Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Online presence What is Fallon's online presence? Fallon dove into the Web prior to the show premiering, creating a Twitter account and beginning a vlog on the show's official website, Did he get a lot of followers? Many of the videos received a very high number of views, What video was the most popular? Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake" clip that had garnered over 17 million views by October 21, 2013. What other online platforms is Fallon on? beginning a vlog on the show's official website, which ran snippets of comedy bits and background reports on how he was building the show. Was the vlog popular with fans? The show's Web site was staffed by three full-time bloggers, who compile viral videos and post photos. Did Fallon's online presence ever cause controversy? controversy between musical artists Miley Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor, the channel published an a cappella version of Cyrus' song "We Can't Stop"
What was the pubic's reaction to that?
What was the public's reaction to the controversy between musical artists Miley Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor when Jimmy Fallon's channel published an a cappella version of Cyrus' song "We Can't Stop?"
The incorporation of the Internet was an innovation decided long before the show began. Highlighting interactivity, Fallon dove into the Web prior to the show premiering, creating a Twitter account and beginning a vlog on the show's official website, which ran snippets of comedy bits and background reports on how he was building the show. The show's Web site was staffed by three full-time bloggers, who compile viral videos and post photos. Questlove tweeted during tapings of the show. "I think a lot of shows don't use the Internet as well as they could," said Fallon in 2009. "The Internet has been awesome," he added. "They've got my back."  Online interaction and its presence on the show were crucial to its success. Fallon devoted considerable time and resources to incorporating digital ideas into his comedy -- "he sits at his desk behind a Mac, not a microphone" -- focusing especially on social media, which connects the younger audience.  Fallon published a welcome video for the Late Night YouTube Channel in May 2013; the channel featured segments such as "Ask Jimmy," "Night News Now," and "Web Exclusives." Many of the videos received a very high number of views, including the ""#Hashtag" with Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake" clip that had garnered over 17 million views by October 21, 2013. During the open letter controversy between musical artists Miley Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor, the channel published an a cappella version of Cyrus' song "We Can't Stop" on October 8, 2013, in which Fallon and The Roots also perform. CANNOTANSWER
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Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. The hour-long show aired from 2009 to 2014 on week nights at 12:35 AM Eastern/11:35 pm Central, on NBC.

The third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman, the program originated from NBC Studio 6B (and Studio 6A for the final six months of its run) in the Comcast Building at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City. The show typically opened with a brief monologue from Fallon, followed by a comedy "desk piece," as well as prerecorded segments and audience competitions. The next segment was devoted to a celebrity interview, with guests ranging from actors and musicians to media personalities and political figures. Hip hop/neo soul band The Roots served as the show's house band, and Steve Higgins was the show's announcer. The show then closed with either a musical or comedy performance, or a cooking segment. The show frequently employed digital media into its comedy, which became crucial to its success.

In 2013, Fallon was selected by NBC to succeed a retiring Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show. The final episode of Late Night under Fallon aired one night after Leno's final episode of The Tonight Show on February 6, 2014. Most of the cast and crew immediately began working on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which premiered on February 17, 2014.

Seth Meyers was named as Fallon's replacement, and Late Night with Seth Meyers debuted after the Sochi Olympics.

The show's ratings remained above its rival shows throughout most of the series' run. In 2011, the show garnered two Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series.

Format
The show began with the opening sequence as Steve Higgins proclaiming "From Studio 6B/6A in Rockefeller Center, the National Broadcasting Company presents Late Night with Jimmy Fallon!", and announced that night's guests and "the legendary Roots crew". Just before Higgins introduced Fallon, the camera cut to a shot of The Roots, who then shouted three numbers symbolizing the episode number of Late Night (though other numbers and statements have been shouted in place based on current events, cities if that episode's number matches a particular city's area codes, and historical show moments - toward the end of the show's run, Questlove would shout how many episodes remained rather than the number of the show itself). As the camera panned over to the main stage, some members of The Roots performed actions to get the camera's attention (F. Knuckles saluted, Captain Kirk Douglas did a windmill chord, and Damon Bryson smiled while flashing a peace sign). Higgins then introduced Fallon with a drawn-out "And here he is, Jimmy Fallon!", and Fallon began his brief monologue. Fallon often gave the cue cards for a joke to audience members if the joke fell particularly flat. Jimmy would segue directly from the final punchline of his monologue into saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've got a great show for you tonight. Give it up for The Roots!", who would play briefly as Fallon walked to his desk.

After the monologue, Fallon typically performed a comedy "desk piece." Some were weekly: "Pros and Cons" on Tuesdays, and "Late Night Hashtags" on Thursdays. Fridays were also reserved for Fallon to write "Thank You Notes" to figures that have given him material for the past week. The popularity of these "Thank You Notes" led to the release of two books full of the favorites. He also sometimes had the entire crew of the show write letters home.

