memoir Fidelis. You can find other veteran insights in these digital pages, but you should look locally for ways to support them in your community. All politics is local, as we understand it.

Noel Leon

Posted on by Team Penthouse

The First Noel Leon

Age: 28
Height: 5’6″
Measurements: 36C-25-35
Fun Fact: Attended a Catholic School for Girls

Noel Leon has captured the hearts of more than a million fans from across the globe on Instagram, but the quirky model and writer from Venice Beach tells Penthouse that growing up, you’d most likely find her hiding in a corner with her nose in a book.

Openly bisexual, Noel says she finds liberation in living her truth unapologetically.

“Society will always put people in boxes. But living in a decade that actually allows women to do our thing, with men or women, while being able to not care what others think is truly liberating,” she explains.

As for some advice for the men and women who are keen to court her, Noel says, “My ideal first date would be a brutal game of tennis where I annihilate my opponent, before eating sushi in silence while reading a brutally honest PDF of each other’s red flags, pet peeves and positive attributes—bypassing the willy-nilly casual conversation. OK, maybe not all of that.  But definitely sushi and tennis.”

Game, set, love match?

So the magazine told us that, and we could of course had been happy with the openly bisexual part, dropped in some more pictures, and called it a day. … Then we watched some of Noel on Instagram, and that ignited a spark of deeper interest. We quickly put together another “10 Questions” list and sent it to her, hoping we might gain some deeper insights into the quirky and compelling woman. Noel answered, and we did.

Naturally we have included that Q&A after the quick gallery here, because although we said we wanted more than just more pictures, we did not say we meant to ignore them altogether.

How will it make you feel when people begin to recognize you as a Penthouse model?

I shun my ego from notions of notoriety. Therefore, I prefer people not recognize me in any fashion. Although, I do hope they admire my pictures in Penthouse, seeing seduction as an art form.

How have your friends and/or family reacted to you choosing nudity as part of your current vocation?

My family’s reaction has subdued over the years: from shock to indifference. However, my friends and I hold similar views, seeing nakedness as a natural state. American culture has commodified the female form, making nudity acceptable only in certain forms of consumption. Therefore, playing a part in removing the taboo is empowering.

What are your long-range plans?

I split my time between my two passions: writing and performing. I just wrote a Christmas movie based on my fist book, which will air TBD. I’m currently editing my second book, For the Love of Bagels, and working on its film adaptation. I’ve also been performing stand-up comedy (in different characters) at large venues weekly in the hopes of one day being on SNL. My ultimate dream is to write for/perform on SNL and make life-affirming dramedies.

Can you tell us about the last thing that made you laugh out loud?

The Oh, Hello Show on Broadway created by Nick Kroll and John Mulaney consistently makes me chuckle. I specifically watch their “Too Much Tuna” segment whenever I need a dopamine hit.

If someone with no concept asked you to describe a Penthouse Pet, how would you do that?

A Penthouse Pet is a woman who owns her sexuality as a creative life force.

Speaking of pets, do you have any?

I have a Pit Bill … Whitney Houston. But, she’s not a pet. She’s Whitney Houston reincarnated.

When you watch a favorite movie or TV show, do you identify with any of the characters?

I closely identify with Gilda Radner’s “Rosanna Danna”character on SNL.

If you could change one thing about your best friend, what would it be?

I wouldn’t change anything about my best friend. Because, according to the Butterfly Effect, changing even just one thing about her would throw off the entire course of history.

What would be the first thing Noel Leon would do if she won the Lottery?

I don’t entertain luck. Fortune is best visualized in the context of hard work. Hypothetically, (if after focused efforts) I amassed a Mega Lottery chunk of change, I would finance any fleeting fancy, any creative inspiration I contrived. And, I would finance other people’s passions, paying it back.

What’s your favorite kind of donut?

Do-nut ask me that. My heart belongs to bagels.

If you were wondering about the title, we have actually had a different version in our relatively short digital history. If you knew all the other strange things that happen around Penthouse, you would not even be surprised.

Honestly, this Noel had us at “shun my ego” because — and we can assure you of this — you will not find many famous personalities, Social Media or Hollywood, who would not get one of those full body shivers if they even considered that option. Of course they would never consider that options either, so they’re probably safe. … Take some time and look through the Noel Leon video clips on her Instagram page. Full disclosure, we’re still waiting on the Kindle version for the review, but you paper fans can also grab her book from Amazon. She’s an artist, a comedian, and she writes. Come to think of it, that seems unfair. She can probably cook too. She should definitely come show us, and if she cannot, we know some excellent homes with fine cooks in them she should visit.

Penthouse Club Tampa

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Back And Better Than Ever

Before we get started into our clear goal of sucking up enough that we get invited to a free dinner at the Penthouse Prime restaurant, we should explain that Penthouse Clubs corporate has all sorts of highly-trained professionals that do all sorts of highly-trained professional things — like write press releases. Not wanting to in any way harm our chances for “medium rare with a view of the boobs” we have decided to comment when necessary in this itty-bitty, super easy to ignore, type. Pay no attention to the fan behind the curtain.

Boasting a premier nightlife experience, a celebrated steakhouse and the world’s most beautiful women, The Penthouse Club in Tampa, Florida, is back — and better than ever!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitality management company Kirkendoll Management (KM) was forced to temporarily close The Penthouse Club in Tampa, FL while the country was in lockdown. After acquiring the club in 2018, KM had been planning to remodel it in late 2020 and reopen just in time for Super Bowl LV in Tampa in February 2021. However, once businesses shut down after the initial COVID wave in March 2020, KM decided to take advantage of the mandatory closures and accelerate the construction schedule.

When The Penthouse Club — Tampa shut down on March 19, 2020, it thus began a $2 million full-blown renovation of the club, which included gutting the entire interior of the building and making significant changes to the exterior structure, all with the goal of transforming the space into the ultra-modern establishment that defines a top gentlemen’s club, nightclub, and superlative culinary destination all in one.

Penthouse Club Tampa - Old/New Outside

Complete with multiple stages, elevated VIP seating, 10 private rooms, two full bars, and Penthouse Prime — a five-star steakhouse with a dining room overlooking the main stage — a great team accomplished their vision combining elegance, comfort, and style.

Penthouse Club Tampa Old/New Inside

KM’s Chief Operating Officer (Nightclub Division) had been looking forward to the remodel for quite some time.

“The space itself is really incredible, but we felt like the previous footprint was dated and didn’t support the premium nightclub atmosphere we were looking to create,” Rolling explains. … “One of our top priorities was to relocate the entrance from the middle of the building to the corner, which allows for a much more open and connected space. No matter where you are in the club, you can still see the main stage and feel like you’re part of the party.”Chuck Rolling, [that] COO

For the record, the press release did not in fact include the illustration we have provided to the side below, a decision we made for two simple reasons. We find having thought-provoking illustrations generally preferable to not having them, and besides, who doesn’t like a happy bartender?

