The following is from WWE.com:
The toughest man to ever wear a dress became the sexiest man to take off a dress, when Vito recently nod all for Playgirl magazine.
It was the SmackDown Superstarâ<80><99>s first time posing for a magazine other than WWE Magazine, and he admitted that being featured in Playgirl is a secret dream come true. Vito was overjoyed, pumped and ready to take it all off for the April 2007 issue, and WWE.com was with him for his big day.
â<80><9c>Itâ<80><99>s very humbling, and itâ<80><99>s a very honorable thing to be asked to do a magazine like Playgirl. Youâ<80><99>ve already seen WWE Divas go to Playboy,â<80> Vito told WWE.com.
â<80><9c>Itâ<80><99>s just an honor and a privilege to represent WWE and SmackDown. To be able to do a magazine like that â<80>¢ I guess if youâ<80><99>re going to do it, you might as well go all the way,â<80> Vito said.
Well, almost all the way. While Vito took it all off for the cameras, he was strategically placed so Playgirl readers wonâ<80><99>t see everything â<80>¢ some will have to be left up to the imagination.
â<80><9c>Unfortunately thereâ<80><99>s no full monty,â<80> said Colleen Kane, senior editor for Playgirl. â<80><9c>The WWE fans can expect to see as close to the full monty as possible without crossing that line.â<80>
WWE fans will see Vito having fun in his French maidâ<80><99>s dress in the WWE ring; and posing in several sexy, animal print outfits and a Versace shirt. He also looked buff in a jock strap and leopard print robe, wet after stepping out of the locker room shower.
â<80><9c>Theyâ<80><99>re going to see the Vito who goes out there every day and has a lot of fun,â<80> Vito said.
â<80><9c>I did this in a very prestigious, honorable way. I want everybody to enjoy it because you can be who you want to be â<80>¢ you donâ<80><99>t have to show off or show anything or be disgusting. Itâ<80><99>s done very tastefully, and Iâ<80><99>m representing myself and the WWE,â<80> Vito recalled.
In a special scene, Vito dons a sexy, white, Marilyn Monroe-style dress and mink stole. He posed with wind effects, reminiscent of Monroeâ<80><99>s famous billowing dress scene from the 1955 film, The Seven Year Itch.
â<80><9c>That was definitely one of the sexiest things Iâ<80><99>ve ever done so far,â<80> Vito smiled.
â<80><9c>For a woman to be Marilyn Monroe and think that they can be that sexy, and have the dress blowing â<80>¢ thatâ<80><99>s a shot thatâ<80><99>s lasted for like 50 years â<80>¢ and I just got to relive it in the last 10 minutes, so I think it was a great thing. I think everybody should try it just once,â<80> Vito continued.
While Vito said he keeps himself in tiptop shape for wrestling in the SmackDown ring, he went through some extra-special preparations for his Playgirl shoot.
â<80><9c>The last few weeks Iâ<80><99>ve done a lot of heavy, heavy dieting, low carbs, extra cardio, trying to cut up as much as possible. Iâ<80><99>m at the lowest weight Iâ<80><99>ve ever been in my pro career â<80>¢ 209. But the hard work I put into it was all worth it,â<80> Vito said with pride.
â<80><9c>I also had a full body wash and facial the day before the shoot. I had a manicure and pedicure, and my eyebrows done. Just another week at the spa for Vito,â<80> he revealed.
Greg Weiner, the shootâ<80><99>s photographer, said it was his first time shooting a man in a dress for Playgirl. While it was a unique situation, he said Vitoâ<80><99>s bubbly, outgoing and friendly personality made the shoot easy. Weiner rated Vito a perfect 10 as a Playgirl model.
â<80><9c>I think the readers of Playgirl will be surprised and entertained by it. Heâ<80><99>s not the classic model for Playgirl, so I think theyâ<80><99>ll embrace that part of it,â<80> Weiner told WWE.com. â<80><9c>He has a different personality, and also he was willing to show a little skin. Thatâ<80><99>s the tough thing with celebrities â<80>¢ they donâ<80><99>t want to show anything. It was great that he was open and willing to do that for the readers. I think itâ<80><99>ll go over pretty big, actually.â<80>
Vito loved the special attention he received throughout the day as a Playgirl model, and he hoped it will help his personality shine through in the pictorial.
â<80><9c>This is just another day at the office, but I have to tell you, Iâ<80><99>m having one of the greatest times of my life right now,â<80> Vito admitted.
â<80><9c>After this is gone, and all you people go home, nobodyâ<80><99>s going to give me a robe and some shorts, or give me any clothes or grab me a water â<80>¢ I have to do it on my own, so I mine as well be pampered for a day. Thatâ<80><99>s why Iâ<80><99>m enjoying it so much,â<80> Vito laughed.
Kane said Playgirl gets many requests from readers hoping to see WWE Superstars in the magazine. Since Vito did such a magnificent job, Kane said she hopes this isnâ<80><99>t the last time a WWE Superstar is featured.
â<80><9c>Vito did very well. He seems like a natural. Heâ<80><99>s very comfortable in front of the camera, posing. Heâ<80><99>s striking some great poses,â<80> Kane said. â<80><9c>I hope we could see more WWE Superstars in Playgirl. If it were up to us, Iâ<80><99>d think so. Itâ<80><99>s just a matter of what wrestler wants to try it next.â<80>
After the completion of the shoot, a relaxed, content Vito candidly spoke to WWE.com about his overall experience.
â<80><9c>Itâ<80><99>s probably the most exciting day Iâ<80><99>ve ever had. I never thought I could look anything like the way they made me look. I definitely put a lot of hard work into it, and it just definitely showed today,â<80> Vito recalled.
â<80><9c>I was able to really be myself, and it was just a tremendous feeling. I felt very alive. I felt very appealing. I felt very sexy out there,â<80> he said with a smile.
â<80><9c>It was definitely a great day for Vito, for WWE, SmackDown, all the WWE fans all around the world. I definitely represented. Iâ<80><99>m proud of myself because I was able to do this with a lot of hard work and dedication. Today was Vitoâ<80><99>s Playgirl day, when all my dreams came true.â<80>
