Playboy's 25 Sexiest Celebrities

s we all learned from Saturday-morning cartoons, three is a magic number. When it comes to women, three beats two and triples one. More is not less; more is merrier. The Greeks told of three Graces— Aglaia (Splendor), Euphrosyne (Mirth) and Thalia (Good Cheer)—who threw all the best parties and ran the odd saucy errand for Aphrodite and Eros. In Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, the three Rheinmaidens—Wellgunde, Woglinde and Flosshilde—are sexy mermaids who nakedly (but rather poorly) guard the Rheingold, the wonder stuff on which the plot hinges. And once upon a time there were three little girls—Kelly Garrett, Sabrina Duncan and Jill Munroe—who went to the police academy and were assigned hazardous duties, only to be taken away from all that by a man. His name was Charlie. Yet all mythic temptress trios seem mere preludes to the Girls Next Door—Holly, Bridget and Kendra—apples of Hef's eye and a sign that the terrorists aren't winning diddly. This is their third Sexiest Celebrities appearance and third playboy cover. Studies show our Rabbit is one of the world's most recognized logos, yet in just three years these ladies have put their stamp on our half-century heritage. Say you're a playboy editor and men always ask whether you've been to the Mansion (we have, and it was spectacular). Women's reactions were less reliable—until now. "You work for playboy? I love The Girls Next Door1." they tell us. Three cheers for the blonde, blonde and blonde.

Our yearly survey of the very hottest women on the planet starts strong with a leadoff triple