Happiness at Penthouse Club TampaLarge exterior signage accentuates the new corner entrance featuring the brand’s iconic PENTHOUSE wordmark, capitalizing on lighting that completely changes the landscape of the entire lot. No one can drive by The Penthouse Club on Westshore Blvd. and not notice the floor-to-ceiling LED lights that illuminate the façade of the building with different colors and patterns.

For the lighting and sound system, KM worked with idesign — leading lighting and sound engineers for nightclubs around the world — to build and program a series of custom LED panels surrounding the main stage, in addition to the exterior lighting.

“What idesign did with the lights is really more like visual artwork. Everything is fully programmable and customizable, and the lights and videos sync to the beat of the music, so it feels more like you’re at a concert than a nightclub,” says Patrick Palacios, Marketing Director of Global Licensing. “From the outside, the entire building looks like one huge, animated billboard. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Eddie Suqi, KM’s Director of Licensing for Penthouse Clubs, was on site in Tampa every day during the renovation and led the creative direction for the new club.

“It’s not often you get the chance to pull a space back to a shell and build a whole new concept. What I wasn’t anticipating was how many small details needed to be worked through to get us from a shell to something spectacular,” says Suqi.

“We weren’t just picking paint colors and bathroom tile. We were really trying to reimagine the club experience from a guest’s point of view and asking ourselves how we could improve it.”

One of Suqi’s favorite features? “We added USB ports to all of the chairs and seating areas, so you can charge your phone,” he explains. “Not a night goes by that someone doesn’t comment how useful those are. It’s very gratifying!”

Long before KM purchased the club, the steakhouse at The Penthouse Club — Tampa was known amongst the city’s night owls as a hidden gem. Open until 2 a.m., it was the best late-night option in the Westshore area and consistently had tables full of regulars.

“After we bought the club, we kept hearing how much people loved the steakhouse. We decided we wanted to bring it back and make it better than ever, so we rebranded it Penthouse Prime and outfitted a whole new kitchen and elevated dining area as part of the remodel. We offer a traditional steakhouse menu with some Tampa flare, and always feature seasonal specials and killer desserts. It’s probably the most unique dining experience in the whole city.”Eddie Suqi

At this point, much as did Lucy Ricardo on many occasions, we have some explaining to do. By now most everyone should be familiar with our hard and fast — so to speak — rule about not putting adult material out in free areas where sensitive eyes might run across it. While we still believe that absolutely, we did decide to make an exception today, simply in this one specific area: FOOD PORN! … Now at least you know why we’ve been looking for that free dinner invitation.

Experience Tampa’s hottest new nightclub in person and call ahead to reserve your VIP table or make a reservation at Penthouse Prime. Be a rebel: Leave the house with your phone at 20%. … You know where to charge up.

You can visit the The Penthouse Club — Tampa from 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. Monday-Friday and 6:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Penthouse Prime, the club’s attached steakhouse, opens for lunch and dinner, with the full dinner menu available until 2:00 a.m. every night.

In addition to encouraging you definitely to visit Penthouse Club — Tampa when you happen to be in the area, might we also suggest planning a trip to Tampa specifically for that purpose? A lot of places have beaches, but how many also have a place where you can get a 20 oz. bone-in ribeye along with a topless visual feast? … OH! Speaking of visual feasts, you probably noticed the header image we chose for this article happens to feature the four Pets who appeared live in Tampa at what we understand was quite an event, even by Florida strip club standards. In case you do not know them all by heart yet, we can give you more information on (left to right) Kenzie Anne, Hanna Carter, Carolina White and Amber Marie right in these (ever superior) digital pages. We end our celebration of Penthouse Club with this photograph of aforementioned Amber Marie, conveniently posing on the Penthouse Club — Tampa stage. Not only does Amber call the Tampa area home these days, but you might be hearing more about her soon. … Maybe. … How would we know anything?

Penthouse Pet Amber Marie on the Penthouse Club Tampa Stage

Call for reservations at Prime or to reserve a VIP table.
@phctampa | www.penthouseclubtampa.com | 813.288.9200

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Sarita Natividad

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Social Premiere Sarita Natividad — Penthouse May/June 2022

Height: 5’1″
Measurements: 32DD-25-33
Hometown: Gult Shores, AL
Fun Fact: Once Ate “a whole chunk” of Wasabi

Quick Facts

Her favorite pastimes: Fishing, yoga, paddle boarding and hitting the shooting range with friends.

Languages spoken: English, Spanish and  Portuguese!

Her ideal meal: A tomahawk steak and a spicy margarita.

Her celebrity crushes: Ashton Kutcher and Megan Fox

According to the Sarita Natividad Copywriters

Bubbly blonde Sarita Natividad is a true beauty. The Alabama-born babe now calls Florida home, but she has amassed fans from all over the world. Sarita regularly shares cheeky pics on Instagram — and has attracted nearly 1 million followers there — but she also has a growing audience on both TikTok and Twitter.

This globe-trotting gal has been a model for six years and traveled to more than 20 countries, but the longtime college football fan still has a soft spot for the Alabama Crimson Tide!

Sarita tells Penthouse she worked as a bartender for eight years and really enjoyed interacting with patrons. But if she had to choose another job, she’d love to be a food critic. The tastemaker admits, “I think about food waaay too much and want to try everything!”

As per usual, a Subscription to Penthouse would have given you slightly more revealing photos, but honestly — shameless plug aside — once again.you will not find the kind of nudity you may associate with Penthouse even there, so don’t go looking for back issues just for that. People can be interesting even when they wear clothes (well, sort of wear clothes) we have found.

Did/do you play any sports?

I was very athletic growing up. Volleyball and track were my favorites.

What is the most exciting place you’ve ever had sex?

Photo Booth at a bar.

What is the sexiest quality a person can possess?

Having a sense of humor.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Spain.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Steak

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?

Be a guy and do the helicopter ‘til I run out of breath.

How many pillows do you sleep with?

Two. One for my head and one between my legs.

What qualities do you like most about yourself?

How humble and kind I am.

What gets you in trouble?

I talk a lot.

Sarita Natividad has the appropriate availability on social media via Twitter, Instagram, or on TikTok. Of course when possible we also shout out to the Photographer and the Stylist, because … well, around here you never know when you might need a photographer or a stylist. We like to make them happy.

Film Flam & NFTs

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Gaming & Film: As the Pandemic Wanes

Gaming 2022: NFTs in Video Games

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are the latest trend in the world of art. They can cost as little as 0.1 ETH ($327) for a less-than-popular creation, to much more than 52 ETH ($170,000), the entry point for a highly sought-after Bored Ape NFT.

