from www.minonline.com – We are going to try to get through this without a single double-entendre. Penthouse magazine hits the street this week with its 40th Anniversary issue, a double-sized Special Collector’s Edition that reviews four decades of exposes, scandalous model pictorials and the usual collection of cartoons, jokes and infamous letters. Not to overlook its bread and butter, the issue will have 90 pages of pictorial.

Special newsstand promotions are designed to tweak issue sales. Depending on the area of the country, issue purchasers will get a special 24-page outsert or a collector’s DVD. Penthouse says that it has enjoyed additional orders from retailers for the month and recently expanded into new distribution chains.

Several Penthouse Pets will make media appearances, as will the “Manhattan Madam,” Kristen Davis, [pictured] who wrote a feature this month on the sexual excesses of Wall Street. Penthouse is planning a party for the fall to celebrate its 40 years.

Penthouse is unique among all magazines in that it actually owns a vast online social network, albeit adult-oriented. Late last year, Penthouse parent company FriendFinder Networks announced plans to launch an IPO to raise up to $460 million. It continues to pursue the plan via RenaissanceCapital.

In addition to licensing the Penthouse brand to a variety of entertainment outlets, FFN runs some of the more popular adult-oriented social networks online, including AdultFriendFinder. Its total worldwide membership is over 28.5 million in 170 countries, according to its most recent SEC filing. Unlike most social networks, however, FFN’s actually collects fees. A magazine with online assets and a social network that makes money — not exactyl a bimbo.