After the desk piece ended and a commercial break followed, typically there was a competition involving players selected from the studio audience. These included "Wheel of Carpet Samples," "Wax on Wax off," "Cell Phone Shootout," "Models and Buckets," "Lick it for Ten," "Let Us Play with Your Look," "Put It In Reverse," and "Hot Dog in a Hole." Occasionally the segment featured a group-performance competition, "Battle of the Instant Bands" or "Battle of the Instant Dance Crews."

In the show's third segment, the first guest arrived. That guest usually stayed after the next break, then either played a game with Jimmy and some audience members, or performed in a skit with Jimmy. Next, a second guest entered after the show's third break. Once these interviews were completed and the show had taken its final commercial break, the musical guest (or sometimes, a chef or comedian) performed. Once the musical guest finished, Fallon bid the viewers farewell. As credits rolled, Fallon ran up and down the stairs of the studio giving high fives to the audience before exiting backstage.

History

In 2004 NBC announced that in five years, Late Night host Conan O'Brien would replace Jay Leno as the host of The Tonight Show. Fallon, at the time, had just left Saturday Night Live, and was pursuing a movie career. SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels was the first to suggest to the comedian that he'd be perfect to fill O'Brien's empty seat. Michaels said he wanted Fallon to be the new host dating back to the day that Fallon left Saturday Night Live, which occurred only a few months before O'Brien's departure was announced. Michaels, a staunch advocate of Fallon, urged NBC to give Fallon a holding deal in February 2007 so that he couldn't be lured elsewhere.

According to Michaels:

Fallon wasn't approached by NBC until early 2008. Fallon's movie career, self-admittedly "hadn't worked out that great," and NBC contacted him to become O'Brien's replacement. The network had a couple of other candidates in mind to replace Conan, but Michaels insisted he'd only produce the show with Fallon as host. In May 2008, NBC announced that Fallon would be O'Brien's replacement, "an announcement that was met with some bewilderment, even snickers," recalled New York. At the time of the announcement, he was scheduled to debut in June 2009. Michaels soon tasked Fallon with "training" for the gig by returning to his stand-up roots; for eight months, Fallon toured college campuses and comedy clubs, where he tested out a new, 50-minute routine. In addition, Michaels and Fallon assembled a "well-pedigreed" team for Late Night, including Steve Higgins, longtime SNL producer Michael Shoemaker as showrunner, and celebrated hip-hop group The Roots as the house band. Before the show debuted, Conan O'Brien sent a large plastic pickle to Fallon's office, accompanied by a handwritten note reflecting the ritual: "The Letterman people sent this pickle to my office in 1993. Now I'm passing it on to you. Whenever you leave, which won't be for a long time, make sure you pass it on to the next sap." (Fallon, in turn, presented the pickle on-air to incoming "Late Night" host Seth Meyers on January 28, 2014.)  In an early sketch about recording promos for the show's debut, Fallon's announcer, Steve Higgins, joked: "You loved him on SNL. You hated him in the movies. Now, you're ambivalent."

The show's time slot briefly came under question during the 2010 Tonight Show conflict. Fallon announced that the show would be bumped to a 1:05 am start time, with the move of The Jay Leno Show to 11:35 pm and subsequent bump of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien to 12:05 am start. This proved to be false, as O'Brien refused the change, citing a reluctance to infringe upon Late Night, and saying it would be "unfair to Jimmy." Fallon was then next in line to succeed Leno, set to begin his stint on The Tonight Show on February 17, 2014. Saturday Night Live cast member and "Weekend Update" anchor Seth Meyers was announced as Fallon's replacement on Late Night. The final episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon aired on February 7, 2014, the day of the start of the NBC coverage of the Winter Olympics. Andy Samberg and The Muppets were Fallon's final guests.

Debut episode
The show premiered on March 2, 2009 with Robert De Niro, Justin Timberlake, Nick Carter and Van Morrison appearing as Fallon's first guests.  Former Late Night host Conan O'Brien also made a cameo appearance in the beginning. The Hollywood Reporter described the episode: "Fallon opened with a fairly traditional monologue that drew few laughs, followed by a couple of prepared bits that were long on ambition but failed to connect." Bits introduced during the show's debut night were "Slow Jam the News" and "Lick it for Ten." The Los Angeles Times, in retrospect, referred to it as "an uneven beginning," recalling: "Fallon booked one of the world's worst interview subjects, Robert De Niro, as his first guest, and the acknowledged irony — De Niro was asked questions he could answer in a single word — did not make the interview any better, or funny." Timberlake was Fallon's second guest offering, "ebullient in doing dead-on impressions of John Mayer and Michael McDonald" before facing off off-camera against long-time "rival" Nick Carter in an arm-wrestling match that Carter ultimately won. Van Morrison was the show's first musical guest. Fallon acknowledged possible roughness, saying the intimacy of late-night shows demands early modulating: "We're going to find our style. I know I'm gonna get reviewed off the first show, as opposed to the first couple of months."

