Playboy December 1978

COVER STORY
"I have to admit I was impressed with her," said Managing Art Director Kerig Pope after he supervised the Claude Mougin shooting of the fair Farrah. -She's the hardest-working model I've ever seen," he continued, "and, believe it or not, she's just as beautiful in person as she photographs." We believe it, Kerig. For more of our cover girl, see page 257.

3 PLAYBILL
13 THE WORLD OF PLAYBOY
21 DEAR PLAYBOY
31 PLAYBOY AFTER HOURS
36 BOOKS
44 MUSIC
48 PEOPLE
49 EXPERIENCES
50 MOVIES
64 COMING ATTRACTIONS
67 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR
73 PLAYBOY SEX POLL HOWARD SMITH
This month's question: What sexual taboo would you like to explore?
83 THE PLAYBOY FORUM
103 PLAYBOY INTERVIEW: JOHN TRAVOLTA—candid conversation
"The Man," as his ardent fans call him, takes you behind the scenes of Saturday Night Fever and Grease and describes what it feels like to be an overnight sex symbol at 24.
136 THE FLOUNDER—fiction GUNTER GRASS
The author of The Tin Drum offers six racy tales from his extraordinary new novel that explain everything from the creation of the clitoris to the real joys of potty training.
141 FAIR SHARE FOR THE FAIR SEX—gifts
When she steps out of her stockings on Christmas Eve, here's what you can put into them, you sly dog.
144 SEX IN AMERICA: MIAMI—article PETER ROSS RANGE
In the first installment of a series on the sex styles of American cities, we discover that the frequent application of suntan lotion in no way diminishes one's capacity to get it on.
150 FUTURE HIGHS—article HOWARD RHEINGOLD
You think you've gotten stoned? Just wait a couple of decades until we have booze analogs that'll get you off without a hangover and real aphrodisiacs.
152 PRO FOOTBALL'S MAIN ATTRACTIONS—pictorial essay ROBERT BLAIR KAISER
When we set out to photograph pro football's sexiest cheerleaders, we didn't know we'd be clipped by the N.F.L. brass.
162 AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! TEXAS COWGIRLS, INC.—pictorial
How the gorgeous group grew out of the Dallas "chaperone" mentality.
164 TWELVE TOUGH MUTHUHS—article DAN GREENBURG
So you believe that a criminal trial is just like they do it on Perry Mason? Well, jury member Greenburg says you're right.
168 FROM HER, WITH STYLE—attire DAVID PLATT
Our pick of the best Christmas presents a lady can give you.
173 HOW TO SURVIVE AN AIR CRASH—article F. LEE BAILEY
The renowned lawyer has a number of ideas about commercial-airline safety that could save your life.
175 VIVA VARGAS!—pictorial
When God created woman, He should only have had a designer like this one. PLAYBOY salutes the Vargas years.
184 TIGHT MAKES RIGHT—pictorial
Getting into today's skintight jeans takes a bit of work, but watching a young lady do it is a pleasure.
188 TEXAS DRIFTER—playboy's playmate of the month
Down in Austin, Texas, Janet Quist is the prettiest tomato in her garden.
200 PLAYBOY'S PARTY JOKES—humor
202 EROS AND POWER—article MAX LERNER
A veteran White House watcher concludes that it takes balls to be President.
205 PLAYBOY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE—gifts
Gear and gadgets for the man who has almost everything.
213 WHO GETS SCREWED IN A DIVORCE? I DO!—article ASA BABER
The author finds that, as the popular song says, "It's cheaper to keep her." The article is accompanied by Charles Monagan's Divorce Good, Divorce Bad, and by Divorce: Women Suffer, Men Survive, by Carl Tunick.
217 FEASTING WITHOUT FUSS—food and drink ... EMANUEL GREENBERG
Hosting a Christmas dinner can be a no-pressure proposition if you know how.
218 THE N.B.A. COACHES' CLUTCH-PLAYER ALL-STAR POLL—article
We asked the coaches whom they'd count on to come through in a crucial game, and here are their picks.
222 BRIEF ENCOUNTERS—pictorial
A perusal of these young lovelies in their lingerie will prove to you once again that with some things, less is more.
232 PLAYBOY'S CHRISTMAS CARDS—verse JUDITH WAX
Our annual display of war-headed missives that ought to be sent to famous people but probably won't.
235 SWITCHING—fiction TREVANIAN
A bar pickup proves that in the game of sexual chess, it's wise to think more than three moves ahead.
236 SEX STARS OF 1978—pictorial essay JIM HARWOOD
The big story is that the new sex symbols are coming from television and music.
251 PINBALL AND OTHER ELECTRONIC INDOOR SPORTS—modern living
Games of skill ore the latest craze, and here (including the brand-new Playboy pinball machine) are the electronic playing fields we're crazy about.
254 THE CASE OF THE MISSING JEWEL—ribald classic
257 BORN-AGAIN FARRAH—pictorial
She's back with the Angels and she's with us in a mini-interview and a photo album of her galactic career.
266 THE ROUSING RETURN OF ROMANCE—article
Any old jug of wine dnd loaf of bread won't do these days. Rather than commit a tactical error early in the game, read our complete guide to modern romance.
272 THE 1979 PLAYBOY MUSIC POLL—music
Once again, it's your turn to sit in the critic's box and pick the best performers.
278 PLAYBOY FUNNIES—humor
284 "SAINT JACK"—pictorial essay TOM NOLAN
A behind-the-scenes preview of a new film. It's set in Singapore, stars Ben Gazzara and is a joint venture of director Peter Bogdanovich and Playboy.
289 PLAYBOY'S PIPELINE
Man & work, how to buy a man's fur coat, marriage and the IRS.
358 PLAYBOY POTPOURRI
385 PLAYBOY ON THE SCENE