It appears the professional boob-oglers at Maxim were also offended by Travel + Leisure’s Philadelphia-is-ugly survey. Yesterday, the online arm of the magazine/rolling sex machine unveiled “8 reasons why Philadelphia is hot,” a slideshow of scantily clad Philadelphia lassies that proves once and for all there actually are boinkable ladies roaming our dirty streets.

It is unfortunate, however, that they had to use two cheerleading squads and a cheerleader from another city in our defense.

8 Reasons Why Philadelphia is Hot [Maxim.com]
To Combat Ugly Rep, GPTMC Should Really Think About “Poonadelphia” Campaign [Daily Examiner]

PHOTO: Maxim.com via AP

Given today’s top billing on Yahoo.com, it looks as if last week’s Travel & Leisure survey ranking Philadelphia as the city most populated by pustule-covered monsters is going to keep gaining traction. But who’s really getting hurt by all this negative pub? The hard-working Philly-is-so-cool kids at uiwishunu, whose main goal in life is to ensure that the public’s perception of Philadelphia doesn’t begin and end with “fat, Santa-booing murderers.”

Annie Heckenberger, the social media director of uwishunu parent org Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, sounded a bit exasperated when the Daily Examiner called for a quote. “Rolling Stone says we’re the hot scene,” she redirected helpfully. “I agree with that.”

Here’s what we offered Heckenberger as the solution to her woes: To combat this rising butt-ug rep, the GPTMC should hire May’s 2007 Playmate of the Month (photos safe for work only if you work at home or at the Fantasy Showbar) and product of the Philly ‘burbs Shannon James as the official ambassador for the City of Brotherly Love — forever. (Or until her looks start to go.)

Dress her up like Ben Franklin, have her throw out the first pitch at Phillies games, let her moderate mayoral elections, and have her analyze the murder epidemic in the national media. Anytime Philadelphia is represented on a national scale, trot Miss James out there to look pretty and wag ass.

After a long pause, Heckenbeger agreed to “take it under consideration.”

She should. And Heckenberger should know that James is no ordinary blonde with a perfectly shorn pubic region. We interviewed Miss James soon after her pictorial and were pleased to find that, in addition to her love of tanning products and spin classes, she’s also an aspiring poet. She sent us some of her work:

Spinning
Ever feel like your world is spinning?
And there you are — right in the middle
No conception of what is actually going on
You try to reach out to grab a hold?
To touch that bit of reality?
Twisting and twirling?
You know you can’t stop
In fear that you will fall

Fine. So she’s not Sylvia Plath. But she’s sure not ugly either.

Looking for attractive people? Don’t go to …[Yahoo]

Photo: Playboy.com