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opinion
Page 6 Friday, June 11, 1982 The Michigan Daily
The Michigan Daily Grinning andbaring it
Vol. XCII, No. 27-S
A
I
Ninety-two Years of Editorial Freedom
Edited and managed by student;
at the University of Michigan
for Playgirl magazine
I
Dim light
~By Barry Witt
THITES IN SOUTH Africa have made Should I wear blue jeans? No, a
substantial hints recently that maybe striped button-down and white
apartheid is not such a fair way to treat fellow corduroys would be better - I'll
human beings. But after over 40 years under flash them the conservative,
the thumb of racist rule, blacks have reason to preppy look.
be skeptical. But I'll have to keep a little of
that macho look. A day's growth
A group of white ministers in South Africa of beard ought to do it, so I won't
declared Wednesday that their government's shave.
policy of racial segregation could not be recon- THOSE WERE my thoughts on
ciled with the teachings of the Bible. Although the morning of the big day - the
the rebel ministers represent less than ten per- day Playgirl was coming to cam-
pus. As I told the woman in the in-
cent of the churches' ministry, the declaration terview, "I'm interested because
is still significant because it breaks the long posing isn't one of your run-of-
aquiescence of the church toward the gover- the-mill everyday events. It's not
nment's racist apartheid policies, something I've hopd to do alI my
Thed 'rsdnadiw
withine g vrr n t- i f y i i r
outraleoul acs ulin pltia- prt.
Sadly, ii spite of recent si soi op ,the
winds of change in South A rica reai ap-h
allingly weak .
ARRIED OJT- SALT
T I A. deST tRt poutl ocr
SAFE
SUTOTUTE !
cour gig te ni -ey Bth auld vs
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a
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Salong Sotherelw ataw
dnina Campuma on hot room
wi a m -r-rowoma.2 tkn
a PoLa'roid shot of my bare (but
not hairless) chest and about a
half dozen other guys now in the
full confidence that they needn't
be threatened by the bony
newcomer.
I knew before I went in that
most of the guys who would be
interviewing would be the
brawny, body building types, and
a wimpy-looking 20-year-old who
spends most of his time at a
typewriter didn't stand much of a
chance. But what the hell - you
only live once so why not grin -
and bare it?
Much to my surprise, I found
that many of the applicants
looked no more healthy (as the
Playgirl women described us)
than myself. Sure, there were a
few jocks, a few mini-Arnold
Schwartzeneggers, and I ever
noticed no less a figure than the
first runner-up in last year's Mr.
Greek Week contest.
BUT THERE were several
meek-looking, four-eyed nerdy
intellectual types giving it the old
college try too. I originally had
gone to the interview hoping to
squeeze by as a fluke candidate,
%-M
but my hopes dimmed when I
.realized there were plenty of
other people who had as little
self-respect as I did.
After putting my shirt back
on, I sat down with the rest of the
beefcake waiting for the all-
important personal interview.
We made small talk with the
Playgirl assistant, all the while
trying to look cool and casual
about the whole thing.
When it came time for my
private meeting with the
magazine's photo editor, I strode
confidently across the hall and
assumed the seat across from
her.
WE TALKED for a few
moments about my interests, my
academic major, and my reasons
for wanting to appear in the
magazine. I told her that my
life's goal hadn't been to appear
in Playgirl, but when I heard
about the chance, I figured I was
crazy enough to try it. The photo
editor told me that was the same
response that about 90 percent of
the other applicants gave. So much
Daly Photo by DEBORAH LEWIS
for individualism.
And then came the big
question. I knew it was coming,
so I was prepared for it.
"Would you mind posing nude
for the camera?" she asked.
"DO YOU touch up photos?" I
quipped.
She thought about my remark
for a second and then laughed,
more out of courtesy than
anything else. I explained to her
that I had heard Playboy
magazine touches up the bunnies'
breasts to make the models look
more attractive. Unfortunately,
she said her publication would
never do that.
She then asked me if I had any
questions, soI dragged it out for a
few minutes, sure that I had
already blown it. They were to
call the eight winners the next
morning. I'm still waiting for the
call.
Witt is a Daily stqff writer.