Monday, June 29, 2009

#1 - Karen McDougal


It's definitely been a while since I last left my long-running countdown of the Greatest Playmates of All-Time. It's been a thorough and comprehensive list, and although fans may have been waiting for their favorite gal to pop up without any result, there's been speculation about who the number one model would be. She's been identified with lots of accuracy, and for good reasons. The leading lady is a girl who I think is the most complete Playmate, and model, ever to appear in Playboy, on any level. She transcends the norms and raises the bar when it comes to true beauty in the world of nude modeling.

I refer to the late 90's and early 2000's as my "Golden Era" of Playboy. With such consistency in the quality of models, it's no wonder I refer to it in these words. The girls of these years were some of the all-time greats, as is reflected by my countdown, and it all was kicked off at the end of 1997...

'97 was a turning point for Playmates. There were many milestones before the year, but there was something special about this one. The year took the shape of a typical 90's era collection of Playmates - and had its fair share of great Playmates, such as Lynn Thomas, Kalin Olson, Nikki Schieler, and Inga Drozdova. However, this was all just a precursor for December, which brought about a turning point in the way Playmates were perceived and photographed.

I'm talking, of course, about Karen McDougal, Miss December 1997 and Playmate of the Year 1998. She easily won the title after a rather weak class of Playmates, but would have dominated in any other year, easily. She set a new standard for the way Playmates were shot: with a classy but strong presence, with a new standard of curviness and strength, and a sense of bodily conditioning and posing talent that could put any other girl light-years behind. Karen could easily exist in any Playmate era and overshadow the competition, no matter who it could be. That is why she is my #1 - there is no question that she is head and shoulders above anyone in terms of sheer quality. Karen was unlike any other, and it would take pages upon pages to truly describe just how special a Playmate she was.

Karen emerged from blue collar Gary, Indiana, a midwestern schoolteacher who was a smash-hit beauty from the very beginning. With rounded, modest measurements: a 34-24-34 frame and a busty 125 lbs, the numbers on her sheet don't do her justice. Karen's exotic traits come from her Native American heritage and Irish mixed background, and show in each and every photo. Her unique looks are understated to just the right level, and never take over her shots and become the focal point over her pointed, highly effective posing style. Her grace is impeccable, and she doesn't have a single shot that falls short of expectations. Truly a momentous Playmate.

It's hard to peruse Karen's material without going over her centerfold first. Possibly one of the great centerfold photos of all-time, Karen's is an iconic pose that doesn't go all-out with a frontal assault on the senses, but instead holds back just the right amount, showing off Karen's beautifully built backside. Her feminine shoulders shimmer in the soft lighting, and the wintry setting makes for a very memorable sight. With a pretty red ribbon to tie back those lustrous locks, you've got a centerfold that is extremely well-shot, and accomplishes exactly what all centerfolds should do: be something that can stand as a work by itself, aside from pictorial material, taking on a life of its own.

One always has to begin describing Karen with her most eye-catching feature: her body. It was not just another hot and stacked figure that set Karen apart from all the others, but it was the way it became an icon for the Playmate world. Karen's figure is a temple, a shrine to feminine perfection. Not only was it soft and accented in its curviness, which set the bar for voluptuous and sinewy models of the era, but it was also as hard as a rock. She is known for her athletic, muscular build, and it showed in her pictorials, with every single pose being complemented by her tight form and exquisite posture.

Karen's figure was also one of incredible feminine balance: while she had a rough and tough exterior that allowed her to strike contorting, innovative poses, she also had a glowing softness to her skin and face that truly made her cute and endearing.

I always say that the most important asset of a Playboy model is her material, as well as her posing talent. Karen was the consummate professional in this category, providing stunning montages and incredible sights to behold. She had an almost poetic flow to her pictorials, always changing her gaze and shifting through with ease of motion. In the snowy hills, she shot an iconic set, ingrained in the memory of many a fan. Throughout her pictorials, she also boasted incredible production value by her editors, something which has not ever been matched in a model's pictorial. The quality is unbelievable, with thematic layering and a textural feel to each and every one of her pictures.

