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Levi Johnston cashes in on fame by stripping for Playgirl

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Filed under: Sex Sells, Celebs & Money

Levi JohnstonLooks like Levi Johnston is grabbing headlines once again. The teen famous for fathering Sarah Palin's grandson is spending hours in the gym beefing up for his Playgirl photo shoot.

Men do it, too.

What do Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith and Holly Madison all have in common? They've all used their sensuality and sexuality to make money. And in doing so, they've all - at one time or another - been dubbed "bimbos" and "cheap".

But these babes, and women in general, haven't cornered the market on selling their sex-appeal.

Guys are also famous for baring it all and cashing in on their sexuality. Men have cast gazing glances and "made love to the camera" for decades. Errol Flynn and Rudolph Valentino weren't shamed by their sex appeal. They weren't called "bimbos" either.

Throughout history, men have used their sensuality to their advantage - and to make a few bucks - just as much as women. Yet when women do so, they're slapped with scandalous labels.

Here's a look at some men who've taken a page from Marilyn's book and used sex to sell their careers.

More than 15 minutes

Fathering Palin's grandchild skyrocketed Levi Johnston out of obscurity and netted him 15 minutes of fame. Now he's capitalizing on every last nanosecond of his 15 minutes of fame, and posing in Playgirl. Magazine representatives had stated that Johnston's photo shoot will take place sometime in November and rumors continue to swirl as to just how much Johnston will bare. Some sources claim the photo spread will feature full frontal nudity.

An Officer and A Gentlemen...and a Playgirl cover model, too

The May 1983 issue of Playgirl featured a shirtless Richard Gere gazing soulfully into the lens while embracing what appears to be a naked woman. Critics say after his two box office hits, American Gigolo and An Officer and a Gentlemen, Gere's career was unexpectedly tanking. The cover, some say, was a ploy to generate some attention and resuscitate his career. Looks like it worked, since Gere's gone on to star in a string of hits including Runaway Bride, Chicago and Unfaithful. He's also starring in the newly released Amelia.

All soaped up

Antonio Sabato Jr. first gained publicity as a Calvin Klein underwear model and built on the buzz created over his body starring in Janet Jackson's Love Will Never Do video. In April 1993, as he was beginning to garner attention for the role of Jagger Cates on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, Sabato appeared on a sexy (and sudsy) cover of Playgirl. A year after his cover, Sabato said farewell to the soaps and went on to star in numerous television shows and movies. He's currently the star of the reality series My Antonio.

Dude looks like he's nude

When Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler bared it all in the May 2007 issue of Playgirl his place in rock history was already solidified. But, his pictures earned him scores of new fans, propelling his popularity with a new generation of rocker fans.

These aren't the only dudes to ditch their Levi's for a shot at making a few bucks thanks to their bodies. Christopher Adkins, Tyrese Gibson and Scott Bakula are among the dozens of celebs who've built up their bank accounts by posing nude or semi-nude in Playgirl.

Gina Roberts-Grey is a freelance writer specializing in consumer issues.

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