Interview With Juliette Frette



(image via askmen)

This week Examiner.com announced Juliette Frette, a self-described "artist, writer, feminist, and Playboy Playmate" is joining its Neighborhoods & Culture channel as the national women's issues examiner. Examiner.com is a part of the Denver based Anschultz Company. Juliette has a B.A. from UCLA in Women's Studies. We emailed he about digital journalism, Sarah Silverman's brutal (and genius) riff on Playboy culture, and the new gig.

The Corsair: You are joining Examiner.com as the Neighborhoods & Culture Channel as the National Women's Issues Examiner. In this economy where journalists are not faring well, how important do you think was the fact that you were also a Playboy Playmate in this column?

Juliette Frette: It appears that many are suffering in this economy! And journalists, writers, artists, and playboy playmates are no exception to that. As for my association to Playboy and how that might effect my column, I’m sure it generates additional attention with regard to those who may be perusing examiner. But at this point, I am primarily concerned with using my academic background and unorthodox experience to share information and facilitate awareness about important women’s issues.

The Corsair: You have a bachelor's degree in Women's studies from UCLA in 2006. Two years later the Playboy pictorial. How did you get from from women's studies to Playboy?

Juliette Frette: I actually began 'Project Playboy' in college. I first began working with Playboy in small, lower-profile capacities for the purposes of writing about it for my honors thesis, which was eventually called 'Posing for Playboy from a Feminist Perspective: How Media Images Impact Women’s Empowerment.' Having worked with Playboy on a number of pictorials over the span of four years eventually culminating with my Playmate spread, I am now able to expand and revise that thesis into a narrative book. I will therefore analyze my own experience for the purposes of addressing some controversial issues including body image, choice, objectification, judgment, morality, pornography, and more.

The Corsair: Sarah Silverman was rough on the whole Playboy culture on last week's Real Time with Bill Maher. Did you see it? What would you say to the outsider who probably has some biases against the magazine and what they might perceive it represents?

Juliette Frette: I did not see Sarah Silverman’s appearance on Bill Maher — yet I did see her at the New Year’s party at the mansion having a good time with Jimmy Kimmel. Strange. I would be very interested to learn what she has to say. As for those who have preconceived notions about Playboy, they are certainly entitled to their opinions. After all, Playboy is an unusual force to be reckoned with. Their legacy is a very complicated one with both positive and negative implications for American culture.

The Corsair: Tell us about the column. What do you hope to get across?

Juliette Frette: In my column, I hope to spread awareness about women’s issues, provide new and old information, answer important questions, and inspire new questions through my articles.