Her pictorials are almost of a storytelling nature, and the Christmas-tinged wintry themes are spot-on. The sets and lighting cater to Karen's unique skin hue, and her playfulness is never forgotten, and always highlighted when the time is right. The outtakes never even seem as such, often creating a sense of sexual innocence that draws the audience even closer to its alluring nature. All-in-all, Karen was never overbearing in her posing, always taking her time and having a level of patience that I had never seen elsewhere. She always knew how to time her photographs perfectly, never seeming like she was trying too hard to get that perfect pose. She is an example that all Playmates and Cyber Girls alike could learn quite a bit from.

Karen McDougal's ultimate impact on the Playboy world cannot be easily described. To a new generation, she was an icon and a trendsetter. To a legion of dedicated readers, she was a breath of fresh air and an usher for a new era of revival and greatness. Indeed, "revival" is the best word to describe Karen's influence. She created a new image of the Playmate as a strong, intimate woman who was fearless and always in control of the way she would come off.

Karen greatly influenced the way in which Playmates' range of skills were evaluated. In other words, girls were put into "niche" posing styles and categories that would limit their abilities and close them in, but Karen always found new ways to expand and grow her talents. Even when she was selected as Playmate of the Year 1998, Karen found incredible ways to "wow" the crowds, with shots like this unforgettable mountain vista. Her PMOY pictorial, in fact, contains some absolutely breathtaking photos that define professionalism in nude photography, like this silhouette and this follow-up, which truly highlight just how perfect Karen's body was.

Karen was not only a prolific Playmate, but she truly had a sense of quality, and what made a great pose and what did not. She was consistent, had a wholesome presence, and natural photogenicity that is incredibly rare. She stood head-and-shoulders above all others in Playboy's history, and should be remembered as such. In crowd circles, it can be widely debated as to who is the greatest Playmate ever, since there have been hundreds who can qualify and compete. However, a Playmate is something more than just a naked girl. There are three billion women on this planet, and many millions of gorgeous ones. However, it takes a certain intangible to truly be a fantastic nude, and Karen McDougal proved that she absolutely had the greatest body and set of talents in Playboy's history.

69 comments:

Anonymous said...

What took you so F****** long? While McDougal is truly exceptional and out-of-this-world, I would not call the class of 1997 to be a weak crop of Playmates. At least Kelly Monaco, Carrie Stevens and Kalin Olson are all worthy contenders. I do agree with you on the notion of her body being "hard as rock", I might put it further as "hard as steel". I have not seen before a Playmate that has a body this hard yet so feminine and combined with such an angelic face. It is the combination that is as close to perfection as possible. She has quickly assumed my #1 spot since her first appearance.

The only true worthy successor to this rock hard body legend is Crista Nicole, but she didn't win the PMOY title in her year. I think Hope Dworaczyk may also be a worthy success to this legend. I hope she gets the 2010 PMOY title.

I am not surprised that McDougal got into fitness modeling since Playboy and has crafted quite a career as a fitness model. If only she will pose for Playboy again, her recent pictures clearly shows that she is just as hot (if not even hotter) as 10+ years ago.

McDougal is also the only Playboy Playmate with a "Good Article" on Wikipedia. It seems she has been keeping busy since her appearances in Playboy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_McDougal

Fujisaki said...

I think it is Karen's PMOY pictorial that cemented her place in Playboy history. I would say her PMOM pictorial is scored 8.5 on a 10 point scale, whereas her PMOY pictorial is a whopping 11 or 12 out of 10. It is interesting that her PMOY pictorial actually complimented her PMOM pictorial very nicely - Summer vs Winter, very hot vs very cold, sand vs snow, wet vs dry and Karen just completely melts you in the nude under any circumstances. Playboy never really come close in achieving this level of success with any PMOY pictorials since. Sometimes I wonder whether she would still be this popular had someone else got the PMOY title instead? She might end up like Barbara Moore? Suzi Simpson? Tiffany Sloan? As a good but not great Playmate?

