Karina Smirnoff to Pose Nude for May Issue of Playboy

As Hugh Hefner posted on his Twitter account, "The May issue of Playboy is unforgettable with Dancing With The Stars' Karina Smirnoff on the cover & nude inside."

Yet not everyone believes Hefner's report. As Twitter user Ian Spiegelman responded, " @hughhefner Come clean about Karina? She didn't pose for Playboy. You bought shots of her from a third party. Are you just gross old man?"

Hefner replied, "@IanSpiegelman Karina Smirnoff posed for Playboy, including the May cover, Ian. Very special."

If Hefner is telling the truth about Smirnoff's decision to pose for Playboy, then this might not bode well for her future on Dancing With the Stars.

As an insider told PopEater, "If Karina posed naked, she can kiss her dancing days goodbye. I hope for Karina's sake that this isn't true."

ABC markets Dancing With the Stars as a family show. Having someone pose nude during an ongoing season could tarnish the show's wholesome image.

If ABC is really that strict in preserving the show's reputation, then I'm not sure why Smirnoff would be willing to jeopardize her career for a one-time photo shoot.

On the other hand, it's not the first time that Dancing With the Stars people have been featured in Playboy. Former contestant Pamela Anderson has had an extensive Playboy career for three decades. DWTS co-host Brooke Burke has also appeared in several Playboy issues in the past.

During Melissa Rycroft's run on DWTS, there were rumors that Hefner had offered her $500,000 to pose for Playboy. Rycroft shot down any rumors that she would pose nude. She told Us Weekly that she would never do it. She also remarked that her father would never look at her the same way again.

It would be a bit of a double standard to penalize Smirnoff for posing for Playboy when other former contestants have appeared in that publication as well.

On the other hand, the ABC insider also reported that Karina had violated the terms of her contract by posing for Playboy without getting her bosses to sign off on it. Violation of the contract may be more of an issue than the actual photo shoot.

Smirnoff is currently competing with Karate Kid Ralph Macchio on DWTS' 12th season. In season 3, she came achingly close to winning the mirrorball trophy. She and Mario Lopez lost to Emmitt Smith and Cheryl Burke. Many viewers felt that Smirnoff and Lopez were more deserving.

Smirnoff and Macchio are having an extraordinary run this season. It's not likely that the upcoming Playboy pictures will hurt their chances in the competition.