In 2016, after 63 years in print, Playboy Magazine stopped printing full nudity. On the surface, that might seem like progress. In Toronto, however, access to the famed Playboy Playmates might actually increase: this summer, Playboy brings the playmates right to you.
Starting Sunday (June 19) and running for 12 weeks, Muzik hosts the Playboy Beach series. It promises “meet-and-greets with top Playboy Playmates,” says Muzik owner Zlatko Starkovski. “Playboy hasn’t done an official event in Toronto in six years. I pitched them on the Muzik Beach -concept, and they loved it.”
The partnership with Playboy is just the latest chapter in the nightclub owner’s rocky history. In 2015, following OVO Fest, two people were shot to death at Muzik, and assaults (sexual and otherwise) near the nightclub have been common. Rob Ford was a regular at the club, and he and Starkovski had been publicly identified as friends.
“We’ve clearly had complaints about some of the activities,” says Ward 19 Councillor Mike Layton. “There have been several violent incidents over the years.”
The Playboy brand has come under fire lately due to allegations of sexism and harassment at the Playboy Mansion. In former model Holly Madison’s memoir Down The Rabbit Hole, she alleges among other things that “all girlfriends [women living at the mansion] were required to sleep with Hef.”
This is hardly groundbreaking. From the get-go, Playboy has been criticized for its treatment of the “bunnies.” Starkovski, however, is enthusiastic about the partnership. “It’s probably one of the most recognized brands around the world,” he says. “It’s not only an honour but a privilege to work with such a company.”
The Exhibition Place location of Starkovski’s club means it’s on city property.
“Is this the appropriate type of activity?” asks Layton. “I think that can be questioned because of some of the violence [at Muzik].” But he adds that it’s not a councillor’s place to pick and choose which partnerships Starkovski can pursue.
Starkovski puts a positive spin on it. “There’s no longer nudity in the magazine, so it’s almost like GQ. The beauty with no nudity is that the magazine can attract all sorts of different people.”
Despite Layton’s neutrality, Starkovski’s close (if at times tense) relationship with the city has been beneficial for his business. In 2014, the Globe reported that according to an affidavit contained in court documents, Starkovski’s monthly rent was capped at $10,000 – far below the market rate.
In fact, his rent was often much lower. According to city documents, in 2012 Starkovski’s club paid on average about $6,000 a month. (According to a real estate appraisal, the market rate is closer to $85,000 a month.)
Starkovski hopes the partnership with Playboy will boost Toronto tourism and help the city compete with New York City, Chicago and L.A.
“This is a huge tourist attraction to bring people to the city,” he says. “If I know Playboy Beach is in Toronto, I’m going to come check it out.”
music@nowtoronto.com | @k_delamont