Final episode
Fallon hosted his final episode of Late Night on February 7, 2014, one day after Jay Leno hosted his final Tonight Show. Jimmy welcomed former SNL castmate Andy Samberg as his final guest. After a brief retrospective with Higgins about their time on Late Night, the show ended with Fallon playing drums and singing backup to "The Weight" behind an ensemble of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem and various other Muppets. Upon the conclusion of the song, Fallon exited Studio 6A, and walked silently down the hall to Studio 6B (through a door featuring his Tonight Show logo), where his cast and crew awaited him with an ovation. The ratings for Fallon's final episode set an all-time high for his tenure as host, being seen by over 6.6 million viewers. Fallon's final Late Night broadcast aired on NBC thirty minutes earlier than normal, and followed the Opening Ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games and late local news.

Sexual discrimination accusation
On July 28, 2010, former stage manager Paul Tarascio accused Jimmy Fallon and the producers of Late Night of sexually discriminating against him. Tarascio alleged he was demoted and then lost his job to what he describes as a "less qualified" woman because, "Jimmy just prefers to take direction from a woman." Following the demotion, Tarascio continued to protest the change, including complaints directed to his union representative, and was subsequently fired based on a list of job failures provided by NBC. An NBC spokeswoman said that claims of sexual discrimination were "without merit".

Production

The program was taped at NBC Studio 6B in the GE Building at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City, the original home of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, until August 2013.  In September 2013, the show moved to an identically-recreated set across the hall in Studio 6A, so that 6B could be remodeled for the return of The Tonight Show to New York in 2014.  Studio 6A is the studio from which Late Night had been broadcast during the Letterman and O'Brien eras, while 6B had housed the WNBC News 4 New York studios since Carson moved his show to Burbank, California, in 1972.

The show's house band was hip hop/neo soul band The Roots, and its announcer was Steve Higgins, a producer for Saturday Night Live. It was produced by Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video in association with NBC's television arm Universal Television (although copyright notices for Late Night, like select NBC Programming, read "© (year) NBC Studios, Inc".).

Tapings began at 5:30pm for same-day broadcast; audiences arrived as much as 90 minutes in advance, which allowed for warm-up by a staff member ("try to find everything funnier than normal"); in between guests, Fallon recorded custom promotional clips for the NBC affiliates.

Online presence

The incorporation of the Internet was an innovation decided long before the show began. Highlighting interactivity, Fallon dove into the Web prior to the show premiering, creating a Twitter account and beginning a vlog on the show's official website, which ran snippets of comedy bits and background reports on how he was building the show. The show's Web site was staffed by three full-time bloggers, who compile viral videos and post photos. Questlove tweeted during tapings of the show. "I think a lot of shows don't use the Internet as well as they could," said Fallon in 2009. "The Internet has been awesome," he added. "They've got my back."

Online interaction and its presence on the show were crucial to its success. Fallon devoted considerable time and resources to incorporating digital ideas into his comedy — "he sits at his desk behind a Mac, not a microphone" — focusing especially on social media, which connects the younger audience.

Fallon published a welcome video for the Late Night YouTube Channel in May 2013; the channel featured segments such as "Ask Jimmy," "Night News Now," and "Web Exclusives." Many of the videos received a very high number of views, including the ""#Hashtag" with Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake" clip that had garnered over 17 million views by October 21, 2013. During the open letter controversy between musical artists Miley Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor, the channel published an a cappella version of Cyrus' song "We Can't Stop" on October 8, 2013, in which Fallon and The Roots also perform.

Music
Music was a signature part of the humor of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Fallon employed impressions of celebrities and used song parodies that rest in "borderline-surreal pop cultural juxtapositions," such as Fallon impersonating Neil Young singing the theme to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Many of the sketches went viral; the first among these was Brian Williams' appearance for "Slow Jam the News," a bit where Fallon and The Roots turned news stories into a "sexy R&B song." Some of Late Night most famous musical moments included Paul McCartney joining Fallon to sing "Scrambled Eggs" – the working title of "Yesterday" – using the original whimsical filler lyrics, as well as President Barack Obama's appearance to "Slow Jam the News." An article in The Huffington Post credited music as crucial to the show's success: "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon almost instantly became a fun, must-watch talk show largely because Jimmy fully embraced the musical opportunities afforded to him." In 2012, the musical pieces were compiled together as a primetime NBC special, aptly titled Jimmy Fallon's Primetime Music Special, and remastered for the album Blow Your Pants Off.

The show received widespread acclaim for its musical performances, which ranged from superstars such as Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and Kanye West to up-and-comers such as Lorde, Kendrick Lamar and Ed Sheeran, all of whom made their network TV debuts on Late Night. Fallon was heavily involved in choosing the musical guests, in tandem with music booker Jonathan Cohen and Roots bandleader Questlove.

