Playboy December 2003

COVER STORY She's back. Shannen Doherty, who made hearts skip a beat on Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed, has teamed up with top photographer Michel Comte to deliver a revealing, unforgettable PLAYBOY pictorial. Don't believe the rumors that Shannen is tough to work with—the gorgeous host of Scare Tactics bowled us over. Shannen puts our Rabbit in stitches. FEATURESs 78 THE LAST DAYS OF JAM MASTER JAY Last year Run-DMC's DJ was gunned down execution-style near the tough New York City neighborhood where the first true stars of hip-hop got their start. Our writer traces Jay's final moments and sizes up the likely killers. BY FRANK OWEN 96 PLAYBOY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE We tie ribbons on a Fender guitar, a Bentley watch and a Spyder motorbike. 114 WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT PEACE, LOVE AND HOWARD DEAN? Will Democrat Howard Dean be the next president of the U.S.—or another landslide-losing antiwar candidate like the man to whom he's often compared, George McGovern? For the first time, McGovern speaks out. BY GEORGE McGOVERN 120 CELEBRITY CHRISTMAS CONFIDENTIAL We paid off the security guards and dived into upscale Dumpsters to give you these PLAYBOY exclusives: Demi's Christmas card to Ashton, Ah-nold's letter to San-tah, Ben and J. Lo's holiday party invitation and Britney's lip-smacking shopping list. 136 SEXPERIMENTS II: CASE STUDIES IN PERVERSION In June we investigated the world's weirdest sex research. You demanded more. So we donned our lab coats and found these bizarre sexual case histories. Read about a woman who experiences intense orgasms every time she yawns, farmers who fall in love with their tractors, and penis-attacking vacuum cleaners. BY CHIP ROWE 150 PLAYBOY'S ANNUAL MUSIC POLL 2003 Rock this vote. We want to know what sounds made your head bob this year. 156 COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW Our experts pick the teams that will storm the NCAA tournament this season. 161 CENTERFOLDS ON SEX: NICOLE NARAIN Nicole instructs on the oohs and aks of erogenous zones. We're hot for teacher. 162 DAREDEVIL COCKTAILS As if we're not busy enough looking after beautiful naked women, we test booze infernos with such names as Irish car bomb and the flatliner. BY SARAH PRESTON 164 20Q WILLIAM H. MACY The gee-whiz antihero of Fargo and Boogie Nights is anything but meek in person. Ile gets hit on by women at stoplights, gambles until his pockets are empty and flunks the Motion Picture Association's rating system. BY WARREN KALBACKER FICTION 102 OLATH The man with the hardest abs in the state takes a beating from a roomful of drunks, then falls for a femme fatale who causes even more bodily harm. BY ETHAN COEN INTERVIEW 71 JOHN CUSACK Whether starring in indie flicks such as Being John Malkovich or in blockbusters like Runaway Jury, John Cusack is an undisputed master of portraying the angst-ridden everyman. In a self-deprecating Playboy Interview, the man Vogue magazine called "the embodiment of what today's women want" reveals all of his personality flaws—and tells why love affairs with leading ladies never last. BY DAVID SHEFF PICTORIALS 84 THE GREAT PLAYMATE HUNT Next month PLAYBOY celebrates its 50th birthday with a special anniversary issue featuring the perfect Playmate. Here are the curvaceous candidates. 106 SEX IN CINEMA Presenting our annual look at the best sex scenes in this year's movies. 122 PLAYMATE: TELES TWINS Our gift to you this holiday season is twice as nice. 168 SHANNEN DOHERTY She left Charmed. Here she leaves behind her clothes. NOTES AND NEWS 19 DREAM A LITTLE DREAM Jamie Kennedy, Tommy Lee and the Hiltons Puck around at Hef's Midsummer Night's Dream party. 61 THE PLAYBOY FORUM One man battles airport security, others declare war on ladies' night. 205 PLAYMATE NEWS Lauren Michelle Hill makes a sexy video with Justin Timberlake; Pete Yorn's favorite Playmate. DEPARTMENTS 5 PLAYBILL 23 DEAR PLAYBOY 27 AFTER HOURS 48 PLAYBOY TV 50 PLAYBOY.COM 53 MANTRACK 57 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR 134 PARTY JOKES 204 WHERE AND HOW TO BUY 209 ON THE SCENE 210 GRAPEVINE 212 POTPOURRI FASHION 142 THE NEW PLAYBOY AT NIGHT Get red-carpet treatment at a rock club, a cigar bar and a romantic bistro. BY JOSEPH DE ACETIS 148 THE LUXE TUX Your classic tuxedo needs a twist. BY JOSEPH DE ACETIS REVIEWS 39 MOVIES Master and Commander wants you to come aboard. 41 DVDS Bruce Almighty is a godsend; Penelope's Cruz missiles in the nude! 42 MUSIC The Strokes are still smooth; Basement Jaxx move your feet. 44 GAMES SSX 3 is the Everest of snowboarding games; you'll daydream about Final Fantasy XI. 46 BOOKS The Slim Shady biography is standup; icons pay tribute to Ken Kesey.