But take it from the star herself -- "I'd watch it if I wasn't on it!" -- Kendra Wilkinson's life has only gotten more interesting since leaving the mansion. Not only is she less than a month away from marrying Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett, but she's also learning to adjust without the pampering and perks of being Hugh Hefner's girlfriend.
Keep reading to got the exclusive scoop about her new life, her new reality show (premieres Sun., June 7 at 10PM ET), who is walking her down the aisle and more. -- By Maggie Furlong
Kendra Wilkinson Photos
Kendra Wilkinson and Audrina Patridge attend the after party of the Los Angeles premiere of "The Hangover" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on June 2, 2009 in Hollywood, California. "The Hangover" Los Angeles Premiere - After Party Grauman's Chinese Theatre Hollywood, CA United States June 2, 2009 Photo by Todd Williamson/WireImage.com To license this image (57589474), contact WireImage.com
Todd Williamson/WireImage.com
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 03: Actress Kendra Wilkinson arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Hangover" at the Chinese Theater on June 2, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kendra Wilkinson
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 03: Actress Kendra Wilkinson arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Hangover" at the Chinese Theater on June 2, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kendra Wilkinson
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 03: Actress Kendra Wilkinson arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Hangover" at the Chinese Theater on June 2, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kendra Wilkinson
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 03: Actress Kendra Wilkinson arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Hangover" at the Chinese Theater on June 2, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kendra Wilkinson
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 03: Actress Kendra Wilkinson arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Hangover" at the Chinese Theater on June 2, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kendra Wilkinson
Getty Images
Kendra Wilkinson, left, and Audrina Patridge pose together at the after party for the premiere of "The Hangover" in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
AP
©AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Los Angeles Premiere of "The Hangover". El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, CA. June 2, 2009. Job: 90602A1. www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com Pictured: Kendra Wilkinson.
AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM
©AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Los Angeles Premiere of "The Hangover". El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, CA. June 2, 2009. Job: 90602A1. www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com Pictured: Kendra Wilkinson.
AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM
©AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Los Angeles Premiere of "The Hangover". El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, CA. June 2, 2009. Job: 90602A1. www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com Pictured: Kendra Wilkinson.
AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM
1. Are you happy to be back on TV?
I actually miss the cameras around sometimes -- I get so used to them! 'The Girls Next Door,' we shot five seasons, and it's just so much fun -- it's like shooting a fun home video that we get to keep forever. I couldn't stop, you know? I love the people that work with us -- they have a lot of fun with us and make me really comfortable just being myself, and getting the real crazy Kendra out on TV. [Laughs] I got asked the question the other day, "Would you rather consider yourself sexy or goofy?" And I'm like, "You know what, I'm goofy." I can look at myself in the mirror and laugh at myself, and that's what makes people sexy, is if you can laugh at yourself.
2. You've never held back on TV, but will we see a different side of you now?
Well, you know, you had four different characters on the show before. Holly, Bridget ... there was four different lives that were shown on TV in a 30-minute time period. And now you have 30 minutes of just pure Kendra. It's just so different because I get to open myself up more and show my fans who I really am. The last episode of season 5 left off with me leaving the mansion; the first episode of my season is picking up from the first day leaving the mansion, and me sleeping on the floor because I didn't have time to go get a mattress or anything. So I woke up on the floor, and the show picks up from there. It's a lot of stress -- shooting the show and getting my life organized in those couple of days was a pain in the ass. I didn't have anything in my house -- I didn't have any groceries. I didn't really even think about that when I left the mansion. I thought the house would be filled just like the mansion was, but I was wrong. [Laughs] I basically woke up and I'm like, "What did I do?" [Laughs]
3. What was the hardest part about leaving the Playboy Mansion?
I was ready to move on -- I was really ready. It's just like a teenager turning 18 and feeling that natural feeling of moving on in life and finding themselves. It was the same exact feeling, like this is not personal, it's something to do with me. I have to move on. And I found the love of my life and ... I'm sorry, I lost track of the question! [Laughs] The things I miss at the mansion ... it'd probably just have to be Hef. Hef was so much fun to be with, and he was just a great friend. He was the main reason why I was there. Everything else is obvious -- the 24-7 chef service, butler service, just being able to wake up and press "0," having a wake-up call every morning. It was paradise.
2009 Summer TV: New Series
The heat of summer is matched only by the hot new TV shows we'll be seeing this season.
We've got the scoop on the return of familiar faces ('Nurse Jackie''s Edie Falco), the next cable hits ('Hawthorne'; 'Hung'), the new reality shows ('The Bachelorette'; 'Kendra') and more that will have everyone talking.
See all of this year's new shows in our 2009 Summer TV gallery.
TNT / HBO
'The Bachelorette'
Premiered: Mon., May 18, 9PM (ABC)
Premise: Jillian Harris, who finished third on last season of 'The Bachelor,' gives love a second chance with the help of a whopping 30 potential suitors -- hopefully none of whom resemble Jason Mesnick. As usual, men are eliminated week by week until Jillian finds her Prince Charming -- or at the very least, a spot on next season's 'Dancing With the Stars.'
Related Links
ABC
'Mental'
Starring: Chris Vance, Annabella Sciorra
Premieres: Fri., May 22, 9PM (Fox)
Premise: Vance ('Prison Break') stars as Jack Gallagher, an unorthodox psychologist who butts heads with his conservative boss, Nora Skoff (Sciorra), in this medical mystery thriller. Oh, did we mention they used to date? That'll complicate things, we bet.