Other artists who made their network TV debuts on Late Night include: Frank Ocean, Kacey Musgraves, Florida Georgia Line, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Carly Rae Jepsen, Odd Future, Eric Church, Panda Bear, Gary Clark Jr., Chvrches, Grimes, Sun Kil Moon, Sky Ferreira, Disclosure and Sam Smith, Jake Owen, Of Monsters and Men, The Dismemberment Plan, M83, Ellie Goulding, 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky, Tame Impala, Beach House, Walk the Moon, The War on Drugs, Phantogram, Savages, Joey Badass, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Parquet Courts, Sharon Van Etten, Courtney Barnett, Pinback, Frightened Rabbit and Passion Pit.

Late Night featured a number of legendary and cult-classic acts who had not performed on American television in many years. In 2009, the show reunited influential Washington, D.C.-based post-punk group Jawbox for its first performance in 12 years. Other artists of this type who broke long hiatuses from American TV performances on Late Night included The Specials (30 years), The Cars (24 years), Big Audio Dynamite (21 years), Mazzy Star (19 years), Superchunk (16 years), Sunny Day Real Estate (15 years), Pulp (14 years), Portishead (13 years) and the Afghan Whigs (13 years). Swedish rock band Refused also made its American TV debut 13 years after its original breakup when it performed in July 2012 on the show.

The show broke ground with thematic music-centric weeks, including tributes to The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Pink Floyd and Pearl Jam, during which high-profile contemporary artists covered those bands' songs. In March 2013, Late Night devoted a full week to Justin Timberlake, during which Timberlake performed music from his then-new album The 20/20 Experience on five consecutive shows and appeared in a different comedy sketch during each show.

Reception

Critical response
Although the show received much acclaim, the debut episode received mixed to negative reviews across the board and was considered to have "arrived needing plenty of work." In particular, critics noted Fallon's nervousness and profuse sweating as well as awkward comedy pieces like "Lick It for 10." However, interaction with the show's house band, The Roots, was applauded and it was noted that "a bit in which Fallon sang a "slow jam" version of the news succeeded, in large part, thanks to The Roots' typically taut playing and singer Tariq 'Black Thought' Trotter's impeccable voice and surprisingly good comic timing." The LA Times commented that "the late-night role seems on the face of it a good fit" for Jimmy Fallon and that "this is a form that develops in the fullness of time, as chances are taken and limits tested and you learn the things you can learn only in the doing, night after night." The show's first season scored a 48/100 on Metacritic, and viewers rated it at a 5/10.

Reviews grew much more positive over time, and the show received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series each year beginning in 2011 and continuing through the end of the show. In 2010, New York complimented Fallon's "good humor" and noted his improvement: "In the relative safety of his 12:35 a.m. time slot, Fallon has been cultivating a distinct, and refreshing, strain of humor: the comedy of unabashed celebration." The same year, a Los Angeles Times piece titled "Jimmy Fallon, you're growing on us" complimented his excitement and charm: "Whatever tentativeness Fallon showed has long dissipated, and what he lacks in penetrating insight, ... he makes up in enthusiasm." In 2012, the New York Times called Fallon "one of the hot acts in late night with younger viewers," attributing the show's success to the show's "original comedy ideas" and Fallon's own performance.

Ratings

US television ratings (Late Night Talk Shows)

Despite cautious reviews, the show was a ratings favorite during its premiere week. The show outperformed its main competitor, CBS's The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,  by half a million viewers. Fallon also managed a higher viewer total than his predecessor, Conan O'Brien. Fallon's total viewer count was 21% higher than Conan O'Brien's 1,991,000 Late Night average that season. Fallon maintained his lead over Ferguson until the night of March 16 when The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson attracted a larger audience (1.47 vs. 1.27 million viewers).

For the week July 27–July 31, 2009, Late Night was the ratings leader with a 17 percent lead in adults 18-49 and a 42 percent lead with adults 18-34.  Since the show aired on March 2, Fallon has ranked number one or tied Ferguson in these demographics on 97/100 nights.

After Jay Leno returned to The Tonight Show, in total viewers Late Night (2.0 million viewers overall) out-delivered The Late Late Show (1.7 million) by a margin of 17 percent the entire first week.

In the May 2010 sweeps, Late Night had a higher rating, a roughly equal share, but fewer average viewers, than The Late Late Show. The two were tied in the demographic of adults age 18 to 49, with Late Night having a slightly higher share.

In the May 2011 sweeps, all of NBC's late night programming reported increased viewership. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon reported a 13% increase in viewership compared to the previous year. Late Night, though, managed to beat The Late Late Show by a very small margin.

