# Elevator stopping at Penthouse and going down--way down--Bob Guccione dead at 79
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 21, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881 "2010-10-21T13:53:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/1 "2010-10-21T13:53:23Z")
[Story here](http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39770106/ns/today-entertainment/).
Can’t say I’m sorry this slimeball is gone.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/2 "2010-10-21T13:55:03Z")
The afterlife just got a little bit sleazier! 🙂
So, who ya got next in the death pool – Hefner or Flynt?
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Midnight)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/3 "2010-10-21T13:59:46Z")
Bob Guccione taught me a lot about the female anatomy, especially the wonderful, mysterious vagina. Playboy doesn’t show the pussy like Penthouse did.
Hustler back in the day was a classic, but it was dirty as dirty can be. Also very prized from my 70’s youth but like the vagina itself was out of my reach.
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### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/4 "2010-10-21T14:04:19Z")
he made a big social change though not all the time with a sharp focus.
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### Author:  [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/5 "2010-10-21T14:09:43Z")
In addition to dirty magazines, wasn’t he also involved in some way with _Omni_? I really liked that magazine when I was a kid. Which is not to say that I never had an appreciation for his raunchier publications.
Anyway, I have mixed feelings about pornography today, but rest in peace anyway.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/6 "2010-10-21T14:21:09Z")
> [@Gil-Martin](#):
>
> In addition to dirty magazines, wasn’t he also involved in some way with _Omni_? I really liked that magazine when I was a kid.
[His GF/wife founded it.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omni_(magazine))
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/7 "2010-10-21T14:35:55Z")
Bob Guccione and Penthouse really knocked the heck out of Playboy for several years. It forced Hef to modernize Playboy and show a bit more below the navel. The competition also drove Playboy into home video sales pretty early. The changes from competition probably saved Playboy from going under decades ago.
I was never a fan of the soft focus style of Penthouse. But, it was a big part of my youth. I learned a lot about the clitoris from Bob Guccione. My old girlfriends & I thank him for my education and will miss him. 😉
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### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/8 "2010-10-21T14:44:25Z")
his company was responsive and valued consumer input.
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### Author:  [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/9 "2010-10-21T14:51:44Z")
RIP, Bob. You brought some joy into my callow youth.
I always liked Penthouse the best of all the porn mags. It wasn’t as dirty and, IMO, as disgusting as Hustler, but it was one helluva lot more lively than Playboy.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/10 "2010-10-21T15:01:38Z")
_Penthouse_ was the best of the spank mags back in the day. Raunchy, but not _Hustler_ nasty raunchy, and I think the girls were even hotter than the ones in _Playboy_. The choice of models and tone just suited my erotic sensibilities. I have many fond pubescent memories of the magazine and got quite a bit of my education from the Penthouse Forum (I never used to believe those stories were true until last saturday night…).
Also, _Caligula_ is one of my all time favorite movies. The depravity is mesmerizing. I still can’t believe that movie was actually made. Every time I watch it, I feel like I must be dreaming it – that it couldn’t actually be real. The juxtaposition of names like John Gielgud, Helen Mirren Peter O’Toole and Gore Vidal with hardcore porn, women taking literal baths in semen and guys getting fisted up the ass is just too bizarre. Plus Malcolm McDowell is awesome in the movie. He defines Gaius Caligula Caesar for me.
RIP, Bob, you old lech. You did a great service to guys who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s. I bet you’re up there now asking Jesus if he wants to buy any naked pictures of his mom.
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/11 "2010-10-21T15:11:18Z")
Dear Penthouse, I never thought this would happen to me, but last night I died…
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/12 "2010-10-21T15:38:41Z")
Guccione was a genius, and a real artist.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/13 "2010-10-21T17:55:30Z")
His magazine got Vanessa Williams fired as Miss America, but gave a huge launch to her career. I’ll never forget the cover with her and George Burns.
“Oh, God! She’s nude!”
http:// [1.bp.blogspot.com/\_X3qec5GEIUc/ShboB6UB1WI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/HrdFaVjeJmw/s320/Vanessa\_Williams\_Penthouse\_cover.jpg](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_X3qec5GEIUc/ShboB6UB1WI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/HrdFaVjeJmw/s320/Vanessa_Williams_Penthouse_cover.jpg)
Cover doesn’t have nudity, but I doubt people would want to be caught looking at a Penthouse cover at work.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/14 "2010-10-21T17:58:00Z")
That actually did a lot more good for her than bad. She’s one of the few Miss Americas that anybody can name, or ever had any kind of career afterwards.
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### Author:  [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/15 "2010-10-21T18:43:39Z")
Upon reading (in the Wall Street Journal, no less) that Bob Guccione had died, I IMMEDIATELY thought of Corrine Alphen. Holy Moly there’s something about her that always drove me crazy.
The funny thing is she married one of my favorite actors of the time; Ken Wahl who played Vinnie Terranova in the show Wiseguy.
[http://www](http://www). [google.com/images?q=corrine+alphen&biw=1680&bih=863](http://google.com/images?q=corrine+alphen&biw=1680&bih=863)
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### Author:  [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/16 "2010-10-21T18:49:35Z")
I heard on the NPR report that he actually did a lot of the photography, back in the day.
I really don’t know shit about his life **Annie** , but I’m curious why you call him a slimeball.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/17 "2010-10-21T18:51:24Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> Also, _Caligula_ is one of my all time favorite movies. The depravity is mesmerizing. I still can’t believe that movie was actually made. Every time I watch it, I feel like I must be dreaming it – that it couldn’t actually be real. The juxtaposition of names like John Gielgud, Helen Mirren Peter O’Toole and Gore Vidal with hardcore porn, women taking literal baths in semen and guys getting fisted up the ass is just too bizarre. Plus Malcolm McDowell is awesome in the movie. He defines Gaius Caligula Caesar for me.
How **did** he get such actors for such a project?! 😕
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/18 "2010-10-21T19:00:18Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> I have many fond pubescent memories of the magazine and got quite a bit of my education from the Penthouse Forum (I never used to believe those stories were true until last saturday night…).
When at your small midwestern university…
Yup. Letters section was the best draw for me, and it’s why I liked Penthouse better than Playboy.
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### Author:  [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/19 "2010-10-21T19:07:31Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> How **did** he get such actors for such a project?! 😕
Money. Lots and lots of money. 🆒
RIP Bobby G, first of the “Big Three”(_) to leave us.
(_) Hef & Larry are still alive, right?
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elevator-stopping-at-penthouse-and-going-down-way-down-bob-guccione-dead-at-79/557881/20 "2010-10-21T19:19:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> How **did** he get such actors for such a project?! 😕
They didn’t know. He did all the porn scenes with extras on the same set, after hours. That’s how.
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