Two years ago, Ashley Dupre - or "Kristen" as she was known to Eliot Spitzer - became embroiled in one of the biggest sex scandals ever, as the Governor of New York State was snared in a prostitution sting. He was Ashley's client.
After removing herself from the spotlight, she's back in a big way next month as Playboy's cover girl for May. Suffice it to say, she looks amazing.
Below, in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Gossip, Ashley Dupre tells us:
THG: Did you ever struggle with or question the morality of your past profession?
Ashley Dupre: I was young, I was stupid, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Going back to the profession after being out for 11 months (before I got caught) was the hardest thing that I’d ever had to do up until that point.
I was in a relationship during those 11 months, which helped me learn self worth and self respect. I had dreams and goals and I was living a normal life during that time. When the man I was dating left me after 11 months, he left me with debt and responsibilities above my means. In order for me to be able to pay off my debt and move out of my apt I had to go back to work for a little bit.
At that moment, I felt like I had too much self respect to return to that line of work, so it was hard for me to go back. I felt like I was above that. But I had to. So I did. Do I feel bad about what I was doing? In a way, yes – I do take some responsibility. But at the end of the day, I was just doing my job.
THG: Without naming names, did you have any other famous clients besides #9?
Ashley Dupre: Maybe, maybe not. I do not kiss and tell.
THG: Why did you decide to pose nude for Playboy now, having turned down similar offers in the past?
Ashley Dupre: Playboy has been the number one men’s monthly magazine subscription for more than 55 years. Cindy Crawford, Brooke Burke, Pamela Anderson and Marilyn Monroe all graced the cover of Playboy, and I am honored to be next to [them].
My sex was being bought and sold, but in a different way through the media - half naked pictures of me were circling for a long time. Posing in Playboy was a way for me to reclaim my sexuality and take control of my image. This is the first time that I have had photo approval over any photos that are being released.
This is the first time that there are photos out there of me that were released with my permission. These photos are beautiful and I am so happy and proud to be affiliated with Playboy and to be part of the Playboy family!
THG: What was the most absurd piece of celebrity gossip written about you.
Ashley Dupre: Wow! Um, just ONE? Lol! That’s hard. There were a lot more than one! I can’t even remember. I have selective memory!
THG: Joe Francis: What a sleaze, are we right?
Ashley Dupre: Ummm, yes, I would have to agree with you.
THG: Are you still doing music at all?
Ashley Dupre: I am still working on my music. I’m also very realistic about where I’ve been and what I’ve gone through. I know that some people won’t take me seriously, so I need to show them who I am (rather than who they think I am) in order for them to take me seriously and give my music a chance. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me, but it’s been 2two years and I haven’t given up yet, so I doubt I will any time soon! I’m really committed to working hard on my music career and I hope things turn out well!
You can listen to my newest singles
THG: Would you consider doing a reality dating show, a la A Shot at Love?
Ashley Dupre: LOL! I’m not sure, but I can tell you this much - I would not be making out on national television!
THG: Take us through a typical day for you.
Ashley Dupre: Well, I’m in LA now for a few months. It’s a nice change from New York! I just flew my dog Brooklyn back to LA with me, so, on a typical day, I wake up and walk him. Here’s what I do after that: have breakfast while I work on StilettoSuicide.com (my new blog), work on my New York Post advice column, catch up on emails, respond to my Twitter-bugs, go to the gym, jump on conference calls and take meetings/lunch meetings for some of the projects I’m working on, come home and walk Brooklyn, go to yoga, more conference calls, feed Brooklyn, have dinner with my friends, walk Brooklyn, and go to bed.
The one thing I do love about LA (among other things of course!) are the house parties and BBQs. We don’t really have that in NYC!
THG: What kinds of things do you look for in a man?
Ashley Dupre: I look for someone who thinks that all of my imperfections make me perfect, and someone who makes me overall a better woman.
THG: You're a Garden State native. Which Jersey Shore cast member is hottest?
Ashley Dupre: LOL! Where I grew up, it’s nothing like the Jersey Shore on the show ... the show totally gives Jersey a bad name! When I tell people that I’m from the Jersey Shore I find myself following it up with, “But it’s nothing like that show.” I must admit that watching the show is a guilty pleasure of mine, but I honestly haven’t watched it enough to know the character’s names. So, I’m not sure who is the hottest!
THG: Are you seeing anyone?
Ashley Dupre: Next question. :)
THG: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Ashley Dupre: Married. Maybe starting to think about having children. I know that what will bring me true happiness, and what will complete me as a woman is going to be my future husband and our family. I didn’t really have a great childhood or a really close family, so that is something that I crave. As far as work – I would love to see my New York Post advice column grow and I would love to see StilettoSuicide.com grow. I would love to help young girls who may be heading down a similar path as me and help parents communicate with their children. I would love to be known for anything other than what happened to me in 2008. I know I will never be able to erase what happened, but I hope to be able to show people who I am rather than who they think I am. I hope that I can work hard enough to ensure that my mistakes will not be what defines me.
