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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
PORT ST. LUCIE — She may not have a job at Port St. Lucie High School anymore, but all the publicity around the Treasure Coast's own bikini-wearing ex-biology teacher has landed her an offer to appear in Playboy.
Tiffany Shepherd, who said she lost her teaching job because she also worked part-time as a bikini mate on Smokin' Em Charters fishing tours, said Wednesday that she has received lots of media attention, including an offer from the magazine.
"I'm still thinking about it. It's a really big decision," Shepherd said when reached Wednesday in New York where she was taping an appearance on a morning news show.
Playboy, the men's entertainment magazine, is offering her $25,000 a picture, she said, and also asked that her co-workers at Smokin' Em Charters appear in the proposed photo spread.
Playboy had not confirmed the offer as of Wednesday afternoon.
Shepherd has been in the national news since late April, when she learned that she would not be asked to return to Port St. Lucie High, nor would she finish the school year. School officials have said that Shepherd lost her job for missing more than 30 days of the academic school year.
Shepherd said she has been called by ABC News, Inside Edition, The O'Reilly Factor, Dr. Phil and other shows.
Smokin' Em Charters, a Port St. Lucie-based company, gained notoriety in April when it was kicked out of the Fort Pierce marina for violating the city's family-friendly atmosphere. Among the charter's options are bikini-clad girls, some topless, who serve as first mates.
Harold "Captain Gil" Coombes, the charter's owner, has said the publicity from Shepherd's dismissal and the company's removal from the marina has increased business.
heres some pictures: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/con.../042908tiffiny/
Any thoughts on this?