Beyond their artistic and monetary value, which is undoubtedly dictated by market demand and hype, NFTs are being considered for use in video games by executives at Ubisoft, Electronic Arts and Square Enix.

Video games have long featured a sort of prototype of NFTs in the form of skins and other aesthetics in titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty and Valorant, where players can spend hundreds of dollars dressing up their avatars.

However, unlike NFTs, these digital items hold no value — inherent or otherwise — and they can’t be traded in most titles. Their availability is more or less unlimited.

While many mock NFTs for being little more than limited edition JPEGs, their value exists on the blockchain, where they can be traded back and forth while earning the original artist royalties for his or her production.

Like it or not, it’s the future of art — and it isn’t solely determined by hype. The investment of numerous corporations, including Facebook’s Meta, in the development of the metaverse, and smarter NFTs that are made up of more than just images, could potentially extend their expiration date.

The future of NFTs isn’t in Bored Apes or algorithmically generated profile pictures. Instead, they offer much greater potential in the metaverse, where an NFT could literally be a room environment populated by numerous interactive objects — or even a full-fledged virtual avatar for use in a video game — or even a Pokémon that can gain experience, skills and be fully customizable. An NFT can be anything virtual.

For their implementation in video games, being limited in availability gives them a leg up over the typical microtransaction by offering players a new way to invest their time and money. Instead of buying custom cards in Hearthstone, how much cooler would it be if Activision Blizzard turned the game into a full-fledged trading card game? Players, many of whom are already eager to collect virtual cards that can’t even be traded, would certainly embrace the ability to monetize their accounts and trade their virtual possessions to other players and engage in a digital economy.

Given that NFTs are stored on a blockchain and not a centralized server, each of these items cannot be duplicated or counterfeited. Each item is unique and holds value.

And instead of paying for loot crates or season passes, players could equip and trade their aesthetics on a virtual marketplace with NFTs for their characters in games like Call of Duty and Overwatch — and potentially carry them over to future titles, or display them outside the games themselves on a metaverse client capable of translating their digital possessions.

That said, NFTs are not without their downsides. The technology is ripe for abuse, and as knowledgeable consumers, we cannot trust video game publishers to always do the right thing. Greed trumps all, and the implementation of NFTs could very easily be used to lock away exclusive content and otherwise deprive players, who’ve already paid a lump sum to buy the game, of gated content.

Imagine the pay-to-win games on mobile phones — which are the best example of greedy microtransactions — becoming more mainstream, and video games stop being about having fun and more about being able to empty your wallet faster than your opponents.

There’s also the possibility of scams. Without a unifying currency, or payment standard, many of these NFTs would depend on unreliable tokens pushed by publishers and studios intending to make a quick buck rather than foster a viable economy. An EACoin or a FortniteCoin isn’t going to be worth anything outside the games these publishers develop.

It may be years before the industry comes to terms with NFTs and implements them in ways that aren’t exploitative. As for now, any implementations for the technology are premature at best and are cash grabs at worst.

Collecting and showing off your collections certainly isn’t for everyone. It’s for a specific group of people, but it’s one that NFTs highly appeal to, and one that the game industry would not do well to neglect.

Of course the counterpoint would be: Anything purely digital can be duplicated — perfectly. So, y’know … maybe we can trust Hollywood instead.

Film 2022: The sequel to 2021

A meme made the rounds at the end of 2021, which said: “Nobody claim 2022 as ‘your year.’ We’re all going to walk in real slow. Be good. Be quiet. Be cautious. Don’t touch anything.”

It seems the film industry felt very much on board with that ethos and entered 2022 with extreme stealth and a “don’t rock the boat” mentality.

In the wake of two years of COVID-19, the whole world has ended up being conservative and playing it safe. A sense of fearing the unknown has become the norm–and maybe we’re all looking for a hero, too.

In 2021, Marvel absolutely dominated the box office, taking five of the top six spots with various franchises. Only Fast & Furious 9 (yes, nine!) broke on at No. 5, with No Time to Die, the best James Bond film in years — and possibly ever — coming in at No. 7.

Expect more of the same this year, with Marvel to continue pumping out blockbusters: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, She-Hulk, another Spider-Man outing, and a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

Don’t forget DC Comics’ biggest name, either. The Batman will be the latest movie installment of the Dark Knight’s adventures — featuring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, Colin Farrell as The Penguin, and Paul Dano as The Riddler — and will no doubt make for compelling viewing.

If you’re feeling a sense of déjà vu, then mention of The Matrix, Jurassic Park and Top Gun should get your ’80s and ’90s juices well and truly flowing. The Matrix Resurrections is perhaps the most interesting sequel, with the themes it covers more relevant than ever. In some areas, timing of restrictions may likely mean the unvaccinated can get to the theater to watch it — and may make up a fair portion of the audience. The red pill or the blue pill?

Top Gun: Maverick has been waiting in the wings for a couple of years due to COVID, much as the Bond film did. You can’t help feeling cheesiness is on the way, but hey, we like cheese and we like Top Gun. Jurassic World: Dominion will no doubt ramp up CGI effects to newly found heights, as will Avatar 2.

Remakes of Death on the Nile and West Side Story are also worthy of a mention, although not necessarily a viewing, as is the sequel to Sing (Sing 2) and the prequel to the Kingsman franchise (The King’s Man).

Forget innovation and quirkiness — although you will be able to find some, if you look hard enough — and enjoy high-quality familiarity on the big screen as a comfort to the craziness we’re dealing with in the real world at the moment.

Everybody stay calm, sneak into 2022 and watch a bunch of stuff at the theater that isn’t going to shock you. And (whisper it) all being well, we can go completely crazy in 2023.

Whatever else the Pandemic did, it fundamentally changed the world, and we still have not quite come to grips with what that means or how it will play out. At the risk of being overly political and risking the wrath of Our Local Brand Police, we will say this about the next couple of years with absolute certainty: No matter how crazy 2023 turns out to be, 2024 will rock some foundations one way or another.People may start talking about 2024 on November 9th of 2022. You’ll see.

Film NFT 2024 - In Reverse

Nufseee Erotic Art

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Nufseee — Sexually-Charged Erotic Visuals

Nufseee is a Russian artist who creates sexually charged erotic art and NFTs using digital painting, watercolors, acrylics and oils. Read on to learn more about this fascinating creator.

How did you become an artist?

I have loved drawing since childhood. In kindergarten, I was approached with requests to draw. Then I entered art school and continued to draw until high school. Once there, I had to prepare for exams and think about my future profession.

Around age 14 or 15, I was already working part-time doing portraits. I was the youngest artist in my small town who was taking commissions for portraits. But the very first painting I sold was to my parents’ friends. It was a Venetian landscape painted in oils. I had a lot of free time as a child, so I painted every day and independently studied the most interesting part for me — drawing people.

