'4-Play' comes to Playboy channel From the Associated Press The latest breakthrough on cable is that the Playboy Channel can make situation comedies that are even worse than the networks'. The low art of televised humor now has sunk from bad bathroom jokes to bad bedroom jokes. "4Play," which debuted on the Playboy Channel last night, is billed by the pay-TV network as the first adult sitcom. But it's scarcely for discretionary adults. This tasteless, boorish show is a case of profanity and nudity merely for profanity and nudity's sake. In one scene in a dress designer's shop, a model keeps dropping her to to reveal her chest and the word "FRON- T." "Men are getting dumber every day," she says. Because the network censors aren't around, the characters in "4Play" are able to curse and parade around in states of undress designed to divert at- tention from a juvenile, loud and poin- tless script. The story is about a fortyish husband who has an affair with a 19-year-old feminist. But she's the kind of feminist that only Playboy could dream up-a beautiful airhead who tells the wife about the cheating relationship because that's what it says to do in her favorite women's magazine. This sex triangle also is destined to become more multisided, with the girlfriend's father making advances toward the wife. '4Play' is going to make television history," says Madeline David, who wrote and produced the series. "It's the first sitcom to come to grips with the contemporary urban scene and its sexual angst." Ms. David's partner in crime is Paul Klein, president of the Playboy Chan- nel, who asked her to do the show. They once worked together at NBC when Klein was the network's top program- mer and Ms. David was head of daytime TV. "'4Play' is the most exciting project I've ever seen bar none," says Klein. "The work is fresh, contemporary, honest, full of energy and hilarious." About the only teensy-weensy value from "4Play" is that it proves that net- work TV could actually be worse than it is. ESI (f X M F The Michigan Daily -oSaturday, May 7, 1983- Page 5 a ~~Weve g-ot what you're looking for. Computers, Frames, Reference Books, U of M Jackets, Professional and Amateur Art Materials, Prints, Sunglasses, Calendars, Lamps, Watches, Office Supplies, U of M Jogging Suits, Globes, Cards, Portfolios, Clocks, Fine Papers, Sculpting Tools, Engineering and Architecture Supplies, Briefcases, Technical Pens, Calculators, Typewriters, U of M Ensignia Items, Fine Writing Pens,... and more miscellaneous than you'd even believe. Oh yes. And, of course, textbooks. Euct iii SIIRUNI IT iiINC. 4f Ctl&9-5 26 MORE THAN A BOOKSTORE 662 - 3201 549 E. University