On February 6, 2014, Jay Leno hosted his last episode of his second tenure as host of The Tonight Show, and brought in Leno's biggest overall audience since the night of the Seinfeld finale in 1998. Boosted by the big lead-in, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon had its largest viewership ever with 6 million viewers. This was the highest number for the Late Night franchise since David Letterman's Late Night finale in 1993. The ratings were bested the next day by Fallon's last show, when over 6.6 million viewers watched. On that occasion, no Tonight Show was produced, and Late Night aired thirty minutes earlier than normal, at 12:05 AM ET on NBC, following the 2014 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies and late local news.

International
Late Night originally aired in Australia on The Comedy Channel along with The Tonight Show, however both were dropped following Leno's reinstatement citing a decline in viewership. In November 2010 after a few months of being off the air, The Comedy Channel'''s Group Programming Director Darren Chau announced that Late Night would resume airing from December 7, this time without accompanying The Tonight Show. For the relaunch, the Comedy Channel was re-branded as the Jimmy Channel for one day with Jimmy Fallon hosting the entire evening line-up counting down to the return of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The Comedy Channel's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon promotional campaign won Gold at the 2011 world Promax Awards in New York, and Silver at the 2011 Australian Promax Awards. It now airs on ABC2.
In the Middle East, Late Night aired on OSN Comedy Channel, part of the Orbit Showtime Network.
In Finland, the show was aired on a channel called TV Viisi (TV Five).
In France, the show aired with new episodes a day after their initial airing in the US on MCM and Canal + with French subtitles.
In Portugal, the show was aired on SIC Radical, but was dropped when rights to broadcast Conan were secured.
In Canada, the show aired on CTV at the same time as the U.S. NBC. The show was also rerun the next day at 3:00pm on MuchMusic.
In Turkey, the show aired on Bloomberg HT every night.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the show aired with new episodes a day after their initial airing in the US on CNBC.
Beginning in late February 2012, Late Night aired across Europe on CNBC Europe, replacing The Tonight Show with Jay Leno which occupied the slot for many years.  The show aired in a 30-minute condensed version Mondays-Fridays at 00.00 CET.  On Saturdays and Sundays two episodes aired per night from 21.00 CET in the full 45-minute version.  The episodes aired on a one-day delay from transmission in the USA.
In Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, the show airs at variable times between 23:00 and midnight Monday to Friday on One (still called einsFestival on the EPG). An omnibus of all the episodes from the week are shown on Saturdays in between midnight and 04:00
In Asia, Late Night'' aired back-to-back each Saturday/Sunday (8 p.m. to 1 a.m.) and Sunday/Monday (11 p.m. to 4 a.m.) on CNBC Asia. The schedule applied to Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Awards and nominations

Notes

See also

 List of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon episodes
 List of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon sketches
 List of late-night American network TV programs

References

External links

 
Fallon, Jimmy
2009 American television series debuts
2014 American television series endings
2000s American late-night television series
2010s American late-night television series
2000s American variety television series
2010s American variety television series
2000s American television talk shows
2010s American television talk shows
English-language television shows
NBC original programming
Television series by Broadway Video
Television series by Universal Television
Television shows filmed in New York City
The Roots
Super Bowl lead-out shows
Pubic Wars, a pun on the Punic Wars, is the name of the war between the pornographic magazines Playboy and Penthouse during the 1960s and 1970s. Each magazine strove to show just a little bit more than the other, without getting too crude. The term was coined by Playboy owner Hugh Hefner. In 1950s and 1960s America, it was generally agreed that nude photographs were not pornographic unless they showed pubic hair or genitals. "Respectable" photography was careful to come close to, but not cross over, this line. Consequently, the depiction of pubic hair was de facto forbidden in U.S. pornographic magazines.

History

Penthouse originated in 1965 in Britain and was initially distributed in Europe. In September 1969 it was launched in the U.S., bringing new competition to Playboy. Due to more liberal European attitudes to nudity, Penthouse was already displaying pubic hair at the time of its U.S. launch. According to the magazine's owner Bob Guccione, "We began to show pubic hair, which was a big breakthrough."

In order to retain its market share, Playboy followed suit, risking obscenity charges, and launching the "Pubic Wars". Playboy started showing wisps of pubic hair about nine months after Penthouse (June 1970). As competition between the two magazines escalated, their photo shoots became increasingly explicit. Playboy, however, had actually first showed a very slight glimpse of any pubic hair on Melodye Prentiss' centerfold (Miss July 1968), some 15 years after the magazine's introduction. With Playmates, it was usually the case that the pubic area would be obscured by an item of clothing, a leg, or a piece of furniture. The first appearance of real pubic hair in Playboy actually occurred in August 1969 in a pictorial featuring dancer/actress Paula Kelly. A few more glimpses of pubic hair appeared in some later pictorials and centerfolds, but it was not until January 1971 when Liv Lindeland showed clearly visible pubic hair in her pictorial. The first Playmate to clearly have the first full frontal nude centerfold was Miss January 1972, Marilyn Cole. Both went on to become Playmate of the Year, respectively 1972 and 1973. When Hustler was launched in 1974, it outdid both Playboy and Penthouse in explicitness by showing more graphic photos of the female sex organs.