I had a long break, about three to four years, because I chose another profession by mistake. I was told that artists live in poverty and nothing good awaits them. And I broke down. During my first year at the university, where I was studying to be a chemist-technologist, I realized my mistake and returned to drawing again.

I drew on canvases and painted on clothes. I managed to take part in an exhibition in the city of Krasnodar twice, and in time my paintings sold again. A year later, I gave up again. I thought my work was terrible and I couldn’t do anything myself. I stopped drawing. I tried to find myself in something else, and I dropped out of the university. After another two years, I came back with a new outlook and ideas. I worked a lot with a psychologist, and now I am again confident in what I am doing

What draws you to creating erotic images?

I see in this a certain power of feelings and emotions, natural aesthetics that many people are shy about.

Where does your inspiration come from?

I get my inspiration from people and observations of this world. I am a visual person. Anything that seems beautiful inspires me. But as strange as it sounds, I am often inspired by myself. I just feel this world differently. It’s the same with sex. For some, sex is just sport and lust. For me, it’s something more. It’s a fascinating, beautiful game of emotions and pleasures.

What mediums do you use most often?

I am currently painting in digital. But I like to paint with watercolors, acrylics and oils.

What’s the process for creating your erotic pieces?

Usually I have an idea in my head, and I look for suitable references, which I sketch and rework to fit my idea. Or I see an inspiring photo, which I re-create as I see fit.

Who would you say are your biggest artistic influences?

I try not to be someone’s fan. I take a little bit of inspiration from any artist I encounter. I try to take something useful from everyone.

What’s your experience like as an erotic artist using Instagram?

Not the best. Now I’m trying to do more self-censorship of my posts because Instagram has blocked my most explicit and hottest pictures.

Do you ever struggle with censorship?

I realized it was useless, and I try not to take risks now, because I heard many stories of how Instagram deletes accounts like mine after a while.

What do you personally find erotic or sexy?

The sexiest thing is to be natural. To experience real feelings and emotions.

Tell us something interesting about you or something that we might not expect.

Sometimes I paint myself when I cannot find suitable references. And I have done it very often. I also study porn, looking for beautiful compositions.

Artists in Russia must be having a pretty tough time of it these days, so if you find yourself wishing to connect, you can try Instagram, Twitter, or even OpenSea. Positive vibes help everyone.

Megan Hilton

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Temporary Lodging with Megan Hilton

Height: 5’3″
Hometown: Medellin, Columbia
Measurements: 32C-20-28
Fun Fact: Loves Cats

The ever-so-sultry Megan Hilton enjoys relaxing at home during her free time, but she also has a hunger to explore the world. “Those who travel are enriched, grow personally and are nourished by other cultures and other ways of life,” she says. “All this improves our knowledge and makes us better.”

It’s hard to imagine Megan could be any better than she already is, but we’re eager to see where life takes this intriguing performer.

What is your favorite thing about your hometown?

I love the weather, the people and the food!

If you could do anything for a day, what would it be?

I’d like to be a pilot, so I could travel anywhere in the world. I love seeing new places, and one of my goals is to visit every island in the Caribbean.

If you could live anywhere, where would you choose?

I would live everywhere where there is beach, hot sun and cool nights.

Describe your ideal date.

My perfect date would be on an island in the Maldives with a tall, strong and muscular man. Someone’s who’s smart, thoughtful and romantic.

What’s your favorite type of movie?

I am a hopeless romantic, so any romantic movie.

What is the most daring thing Megan Hilton has ever done?

I try to be a good girl, so I don’t do a lot of daring things. But I definitely have a naughty side.

So we were not entirely clear on the difference between “daring” and “naughty” in a practical sense, but we can tell the difference between a few questions with answers by Megan Hilton and more of those questions and answers. Truly we have a dizzying intellect. (And we also have apologies to S. Morgenstern, Rob Reiner, and Wesley for stealing that line from The Princess Bride.)

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be and why?

Being a world traveler, as I LOVE to travel!

What are your pet peeves?

People who are late or always have excuses for something.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

LOL … You mean to get me out of bed? About an hour or two …

What are you most proud of?

Being able to give my parents a roof over their head and having my own condo.

What is the sexiest quality a person can possess?

Being honest, friendly, and helpful.

Oddly, Ms. Megan Hilton has very different accounts at Intstagram (bymh03) and Twitter (MeganHilton398), so naturally we linked them both. You can find out many things there more interesting than “a stunning goddess who gives her all in front of the camera and leaves her fans satisfied.” … Good grief. That’s almost embarrassing. … On the upside, we do remember the “movie” they made called “Medellin” in the excellent television series from HBO named “Entourage” — so that was fun.]

Hey Luenell

Posted on by Team Penthouse

So … Hey Luenell

Long before her breakout role as the “hooker with the heart of gold” in the 2006 comedy Borat, Luenell had established herself as a badass who doesn’t pull punches or take shit from anyone. And when she agreed to pose nude for Penthouse, we knew this funnywoman wasn’t kidding around.

Regardless of age or body type, it takes a uniquely strong person to bare it all in front of a dozen strangers, and Luenell strutted around the photo shoot like a peacock in full bloom. Michelle Obama once said, “History has shown us that courage can be contagious.” We hope that this pictorial serves as an inspiration to all woman to raise their middle finger to any and all who would try to hold them back.

How is it that I have the distinct honor of talking to you in bed, naked, during this historic photo shoot?

You are the luckiest man in Los Angeles, that’s how. You must be living right. I’ve been going through some things in my professional life that are sad to me, the way they cast aside women after a certain age or over a certain weight in Hollywood. If you’re not between 17 and 28 and don’t weigh between 116 and 125 pounds you’re shit. Even though you know better, that can wear on your psyche if you live here. You begin to feel as if you’re not as good, or you’re worthless…. I haven’t felt that way often, but I can tell you if I lived in Georgia I wouldn’t be thinking about having a tummy tuck. I’d just be a fat bitch in Georgia.

“Every woman, in somebody’s eyes, is a supermodel. But the most important person’s eyes… is their own.”

Why do you think that particular body type is what Hollywood continues to push when it’s not relatable to most people?

Designers want to design for certain types of people and the masses that watch TV and movies want to see a certain type of woman. The standard of what a Hollywood type is was set long ago and that is still what it is. You have to look a certain type of way. Although Hollywood stars used to be glamorous, now we have some raggedy-ass stars so that’s changing. Maybe the body issue shit can change, too. Like it or not we live in an obese society, they super-size everything, we eat way too much and we do way too little, but that doesn’t mean you’re worthless, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t sexy, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have hopes and dreams and want to be desired and have dirty, nasty sex and all that stuff. It just means that people have to open their minds more and see the beauty in people and not get sucked into the whirlwind of the bullshit.

