“Getting asked to shoot for Penthouse is a big deal.”
Tahlia Paris Wins the Surprise
In the decades since the magazine first hit newsstands, hundreds of the world’s most beautiful women have appeared on its pages. Sasha Grey was a Pet. So were Angela White, Nikki Benz, Lana Rhoades, Tera Patrick, and Jenna Jameson. Each year, thousands of Penthouse hopefuls submit in the quest to earn a spot on the magazine’s cover. Becoming a Pet doesn’t just come with a lifetime of bragging rights, it serves as an invitation to the Penthouse family — and for one lucky Pet, an opportunity to leave their mark on the Penthouse legacy by bringing home the coveted title of “Pet of the Year.”
As each calendar year concludes, Penthouse invites fans to weigh in on their favorite new addition to the Pet family over that time. Their votes — alongside the input of “POY Team Leads” and magazine execs, determine who walks home with the special platinum Penthouse POY necklace.
Waiting seems like the hardest part when you’re spending your days hoping to hear from the Pet selection Team, but it is especially hard (again) for Pets in the running for that “of the Year” title. So as staffers and Pets converged in Las Vegas for this year’s Adult Entertainment Expo weekend, company execs remained tight-lipped. Keeping the POY announcement hush-hush tends to be tough — especially when you consider that those most eager for a hint are often Penthouse Pets themselves. (We’re a hard group to say “no” to.)
It was a chilly January night as the Pets arrived at Las Vegas hot spot Drai’s. Tonight’s event, hosted by Penthouse, would include appearances from hip-hop artist T.I., and a DJ set by February 2022 Pet Tahlia Paris.
“It’s gonna be a little bit different than what I’m used to, but I’m super excited to get into a new genre of music” said Paris as the tequila began to flow in the club’s VIP area.
It would be her first ever hip-hop set and Paris brought a few close friends eager to cheer her on. Among them, Tahlia’s mom, a woman whom Tahlia describes as her “best friend” and “number one fan.”
It has been only two years since Paris moved to Vegas — and it appears Lady Luck has been on her side ever since. In February 2022, Paris was named Pet of the Month — the beginning of a whirlwind year for the young model, with appearances and DJ sets at Penthouse Clubs across the country.
“It was actually my first time being in Tampa and New Orleans,” says Paris of her travels, “and my shoot day itself was amazing — it was such a great day. I met so many great people because of it.”
Still a California girl at heart, Tahlia recalls the great lengths the Penthouse team took to capture what she’s all about. “We literally shot on the beach,” she recalls of the shoot. “I feel like it really fit my vibe and who I am.”
At 1:30 am, the Pets were asked to assemble for one final group photo op before Tahlia takes the stage. The VIP section pulsed with a flurry of flash photography, followed by the sudden illumination of LED light. The thumping bass paused while the screens lining the club walls suddenly shone with the strength of the sun, flashing from all directions; unable to contain their secret any longer: “Congratulations Penthouse Pet of the Year Tahlia Paris!”
Tahlia Paris had just become Penthouse royalty. The VIP area erupted as Paris screamed with excitement, images from her February cover shoot flooding the screens around her. Soon, Paris would be presented with her new diamond key necklace, a signature moment in the coronation of each new POY.
“It’s kind of like my little crown.” says Paris, beaming with delight.
As November ‘22 Pet Veronica Perasso fastened the glittering pendant around Tahlia’s neck, Tahlia’s mom looked on, phone in hand, documenting her daughter’s big moment. It was a feast of sparklers, hugs, champagne, and flash photography.
After only moments to celebrate, Paris slipped away to prepare for her set. Soon she took the stage, sending her Pet sisters into a frenzy. As the night drew to a close, Paris reunited with the ecstatic group, before returning home to celebrate with family, friends, and pizza. The next day, Paris would fly to Turks & Caicos — a trip previously planned to celebrate a girlfriend’s 30th birthday. As luck would have it, Paris would have plenty to celebrate herself.
“I’ve never really had a special moment like that before. I just felt very loved.” says Paris of the surprise announcement. “I’m very thankful to Penthouse for doing all that for me. I loved how all the girls were there to celebrate with me. It’s really kind of like a sisterhood — a second family.”
Should you wish to dig a little deeper into the Pet of the Year determination machinations which led to the Tahlia Paris success this year, Renee helpfully provided a link to the system in her article. Those scholarly types are used to footnotes, you know. … Should you wish to VOTE NOW — as of today, actually — on which 2023 model will wear the 2024 Diamond Key, we encourage you to do that. You can vote every three days from now until June 15th, so feel free to vote for a bunch of different people and really screw up the algorithm. Those Executives always think they have everything figured out. It’s fun to mess with them. As for one of those Executives, we leave you with a final image.
