Playboy November 2009

COVER STORY Alina Puscau is a lingerie model, the singer of "When You Leave" (the sultry version of "Numa Numa") and the girlfriend of Brett Ratner, director of X-Men: The Last Stand. The two—well, three if you count Alina's mannequin—show us that Helmut Newton's world is still sexy. Our Rabbit is the hottest clip next to Alina's music video. FEATURES 40 A WEIRD CALM AT THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS LUIS ALBERTO URREA stands over the Rio Grande, straddling heaven and hell. On one side sits El Paso, a classic American boomtown that's still flourishing. But a piedra's throw away is Juárez, where 326 people were murdered—in August. 50 BURN AFTER READING Think long fillers are filibusters or stud extras in porn movies? AARON SIGMOND's cigar guide has you covered. 64 THE HILLIKER CURSE JAMES ELLROY delivers his final installment of love, loss and literature. Can our hero shake the jinx and find the right girl? 80 PLAYING FOR KEEPS SCOTT ALEXANDER follows video game Brutal Legend's design team into battle. 88 THE WOMAN WHO COULD THINK HERSELF OFF! We dispatch JOHN H. RICHARDSON to witness a bona fide mind fuck. INTERVIEW 35 BENICIO DEL TORO The star talks with STEPHEN REBELLO about Hollywood—old (films) and new (sex with Scarlett Johansson in an elevator?). 20Q 62 TRACY MORGAN ERIC SPITZNAGEL gets jewels like "I'm into bike riding and breaking women's water." VERSE 58 THE BONE CHURCH Grab a bar stool next to STEPHEN KING and listen to his chilling new tale. COLUMNS 28 FRENCH DISH TONI BENTLEY finds herself a female lover in Gay Paree. 30 MAKING YOUR PATHOLOGY PAY How DR. DREW PINSKY made his problem work for him. PICTORIALS 44 A FAREWELL TO FARRAH A celebration of Farrah Fawcett's feathered hair, big smile and iconic images. 52 THE DEVIL IN MARGE SIMPSON Springfield's hottest housewife serves up cheesecake photographs. 68 PLAYMATE: KELLEY THOMPSON We found our little rose of Texas. 92 ALINA PUSCAU BRETT RATNER, his Victoria's Secret model girlfriend and a plastic body double pay homage to Helmut Newton. FASHION 84 THE COMFORT OF STRANGERS A Hollywood tryst! Actor Gilles Marini's affair with clothes! Catch the action! Fashion by JENNIFER RYAN JONES, photography by TONY KELLY. NEWS AND NOTES 9 WORLD OF PLAYBOY Hef and his girls watch Holly Madison perform it Peepshow, but when called onstage. Hefner steals the show; the Shannon twins autograph the Centerfold in Las Vegas; Playmates crack jokes for HBO (don't you love a girl with a sense of humor?); Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt peddle Playboy. 10 ACES AND ANGELS Who knew Kim Kardashian, Shannon Elizabeth and Billy Burke were players? The Playboy Mansion hosts two big poker tournaments. 122 PLAYMATE NEWS Christi Shake looks for the soap star of her dreams on My Antonio; Jayde Nicole wants us to eat our vegetables; Sara Jean Underwood geeks out on G4. DEPARTMENTS 3 PLAYBILL 1 DEAR PLAYBOY 17 AFTER HOURS 20 REVIEWS 25 MANTRACK 33 PLAYBOY ADVISOR 78 PARTY JOKES 130 GRAPEVINE THE PLAYBOY FORUM 125 UNTRUE CONFESSIONS Would you willingly confess to a crime you didn't commit? You might. JOSHUA TEPFER investigates interrogators' dodgy head games. 126 NO PHOTOS ALLOWED Cops hate cameras. So, TIM MOHR asks, who watches the watchmen?