By Pamela Putz / The Schalotte / November 30, 2011
LOS ANGELES – A Las Vegas man who won last year’s Mr. Europe beauty contest in Barcelona, Spain has filed suit in Federal Court against the Las Vegas Playboy Club, accusing the management of gender discrimination because they refused to hire him as a Playboy Bunny. He also filed a co-joined suit against Playboy Enterprises because the editors refused to consider him for a nude centerfold in Playboy Magazine. Hugh Hefner is named as one of the defendants.
Antonio ‘Tony’ Bastardo, 26, originally from Rome, is represented by the prestigious Los Angeles law firm of Schuster, Schuster, Schuster, Schuster and Sons.
John Schuster, IV, speaking on behalf of the law firm said he thought Bastardo had a good case. He expects to win substantial damages and open the Playboy Club to male bunnies. Schuster IV also believes that the suit will lead to nude pictures of men and the coveted center fold in Playboy Magazine.
According to the suit, Bastardo tried on four occasions to obtain employment as a Playboy Bunny in the Playboy Club at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. On each occasion he was informed that only females qualified to be Playboy Bunnies. Schuster IV says that Bastardo has been judged as a ‘very well endowed handsome hunk of a man’ and, as such, he should qualify as a Playboy Bunny.
On seven occasions, Bastardo met with Playboy Magazine editors requesting that they let him pose nude for the magazine’s photographers, that those nude photos be published in a forthcoming issue of Playboy Magazine, and that one of those pictures be used as a Playmate centerfold. The editors rejected his requests because they accepted only women’s nude photos and only women qualified as Playmates. Bastardo tried without success to convince the editors that Playboy Magazine’s women readers would love to see pictures of him in the nude.
Schuster IV says that the Playboy Club and Playboy (Magazine) Enterprises are clearly violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits ‘discrimination by covered employers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin’ (42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2). The lawyer said that, “Since the magazine is sold nationwide and Playboy Clubs are located in several U.S. cities, their managers are clearly considered ‘covered employers’ under Title VII.
Rudy Greenberg of Greenberg and Greenberg, a prominent Las Vegas law firm that represents the Las Vegas Playboy Club, said the lawsuit is without merit, is frivolous and is a waste of the Federal Court’s time. “Does anyone really expect to see a male Playboy Bunny?,” Greenberg asked. “Come on, that’s simply ridiculous!”
Bernard Schmutz of Drech, Schmutz and Goodman, a high-powered New York law firm that represents Playboy Enterprises, echoed Greenberg. “Are you crazy?! A nude male centerfold in a men’s magazine? No judge in this country is going to rule against our client, and you can take that to the bank!”
The Schalotte cornered Hugh Hefner after he had just been served with Bastardo’s lawsuit. In response to our questions, Hefner said: “I can’t believe this! Some guy wants to be a Playboy Bunny? A Playmate centerfold? Holy shit! Unless they’re gay, men don’t want to see some guy’s loins. They want to enjoy seeing a pretty woman’s boobs and vag. Look young lady, this is a men’s magazine.”
Hefner then looked me all over and said, “By the way … Pamela, isn’t it? … how would you like to pose for Playboy Magazine? I would say that with your good looks you’d make a terrific Playmate centerfold. Here, please take this open invitation [He handed me an engraved card] to my Playboy Mansion parties.”
John Schuster, IV, said that Bastardo is considering filing a similar lawsuit against Hooters because his application as a server had been turned down by at least a dozen of the restaurants.
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