Geniesoft said...

What's with the B&W pic? She is not dead yet!!! LOL! She is quite nice, but the fake tits is put off for me. I didn't hear you mention anything about her trademark butt? I must say all time #1 is a bit too much, but I can buy all time #1 butt instead!!!

LurkerDon said...

She is fantastic. I like her a lot. Definitely the complete package here. A perfect 10! But what about the likes of Barbara Moore or Kona Carmack? I think they are worthy to be part of your list as well...

Luke said...

You're my hero for posting this.

thank you

Anonymous said...

Stunning, breathtaking, exquisite, exceptional, phenominal...I think that sums it up...

Naturalfan said...

Yawn. Not surprised at all given your track record. I maybe able to accept Karen as No. 1 of the 90s, but no way as No. 1 of all time. She has her appeal but rather overrated. For me she is too toned and muscular, and her breast augmentation was a bit much for me as well. In all, a bit too "processed" to be a real "girl next door". She is more like the "fitness buff next door" instead. There are other Playmates that actually resemble the genuine "girl next door" like Lauren Michelle Hill, Kona Carmack, Sara Jean Underwood or Holley Dorrough.

Pinkyville said...

Not bad. Karen is in my top 5 but I wouldn't put her as #1. She is very hot but there is someone even hotter. My #1 is gotta be Barbara Moore, her PMOM pictorial was one helluva supercharged pictorial that just blows Karen's PMOM pictorial out of the water for good. I must admit Karen's PMOY pictorial is second to none. Unfortunately, Barbara didn't win PMOY (huge mistake, Hef) and is sorely missing from your list.

Anonymous said...

Good choice but definitely worth the wait! Karen is definitely in a league all by herself. I have not seen another Playmate that even come close to her caliber. She is spectacular!

Luke said...

Pinkyville, Im glad Anna Nicole was crowned PMOY in 1993, not only did she deserve but she is my #1 playmate of all time. Barbara Moore went psycho when she found out Anna Nicole got it. At first she thought they were just playing a huge joke on her when she found out Anna got it. I think it is even rumored that she never returned to the mansion until after Anna Nicoles death, at Saras PMOY luncheon. That year Ashley Allen and Tiffan Sloan and Suzi Simpson were loads better than Barbara, so I never understood why everyone was all over her.

Anonymous said...

sorry, no way. In '97 alone, I'd rank Monaco (who didn't make your top 25??), Carrie Stevens and even Kimber West above her. McDougal is fine, and definitely above average, but naming her the #1 Playmate of all time is like someone naming Pearl Jam the greatest rock & roll band of all time. But IMO of course. to each his own...

Anonymous said...

This is a total outrage! Lisa Matthews is the greatest Playmate of all time and she is not even in your top 25?! Her PMOY and PMOM pictorials are light years better, hotter, sexier than Karen's. She is so unbelievably effortless in her pictorials! What a fantastic combo of tight (natural) body and face! Karen cannot even come close to Lisa in terms of sex appeal and oozing sexuality! You need your eyes examined dude! Lisa has been robbed! Big time!

Anonymous said...

Oh right, what happened to Lisa Matthews? I agree it is a major oversight to not include her as #1 but to not even include her in the top 25? Now that's criminal! She should be in the top 3 at least! I would ditch Vanessa Gleason and put Lisa at the top and put Karen as #2 and Shannon as #3.

PhoneHome said...

Too buffed for my taste. Certainly above average and great looker, but there are so many other girls within these comments alone that can take her down a few notches easily.

PhoneHome said...

