Penthouse (magazine)

==Publication history==
[[File:PENTHOUSE1stIssueSept1969.jpg|thumb|right|The first U.S. issue of ''Penthouse'', September 1969]]
''Penthouse'' magazine began publication in the UK and the US in March 1965.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Di|last1=Hand|first2=Steve|last2=Middleditch|title=Design for Media: A Handbook for Students and Professionals in Journalism, PR, and Advertising|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UrAABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA8|access-date=2 August 2015|date=10 July 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-86402-8|page=8}}</ref> From September 1969, in an attempt to compete with [[Hugh Hefner]]'s ''[[Playboy]]'', an "American Edition" was also published. Guccione offered editorial content that was more sensational than that of ''Playboy'', and the magazine's writing was far more investigative than Hefner's upscale emphasis, with stories about government cover-ups and scandals.

Writers such as [[Seymour Hersh]], [[James Dale Davidson]], and [[Ernest Volkman]] exposed numerous scandals and corruption at the highest levels of the United States Government.{{fact|date=October 2023}} Contributors to the magazine included [[Isaac Asimov]], [[James Baldwin]], [[Howard Blum]], [[Victor Bockris]], [[T. C. Boyle]], [[Alexander Cockburn]], [[Harry Crews]], [[Cameron Crowe]], [[Don DeLillo]], [[Alan Dershowitz]], [[Edward Jay Epstein]], [[Chet Flippo]], [[Albert Goldman]], [[Anthony Haden-Guest]], [[John Hawkes (novelist)|John Hawkes]], [[Nat Hentoff]], [[Warren Hinckle]], [[Abbie Hoffman]], [[Nicholas von Hoffman]], [[Michael Korda]], [[Paul Krassner]], [[Michael Ledeen]], [[Anthony Lewis]], [[Joyce Carol Oates]], [[James Purdy]], [[Philip Roth]], [[Harrison Salisbury|Harrison E. Salisbury]], [[Gail Sheehy]], [[Robert Sherrill]], [[Mickey Spillane]], [[Ben Stein]], [[Harry Stein (author)|Harry Stein]], [[Tad Szulc]], [[Studs Terkel]], [[Nick Tosches]], [[Gore Vidal]], [[Irving Wallace]], and [[Ruth Westheimer]] (Dr. Ruth).{{fact|date=October 2023}}

The magazine was founded on humble beginnings. Due to Guccione's lack of resources, he personally photographed most of the models for the magazine's early issues.<ref name = Observer>Anthony Haden-Guest [https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2004/feb/01/features.magazine87 "Boom and Bust"], ''The Observer'', February 1, 2004</ref> Without professional training, Guccione applied his knowledge of painting to his [[photography]], establishing the diffused, [[soft focus]] look that would become one of the trademarks of the magazine's pictorials. Guccione would sometimes take several days to complete a shoot.

As the magazine grew more successful, Guccione openly embraced a life of luxury; his former mansion is said to be the largest private residence in [[Manhattan]] at {{convert|22000|sqft|m2}}. However, in contrast to [[Hugh Hefner]], who threw wild parties at his [[Playboy Mansion]]s, life at Guccione's mansion was remarkably sedate, even during the hedonistic 1970s.<ref name=Observer/> He reportedly once had his bodyguards eject a local radio personality who had been hired as a [[disc jockey|DJ]] and jumped into the swimming pool naked.<ref name="Rolling Stone">[https://web.archive.org/web/20101023115431/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/17389/224042 "The Twilight of Bob Guccione"] from ''[[Rolling Stone]]''</ref>

The magazine's pictorials offered more sexually explicit content than what was commonly seen in most openly sold [[List of men's magazines|men's magazines]] of the era. It was the first to show female [[pubic hair]], followed by full-frontal nudity, and eventually, the exposed [[vulva]] and [[anus]].<ref name="Observer" />{{failed verification|date=May 2022}} ''Penthouse'' has also featured a number of authorized and unauthorized photos of celebrities, such as [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] and [[Vanessa Williams]]. In both cases, the photos were taken earlier in their careers and sold to ''Penthouse'' only after Madonna and Williams became famous.

However, in the late 1990s, poor business decisions were made,{{which?|date=December 2022}} and publishing control gradually slipped away from Guccione. In a desperate attempt to boost sales, the magazine began to showcase more "fetish" content, including subjects such as urination, bondage, and "[[facial (sex act)|facial]]s."<ref name="Observer" />{{failed verification|date=May 2022}} This marked the beginning of the magazine's downward spiral. Gone were the days of artistic and unique, soft-focus lens erotic photography, along with the investigative journalism that had brought the magazine success and respect. As a result, prominent companies no longer wanted their products featured in ''Penthouse'' and quickly had their advertising removed.

On January 15, 2016, a press release emanating from then-owner [[Friend Finder Networks]] announced that ''Penthouse'' would end its print operations and move to all digital. However, managing director [[Kelly Holland]] quickly disavowed the decision and pledged to keep the print version of the magazine alive.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/01/20/penthouse-plans-retain-magazine-launch-overhauled-site/79056612/ | title =Penthouse plans to retain magazine, launch overhauled site | last =Yu | first =Roger | date =January 20, 2016 | website =USA Today | publisher =Gannett Company | access-date =March 11, 2016}}</ref>