Playboy Playmate Miss June 2008 Juliette Frette Interview with Playboy Energy

Playboy Energy,
I’m thrilled to introduce you to one of most fascinating women I’ve ever met. Juliette Frette is a Playboy Playmate (Miss June 2008), painter, writer and feminist! It was an absolute honor to do this interview.

Where are you from Juliette?

Juliette: Originally I’m from northern California, specifically the San Francisco area on the peninsula.

Do you still live there now?

Juliette: Yes. I did return after living in LA for a time as I earned my bachelor’s degree at UCLA. Then I stayed for about a year and a half following graduation, after which point I moved back up north.

Did you always aspire to be a Playmate?

Juliette: No, I never did actually. I never did. My feminist background led me to pursue a women’s studies degree at UCLA -- and at least initially when I was about 18, I had preconceived notions about Playboy and it was the last thing that I would ever conceive of doing.

How did you feel about Playboy when you were younger?

Juliette: Well, you know being a product of social suggestion, I had thought of Playboy as a sexy glamorous icon. But I had this idea that Playboy exposed women’s bodies in a way that wasn’t entirely respectable. Notions of objectification clouded my previous perception, so I didn’t even give it a chance at that time. You know, when you’re younger, you can be pretty close-minded even when you think that you’re being open-minded. Luckily, I did break free from that way of thinking to sort of test the boundaries of women’s empowerment. Therefore I was finally able to come to some better conclusions about how Playboy and similar media affect culture in a number of different ways, one of which can include some positive implications for women’s empowerment.

How did you come to that turning point in your life?

Juliette: Well I think being in college made me a lot less rigid about alternate belief systems. I had always been afraid of being nude on film (‘oh no the pictures can be used against me later if I want to do something political with my career.’) And as fears go, they really do hold you back. I eventually decided that I did not want to remain constricted by someone else’s conceivable judgment, and that was also part of why I felt inclined to test my own boundaries. I didn’t want fear to hold me back, as unfair as social judgment can be. It’s a reality, but it’s unfair to women how their nude appearance in the public sphere can change the way society perceives their character and integrity. But ultimately, Playboy was a fun and worthwhile experiment for me. I was 21 when I first worked with Playboy, and I continued to work with them on several projects into my 22nd year. It began with the Girls of the Pac 10 college pictorial and progressed into special editions, Coed of the week, and Coed of the Month. Then, I finally shot for my Playmate centerfold in 2007 and 2008, and have continued to work for Playmate promotions. So I have a bunch of experience in this realm. I mean, I wrote my women’s studies honors thesis on Playboy, which was called “Posing for Playboy from a Feminist Perspective: How Media Images Impact Women’s Empowerment.” Now, having had time to reflect and gather more information, I’m working on a narrative book about my feminist journey through Playboy, in which I will address several controversial issues including body image, objectification, pornography, morality, choice, and more.

So you were in college when the first opportunity to work with Playboy presented itself. What happened exactly and how did that come about?

Juliette: Well interestingly enough and I’d never mentioned this to any of my friends really. But my roommate at the time gave me this clipping from The Daily Bruin, UCLA’s newspaper, which informed us that Playboy was coming to UCLA to look for college women for their Pac 10 pictorial. Since I had already hoped to write about Playboy for my honors thesis, I thought wow this is my chance to become intimately involved!’ So I went and made an appointment, and the rest is history.

Had you ever modeled before?

Juliette: Not really, but if you count amateurish practice sessions with a friend or a head shot photographer, then sure: why not! Being the art fart that I am, I was primarily interested in performance and theater. But no, I had not had any ‘real’ experience other than posing in front of the mirror. But actually, that’s how a lot of models become effective with their photogenic techniques: by becoming eternally narcissistic.

What was it like at the Playboy audition/casting call for you? What did you have to do when you got there?

Juliette: Well you know, luckily Playboy is one of those extremely professional yet friendly companies, and they know that the material they work with is delicate, so they give you this very comfortable range of ways to try out. I had the opportunity to test with them clothed -- as in a bra and underwear, or I could do full or partial nudity. Of course I chose full nudity for my audition.

Was it liberating?