Fujisaki, you should check out Lisa Matthews' PMOY pictorial for sure. Her beach set in that pictorial alone is unparalleled and overall a far superior effort to Karen's. A stunning 14 or 15 out of 10 easily.

Anonymous said...

Fellas, it's hard enough to come up with top 25 Playmates, let alone the top #1. I think Karen is a very worthy #1 (mine, too) and I want to thank this guy for at least trying to come up with a list and finally finishing it. While it may be flawed, I respect most if not all of your choices (Bernaola Twins?) in slightly different order. You must have spent a tremendous amount of time and effort. Bravo!

The Fallen said...

Karen has an enormous fan following and she clearly deserves to be Numero Uno. A lot of people like her a lot and her appeal is unquestionable. A rare combo of beauty, physique and strength that worked so well in her favor. There is no question that she is a superior choice.

Anonymous said...

There are alot of pretty ladies in Playboy. I do have to agree that Karen is BY FAR..head and shoulders above any other PM...even to date!! Damn, she looks even better now than ever. I have had the chance to meet many of the Playmates..and they cert don't look like their pictures..it's like false advertising. Karen does...in fact, she looks even better in person than her pics...and she actually had a great personality to go along with her "perfection". She was FLAWLESS when I saw her (and based on her current pics, still flawless)..who can say that at her age??? There isn't another that even comes close to her!! Period!!

Anonymous said...

Easy everyone!!! We love looking at all the Playmates (and we have our favorites), so let's be nice to them all..dont cut the girls down because 'we' disagree or have formed our own opinions!!! God Bless Playboy!!!

Unknown said...

Karen is one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL Lady Ever to walk this Green Earth of our ! She is the complete packaage- great figure; smart; down to earth nice person; a perfect lady all the time !!!

PlayboyCritic said...

I'm so glad to see all of the opinions and comments for this post! I knew that lots of folks followed the blog because of my countdown, but many of you have definitely been awaiting my #1, and I'm glad you did, whether you agreed with it or not.

I'm planning on doing a recap of my top 25, as well as an "Honorable Mentions" post for all those ladies you thought were left out.

Also, keep on the lookout for a countdown of sorts for our lovely Cyber Girls, too. There have certainly been plenty of top candidates there, as well.

As always, I thank all of my readers very much! Keep on voicing those opinions!

The Fallen said...

Suzi Simpson was my #1 for many years until Karen came along. Since her arrival, Karen has succeeded in permanently taking over the #1 spot with little competition. I find her to be a well rounded (pun intended, ha ha) Playmate and a truly one of a kind model in Playboy history. Others may have other favorites and I can see why, but there is something very special about Karen that Playboy has captured for the ages. No. 1 bar none!

LurkerDon said...

Glad to hear that there will be a new "Honorable Mentions" category. Can you include the following Playmates?

Lisa Matthews
Suzi Simpson
Barbara Moore
Kona Carmack
Lynne Austin
Lauren Michelle Hill

I'm sure others have their pick as well.

Anonymous said...

i have to second a number of others that the Critic's biggest oversight was Lisa Matthews. It's unbelievable that the likes of Raquel Gibson or Gillian Bonner were ranked over her...

Anonymous said...

i suppose the biggest complaint I have about your generally quite good list is the absence of pretty much any PM earlier than 1992 or so. if this had been called "the greatest playmates of the modern era" or something, it would make more sense.

I just really can't imagine you couldn't find one girl from the '60s and '70s to make the list. I can name two dozen off the top of my head, easily. is it just that you don't find PMs with dated haircuts, looks, etc. attractive?

Luke said...

