Kennedy Summers has found herself saying ‘yes’ a lot lately. The 27-year-old blond stunner has been deluged by opportunities since being named Playboy’s 2014 Playmate of the Year in mid-May.
“It’s been incredible,” Summers said from California on Tuesday morning. “(Being named Playmate of the Year) has presented so many additional possibilities in acting and hosting, and it continues to do so. I just keep saying ‘yes’ to things. I don’t want to miss out.”
In addition to being named Playboy’s 55th Playmate of the Year, Summers received $100,000 in prize money; an Oris Artelier Date Diamonds watch and a one-year lease on a Mini Cooper Roadster.
Summers was already an academically accomplished young woman with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and a master’s degree in health administration prior to being named Playmate of the Year.
She intends to pursue her M.D. with hopes of becoming a plastic surgeon in the future.
BC first talked to Summers when she was featured as Playboy’s Miss December 2013. She revealed a lifelong love of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which was nurtured by her Terrible Towel-waving family.
This time, she talked to us about getting the big news from Playboy, bonding with other impossibly beautiful women and how Johnny Football might reignite a formerly great NFL rivalry.
Did you know you’d be named Playmate of the Year before the announcement luncheon?
“Yes, I knew a few weeks before so that I could do the pictorial for the issue. It was very difficult to keep it a secret.”
What are your official duties as PMotY? Does Hef pay even more attention to you now?
“I’m a brand ambassador. I’ll help keep Playboy’s image thriving and make sure everyone knows what Playboy stands for.”
You’ll be wearing the bunny costume a lot. You can tell the truth: how uncomfortable are those costumes?
“The bunny costumes are complicated. It comes in a bunch of pieces to put together: a collar, cuffs and cufflinks, a corset, stockings and high heels that match the corset.”
“What people probably don’t realize is how difficult it is to get into that outfit. It’s a production that requires two to three people. It’s not something you just slip into or out of.”
Now that you’ve had some time as a Playmate, what has been your most memorable celebrity encounter?
“Well, I was in the studio with Boyz II Men yesterday. They were really nice. I was excited to meet them.”
We talked at length about your love for the Pittsburgh Steelers last time. Have they at least invited you to a game? There can’t be too many Playmates of the Year who are Steelers fans.
“I’m not sure how many of my Playboy sisters are fans, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that the Steelers will notice.”
What do you think of the Steelers’ off-season moves – is there anyone you’ll miss/you can’t wait to see?
“I’m looking forward to seeing what the new draft picks can do for the defense. Last season wasn’t the team’s best, especially not for a franchise that’s used to going to Super Bowls.”
Your parents probably remember the Steelers-Browns rivalry at its most intense. Do you think the charismatic Johnny Manziel can help re-ignite it? What do you think of Johnny Football; have you encountered him?
“I haven’t run into him, but I know all about the Steelers-Browns rivalry. It was always a big deal in our house. Even when it stopped being a big game for everyone else, my family was still ‘grrrr’ at the Browns.”
Have you become close with other 2013 Playmates? What’s your interaction like with one another?
“We’ve all become really close. It’s like a sorority in many ways. We’ve spent a lot of weekends at the Mansion getting to know each other, and I feel like we all get along well.”
All the Playmates connect with fans through Instagram, which doesn’t allow full nudity. Do you ladies screen each others pics for errant nipples?
“We do check each others pics sometimes before we post. Val Keil (Playboy’s Miss August 2013) and I will send each other pictures and say:’Does this look OK? Can you see any anything?’ We help each other out.”
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The June 2014 issue of Playboy, featuring Kennedy Summers as 2014 Playmate of the Year, is on newsstands and iPlayboy.com now. Special t-shirts from Summers’ June 2014 pictorial are being sold at the Playboy Store to benefit Wounded Wear, a charity which provides free clothing to wounded warriors.
