ShannaMarie
McLaughlin

Not long after arriving in Los Angeles from Orlando last August, Shanna Marie McLaughlin spotted an ad on Craigslist for a new Playboy TV reality series, Playboy Shootout. Sensing the perfect opportunity to launch a modeling and acting career, she decided to try out for the show, a contest featuring 10 models and 10 photographers, each vying for a chance to appear in the magazine. Shanna not only aced the audition, she won the entire competition. "The whole experience of being judged while naked and surrounded by cameras was amazing but also completely nuts!" says the 25-year-old, who describes herself as a "guy's girl" for her love of fishing, football and darts. "It was like Playmate boot camp." With her modeling career successfully under way, Shanna now hopes to turn her attention to another passion – business. Before leaving for California, she was three classes shy of earning a master's degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida. In fact, she already co-owns an event-planning company in Florida called Tiki Bash ("Get tropically impaired," boasts its website). "I want to use my business background and stature as a Playmate to help form a charitable foundation that acts as an angel investment firm for women looking to go to graduate school or start their own company," she explains. "I am determined to fight the stereotype perpetuated by the media that Playmates are all ditzy blondes. Personally, I am incredibly proud of this experience. Becoming a Playmate was always a dream of mine, so now that the dream has come true, watch out!"