Lisa Matthews did have a very beautiful and, as was mentioned before, "effortless picttorials" but to crown her over karen is a bit ridiculous. I think "Playboy Critic" also took into consideration personality and charm etc. and picked the most well rounded woman for #1. Karen defintely makes sense to be #1. She is just a down to earth girl-next-door- type that just happens to be an exercise fanatic with a gorgeous face and looks. I have gotten to know karen through facebook and she is just everything a playmate is supposd to be. When shes feeling bad she writes it, when something is going wrong she keeps her chin up, she treats everyone the same, which is what lets her "true beauty" shine through. She has a very alluring and charming unsophisticated beauty about her. Now i see why she is #1. Well deserved Karen!! Heres hoping she does a PLAYMATE XTRA!

PhoneHome said...

From what I know Karen wants nothing less than a cover and a celebrity pictorial in the mag and Playboy isn't willing to give them to her. I think she already rejected their offer to do Playmate Xtra or else we would have seen something already.

Anonymous said...

I can buy her being #1 of all time. She is amazing and I never get tired of her being naked in any position.

Anonymous said...

Everyone here has pretty much covered all the reasons why Karen is #1. I just want to say it's all that oh so much more. She definitely has IT factor. Just name another Playmate who is still this hot so many year after first posing? I cannot begin to imagine how hot she would be if she were to pose for Playboy again...

Anonymous said...

Karen is a GODDESS amongst us! Words fail to describe her beauty and oozing sexuality! Her statuesque figure is pure artistry, so heavenly that it defies description. Thank you for trying to put it all in words for us mere mortals. I've not seen a Playmate this potent before or since. I'm utterly speechless, she is just confoundingly astounding!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Fujisaki that this is a classic case of the sequel outdoing the original. Karen's Miss Dec 97 pictorial was good. It showcased all of her endearing attributes with nothing held back. Yet, her PMOY pictorial takes it completely to the next level and spiced up her ample attributes that we all familiar with in a refreshing new lights. The result is a stunning, mindblowing layout that is far better than her outstanding original layout. Now if this achievement doesn't deserve to be #1 then...

Luke said...

I agree, when i first layed eyes on karens PMOY I was in shock for days. I couldnt beleive me eyes, that body yet so soft and perfect....

Anonymous said...

I remember I had trouble breathing the first time I saw her PMOY pictorial. My heart was pumping faster as I turn the pages. I don't recall ever experience that with any Playmates before or after. I still remember that sensation. She is very special to me.

Luke said...

I can totally relate to the comment above. I was at a loss for words. Every page was better and better and better. Yea back in the days when PMOY got the cover her own traditional pmoy video plus the video calendar, playmate review. NONE OF THAT EXISTS NOW!!!

Anonymous said...

Haven't been around for a little while. Glad to see that you have finally completed your top 25 list. From all the comments it seems the #1 choice was not without controversy. Karen is a well rounded, safe choice, a stunner whose sensuality transcends the pages or the computer screen without question. Kudos to her! But it seen a rather anticlimatic and almost vanilla choice. I just hope that your next list will not take this long and you will dare to venture beyond the norm in your choices. I see you will be doing a Cybergirl list quite soon, so I hope to see a few surprises. I know you have good taste ^_^

Anonymous said...

How the hell is Karen McDougal "vanilla".

If Playboy Critic wanted to be "vanilla" he would have picked "barbara moore" or "sarah underwood"....

Anonymous said...

I think Karen is a real gem and a truly exceptional Playmate. Just when you think you have seen all of her in her PMOM pictorial, she wows us with an even better PMOY pictorial. I must say I really enjoy her PMOY video as well. In what could be one of the spiciest moment in Playboy history, Karen reveals a little bit of pink in one of the segments, yet it was done in a classy way. I was completely floored and didn't expect it from a Playboy production. I have not seen this level of gentlemen explicitness since. Definitely #1 on my book!

Roy said...

Excellent choice! Karen is amazing and definitely worthy to be called #1. She is at least 10 times hotter than just how hot you think she is and then some. I am glad that someone like her as much as I do...he he

I just don't understand why Playboy don't feature her more often yet they have had Pamela Anderson for like 14 times? They should get Karen back for more! I am still waiting for Karen's 3rd pictorial! Fitness-themed? Experimental? Fine-Art? B&W? I don't care, just get her back in Playboy! Pls!?

