“They are distinguished. Knowledgeable. Experienced. Older men are like fine wine, best to be savored, slowly, sensuously,” Playgirl’s editors wrote in June 2004. “It may be that sexy bit of gray in their hair, or just their confident, manly look. It’s a look that says they can take care of you in the bedroom –and they know their way around our pleasure spots.” In truth, their collection of the “hottest older men” began timidly with 33-year-old Bryan (old?) But cover model Rick Dinihanian was indeed 55 and the headline boldly stated: “Lusting after OLDER MEN. With Age Comes Experience.”
Dinihanian may be Playgirl’s oldest cover man. But he was no exception for a magazine that dared to be inclusive, long before DEI became a ‘thing’: three-time centerfold Tom Gagen was only 28 when Norbert Jobst photographed him in 1977; 51 in 1998, lensed by Maxine Eliot Marten. “Fabulous when his first layout appeared in the January 1977 issue, the aspiring actor was every bit as dreamy in October 1989,” boasted the glossy. “Now at age 51 and in his third spectacular appearance, he looks his best ever.”
1999 Man of the Year Robert Monzi (photographed by the legendary Suze Randall) made a much talked about comeback in 2012 (photographed by Greg Weiner). Then editor-in-chief Nicole Caldwell caught up with Monzi for an exclusive interview. “Did you have second thoughts at all when Playgirl came calling again?” she asked. “Since Man of the Year and other appearances (…) you have a time gap of more than 10 years,” Monzi replied. “At first you think about it and you try to put it forth in your mind: ‘How can I pull this off?’ I have a very sex-positive outlook. Then I just say OK, I’ve done it once, I’m going to do it again.” And pull it off he did.