Luenell has always been a woman who owns her sexuality and you once said you’re not into “restrictive garments.” You look amazing in every shot. How did you feel getting all dolled up in lingerie for the camera?

I wore all that stuff when I was younger. I wore the corsets, I dressed up for my man, I did all that. But what I found was the real men don’t care anything about that. It’s cool, if you have a video vixen she should look like one, but if you’re in the real world and you’re a real woman, then it’s more than those outfits that is turning a man on about you. Every woman, in somebody’s eyes, is a supermodel. But the most important person’s eyes they need to be a supermodel in is their own. I’m saying wear whatever you’re wearing with confidence, swag. Lift your head up, step high, and be proud of who you are and have fun. You only get one life.

I love that you say, “I don’t have to suck my stomach in, I just let the shit hang.” What message were you trying to send with this shoot?

My goal, first off, was to have more women look at Penthouse than have ever looked at it before by putting something special in that has never been done before. They have never shot an over-50, heavyset black woman. I want to make history in every area of my life. The way I walked around this shoot I never would have thought I’d be so comfortable walking around naked, but I want to tell women to be free. This is me. I’m great and it’s okay that I don’t look like you and we are all amazing and can all hold our heads up and be desired.

Any cold feet as the date of the shoot drew near?

About two days before I got cold feet because I’d never done a shoot like this and I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know if someone was going to giggle behind my back because I didn’t know what kind of people I was going to be naked in front of… or the judgment and the backlash that may come to the magazine or myself about how I look (or don’t look), or what I should or should not have done. I had cold feet, but they warmed up very quickly when I looked at the greater good of what is hopefully going to come of this shoot. I just said, “Eff it!” People can go fuck themselves if they feel any type of way about what I’m doing, because I’m a badass.

Social media is a wonderful and awful thing. On one hand, it allows information to be shared quickly while bringing people closer, but it also gives voice to some very ugly, closed-minded people. What has your experience been like as Luenell the celebrity?

I’ve had two social media beefs. It was very unnerving. I spent a whole day blocking people because I want to keep my pages upbeat. I think that my mouth, personality, sexuality, and humor distract people from body-shaming me, but every now and then something gets out that is unflattering, so I’m ready for the backlash. “Why would Penthouse put that old, fat, black woman in this magazine?” Because Penthouse is forward-thinking, Penthouse takes risks, Penthouse is smart, and Penthouse has my back because they know for every person that says something negative there are probably 10,000 people cheering me on and wishing they had the balls to get shot naked. I can say that I have had the same experience that supermodels have… I have been shot by Penthouse! This is historic. I would hate to think that we did all this for nothing. I want to make history with this shoot, at least in my mind. Because in my mind, I will always know that I was taken care of and this wasn’t some janky, pervy shoot. It’s already made history for me. And of all the shots we took, I know we’ll use the best ones… and through the miracle of technology, I’ll look even better.

“People can go fuck themselves if they felt any type of way about what I’m doing.”

That’s always an area of contention on the internet — people over-photoshopping their pictures.

I understand why they do it but I think if you’re photoshopping to present an unrealistic image of yourself — when it’s overexaggerated and ridiculous — that’s when we talk shit. If it’s done to camouflage a few human flaws and accentuate the beauty, then it can be okay. Taking blemishes or a mole off somebody is fine. When they photoshop me they won’t be hiding any poundage, it’s going to be hard to do that, although I begged them to do it.

It’s been a crazy, scary six months for America. A person sits in office who has repeatedly gone on record shaming body types that are different from his preference. He has referred to beautiful women as pigs. Is this photo shoot in any way a fuck-you to him?

Absolutely. The only thing that could have made this photo shoot any better was if I was sitting in the lap of a hot guy in a wheelchair because, you know, he shamed a handicapped person as well — or tried to — which I thought was moronic. Black people have always been put down and taunted, but you really, really hit a new low when you do that openly in the media to a handicapped person. Having a sexy man in a wheelchair would have been the only thing to make this shoot a bigger fuck-you to him. My world doesn’t even deal in the world that Donald Trump lives in. My people and my friends do not even think in any kind of way that his white-privileged, dumb-fuck, cracker-ass believes in. How high do you have to build a wall? Who is going to build that motherfucker? Are you crazy? He wants to use prisoners and release student loans and pay $89 an hour… can you imagine the child who hasn’t had a job for six months and he comes home and tells his mom he got a job building the wall? Get the fuck out of here! But I digress… I don’t think Donald is going to know anything about this Penthouse unless we, the public, make such a fuss about it that it makes worldwide news. Then he will probably invite my fat ass to the White House and then I would tell him, “Fuck-you.”

Would you accept the invitation if only to be able to tell him to fuck off right to his face?

No, I would refuse. He can’t be talked to, and what I have to say to him is not going to change him. I’m not going. I have to live in this community. Are you insane? Hell to the no!

We nearly had our first woman president. It’s 2017. Why do you think so many men are still afraid of strong, powerful women?

I don’t even know that they’re afraid. It’s just that they’re so misogynistic, so chauvinistic, so ego-rot, old-school, and old-world that after letting the black man in — although they had no choice — they could not allow for a double-whammy wham-bam. It was not going to be a black man and then a woman because what’s next? A gay person? A Mexican President of the United States of America? They wanted to shut that down. I mean, you have to have more training to work at Wendy’s than he has to work as the Commander in Chief. He does not realize he’s going to have to make State of the Union addresses. His people backing him up are going to be embarrassed. It’s the big “oops” moment. They didn’t want to let that woman in the White House and now, even the people that voted for him are like, “Oh, damn!”

“If you go on about living your life and don’t obsess over what you can’t change, then you can live a happy life.”

I agree. But I have two small children so I try to find hope wherever I can. Is there anything you can spin positive from this moment in time?

It’s really all in the way you live your life and the people you surround yourself with. I don’t obsess by sitting and watching CNN. I tune out the bombardment of bad news that we get and I surround myself with artistic people. I have a child, I have love in my life. I know the Lord loves me and he shines on me for the blessings and opportunities I’m given every day. I live in a bubble that has nothing to do with Washington. A lot of my friends do that. We have other lives that, no matter who was in the White House, it doesn’t affect us on a daily basis. I think if you go on about living your life and don’t obsess over what you can’t change, then you can live a happy life. You can forget about it. Every now and then you tune in, check it out, you bitch, you moan, you talk to your friends, you rant and rave. Then you have to be able to get back to your real life with your friends and family.

I feel as if you are contributing some much-needed good news with this pictorial.