Or better yet, the Ashley Dupre pictures from the mag will probably leak online for free! Everyone wins! Well, except Spitzer. Dude lost his job for banging a hooker.
In any case, word has it the photo shoot is literally smokin' hot.
We actually used literally properly there, too. Girl was on fire! Photographer Stephen Wayda had Ashley lay down surrounded by candles when disaster nearly struck.
Vintage Ashley Dupre. Get ready to see even more of her!
"A few strands of her hair caught on fire because of all the hairspray," says a source.
"The hairstylist, Jorge Serrano, was the first one to notice and rushed over," according to the venerable New York Post, which not surprisingly is all over this story.
The former call girl Kristen and current "aspiring singer" was able to finish the shoot, and was uninjured, fortunately. Her eight-page spread hits newsstands April 16.
Nice to see Ashley back in the news. It'd been too long since our favorite hoe surfaced. She was the world's most famous political side tail until Rielle Hunter came along.
At least Ms. Dupre is kind of attractive, too. Sorry Rielle.
We've already seen Jersey Shore star Jenni Farley 97 percent nude, given the "clothing" she wears to clubs on a nightly basis. J-WOWW? More like J-Eh.
Playboy's apparently interested in that other three percent, however.
"I got a really good offer from Playboy," J-WOWW told Us Weekly before the show's finale and reunion last week. "But I'm going to hold off and see."
Here's J-WOWW in all her glory. Would you ... you know?
Would you want to see Jenni Farley, a.k.a. J-WOWW, in Playboy? She looks kinda rough, and what haven't we seen on Jersey Shore thus far? Just asking.
A JWOWW nude shoot may seem silly, but at least there's a rationale behind it. She's trashy, and likes getting naked anyway. Her fashion line, though? Baffling.
She's not the only member of the Jersey Shore cast considering an offer to bare all, either. DJ Pauly D may go all Levi Johnston on us and get naked for Playgirl.
"I'm just trying to get my head straight right now!" he said, but after co-star Snooki said she’d want to see that, he added, "If she buys it, I'm gonna do it!"
One Jersey Shore star has prior experience in the field: The Situation (a.k.a. Mike Sorrentino) is a former stripper. Would he consider a return to that profession?
Not likely, but either way, "We're taking over the reality world. We're reality kings right here!" he says. Sadly, given the show's ratings, he's technically correct.
According to Playboy, its upcoming issue is "massive" and "double."
Based on the photo below, it's clear the former adjective refers to cover gal Tara Reid's breasts; while the latter describes the take our staff did upon seeing it.
Tara Reid? Really?!?
A shot of this train wreck in her underwear was enough to leave us nauseous for a month. Do we really need to see the whole thing?
Dancing with the Stars viewers have been watching Joanna Krupa shake her money-maker on the show throughout season nine.
Her and partner Derek Hough have been heating up the dance floor for months, most notably during their sizzling version of the Lambada. But fans of the model haven't seen anything yet!
Okay, that's not entirely true. Krupa has already posed naked for Playboy, in July 2005. Still, male readers can now get excited for more: she'll be featured in the December issue of the magazine.
Joanna Krupa nude, take two: coming in December!
Meanwhile, Real Housewife of New York City, Kelly Bensimon has been confirmed for the January issue of Playboy. She won't bare it all, though, says a source:
"Kelly is only going to be topless. She shot the spread at Milk Studios in NYC and - get this - her ex-husband [French fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon] was the photographer.”
Looks like fans will soon see if Bensimon's body parts are as real as her status as a housewife.
Poor Alina Puscau.
The gorgeous model bares it all for Playboy this month, but her pictorial is overshadowed in many ways by Marge Simpson's naked spread in the magazine.
It's gotta be tough to be on dueling covers with a cartoon icon, but Puscau is taking it well. We actually spoke to the Romanian beauty and asked her about this experience:
On posing nude for the first time: I felt very comfortable because it was my boyfriend [director Brett Ratner] taking the pictures.
On Ratner doing the shoot: It was very difficult because he is a director and very demanding and a perfectionist. It was the hardest photo shoot I’ve ever had, but we had a lot of fun as well.
On who is sexier, her or Marge Simpson: Marge Simpson is definitely sexier than me and she has fantastic blue hair.
On other projects: I have an album coming out soon that I recorded in my home country. My single album is called “When you leave” and was produced by the famous DJ Basshunter.
On meeeting Hugh Hefner or his girlfriends: I met Hugh Hefner, but I never met his girlfriends, but I watch them on The Girls Next Door. I love that show.
It's difficult to compete with someone responsible for a bevy of hilarious The Simpsons quotes, but don't pity Alina Puscau.
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