Juliette: Well it was a great deal of fun. I definitely practiced a lot before I went in for the test shoot. I was relatively confident at the time about nudity -- not a trace of fear in that respect. By the time I had resolved to commit to the idea of full exposure, it became a fun experience -- different than anything I had ever encountered.


When did you find out that you were selected?

Juliette: Well it was April 2005. I found out the day of the audition that I was selected, whereas most typically find out later. I guess I had impressed the photographer to the degree that he said I would make it. And that naturally boosted my confidence as I continued the project I originally planned.

What was your first Playboy shoot like?

Juliette: My first shoot, I loved it. It was on this little sort of ranch in Malibu, and it took forever to get there. It was the first time I had ever really been made up. I hadn’t really experienced stage make up to that degree, and I saw myself in a sense transformed in the grooming process and that was a lot of fun to observe. Also, this setup was shot exclusively outdoors, and I really love those kinds of photo shoots. In fact, all of my initial photo shoots with playboy were situated outdoors. The first one I did indoors was for my coed of the month pictorial. As much as studio lighting can be good, I like being out there in the sun better. I feel like natural light is the most artistic light and the most flattering.

How did it change your life?

Juliette: Well it certainly changed a lot of my perceptions, namely how I conceived of empowerment, beauty, body image issues, objectification, and the list goes on. All the controversial feminist issues that I had examined in college were complicated by my experience with Playboy. Not invalidated but complicated. In my book I have to address that whole spectrum and that’s one of the big projects I’m currently working on. Aside from challenging a lot of my own belief systems and forcing me to form alternate conclusions about various theories, being in Playboy has marked me. Indeed, the Rabbit Head Design symbol will probably follow all of us for the rest of our lives. You’re always a Playmate no matter what you do. You’re out there forever on the internet and on the page: it becomes part of your identity. For me, that can be a positive thing especially with regard to my current book project. Working with Playboy has also given me the opportunity to become involved in other endeavors. I have been able to meet and work with a lot of interesting people. In fact, I was able to pose for the brilliant and world famous pinup artist, Olivia de Berardinas. As an artist myself, I can definitely appreciate someone with her level of genius, and being able to work with her as one of her models was quite an honor.

What magazines do you write for?

Juliette: The first magazine I wrote for was Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, and links to those articles can be found on my website: www.juliettefrette.com, and my interview with Olivia is also there. Otherwise, I have written other articles for another small magazine called Music and Literature Review, for which I typically analyze various controversial books and discuss how they relate to society, raising questions based on the issues they present. I’ve got two articles in MLR right now, and another one should be coming out soon. And of course, links to those publications will all be available on my website. Lastly, I just started writing a column on women’s issues for Examiner.com.

How did your family and friends react to you becoming a Playmate?

Juliette: Working with Playboy was almost old news to them by the time I became a Playmate. In terms of their initial reaction to when I first crossed the Playboy nudity threshold, that were just like “Ah! Ok fine” and some of them were like “I’m not going to look at it, I want to remember you the way you were”. My mother was supportive of my decision just by virtue of being a supporter of freedom of choice. Nevertheless, I’m sure that if I had become a medical student she would have been equally, if not more thrilled. It’s not entirely easy for family members when their daughter or niece becomes a Playmate, because even if they like it, even if it’s exciting, it’s still very complicated. It just changes how everyone sees you.

What was it like first meeting Hef?

Juliette: The first time I met Hef I was 22, and that was the first time I had ever attended a party at the Mansion. My first encounter with Hef was this momentous occasion for me, but I was disappointed afterward because I realized “That’s it! Now I have to go away and I can’t talk to him anymore”. At the time, I was a lower-profile special editions model, and I was just there, and everyone just kind of elbowed me out of the way, and I was like “Ok, I have go somewhere else.” But even after I started to converse with Hef more often as a Playmate, I was still intimidated by him because he’s a legendary icon. And only in the last half year have I become more relaxed around him. I usually don’t get intimidated by anybody. I’m usually very direct and comfortable talking and voicing my opinion, but not around him, it was difficult.

What’s it like being at the Mansion and do you relate to the other girls?

