Empire Strikes Out

Get this--when Empire Pictures recently submitted an ad for its upcoming “Assault of the Killer Bimbos,” the sole publication to reject it was . . . Playboy! The reason, according to Empire marketing veep Tina Santinelli: “We were told that (Playboy) does not portray women as bimbos.”

Playboy ad director Michael Carr confirmed that the magazine is “not in the business of exploiting women. We reject any ad that shows women as less than equal partners in life.” (“Bimbos” is a frenzied comedy about three women on the lam for a murder they didn’t commit.)

But what about that February pictorial spread that was rife with women--from Brigitte Nielsen to Tammy Faye Bakker--proclaiming sarcastically, “I am not a bimbo!” Carr said he couldn’t speak for the mag’s editorial policy.

Santinelli sent a letter asking exactly what Playboy found offensive. The ad shows three women, fully clothed, flying through the air. Carr’s return correspondence read: “Unfortunately, our advertising acceptance policies prevent us from accepting your ads.”

Carr was also vague with Outtakes: “We don’t have to carry anyone’s advertising, and I’m not in a decision mode to comment on this specific case.”