Eventually, the two magazines moved their content in opposite directions. Playboy positioned itself as the less explicit softcore alternative to be "read for the articles". Penthouse gravitated towards raunchier images, ultimately arriving at hardcore pornography and photographs of women urinating, in the mid 1990s. Under new ownership since 2004, Penthouse began to steer toward a more softcore direction as well.

Notes

Further reading
 "From 'Penthouse' to penury?", The Independent (London),  August 14, 2003, by Terry Kirby

Mass media rivalries
Playboy
Penthouse (magazine)
Pubic hair
1960s in mass media
1970s in mass media Pubic hair is terminal body hair that is found in the genital area of adolescent and adult humans. The hair is located on and around the sex organs and sometimes at the top of the inside of the thighs. In the pubic region around the pubis bone, it is known as a pubic patch. Pubic hair is also found on the scrotum in the male and on the vulva in the female.

Although fine vellus hair is present in the area in childhood, pubic hair is considered to be the heavier, longer and coarser hair that develops during puberty as an effect of rising levels of androgens in males and estrogens in females. Pubic hair differs from other hair on the body and is a secondary sex characteristic. Many cultures regard pubic hair as erotic, and in most cultures it is associated with the genitals, which both men and women are expected to keep covered at all times. In some cultures, it is the norm for pubic hair to be removed, especially of females; the practice is regarded as part of personal hygiene. In other cultures, the exposure of pubic hair (for example, when wearing a swimsuit) may be regarded as unaesthetic or embarrassing and is therefore trimmed or otherwise styled to avoid it being visible.

Development

Pubic hair forms in response to the increasing levels of testosterone in both girls and boys. Those hair follicles that are located and stimulated in androgen sensitive areas develop pubic hair. The Tanner scale describes and quantifies the development of pubic hair. Before the onset of puberty, the genital area of both boys and girls has very fine vellus hair (stage 1). At the onset of puberty, the body produces rising levels of the sex hormones, and in response, the skin of the genital area begins to produce thicker and rougher, often curlier, hair with a faster growth rate. The onset of pubic hair development is termed pubarche.

In males, the first pubic hair appears as a few sparse hairs that are usually thin on the scrotum or at the upper base of the penis (stage 2). Within a year, hairs around the base of the penis are abundant (stage 3). Within 3 to 4 years, hair fills the pubic area (stage 4) and becomes much thicker and darker, and by 5 years extends to the near thighs and upwards on the abdomen toward the umbilicus (stage 5).

Other areas of the skin are similarly, though slightly less, sensitive to androgens and androgenic hair typically appears somewhat later. In rough sequence of sensitivity to androgens and appearance of androgenic hair, are the armpits (axillae), perianal area, upper lip, preauricular areas (sideburns), periareolar areas (nipples), middle of the chest, neck under the chin, remainder of chest and beard area, limbs and shoulders, back, and buttocks. Although generally considered part of the process of puberty, pubarche is distinct and independent of the process of maturation of the gonads that leads to sexual maturation and fertility. Pubic hair can develop from adrenal androgens alone and can develop even when the ovaries or testes are defective and nonfunctional. There is little, if any, difference in the capacity of male and female bodies to grow hair in response to androgens.

Pubic hair and underarm hair can vary in color considerably from the hair of the scalp. In most people, it is darker, although it can also be lighter. In most cases it is most similar in color to a person's eyebrows.

Hair texture varies from tightly curled to entirely straight, not necessarily correlating to the texture of the scalp hair. People of East Asian heritage tend to have straight, wavy pubic hair.

Pubic hair patterns can vary by race and ethnicity. Patterns of pubic hair, known as the escutcheon, vary between sexes. On most females, the pubic patch is triangular and lies over the vulva and mons pubis. On many males, the pubic patch tapers upwards to a line of hair pointing towards the navel (see abdominal hair), roughly a more upward-pointing triangle. As with axillary (armpit) hair, pubic hair is associated with a concentration of sebaceous glands in the area.

Clinical significance

Pubic lice 
Pubic hair can become infested with pubic lice (also known as crab lice). Adult pubic lice are  in length. The pubic hair can usually host up to a dozen on average. Pubic lice are usually found attached to hair in the pubic area but sometimes are found on coarse hair elsewhere on the body (for example, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, mustache, chest, armpits, etc.). Crab lice attach to pubic hair that is thicker than other body hair because their claws are adapted to the specific diameter of pubic hair. Pubic lice infestations (pthiriasis) are usually spread through sexual contact.
The crab louse can travel up to 10 inches on the body. Pubic lice infestation is found worldwide and occurs in all races and ethnic groups and in all economic levels. Pubic lice are usually spread through sexual contact and are most common in adults. Occasionally pubic lice may be spread by close personal contact or contact with articles such as clothing, bed linens, and towels that have been used by an infested person. Pubic lice found on the head or eyelashes of children may be an indication of sexual exposure or abuse. Pubic lice do not transmit disease; however, secondary bacterial infection can occur from scratching of the skin. They are much broader in comparison to head and body lice. Adults are found only on the human host and require human blood to survive. If adults are forced off the host, they will die within 24–48 hours without a blood feeding.

