Andy DehnartMake Me a Supermodel cast member Ronnie Kroell has become the latest reality TV star to get naked for money. He appears on the cover of Playgirl’s current print edition, in the magazine itself, and on its web site; Dudetube has some of those images which are, of course, not work-safe as they include full-frontal nudity. (The Advocate has two images that are G-rated.)
How did he get from the Bravo reality show two years ago to this? Ronnie said he was approached by Playgirl but initially rejected the idea. “At the time, upon initial contact, it wasn’t really something I saw myself doing. It took me about three months to get to ‘yes’ as a decision. I’m really happy and it was really a fun experience for me because Playgirl immediately saw upon meeting me the artistic vision that I had and what I really wanted to do. The Playgirl people allowed me to share creative control in the process, which allowed me to bring in a high-fashion photographer, and a full fashion team,” he told the Washington Blade.
Ronnie said that posing naked and with an erect penis “was all high fashion. There are a lot of surprises and I feel it will take Playgirl to a whole new level.” He also told the paper, “For me, this was an art project. It was a way of taking a calculated risk, have fun, and making the statement that I’m dropping my labels for Playgirl because at the end of the day we all have the same human body; we’re all just as vulnerable as the next person. … As Americans, we view sex, sexuality, and the nude body as something scary and perhaps dirty but for me it’s the exact opposite. … I hope people appreciate the pictures for what they are and that is as an art project.”
Ronnie, who’s gay and the celebrity marshal for the Boston Gay Pride parade, was the runner-up in the show’s first season back in 2008. In an interview with After Elton after the show concluded, he said he thought he’d do catalog modeling: “I think my look is definitely better suited to catalog and maybe a little editorial.”