I hope so. That’s the goal. Being that I do stand-up comedy as well, every day of my life, all I want to do is have fun and make people happy. I’m going to die doing that. They’re going to be like,”That bitch partied ’til the end.” I just want to go to bed at night with a smile on my face.

Will you go to bed tonight with a smile on your face?

This experience was groundbreaking, amazing, hilarious, wonderful, and caring. Everyone on set has been very, very kind. I think I bring the humor to the table that makes everyone feel relaxed, and we all felt like family. We’re all here for a common goal to empower women by making history while making people happy. Some people will be mad, but they’re just jealous. But I think most people who see this will be like, “Go on, girl!”

Now that you have the shared experience with the First Lady of posing nude, do you feel “presidented”? I mean presidential?

She did that when she was 22, young, and stupid. I did this when I was not 22… and old… and stupid. Ha ha! She didn’t get shot for Penthouse, though! Anybody can take naked fucking pictures with their hand on their pussy. So I think I went above the First Lady!

I was hoping that with the uncovering of that pictorial, Melania would use it as a chance to send a sex-positive message and maybe even embrace the ever-growing sex worker industry. I’m not trying to shame her.

Oh, I go there. I have a whole stand-up comedy routine where I shame the shit out of her! In the eight years that Michelle Obama was in the White House we never even saw her in a bathing suit, and I done seen this bitch’s pussy, titties, and her in bed with other women. This is your First Lady. I hope you’re happy. I feel sorry for her. She’s obviously verbally abused. She only signed up to be a kept woman. She didn’t want to be the First Lady of the United States! She just wanted some diamonds in her ear and now she has all the bullshit, boring-ass meetings and dinners with hacks that she’s going to have to attend. She just wanted to be a happy little hooker and get herself an old man with some money. I’m surprised Donald makes the beautiful children that he does with that penis of his. It cannot be bigger than a thimble, and he must have very powerful sperm because I know he ain’t fucking the shit of out of nobody! That’s why Ivana left his ass!

Photos: Gregory Holloway … And with that out of the way, we will tell you that this entire shoot spawned as a sort of spin-off from the Penthouse series “Pop Shots” … something about which you will be hearing much more soon, as we understand it. Also, of course, for more of Luenell or to catch her on tour, go to HeyLuenell.com

Trucker Tribulations

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Road Warriors: Keep on Trucking

Canada’s Freedom Convoy made a bold stand for personal liberties when truckers protesting the country’s COVID-19 vaccination rules — and other pandemic-related measures — briefly blocked a half-dozen border crossings between the U.S. and the Great White North.

Simmering tensions boiled over amid the early 2022 introduction of a mandate requiring all truckers who enter Canada from the U.S. be jabbed — or endure a two-week quarantine.

Industry officials said about 90 percent of Canadian commercial drivers were already inoculated. But a very vocal minority bashed the vax rule for infringing on their freedom — and used their big rigs to make an even bigger point.

In late January, thousands of truckers drove from Canada’s west coast to Ottawa, the national capital. And as news spread, citizens fed up with pandemic restrictions — including some who claimed unjust vax mandates had cost them their jobs — also joined the cause.

At one point, an encampment of nearly 4,000 heavy-duty trucks and pickups overwhelmed the city and blocked border crossings between its province of Ontario and the U.S. One trucker named Ivan, who declined to give his last name, said he’d emigrated from Ukraine with his wife years ago and argued, “We came to Canada to be free — not slaves. We lived under Communism, and in Canada, we’re now fighting for our freedom.”

The movement sparked a political firestorm, but it also rattled large swaths of the economy. By mid-February, Chrystia Freeland — Canada’s minister of finance — estimated blockades had cost the country roughly $500 million daily in lost trade.

The protest was a disruptive but relatively nonviolent endeavor that reverberated around the globe and struck a chord with pandemic-weary populations.

In Israel, dozens of cars ferried protestors outside Jerusalem. They carried banners demanding “liberty,” “no more restrictions” and “cancel the mask mandate.”

Meanwhile, in France horn-blaring drivers closed in on Paris as part of a “Convoie de Liberte.”

“We’ve been going around in circles for three years,” griped Frenchman Jean-Marie Azais. “We saw the Canadians and said to ourselves, ‘It’s awesome, what they’re doing.’ In eight days, boom, something was sparked.”

In the U.S., near the Peace Bridge, which connects the Ontario city of Fort Erie with Buffalo, N.Y., protestors flew American flags and wielded banners reading “my body, my choice” and “do not comply.” 

But after three weeks of unrest in Ottawa, heavily armed riot cops — utilizing stun grenades and pepper spray in their efforts to clear the streets — arrested nearly 200 protestors. The remaining stragglers from the 8,000 strong demonstrators who’d amassed in the city were forced to disperse, and parked trucks were towed away.

Law enforcement also reopened the Ambassador Bridge, which connects the province to Detroit, Mich. That busy border crossing had been occupied for six days. Given one estimate determined it carries about $360 million in cargo daily — including $100 million in components to keep Motor City’s automotive industry in gear — that was one expensive blockade.

Still, tensions remained high from coast to coast, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police — the country’s federal lawmen — claimed they’d seized a “heavy stash” of weapons, including guns, ammunition, and a machete, from a fringe group of protestors connected to an Alberta-Montana blockade.

Other sources charged an international network of anti-democracy activists and far-right rabble-rousers — both homegrown and from other countries, including the U.S. — were secretly bolstering the Freedom Convoy movement.

Meanwhile, Canadian authorities had also sought to choke off funding for occupiers and protestors by invoking the Emergencies Act and freezing financial accounts of dozens of individuals connected to the blockade effort.

However, that led critics to double down on their belief that Canada was putting the screws to anyone who holds views running counter to the government’s party line.

But Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed the Emergencies Act wouldn’t be used to call in the military or to curb civil liberties and promised the government will “always defend the rights of Canadians to peaceful assembly and … freedom of expression.”

As protests died down up north, like-minded American truckers launched multiple convoys, and thousands of big rigs, RVs and civilian vehicles drove across the country from points west to the Washington, D.C. area. The drivers were cheered on by supporters — both in person and on social media. The contingent demanded President Joe Biden end the national state of emergency put into place due to COVID, and some of the protestors spoke out against what they’ve called the government’s overreach in relation to the pandemic.

As arguments for and against vax mandates — and the past two years of restrictions — rage on, the Freedom Convoy and their counterparts have highlighted one important truth: Truckers are the lifeblood of the economy — both in the U.S. and abroad.

According to the White House, more than 70 percent of goods in America are shipped by truck, and in most communities, trucks are the sole form of delivery.

Businesses of all sizes depend on the trucking industry, which carries more cargo than trains, ships or planes, and collects annual revenues of $650 billion. So it’s no exaggeration to say that hard-working truckers literally keep the world moving, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude.

