Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Helen Mirren Praised by Naturist Society

from: Contact Music

HELEN MIRREN - HELEN MIRREN PRAISED BY NATURIST SOCIETY
helen mirren picture
Caption: HELEN MIRREN's on and off screen antics have seen her rewarded for her naturist...


HELEN MIRREN's on and off screen antics have seen her rewarded for her naturist tendencies.

The actress, whose credits include ELIZABETH I and GOSFORD PARK, has bared all in the hit movie CALENDER GIRLS and is also reportedly a fan of sunbathing in the buff at home, reports the Mirror.

The USA Naturist Society has presented the 62-year-old with its top showbiz personality for "promoting healthy nudity" accolade.

Nicky Hoffman, a member of the society, told the publication: "Nude is not lewd, it is beautiful. Helen is actually a naturist and goes nude sunbathing."

Other well-known names praised for their attitude towards naturism include KYRA SEDGEWICK who in the past has admitted sunbathing in the nude.

LOST star MATTHEW FOX rounded off the top three after it was revealed that he had been swimming naked in Hawaii.

Hollywood heartthrobs MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY and BRAD PITT also held spots among the top ten, for playing the bongos naked and hitting the beach naked, respectively.

Meanwhile, HELEN MIRREN recently came second in a poll conducted by FX TV to find the 'Queen of Nip and Tuck'.

The actress, who is rumoured to have had a subtle face lift, came second only to SHARON OSBOURNE.



26/03/2008 10:40:43

Related articles:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a92286/helen-mirren-bags-us-naturist-award.html
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-news/2008/03/26/helen-mirren-wins-nudity-award-86908-20362999/
http://www.pr-inside.com/mirren-scoops-best-nude-gong-r503552.htm
http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2008/03/26/helen-mirren-wins-award-from-usa-naturist-society-89520-20362948/

Monday, March 10, 2008

Berkshire Vista Events, 2008 Season

Events begin in May and go through October. You can arrow through the months for details or go directly to a html version.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Headline: Naturist Society Picks TV's Top Nudes

from: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2008/03/exclusive_naturist_society_pic_2.html

Exclusive: Naturist Society Picks TV's Top Nudes

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Go figure, the human body -- the one thing all of us have in common -- is causing a stir in the TV world again. On one end of the spectrum, the Parents Television Council is angry with NBC after the finale of the series Las Vegas included silhouettes of three bare women, and on the other end Lifetime’s self-esteem boosting How To Look Good Naked was the highest-rated unscripted series in that network’s history when it debuted last January. (Watch clips on Fancast.) To nudity expert Nicky Hoffman, spokesperson for The Naturist Society, a clothing-optional organization based in Oshkosh, WI, the fuss is much ado about nothing. “We do not believe non-sexual nudity is offensive,” she says of the NBC issue. “But I don’t want to see people getting undressed and having sex.” As for HTLGN, she says, “I have mixed emotions about it. Our premise is that everybody looks good naked. Why do you have to make people look good?”

So who in the eyes of Hoffman is getting it right? What shows have included nudity in a manner the Naturist Society approves as tasteful and promoting healthy, appropriate nakedness? Hoffman provided Fancast with relevant top 10 lists. But first her credentials. The 59-year-old Midwesterner has been a member of the Naturist Society since 1985, and before that, she says, “I used to come home from work and the first thing I’d do was take off my clothes.” Philosophically, she believes in “promoting nudity on appropriate public lands, like nude beaches and resorts.” But she makes it clear that “nude is not lewd.” What nude is, she says, is “beautiful.”

The Naturist Society, which publishes a guidebook of the 1000 best places to get naked, has 20,000+ card-carrying members. (Yes, we asked where they carry their cards if they aren’t wearing any clothes, and the answer is in tote bags, wrist wallets, and hats featuring Velcro pockets, all of which are sold in the Skinny Dipper Store). But “there are a lot more people who are naturists than we have members,” says Hoffman. “In a Roper poll done in 2006, 25 percent said they’ve gone skinny dipping or nude sunbathing in mixed company. That works out to about 55 million people. In 1983, it was only percent.”

