Celebri-Net

A failing economy and an obsession with showcasing has-been celebrities 10 years past their prime have put Hef’s Playboy empire on the brinks of bankruptcy. Now, his only hope to continue providing the world’s most desired women in the world’s most desirable positions lies in the hands of a funny Jew, and a basketball star’s adulterer.

26 year old actor Seth Rogan, and 20-something (?) model and TV personality Hope Dworaczyk are featured together on the cover Playboy’s April issue. The event marks only the ninth time in the magazine’s history that a male has graced the cover. Putting Rogan in the ranks of legendary actors like Steve Martin, Jerry Seinfeld and Burt Reynolds.

Hope’s journey to the cover is a little more puzzling. The busty brunette was first discovered by Playboy at an open casting call in her home state of Texas where she was vying for the honor of the mag’s “55th Playmate”. A position that eventually went to Dasha Astafieva. However, former Playboy executive and ex-Hefner lover Holly Madison took a liking to Hope, and after further investigation into her past, invited the former Miss Teen Texas to do her very own Playboy pictorial.

Over the last few year, Hope has been under a lot of scrutiny for allegedly being the catalyst behind NBA super star Jason Kidd’s divorce from his wife Joumana who he currently has three children with. Joumana claimed that amongst domestic abuse from Kidd that included an instance where she claims he “broke her rib and damaged her hearing by smashing her head into the console of a car”, Jason was constantly cheating on her with Hope.

Not long after his separating from Joumana, Jason made his relationship with Dworaczyk public. The two where seen and photographed together during Kidd’s down time, and in early January, exactly one year after Kidd filed for divorce, the NY Post published a story that claimed Hope Dworaczyk was pregnant with her “long time” boyfriend’s baby.

A rumor Hope furiously refuted a month later on her personal Myspace page:

Jason and I do NOT have a child together. Page six reported I was pregnant about a year ago and made the news again this week. Not sure why it was important enough to even make headlines!!! I went missing from maybe 3 home games in a row and we gave our floor seats to friends for those games. I was not out having a child – It’s called having a job. I was traveling and working!!

Now back to those photos we posted last night. Before all the baby drama, Jason Kidd was traded from the New Jersey Nets to the Dallas Mavericks who play in Hope’s home state of Texas. To exploit/celebrate the migration, Playboy set up a photo shoot with Dworaczyk where she was featured completely nude with a Dallas Mavericks jersey and Kidd’s number “2″ painted on her body (those are the photos we posted last night).

For some reason those photos were never published and in January Playboy set up a NEW photo shoot with Hope to be featured in April’s issue. So far there has been no word as to why the men’s magazine decided to not release the photos of her wearing Jason Kidd’s jersey and instead choose to do a completely new shoot.

What’s even more confusing is why Dworaczyk was used as the “Celebrity Model” and as the “Centerfold Model”. Usually Playboy will feature an actress or celebrity on the cover of their magazine and give her her own pictorial inside the issue. Then along with the “Celebrity” photos Playboy would also feature a “Centerfold” pictorial from a model they choose as the “Playmate of the Month”. However, this month Hope was the only female featured on the cover and was this month’s centerfold “Playmate of the Month” as well. Which is fine by me considering how smoking hot Hope is, but may be evidence of the company’s lack of resources.

Another piece of evidence could be the fact that Hefner just put his “mini-mansion” located right next to the Playboy mansion up for sale. Or the fact that next month’s “Celebrity Model” has been revealed as 45 year old Melrose’s Place actress Lisa Rinna.

The future seems to be gloom for the once flourishing Playboy empire. But as long as they continue to find women like Hope Dworaczyk, and continue to convince them to get naked for all to see, there still may be hope.

Playboy’s April issue is on sale now. Pick up your copy at newsstands everywhere or download the entire issue by CLICKING HERE. Sample photos below…

[Hope Dworaczyk in Playboy Magazine's April issue]

-Photos Courtesy Playboy.com