It was inevitable that at some point we’d mention the king guru of soft-core porn in our weekly Hump Day posts. And when it comes to dirty old men, only Hugh Hefner takes the cake.

His little 1953 start-up magazine, Playboy, has since transformed into an international mega-nudie-conglomerate worthy of even Trump’s approval. Nation-specific versions of the magazine are sold worldwide; and throughout its run the magazine created a platform for many Hollywood starlets to formally disrobe in public. This roster includes most of the Baywatch cast, Dita Von Teese, Drew Barrymore, Marilyn Monroe and Madonna.

So what’s new? The top-notch adult-news site AVN reported yesterday that Playboy Enterprises Inc. shares went up 60 cents on Tuesday, as the company posted rising quarterly results. Take that Larry Flynt!

The Chicago Tribune credits the growth of Playboy’s subscription-based video-on-demand service as one of the main contributing factors. VOD keeps members happy by allowing users to rewind, fast forward or pause on the money shots.

Plus, Paris Hilton (apparently a new religious role model) was caught by paparazzi leaving a recent Playboy party scantily clad, proving once again that Hef’s parties are still where it’s at. So that’s our little round-up of Playboy news for today.

Who’s your all-time favourite Playboy centerfold (celebrity or even just random nudie girl?)