• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, February 29, 2024

The Playboy Club, the controversial chain of nightspots where Bunnies wearing ears and tails waited on men with expense accounts, is back – in the form of a digital platform. 

Playboy announced Thursday morning that it was reviving the brand 64 years to the day that the first club was opened in Chicago on Leap day 1960. 

The reimagined digital experience provides guests, who sign up for free, with chances to interact with Bunnies via private messaging and live streams. 

Members, who must buy annual subscriptions, can “deepen their interactions” with Bunnies at Playboy Club pop-ups at music festivals, sporting events, comedy shows and movie screenings. The membership also provides such perks as one-on-one calls, access to magazine archives, priority club Badge Status and an initial monetary credit for use at the Playboy Club.

At its peak, the institution had over 40 clubs throughout 25 states and seven countries. However, the last club, in Lansing, Michigan, closed in 1988. 

Although private contact with members supposedly was prohibited, critics deplored what they said was the misogyny and objectification of women inherent in the clubs and Playboy magazine.  

The new Bunnies, who come from a wider range of background and experience, own their own content, Playboy says. 

We’ll see if it works this far into the 21^st century.