PLAYBOY TURNS 50 AND GOES ‘BUCKWILD’

New Hip Hop Driven Show “Buckwild” Debuts January 9,
Featuring Snoop Dogg, OutKast, Busta Rhymes, and Lil’ Jon

Snoop Dogg’s “Buckwild Bus Tour” on DVD to Follow

H.Y.P.E. TV to Partner with Network in Hip Hop Effort

Playboy is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and hip hop has been invited to the party! With the premiere of “Buckwild,” Playboy TV’s first music oriented hip hop themed show, on January 9, 2004, the Playboy empire will engage hip hop as only Playboy can, merging hip hop and adult entertainment in a liaison of extreme proportions. “Buckwild” will thrust hip hop’s top entertainers, a bevy of Black “Buckwild” beauties and uncensored videos to the forefront of the network’s new programming agenda. And “Buckwild” is just the beginning, with lots more to come.

“Today’s hip hop culture is based on the same principals that Hugh Hefner originally introduced to this country 50 years ago,” cites Playboy Entertainment Group, Inc. president, Jim English. “It’s an aspirational pursuit which celebrates life on one’s own terms. ‘Buckwild’ is our first foray into a culture it only makes sense for us embrace.”

Hosted by underground video veteran (think former releases “Buckwild Beach Week,” “Buckwild in Brazil,” “Buckwild 2001”) Ken “Buckwild” Francis, “Buckwild” is a six-episode commitment, with new shows to air and repeat monthly. “Buckwild” will feature interviews from the likes of OutKast, Snoop Dog, Busta Rhymes, Lil’ Jon and the Eastside Boys, the Ying Yang Twins, Loon and Treach from Naughty by Nature. Unlike your average promotional interviews, “Buckwild” will literally get buck wild with the artists, accompanying them at strip clubs, lingerie shopping for their mates or engaging in their favorite extreme sport. Uncensored music videos will be interspersed with segments such as “Sex Tip of the Day,” “That’s Ass” and “Eye Candy.”

“Buckwild’ is the ultimate hip hop fantasy show, “ reveals host and producer, “Buckwild” Ken. “It’s hip hop raw and uncensored as only Playboy can do it! Playboy TV is bringing it to you straight, no chaser!”

On the heels of “Buckwild”, Playboy TV will release Snoop Dogg’s Buckwild Bus Tour on DVD, early 2004. Part one of a two-part DVD release, the Buckwild Bus Tour is a reality show/DVD, which goes behind the scenes with Snoop and his new Buckwild beauties on the recent Roc the Mic tour. Hosted by Snoop alongside Francis, the Buckwild Bus Tour captures the sexual and comical antics of hip hop’s top rap artists while on the road during the tour.

In addition, Playboy Entertainment Group, Inc. (PEGI) and new hip-hop music and lifestyle channel H.Y.P.E. TV™ (Hot Young People’s Entertainment Television™) have entered into a programming and production deal to present original programs and uncensored music videos to Playboy TV subscribers and pay-per-view customers through a weekly block. The partnership will also encompass production and distribution of original H.Y.P.E. TV programming and music videos on DVD. H.Y.P.E. TV is slated to premiere on Playboy TV May 8 next year.

After the initial programming rollout through the branded Playboy TV block and DVD distribution, H.Y.P.E. TV has plans to launch a full-scale hip-hop television network in late 2004. PEGI and H.Y.P.E. TV will also jointly produce a series of uncensored music videos with additional hip-hop entertainment content for release on DVD.

As Playboy TV prepares to get “buckwild”, hip hop had better hold on. “Buckwild” is positioned to be the battle call for a new generation of Playboys. Get buckwild at www.playboy.com/playboytv/original_series/buckwild/ now !

About Playboy Enterprises

Playboy Enterprises is a brand-driven, international multimedia entertainment company that publishes editions of Playboy magazine around the world; operates Playboy and Spice television networks and distributes programming via home video and DVD globally; licenses the Playboy and Spice trademarks internationally for a range of consumer products and services; and operates Playboy.com, a leading men's lifestyle and entertainment website.

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