Everyone's excuse for getting caught red-handed with Playboy is that they're "reading it for the articles" — and starting this Friday, Angelenos can experience a (somewhat) SFW version of the Hugh Hefner-founded magazine's conversation-sparking journalism and more during the media empire's first-ever pop-up in West Hollywood. (Fun fact: The gentleman's mag published Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, sat down with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and ran a short story by The Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood, as The Hundreds points out.)
Taking over the pop-up space previously occupied by The Egg House, the event takes place from Friday, May 10 through Sunday, May 12 and is open to the public (but only if you're 21 and up, that is). The three-day event promises a full schedule of panels, workshops, an art gallery, and a pop-up shop that'll stock collaborations with labels like Joy Rich and Missguided alongside plenty of logo-happy merch featuring Playboy's iconic rabbit head motif.
The stimulating sched includes a discussion among three of Playboy's newest contributing photographers on the definition of beauty and how they're spotlighting stories of those who've been marginalized (Friday at 11 a.m.); a live coloring book session with the legendary pub's editors and creative team (Friday at 4 p.m.); and a conversation between Lina Esco, the founder of the #FreeTheNipple movement, and Johanna Maska, a former aide under President Barack Obama's administration, on the need to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (Saturday at 1:30 p.m.).
Other discussions include a convo on legalizing cannabis for all (Saturday at 12 p.m.), a chat with self-proclaimed "bad feminist" and writer Roxane Gay and a surprise guest (Saturday at 3 p.m.); a "Future of Masculinity" panel with Younger actor Nico Tortorella and Insecure actor Saurnas J. Jackson (Saturday at 5 p.m.); and even a Mother's Day-themed conversation about "honest issues for females" between novelist and poet Erica Jong (who was the Playboy Interview subject of the September 1975 issue) and her daughter, writer Molly Jong-Fast (Sunday at 2 p.m.).
Dig it? Peep the full lineup of happenings and RSVP for panels and other events here.
Playhouse, 708 North Croft Ave., West Hollywood, 90069