And how come she is not popular with the masses? Not even in Maxim or FHM? She should be in a lot more mags than just those fitness mags with such a hot bod and a lovely face like that...

Anonymous said...

How come you don't include her in your "Classic" category when your #2 and #3 did?

Jester said...

Among all the 90s PMOYs, Karen is the only one still working as a model today. The rest have either married or retired. She is #1 just for her staying power alone. I agree with others that she definite deserves an update performance in Playboy. I believe it is a highly anticipated event among her fans and Playboy fans in general. The fact that Karen has kept her clothes on for the large part of the past 12 years made her return to Playboy (if it ever happens) just so much more of a payoff. Oh well if they can get their act together...Come on people!

Luke said...

This mite seem a bit late but I can start a petition and will forward it to Karen. She loves to hear from fans....

Anonymous said...

LOL! You want Karen to pose for PB again? Good luck! This is a "dead horse" issue that has been kicked around for many years! I know Karen was lobbying for it at one point, but nothing happened. It is now firmly in the "not likely to happen" category. You may have better luck winning the lottery than Karen posing for PB again...

OperaMan said...

We wouldn't be discussing the possibility of a 3rd Playboy pictorial for Karen if she had won the contest to replace Brooke Burke on E! "Wild On". Instead, they picked Cindy Taylor and the show died a year after. Karen would have been a great host (She is actually funny and sweet, just go to Younghollywood.com where they have segments hosted by her.) and you need a girl with some reputation to be the host for such wild program. Her Playboy past and smoking hot bod would certainly glue a lot of young a to their TV and Playboy would certainly have offered her a new pictorial soon after in 2003. Karen never got her breakthrough role and Playboy never feel the need to make her an offer and they don't take fans interest into consideration. So dream all you can, Karen is not appearing in Playboy again any time soon. Sigh!

Unknown said...

Karen is by far the the most Beauiful of all Playmates orany fitness model or actress ! She really is the complete package- brains beauty; personality; wits; kindness and just a down to earth type of Lady!!! Nuff said !!! JMO

Freedom and Justice said...

Well, I don't care which side is preventing this from happening, I think Karen should be allowed to strut her stuff once again. Her body was super tight back then and yet she has managed to get even tighter today, if that is at all possible. To deny the masses from again adoring the fantastic physique of Karen McDougal is almost a crime.

Anonymous said...

I've had the pleasure of meeting Karen at several Playboy functions and have to say she really "stands out" from all the other Playmates. She is a 10 in pictures and a 15 in person (which most Playmates are a 8 or 9 in pics and a 6 in person). Her true beauty doesnt show (isn't captured) in her pictures. She is truely hotter than Megan Fox (who is supossed to me the hottest girl in the world)...lol. while Megan is hot, Karen's face blows hers away (and Megans body can't even touch Karens)! My point is....Karen should have that top spot and defin do many more different magazines (along with Playboy again)! PLEASE

Anonymous said...

No. 1 for sure! I will actually pay real money to buy the Playboy issue if they feature Karen again because she is one Playmate that got my full attention. I have stopped buying the mag since the 50th anniversary issue because it has gotten so bad, but I definitely will buy that issue if it comes out regardless of who else is in it with her just to complete my collection and fulfill my Karen fix. I have her PMOM & PMOY issues already and I definitely want to see her in all her glory once again after all these years. She has hardly aged at all. So if Playboy wants to earn my business once more, they just need to call Karen...

Anonymous said...

Very fine girl indeed (now and before). I also wouldn't mind seeing an updated pictorial of her in Playboy today either. Not sure why it has not been executed, it certainly would beat those no name celebrities for sure. Not sure what odds it would actually happen eventually either. If they do just make sure the Cyberclub pix are hi-res and huge because all her old pix are so tiny with bad resolution.

