Sexual imagery and erotic content are nothing new. Whether for artistic enjoyment or pure carnal pleasure, humans have been obsessed with watching each other "do it" since the dawn of time. But the forms this has taken in the public sphere have transformed greatly. Nowadays, with the advent of the internet, Western society seems to take the almost ubiquitous nature of pornography for granted. But in the mid-twentieth century, magazines like Playboy and Penthouse weren't just publishing nude pictorials. They were the vanguards of the sexual revolution and the free speech debate. And their creators Hugh Hefner and Bob Guccione were engaged in a game of brinkmanship to determine just how much was acceptable to print.

Dive into former Screw editor-in-chief Mike Edison's fascinating history of the industry Dirty! Dirty! Dirty!: Of Playboys, Pigs, and Penthouse Paupers An American Tale of Sex and Wonder. And then pick his most recent book about The Rolling Stone's iconic drummer Sympathy for the Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters.

Also read Carrie Pitzulo's fascinating analysis of the impact of Playboy: Bachelors and Bunnies: The Sexual Politics of Playboy

Hosted by Bridget Todd

Writing, Editing & Sound Design by Pete Musto

Produced by James Levine & Benjamin Austin-Docampo

Created by Executive Producer Jeremiah Tittle

Find out more about all of Next Chapter Podcasts' incredible content at ncpodcasts.com!

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