Symptoms of a crab louse infection in the pubic area is intense itching, redness and inflammation. These symptoms cause increased circulation to the skin of the pubic region creating a blood-rich environment for the crab louse. Pubic lice infestation can also be diagnosed by identifying the presence of nits or eggs on the pubic hair. In December 2016 NPR reported that "Frequent removal of pubic hair is associated with an increased risk for herpes, syphilis and human papillomavirus". However, the medical community has also seen a recent increase in folliculitis, or infection around the hair follicle, in women who wax or shave their bikini areas. Some of these infections can develop into more serious abscesses that require incision with a scalpel, drainage of the abscess, and antibiotics. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of folliculitis. Burns can result when depilatory wax is used, even according to manufacturer instructions.

Grooming 
Pubic hair grooming has been associated with injury and infection. It is estimated that about 1/4 groomers have had at least one lifetime injury due to pubic hair grooming. Grooming has also been associated with cutaneous sexually transmitted diseases, such as genital warts, syphilis, and herpes.

Society and culture

According to John Ruskin's biographer Mary Lutyens, the notable author, artist, and art critic was apparently accustomed only to the hairless nudes portrayed unrealistically in art, never having seen a naked woman before his wedding night. He was allegedly so shocked by his discovery of his wife Effie's pubic hair that he rejected her, and the marriage was later legally annulled. He is supposed to have thought his wife was freakish and deformed. Later writers have often followed Lutyens and repeated this version of events. For example, Gene Weingarten in his book I'm with Stupid (2004) writes that "Ruskin had [the marriage] annulled because he was horrified to behold upon his bride a thatch of hair, rough and wild, similar to a man's. He thought her a monster." However, there is no proof for this, and some disagree. Peter Fuller in his book Theoria: Art and the Absence of Grace writes, "It has been said that he was frightened on the wedding night by the sight of his wife's pubic hair; more probably, he was perturbed by her menstrual blood." Ruskin's biographers Tim Hilton and John Batchelor also believe that menstruation is the more likely explanation.

At puberty, many girls find the sudden sprouting of pubic hair disturbing, and sometimes as unclean, because in many cases young girls have been screened by their family and by society from the sight of pubic hair. Young boys, on the other hand, tend not to be similarly disturbed by the development of their pubic hair, usually having seen body hair on their fathers.

A United States study by Alfred Kinsey found that 75% of the participants stated that there was never nudity in the home when they were growing up, 5% of the participants said that there was "seldom" nudity in the home, 3% said "often", and 17% said that it was "usual". The study found that there was no significant difference between what was reported by men and by women with respect to frequency of nudity in the home.

In a 1995 review of the literature, Paul Okami concluded that there was no reliable evidence linking exposure to parental nudity to any negative effect. Three years later, his team finished an 18-year longitudinal study that showed that, if anything, such exposure was associated with slight beneficial effects, particularly for boys.

With the reintroduction of public beaches and pools bathing in Western Europe and the Mediterranean early in the 20th century, exposure of both sexes' areas near their pubic hair became more common, and after the progressive reduction in the size of female and male swimsuits, especially since the coming into fashion and growth in popularity of the bikini after the 1940s, the practice of shaving or bikini waxing of pubic hair off the hem lines also came into vogue.

Grooming  

In some Middle Eastern societies, removal of male and female body hair has been considered proper hygiene, mandated by local customs, for many centuries. Muslim teaching includes Islamic hygienical jurisprudence in which pubic and armpit hair must be pulled out or shaven to be considered as Sunnah. Trimming is taught to be considered acceptable.

According to feminist writer Caitlin Moran, the reason for the removal of pubic hair from women in pornography was a matter of "technical considerations of cinematography". Hair removal progressed to full removal. Because of the popularity of pornography, pubic hair shaving was mimicked by women.

The presentation is regarded by some as being erotic and aesthetic, while others consider the style as unnatural. Some people remove pubic hairs for erotic and sexual reasons or because they or their sex partner enjoy the feel of a hairless crotch.

Methods 
All hair can be removed with wax formulated for that purpose. Some individuals may remove part or all of their pubic hair, axillary hair and facial hair. Pubic hair removal using wax is bikini waxing. The method of removing hair is called depilation (when removing only the hair above the skin) or epilation (when removing the entire hair). Beauty salons often offer various waxing services. It is sometimes referred to as "pubic topiary".