Anonymous said...

All her fans here have captured the sentiment that they want to see Karen naked again. I believe Karen herself wants to do it as well and has teased fans over the years. I have gone through her interviews (online, print and radio) and tried to capture some of the changes she has described herself:

1) She works out at a gym in LA that is frequent by serious workout people. She can focus on her routines and not get harrassed by lookers and fans.
2) As a result of her vigorous routines, her overall body has gotten leaner and pack more muscle but without impacting her overall shape, look and profile, her weight came down by about 5lbs from the lean muscle replacing fat.
3) If you like her abs before, you will like her new one. Her abs routine has resulted in an even flatter and more defined abs than what we have seen before.
4) Her efforts has resulted in superior stamina and even greater flexibility than ever before, she can do poses other PMs can only dream of.
5) A major part of her workout is on her glutes. Her hips and thighs are more defined than before. Her "buns of steel" is in tiptop shape.
6) Not exacty related to her workout, but she has cleased her internal system and as a result her skin got even better and she can now have more rejuvenating sleep.
7) The most intriguing - She has hinted that she has shaved off her itsy-bitsy landing strip and has gone completely bare between her legs! Loves a girl who is up to date on trends!

Overall, she believes the Karen today is in far better shape than the Karen in 1997-98. If you think she was "hard as a rock" before, she is now "harder as forged steel". She just doesn't age and definitely worth a fresh new look by Playboy.

Anonymous said...

If she poses for Playboy again any year, she will still be the PMOY of that year! None of the recent crop of PMs can even come close to her level of hotness! No.1 all the way bro!

Zigi said...

Damn she was smoking her back then! Wait, she is even hotter now! Beats Megan Fox by miles for sure. Why not bring her back for another nude spread in Playboy? I'm sure she is up for it...

Anonymous said...

If she gets any hotter, she will ignite and turn into the sun.

Zigi said...

There was an internet rumor earlier this year that Karen would pose nude for Playboy again for the Dec 09 issue and it got her fanbase all fired up, but Karen shot it down herself, saying nothing was ever in the works. I guess they just couldn't reach an agreement for Karen to shed her clothes one more time. *sigh*

Nice Coconuts said...

This is as close to her posing for PB again as she can ever get. Please support her Facebook topic of her posing for the pictorial and cover of Mar 2011 issue of PB:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=104018495058&topic=16115

Hot Bartender Association said...

Right on! Will support that! Definitely still a hot one and one I want to see an update

Anonymous said...

Not sure how she does it but Karen sure just keeps getting hotter and hotter over the years. I'm not even sure how that is possible but she is still very hot! Definitely another nude spread in Playboy please!

Anonymous said...

Guys, if Playboy wants Karen to pose for them again, they would have already asked her and we would have seen the pictures. The fact that it hasn't happened means Playboy is not that interested in having her pose again and there are tons of other girls outthere. Time to wake up and go get a life, please!

Anonymous said...

I think Playboy should get Karen to pose again. If they didn't want her before, thay should definitely reconsider. It's not everyday that we have a playmate that is so fit and sexy so many years after her initial pictorials.

Restless One said...

Karen's first pictorial was awesome, but her PMOY pictorial was a complete revelation. While it would be very hard to top them, I believe Karen can actually achieve that with the right photographer and setting. It would be an extremely tall order to take it to whole new level, but as Karen has said time and again, she still has the goods to do it. Why not give her a shot Playboy?

Anonymous said...

Karen is a such special playmate that I hope Playboy will make it a special case and let her pose for them again. The mag kinda sucked lately and I think Karen can be a huge boost to wake up the mag.

Anonymous said...

Just left a message at Karen's PB topic. March 2011 seems so far away...Hope she gets it!

Anonymous said...