Given that stat, you’d think everyone would know how to get naked. But apparently not -- at least judging by the popularity of the Carson Kressley-hosted series How To Look Good Naked. Clips of HTLGN have proven very popular on Fancast. That itself inspired a question that has yet to be addressed by Kressley on the series: What’s the best way to watch TV while naked?

“Lay on your bed,” says Hoffman. “That’s the most comfortable way to watch TV naked. But if you’re not in bed, sit on a towel. Whether you’re at someone else’s home or your own, always sit on a towel. That’s naturist 101. Then all you have to do is put your feet up and get comfy.”

What about watching TV online naked (an issue for Fancast users)? “The same rules apply,” says Hoffman. “Unless you’re in an office. Nudity in the workplace is inappropriate.” Even at the Naturist Society? That question elicits a laugh from Hoffman. “No, we wear clothes here. We have people come in for appointments.”

Hoffman says she’s a fan of Kressley, whom, she notes, has yet to doff his clothes. However, according to her, the Naturist Society includes “a number of members who are celebrities.” Such as? “They’ve requested privacy,” she says. Nonetheless, here is Naturist Society’s list of the top 10 celebrity nudists. It’s followed by their list of top 10 TV series that have also furthered the issue.

Top 10 Celebrites Who’ve Promoted Healthy Nudity:

1. Helen Mirren: “She’s actually a naturist and goes nude sunbathing.”
2. Kyra Sedgwick: “Years ago, she said she sunbathed nude.”
3. Matthew Fox: “He swims nude in Hawaii and calls himself a naturist.”
4. Alanis Morissette: “She did a video for a song in which she was nude and her hair was draped around her breasts. I heard she has no problem walking around the set naked.”
5. Lindsay Lohan: “There was a shock factor when she posed recently as Marilyn Monroe, but she promoted a beautiful body in an artful, non-sexual manner.”
6. Matthew McConaughey: “He played bongos nude at home. That puts him in our Hall of Fame. He’s a free spirit.”
7. Kevin Bacon: “From past performances, he doesn’t appear to have any problem with appearing nude.”
8. Kate Hudson: “Nudity was never a big thing in their home; she has a very healthy attitude toward the human body.”
9. Elle McPherson: “She’s originally from Australia, where nude beaches are common, and she has a healthy attitude about the nude body.”
10. Brad Pitt: “Years ago he was photographed sunbathing nude. Good for him, shame on the paparazzi.”

Top 10 TV Series That Have Promoted Healthy Nudity:

1. National Geographic: “A lot of people saw their first naked bodies thanks to these shows. They always do a good job of showing non-sexualized nudity.”
2. Taboo: “A National Geographic production, this show looks at taboo rituals and traditions and regularly shows people nude, but always educationally.”
3. NYPD Blue: “They’ve always show backsides. Maybe they’ve done it a little on the titillating side, but there’s nothing overt or offensive about a butt or a breast.”
4. Monk: “Last season, in a show they did a show featuring a murder on a nude beach, it came out that Monk’s phobias about nudity stemmed from his being born naked. Hilarious.”
5. Surreal Life: “Several seasons ago, they actually went to the Desert Shadows naturist resort in California. While none of the celebrities got naked, they did play a volleyball game against the nudists, and except for Tammy Faye Baker, the stars were okay with it.”
6. The Naked News: “It’s a Toronto-based news show in which the newscasters appear in the nude.”
7. The Simpsons: “Many episodes feature top-free and total nudity.”
8. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: “Jay often features clips borrowed from the Naturist Society, including on clip from the Eastern Naturist gathering featuring the world’s largest nude Frisbee toss.”
9. Malcolm In The Middle: “In a 2005 episode, Malcolm and his brother decide to attend the Burning Man festival in the desert, and there’s brief nudity.”
10. Chicago Hope: “They showed the breast of a young girl after reconstructive surgery. Nobody complained. Goes to show you that non-sexualized nudity can be in good taste.”