Juliette: It’s like being in candy land, there’s always free food, free drinks, free dessert, anything you want you can tell the kitchen, and they’ll give it to you. And you’re always surrounded by beautiful people. Beautiful when they are extremely manicured and beautiful when they’re just looking normal. And you can get used to it. It is a lifestyle that is full of abundance and glamour and I like it, I’ve always had a good time. But if I do spend a lot of time there, if I’m shooting or whatnot, I can find myself missing the real world, it’s good to get out there and go on a hike or just go to the supermarket and make your own food, but I do enjoy it, it’s a beautiful home and I’ve made a lot of good friends.

Do you have a role model?

Juliette: I don’t really have a specific role model, I’ve never idolized somebody. However I do respect a number of different people and have learned from their example. A lot of people I appreciate have been successful in endeavors that I enjoy. I absolutely admire and respect great writers like Marion Zimmer-Bradley who wrote my favorite book The Mists of Avalon, and I love the work of J.K. Rowling. And of course I admire Olivia de Berardinis, who is the most talented pin-up Artist in the world I’ve decided. I also really admire political figures who promote the ideas that resonate with me. I respect the work of feminist icon Gloria Steinem, and like me, her history and her writing adventures have been marked by Playboy. Hopefully my book will shed some additional light on feminist issues as they pertain to Playboy and other cultural nuances with regard to women and how media images effect women’s empowerment. Also I appreciate Barack Obama; so far, he seems to be doing pretty well.

Do you have any advice for young girls out there who want to become Playmates?

Juliette: I would advise that any woman should question her own goals and truly examine how Playboy can help or hinder those objectives. It depends on what they truly want in life, what kind of community they live in, and if they want to stay living in that community. If they are extremely religious for example, I would not recommend it if their church is hypercritical of Playboy, provided that their religious community is important to them. Playboy can lead to a lot of opportunities, positive and negative; you have a lot offered to you. Without a doubt, it affects how people see you forevermore, and you’ve got to be prepared to accept the consequences of how future employers are going to look at that. Usually, future employers, family, and friends are supportive, but some aren’t. Again, we shouldn’t let other people’s judgments preclude our own opportunities. But if a woman wants to be in Playboy to prove that she is good looking enough to qualify, then I don’t know if it’s necessarily a good thing to do. Aside from the possibility of developing or exacerbating body image issues, becoming involved with Playboy is incontrovertible, and you cannot participate lightly. It will change your life in one way or another, even if you never attend another Playboy event afterwards.

What turns you on?

Juliette: Things that really inspire passion in me: I love creativity, individuality, and determination, reliability, integrity, loyalty, and confidence. I also love subtlety and sensitivity. And in terms of what physically ignites my fire, simple things can qualify such as good food, going on a good hike and appreciating trees and mountains, nicely composed writing, anything beautiful, or anything with aesthetic appeal. And romance of course. Magic. Masculinity. Sensuality! I can derive joy from a lot of different things.

If you were stuck on a deserted island with one person, who would it be?

Juliette: I would say my boyfriend. Sometimes it seems like I’m stuck on a deserted island with him anyway!

I love your paintings. They are really beautiful. How long have you been painting?

Juliette: Thank you! I’ve been an artist since before age 10, but I never really had a specific focus or style. I would indulge in all kinds different art forms. I finally narrowed my focus to painting a few couple years ago. Still, writing is also an art form and I find it hard to focus on several art forms at once, so if I’m writing a lot, my painting will take a back seat. Likewise, if I’m painting then I probably won’t be writing. So I kind of have to choose what to focus on.

Please let us know if you do any art shows that we can post….I really love your work. It’s great.

Juliette: Well thank you again! I haven’t put much effort in to getting my work into galleries, maybe it’s just ‘cuz I don’t trust other people handling it. But maybe one day I’ll do it.

Where do you see yourself ten years down the road?

Juliette: I see myself getting this book written and published; I’m about one-third of the way through writing it. It’s a project I started literally four years ago; it’ll finally be like “Ah! I’ve done it”, other than that I would like to continue doing my painting, I’d like to conjure up a new, challenging project, with regard to say writing; challenging but doable and exciting. I would also like to see myself married and presumably having kids, definitely having kids, but conceivably in the nearer future, not in my mid-thirties or something. And yeah, I’d like to continue being my unorthodox self and facilitate positive change for the world in my own way