Well, March 2011 came and went. No Karen in Playboy for sure. On her FB site, Karen flat out acknowledged that Playboy is unwilling to offer her a cover and celeb pictorial AND she has declined their offers either to do a Playmate Xtra shoot for Cyberclub (rumored to include a shower scene) or a new Playmate Revisited pictorial only for the magazine with no cover. She believes her odds of posing nude for Playboy again as - Unlikely. *sob*
Well, this should close out the saga of trying to the #1 Playmate to pose for Playboy again...

Leo said...

The Cyber Club has just refreshed Karen's PMOM pictorial. With all new pics and higher resolution. Karen is a playmate for the ages. 50 years from now, men will look back and still be amazed by Karen's flawless curves, radiant face and angelic presence. They defintely dont make em like they used to....*sigh*.....

Anonymous said...

Karen in XL size in CC is truly a delight. However, I echo another fan's comment - Her PMOM is very nice, but it is her PMOY that is absolutely breathtaking. I look forward to the day when PB updates her glorious, unparalleled, PMOY pictorial in stunning XL size. (A few more unpublished shots this time would be even nicer.)

Anonymous said...

It ain't gonna happen, folks! Sorry to burst your bubble. The dream is over. She has confirmed on her Facebook page that she did not like what PB has offered her and she will never take her clothes off (completely) for any publication or site. She denied their offer to do a Playmate Revisited for the magazine, saying it was too small. She denied their offer to do Playmate Xtra in CC which would have included 2 vids of her getting all hot and sweaty in a sauna. Nope, she said they were too cheap. She would only settle for a cover and a celebrity pictorial and nothing else. So, that's it, folks! She will never pose for PB again.

Anonymous said...

My friends, all I can say is that her denial may just be smoke and mirrors. There maybe FINALLY something that may bring her back in all her glorious (and totally and utterly nude) form at long last...Stay tuned...Never say never to Playboy...

Bollinger said...

She is certainly iconic and truly memorable. A timeless classic that always gets your blood pumping. One very hot woman indeed and both of her pictorials did her justce.

LoveFemNude said...

You couldn't have made a more acceptable choice for #1. Karen is not my personal top favorite but I recognize how immensely popular she is. I will reiterate the same two objections that a few people have raised. One is that Lisa Matthews not being in the list is hard to take since she is one of Karen's closest competitions in terms of popularity in the Playmate world. The second even more important one is that you shouldn't call this an all time list. Your fascination is much more with recent years than with the earlier years. You can't do a straight comparison with those years unless you judge each era in its own context and pick the best from each era. What you are doing is judging the Playmates of those days by current standards which I don't agree with. Overall though its a very interesting list as is your blog. Thrilled to see my darling Vanessa Gleason at #3 but shocked to see Bernaola Twins in the top 25 who I don't dislike as much as some others do but they just can't be called among the best of all time when a good number of fans don't even consider them Playmate worthy. Lastly Shannon Stewart at #2 is acceptable because she is a specimen of feminine perfection but I don't think she was that good at establishing a connection with the viewer as some other Playmates are and that I feel is one of the main reasons why she never became anywhere near as popular as Karen McDougal. Just my two cents.

LoveFemNude said...

Just for fun here is my top 25 of all time in chronological order. Its a purely subjective list. Some of them are the most popular Playmates of all time but others are there just because they made a special personal connection with me. This in turn means that some immensely popular ones such as Karen McDougal are not there.

Marguerite Empey
Elizabeth Ann Roberts
Donna Michelle
Maria McBane
Karla Conway
Cynthia Myers
Marilyn Cole
Cyndi Wood
Marilyn Lange
Candy Loving
Liz Glazowski
Kimberly McArthur
Marianne Gravatte
Karen Velez
Cynthia Brimhall
Sherry Arnett
Shannon Long
Lisa Marie Scott
Carrie Stevens
Vanessa Gleason
Tiffany Taylor
Stephanie Larimore
Sara Jean Underwood
Lindsay Wagner
Jaclyn Swedberg