Related Links
Fox
'Royal Pains'
Starring: Mark Feuerstein, Campbell Scott
Premieres: Thu., June 4, 10PM (USA)
Premise: The Hamptons: home to some of the richest people in America ... and the people who work for them. Hank Lawson (Feuerstein) is the latter, a doctor whose career hits a little snag (um, if you call getting blamed for the death of a hospital head honcho "little"), getting him demoted from hot-shot healthcare provider to on-call private practitioner for the wealthy -- and incredibly needy -- elite.
Related Links
USA Network
'Kendra'
Premieres: Sun., June 7, 10PM (E!)
Premise: 'Girls Next Door' alum Kendra Wilkinson gets her own reality show, focusing on life after living in the Playboy mansion and her engagement to football player Hank Baskett. There'll surely be plenty of Kendra's signature half-shirts and cutesy Elmer Fudd-style laugh to go around.
Related Links
Getty Images
'Nurse Jackie'
Starring: Edie Falco, Eve Best, Peter Facinelli
Premieres: Mon., June 8, 10:30PM (Showtime)
Premise: Falco stars in this deeply dark comedy about an ER nurse whose cynical outlook on life is tempered only by the prescription painkillers she snorts -- and the occasional life she saves. Compared to Jackie, Carmela Soprano's a softie.
Related Links
Showtime
'Top Chef Masters'
Premieres: Wed., June 10, 10PM (Bravo)
Premise: Anyone who thinks 'Top Chef' is full of amateurs or who only watches the show for its guest judges ... well, 'Top Chef Masters' is for you. This time around, the contestants are renowned chefs (as opposed to TV-famous chefs) such as Wylie Dufresne (pictured), Rick Bayless, Jonathan Waxman and Hubert Keller, all of them competing for charity. We can't wait to see what they'll make using only a pack of Chiclets and a hot plate.
Related Links
Getty Images
'Wedding Day'
Premieres: Tue., June 16, 8PM (TNT)
Premise: Think 'Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition.' Deserving couples from across the country are awarded the most amazing wedding celebrations by celebrity event planner Alan Dunn and wedding planner to the stars Diann Valentine.
Related Links
TNT
'Hawthorne'
Starring: Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Vartan
Premieres: Tue., June 16, 9PM (TNT)
Premise: As the newest strong female lead in the TNT lineup, Pinkett Smith plays Christina Hawthorne, a tough-as-nails nurse who is determined to give every patient in her Richmond, Va., hospital the best care possible. Christina's got baggage -- she's a widower left raising a rebellious teenage daughter -- but she also has heart. And, of course, some chemistry with the head of oncology (Vartan).
Related Links
TNT
'Merlin'
Starring: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Anthony Head
Premieres: Sun., June 21, 8PM (NBC)
Premise: Morgan and James star as Merlin and Arthur, respectively, in this teen-drama take on the Arthurian legend. The future king's ladylove, Guinevere, is called Gwen -- expect angst and romantic tension aplenty. Think of it as 'Camelot, 90210.'
Related Links
NBC
4. But you're getting married at the mansion -- how involved is Hef?
Hef is so involved with my wedding -- I just said I miss him, but I don't because I see him all the time. [Laughs] He's involved with so much -- he's so happy. He's always commenting like, "I can't believe that my little tomboy grew up to be such a woman." And he, like, cries and everything. He's so cool. He just wants everything perfect for me and the wedding and stuff. He gave me life. If it wasn't for him, I would have never been this smart and been who I am today ... and I wouldn't have met Hank!
5. So what about the rumors that Hef's going to be walking you down the aisle?
Um, that's not true -- I asked my brother to walk me down because he's my family member, and I think a family member should be walking me down instead of the Hef. Hef and I are gonna share a dance though, so that'll be his part. The wedding is June 27 ... I'm just freaking out because I'm leaving for Europe to promote my show, and I feel like I need that week. Thankfully I have a great wedding planner and a great assistant. The show is the process leading up to the wedding, but the wedding itself will be a one-hour special on E!
Reader Comments (92)
Kare W at 2:23PM on Jun 6th 2009
She has boobs, fake or real, but she looks mean, and is not attractive. Why is she even in the news?
glady at 2:26PM on Jun 6th 2009
so happy for kendra...i watched the show a lot but missed the last few and happy she said all positive thing about hef and the manison...but i still don't believe she was his girlfriend
Sarah at 2:46PM on Jun 6th 2009
Anyone who has lived with old geezer Hefner has a major problem.
monica at 2:50PM on Jun 6th 2009
I have no respect for this young girl marrying some black man. It is disgusting. Stick to your own kind.
SkiWild at 3:06PM on Jun 6th 2009
what a mind blower that in America there are people like monica... "stick to your own kind"??
nauseating.
on behalf of people with hearts and brains, my apologies to Mr. Baskett and Ms. Wilkinson. I wish you all the happiness.
someone popular at 3:04PM on Jun 6th 2009
everyone needs to shut up and let people do what they want and you should be with someone regardless of age or race its the 2000s not 1700s grow up
Mike D at 3:14PM on Jun 6th 2009
Ya she's really hot, but when did teaming up with 2 other girls to sleep with an old rich guy while he gives them riches and exposure become an acceptable career path? Come on little girls are watching..
amie at 3:07PM on Jun 6th 2009
www.marykay.com/AmieT
Dionna at 3:09PM on Jun 6th 2009
To the comment about stick to your own kind, people are our own kind. You really need to get past that hatred, grow up!
I wish you well Kendra and Hank, God Bless!
cheryl at 3:14PM on Jun 6th 2009
congratulations way to go Kendra!! Ignore the haters they are just jealous. I am glad you found love.