IU’s Playboy models sign autographs Tuesday

Campustown served up more than just custom screened T-shirts Tuesday evening.

Four of the seven women chosen by Playboy to represent IU in the magazine’s perennially popular pictorial of Big Ten women, “Girls of the Big 10,” signed autographs there from 4 to 6 p.m.

Throughout the evening fans of the magazine came into the store, located at 306 N. Walnut St., for a quick meet and greet and to have their magazine signed, some even snapping a quick photo.

“I thought it was great,” said senior Eugene Wong. “It’s not every day I get to meet Playboy models.”

Many fans came already carrying their purchased publication. Others found copies available for sale in the store.

Those who picked up the periodical at the counter said they were impressed by the girls’ beauty in person.

“I couldn’t even tell where their pictures were or who was signing what,” said Ryan Strefling, a senior who took a break from his delivery job at Kilroy’s Sports Bar to check out the signing. “I was kind of overwhelmed at the time.”

The girls said they observed some sheepish behavior from some of the visitors. Several customers even purchased magazines and simply walked out the door without even bothering to have their periodical personalized.

“I wasn’t that intimidated,” senior Lucas Veldhuis said about the atmosphere and meeting the girls. “It was just chill.”

A good percentage of the clientele was male, but female fans made their presence known. One fan, junior Maya Namyslowski, said she was a friend of one of the girls, and while she mainly came to offer support, she still enjoyed the magazine.

“I bought mine the first day it came out,” Namyslowski said. “The girls are hot.”

Still, other women arrived to have magazines signed as presents for significant others. One Bloomington woman said she was having the magazine signed as a present for a loved one stationed in Iraq.

“The girls here have been great,” said Playboy publicist Tina Manzo. “It’s a nice town, very Playboy-friendly. We like that.”

Lee Waedekin, Playboy’s newsstand operations director, has worked the Big Ten circuit before.

“We always love the enthusiasm across the Big Ten,” he said. “We go everywhere, and there’s a few more customers in some places than others. But the enthusiasm is consistent. We always love stopping in Bloomington.”

The girls all agreed it’s been an enjoyable ride so far.

“I thought it was cool. I’m happy with my picture,” said Kelly Knauss, a junior at IU-Northwest, whose pseudonym is “Kelly Kae.”

The other three women go by pseudonyms. Two sisters go by  Hayley and Kelly Foxx and the other model goes by Taylor Loftlyn. They declined to give their real names.