Think about it this way: Look around whatever room in which you happen to be sitting, and then understand that every single thing you can see spent some of its life before it got to you on a truck. Moreover trucker protests continue in various ways all the time. If the Pandemic taught us anything it should be that it can be all too easy to discount some of the workers around us that truly make our lives possible. Of course if the Pandemic taught us a second thing it should be that going to the office sucks.

Mark Cuban

Posted on by Team Penthouse

“Mark”ed for Success

Innovative investor Mark Cuban is taking aim at the high-cost prescription drug market with his latest business venture. It’s not the first time Cuban has used his billionaire superpowers for good. But the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company is his most groundbreaking philanthropic endeavor to date as it’s cutting the cost of some of the most common — and most costly — prescriptions to a mere fraction of the typical retail price.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 20 years, you’ve likely heard of Cuban. The billionaire entrepreneur made headlines by buying a majority stake in the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks in 2000, and since 2011, he’s been one of the star investors on ABC’s Shark Tank. Now, with CostPlusDrugs.com, Cuban is angling to disrupt the pharmaceutical industry and revolutionize the way Americans get essential medications.

It’s no exaggeration to say Cuban’s efforts with Cost Plus make him the antithesis of notorious Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli, who was CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals when it obtained the manufacturing license for the antiparasitic drug Daraprim — and jacked up the price by 5,000 percent!

By contrast, Cuban is cutting costs for consumers, while still turning a profit for his business.

Not unsurprisingly, Shkreli helped inspire Cuban’s latest venture. After Turing’s price hike, Dr. Alex Oshmyansky — now the CEO of Cost Plus — emailed Cuban and asked: “Look, if this guy can jack up the prices 750 percent for lifesaving medicines, can we go the opposite direction? Can we cut the pricing? Are there inefficiencies in this industry that really allow us to do it and really make a difference?”

Cuban clearly felt he could make a difference, and within months of connecting with Oshmyansky, the two partnered to bring the idea to life. And while Cuban could have easily gone with a plan that would maximize profits, he went in another direction.

“I could make a fortune from this,” Cuban, 63, told Texas Monthly magazine. “But I won’t. I’ve got enough money. I’d rather fuck up the drug industry in every way possible.”

And fuck it up he will, as Cost Plus has the potential to serve millions.

A September 2021 Gallup poll found 18 million Americans — or 7 percent of the U.S. population — regularly go without needed medications because of costs. Meanwhile, a 2019 study by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee found Americans spent more on medication, per capita, than the 11 other countries studied. And not only are Americans paying more, but in some cases, they’re paying as much as four times more than their counterparts in European nations.

Hell, it’s probably cheaper and easier for most Americans to get their hands on illicit street drugs than lifesaving pharmaceuticals. This leaves people in need with limited options to obtain necessary medications at a price they can afford. And too many forgo filling their prescriptions entirely.

America’s one percent, however, have no such problems. Not only are the nation’s rich and fabulous able to procure the medications they need, but they can afford so-called lifestyle treatments, too — such as pills that treat erectile dysfunction or hair loss.

Fortunately, at least one member of the one percent — Cuban — is looking beyond his own needs to start working on a real solution to at least one part of the seemingly never-ending health care crisis in America. As Cuban told Axios in January, “Not everyone sets the goal of being the lowest cost producer and provider. My goal is to make a profit while maximizing impact.”

With Cost Plus, some of the most commonly prescribed medications are available at a fraction of the retail price. To achieve such low prices for customers, Cost Plus marks up medications a mere 15 percent over the production cost, and then charges an additional $3 per order for pharmacy labor and $5 for shipping.

For each drug available through Cost Plus, shoppers see all the associated expenses itemized online. Consider atorvastatin, the generic version of Lipitor, which lowers cholesterol and triglycerides. It’s the No. 1 prescribed drug in the U.S., with 7.5 percent of the population being prescribed the medication in 2019. The average retail price is $55.60 for a 30-day supply of 10mg tablets. At Cost Plus, however, it’s a mere $3.60, and that price includes a $0.30 manufacturing cost, a $0.30 markup, and $3 in pharmacy labor. An additional $5 is charged for shipping on each order — whether it contains one or 100 prescriptions.

Cuban doesn’t plan to stop at just providing the drugs, either. While Cost Plus currently contracts out the manufacture of the medications they provide, the company is in the process of building their own compounding facility in Dallas, Texas, to make drugs themselves. That has the potential to bring significantly more medications to the public at huge markdowns.

For now, however, the company and Cuban are happy to bring the most common medications to Americans — without them having to mortgage their homes or file for bankruptcy.

Still, the billionaire could easily make more in profits by raising drug prices even a few percent above the current asking price on Cost Plus. Even doubling its existing prices would put them well below retail and make them cheaper than available discounts at other pharmacies. Those prices would still appeal to customers and raise eyebrows when compared to other sellers. And, in America at least, no one would bat an eye at a billionaire looking to make even more money off the hoi polloi — no matter how rich they already are. After all, even Shkreli has had his defenders.

But Cuban isn’t your typical businessman. He famously said, “It is so much easier to be nice, to be respectful, to put yourself in your customers’ shoes and try to understand how you might help them before they ask for help, than it is to try to mend a broken customer relationship.” And that’s what he’s doing with Cost Plus. He’s put himself in the shoes of the millions of Americans who lack access to safe, affordable drugs and made it as easy as possible for them to obtain the medications they need — without having to hunt for coupons, beg for samples from doctors or scour the internet for sketchy alternatives.

Cuban has also seen how Americans prefer to shop — online and from the comfort of their homes — and what they’re willing to pay — the cheaper the shipping costs, the better — and designed Cost Plus to meet their needs with all the possible desired convenience.

Anyone who’s followed Cuban’s career, though, should have seen this coming. He’s the man who said, “I’m not a fan of giving to charities. I have a few I support, but the overhead and inefficiencies really bother me. Instead, I pay people’s bills and help solve problems.”

So, Cuban starting a business that aims to solve one of the biggest problems facing Americans was inevitable, and he may just have the cure we’ve been waiting for.

Naturally we felt obligated to include the website link for Mark. That said, we have no comment one way or the other about anything else having to do with the service. … As a general principle, it sure seems like somebody should do something about prescription drug costs. We sure can’t wait on our elected officials to get off their butts and reach even a compromise. We should outlaw lobbying. … Yeah, THAT will happen.

New Heights … In Stuff

Posted on by Team Penthouse

Old Heights Reach New Heights

New Heights for Feet (seriously)

In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, when ska and skinhead culture were wrestling with the aftermath of punk and the dawn of New Romantics, pretty much anything was game in the U.K. fashion landscape, especially in and around London.

