It all really started with the infamous Fritz the Cat in 1972 when Ralph Bakshi released the first full length X-rated cartoon feature which grossed over $100 million worldwide. This highly provocative movie paved the way for the revolution. Up till then the world of animation was ruled by Disney.  Towards the end of the eighties two further breakthroughs occurred. In 1987 a series of animated shorts starring the Simpsons was featured on the popular Tracy Ullman Show and a joint Spielberg Disney movie - Who Framed Roger Rabbit – was released. Suddenly the innocence was gone. Roger Rabbit movie featured a femme fatale in the guise of Roger’s two timing wife Jessica. Jessica Rabbit was the first cartoon pinup to earn a place of honor on the walls of hormone challenged teenagers bedrooms.

The Simpsons shorts proved so popular that Fox gambled on a full half hour prime time slot for them. The rest of course is history. The outlandish animated sitcom with an attitude, starring a family of losers and their offbeat friends, sent all the other studios back to the drawing board (pun intended).Since then the animation field, geared at adults as well as children, has prospered – Family Guy, South Park, Shrek to name just a few.
In a parallel or Bizarro world , Playboy Magazine took the opposite road. From being the revolutionary Men’s magazine with touched up photos of the world’s most beautiful untouchables the road was purely downhill. First came Penthouse and Hustler magazines that showed real flesh and areas that Playboy only hinted at. Then pornography for the masses made the magazine seem suitable for junior high. The magic was lost together with the Playboy clubs that disappeared. Playboy’s attempts at cable TV and internet  were only mildly successful. Basically Hefner’s concept  had become boring.
In a final attempt at “we’ll try anything to get some press, this month’s Playboy magazine features a cover and three page spread featuring Marge Simpson. The magazine that revolutionized men’s entertainment has become nothing more than a big joke. What next?


Steve Taite, EzineArticles.com Basic Author

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