East Texan poses for Playboy

By Anissa Centers - bio | email
Posted by Ellen Krafve - bio | email

TYLER, TX (KLTV) - A woman from Gilmer is this month's Playboy centerfold. We know that whenever you talk about nudity, it's going to be a controversial subject. This story is not intended to condone or condemn Kelley Thompson's decision to pose nude. Also, we've covered the Playboy pictures so you won't see any nudity.

Kelley Thompson says she has great memories of growing up in Gilmer. Thompson was a cheerleader at Harmony Junior High School. Fourteen years later, she is the centerfold for the November issue of Playboy.

"I started watching 'The Girls Next Door' and fell in love with Playboy and thought, 'I could do that,'" said Thompson.

"You were born and raised in Gilmer," I said to Thompson. "That has to be a strange feeling to go into town and you know the folks have seen the photos."

"I get a lot of people staring, and I wonder if they know," replied Thompson. "Do they know I'm in Playboy, ya know?"

That feeling becomes even more intense when you are from a small town in a place like East Texas, which has been described as the 'buckle' of the Bible belt.

Thompson says she grew up going to church her whole life so she knows some people won't like her choices.

"Some people, you now, with their opinions about it, some people probably disagree," she admitted. "That's their opinion. It's my choice. I'm comfortable and really, in the end, it's your life."

But, she still didn't feel comfortable telling one set of grandparents about this part of her life. She says they found out from someone else.

"They're a little iffy about it, but my other grandma, she shows everybody, like, 'This is my granddaughter,'" said Thompson.

As for her husband of five years, Lance Thompson...

"He's good," she said. "He thought all of his friends were gonna give him crap about it, but he's over it. He's like, 'I'm married to a Playmate. Wow.' He's lovin it."

Thompson says she intends to make this a career.