It was around these times when we first started to see men stepping out in shoes with thicker soles. Hey, if the girls can do it, why not the boys, right? Dr. Martens [“Doc” to his friends -Ed.] and T.U.K were early innovators of these styles, which would go on to be popular for those with gothic, New Age traveler, or raving dispositions.

This basically comprised everyone at one time or another in the ‘90s!

As trends do, the design has come around again. The boots and suede shoes that Dr. M and T.U.K created are now back in major stores. Alongside them you can find a whole other world of new and delightful platform shoes as well – obviously providing music to the ears of those looking for a vertical boost!

Converse and SWEAR are even creating chunky sneakers for both men and women, and you can even get your feet on platform thong sandals! The fact that this many brands have started to jump on board with this type of design demonstrates a decided rise in popularity. They make money while we reach new heights.

Of course, one could view such shoes as a statement of intent and confidence instead of just style, boldly showing off who you are with what you wear. Not looking for acceptance, just rocking what you wanna rock. 

We get the point here, and honestly we like the “slides” (as they call them) a lot. It might be interesting to see how that name for a Brand translates on some parts of LA, but the beach will definitely be more fun soon. That said, what happens if you “wanna rock” what happens to be popular. If we get acceptance as a side benefit, can we still enjoy it? … Uniqueness can be very confusing.

New Heights for Track Suits (that will likely never see a track)

Wearing a tracksuit outside of any sporting activity is bold. In fact, many think wearing a tracksuit anywhere outside your four walls pretty much constitutes insanity. Rest assured, friends with that mindset won’t be afraid to confirm this opinion for you in an instant.

Basically, it takes a certain type of person to pull off a matching top and bottoms, but London designer Grace Wales Bonner has come up with a good reason to separate the bold from the ordinary.

Staying in line with her ‘70s-for-the-new-generation vibe, Wales Bonner has created the Power Track suit, a unisex ensemble that’s almost psychedelic in its appearance, thanks to its diamond and check pattern. The jacket features a tight-ribbed collar, hem and cuffs that are just on the right side of retro, with signature crocheted stripes along the sleeves.

This tracksuit appears straight out of London or New York—cities where you can dare to be different. Like a lot of Wales Bonner’s creations, it evokes a contrast. The new heights silhouette takes you back to the ‘70s and ‘80s when the likes of John McEnroe and Björn Borg were playing at Wimbledon, while the best way to describe the patter would be – appropriately – totally groovy.

Made from 100 percent organic cotton, it comes in red and navy variations and will set you back upwards of $900. On the upside, you’ll be sporting a bold, brave ensemble that will garner the complete attention of everyone who sees you wearing it.

Some will love that, others won’t! Either way, label it absolutely awesome.

Full disclosure, the only people we have ever seen wearing track suits out in public are musicians and other creative types down in Hollywood and mob bosses on television. Still, this one does have a certain je ne sais quoi – which would be French for, “I look fabulous.” (That translation may be a little rough, another full disclosure.)

New Heights in Old Material — Literally

STAN rules as the antithesis of fast fashion, championing zero waste with full upcycle and recycling. It comes as no surprise that a pure love for the planet steeps the heritage of this label. Launched by surfer and model Tristan Detwiler, STAN emerged as a Southern California brand based on sustainability, surf culture, and storytelling.

Fun fact: STAN utilizes textiles dating as far back as 140 years ago.

In doing this, these new heights mavericks strive to unveil their narratives of travel, ownership, wear, mending and love. You will find some fabrics tattered and passed down over generations, watching them become one-a-kind items that allow new people to add their unique stories. Each piece bears the mark of the past, while forging ahead into the future.

The company explains their aim is to breathe life into each textile and honor its provenance, while maintaining a sustainable and wasteless business model.

“This season’s collection was inspired by my late grandfather Robert Stanley Detwiler,” says Tristan.

“Grandpa Bob embodied the iconic gentleman, in my eyes. A salesman for Kodak in the ‘50s, he wore a suit every day and always dressed with a sense of understated flair. I picture him with a warm smile, tipping his hat at passersby. He was a simple man with great honesty and integrity, a man of pure kindness and charm.”

STAN’s latest collection incorporates iconic details and silhouettes from the first half of the 20th century and takes inspiration from men who were refined and sophisticated, yet also rugged and adventurous. 

You may have never heard the term “upcycle” before, but you will understand the concept perfectly if you visit the STAN site. Honestly, we rarely heap praise as effusively as you could have heard in the room as we perused some of the outstanding reinventions of fabric use. All of the items in today’s update rise to the level of “we like this” – or it would not have made it into today’s update, obviously – but we adore cleverness. Combine that with great for the planet creativity an outstanding fashion sense, and, well, we’d add an applause track here if we thought we could get away with it.

New Heights in Transpo | The “HX50” by Hill Helicopter

New Heights with the HX50Some of us have certain ways of defining our wealth, a way to show others exactly what we’re about—a couple of flashy cars, a Harley, an apartment with a bay view. We’re all a little different, yet we all like to show off.

But there is one way to outdo everyone. A way to win that little game of who’s earning more than whom. Something that has infinite fun written all over it.

The HX50, as makers reaching these new heights, Hill Helicopters, quite confidently brag, represents the “helicopter you have always wanted.”

First of all, that makes a pretty solid statement about their clientele, as many of us haven’t ever considered owning a helicopter at all! But when you take a look at this bad boy, the thought won’t stay foreign for long!

These days the vast majority of helicopter sales are made to private owners, who don’t ferry people around all day. But most helicopters are still made and designed with the commercial sector in mind. Recognizing this gap in the market and a genuine need for innovation, Hill Helicopters developed the HX50, which comes with a price tag of around $665,000.

Buying this type of helicopter is an experience for the buyer from start to finish. First of all, customers are invited to spend two weeks helping put the aircraft together, to help them understand how it is built, and therefore how to maintain it for longevity going forward.

It’s made with the company’s own GT50 two-spool turboshaft engine, which is completely optimized for high efficiency and low fuel consumption. It can easily maintain 400 horsepower and can bang out bursts as high as 500hp should a situation need it. As you would expect, the cabin—with a full glass instrument panel and panoramic windows and skylights—is pretty stunning and also seats five. Because let’s face it, you’ll have plenty of friends with one of these!

OK. So if you buy a helicopter you can certainly reach the “New Heights” theme of the day; we get that. Presuming you can park it somewhere, you can probably beat the heck out of your commute too. That said, if you can drop nearly ¾ of a million dollars on an admittedly very cool whim, you probably have people driving you anyway. The best part, though, has to be the whole “seats five” thing. That way you can sit in back and show your squeeze-of-the-evening the sights while somebody who actually knows how to fly a helicopter sits up there with all the dials and gauges. You think they can get Netflix on that tablet?

HX50 Helicopter Cockpit