Some women modify their pubic hair, either to fit in with societal trends or as an expression of their own style or lifestyle. Styles of pubic hair modification include:
 Triangle or American wax (pubic hair is shortened from the sides to form a triangle so that pubic hair is hidden while wearing swimwear. The triangle can range from the very edge of the "bikini line" to up to an inch reduction on either side. Remaining hair length can be from an inch and a half to half an inch);
 Landing strip/French wax (pubic hair removed except for a strip of hair extending from the abdomen to the vulva);
 Partial Brazilian wax (pubic hair fully removed except for a small triangular strip);  
 Full Brazilian wax or "sphinx" (complete removal of pubic hair); and
 Freestyle.

There are variations of the Brazilian wax in which a design is formed out of the pubic hair. Stencils for several shapes are available commercially. A controversial Gucci commercial included female pubic hair shaved into a 'G'.

Sexual attraction 
A woman or man's decision to grow or shave their pubic hair can play a role in attracting a partner. A Cosmopolitan study found that a plurality of respondents, both male and female, preferred partners who shave or at least trim their pubic hair. A smaller percentage of 6% of men and 10% of women preferred their partners to go natural and not shave or trim their pubic hair.

In art 

In ancient Egyptian art, female pubic hair is indicated in the form of painted triangles. In medieval and classical European art, pubic hair was very rarely depicted, and male pubic hair was often, but not always, omitted. Sometimes it was portrayed in stylized form, as was the case with Greek graphic art. 

In 16th century southern Europe, Michelangelo showed the male David with stylized pubic hair, but female bodies were depicted hairless below the head. Nevertheless, Michelangelo's male nudes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling display no pubic hair.

In the late 18th century, female pubic hair was openly portrayed in Japanese shunga (erotica), especially in the ukiyo-e tradition. Hokusai's picture The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife (1814), which depicts a woman having an erotic fantasy, is a well-known example. In Japanese drawings, such as hentai, pubic hair is often omitted, since for a long time the display of pubic hair was not legal. The interpretation of the law has since changed.

In history 
Evidence of pubic hair removal in ancient India is thought to date back to 4000 to 3000 BC. According to ethnologist F. Fawcett, writing in 1901, he had observed the removal of body hair, including pubic hair about the vulva, as a custom of women from the Hindu Nair caste.

In Western societies, after the spread of Christianity, public exposure of a woman's bare skin between the ankle and waist started to be disapproved of culturally. Upper body exposure due to the use of the popular vest bodices used in Western Europe from the 15th century to early 20th century, as the widespread dirndls used even in more traditionally conservative mountain areas and the more or less loose shirts under these, enabled a permissive view of the shoulders, décolletage and arms allowing a free exposure of upper body hair in women of all classes with less rejection or discrimination than body hair on the sex organs, obviously to conceal by implication. Many people came to consider public exposure of pubic hair to be embarrassing. It may be regarded as immodest and sometimes as obscene. However, it never came to have a full hold in Western culture in wide tracts of Central Europe, until the encroaching of Protestantism during the 16th century on formerly more tolerant customs.

In the 1450s, British prostitutes shaved their pubic hair for purposes of personal hygiene and the combatting of pubic lice and would don merkins (or pubic wigs) when their line of work required it.

Among the British upper classes during the Georgian era, pubic hair from one's lover was frequently collected as a souvenir. The curls were, for instance, worn like cockades in men's hats as potency talismans or exchanged among lovers as tokens of affection. The museum of St. Andrews University in Scotland has in its collection a snuffbox full of pubic hair of one of King George IV's mistresses (possibly Elizabeth Conyngham), which the notoriously licentious monarch donated to the Fife sex club, The Beggar's Benison.

In literature 

In the erotic novel My Secret Life the narrator "Walter", an evident connoisseur of female pubic hair, talks with clear delight of a fine bush of a Scotswoman's thick red pubic hair:

"The bush was long and thick, twisting and curling in masses half-way up to her navel, and it spread about up her buttocks, gradually getting shorter there."

In another part of his autobiography Walter remarks that he has seen those "bare of hair, those with but hairy stubble, those with bushes six inches long, covering them from bum bone to navel." And he adds reflectively – "there is not much that I have not seen, felt or tried, with respect to this supreme female article."

In like vein, in The Memoirs of Dolly Morton, an American erotic classic, the attributes of Miss Dean are noted with some surprise – her spot was covered with a "thick forest of glossy dark brown hair," with locks nearly two inches long. One man remarked:

"But Gosh! I've never seen such a fleece between a woman's legs in my life. Darn me if she wouldn't have to be sheared before man could get into her."

See also 
 Hair fetishism
 The Naked Woman
 Pubic Wars

Notes

References

External links

 
Secondary sexual characteristics
Puberty