CHICAGO, IL — The Bunny is getting increasingly aggressive lately, perhaps inspired toward greatness after having had a few years of financial non-greatness. Of course, style points count and some might think at least one of Playboy Enterprises’ most recent headline grabs lacks style.Fans and foes alike are familiar with Playboy Magazine and its website searching the country for the prettiest coeds, Enron employees, and other girl-next-door eye candy. The most recent paycheck-to-paycheck demographic that Hugh Hefner’s prodigy are hoping to entice in front of a camera wearing little or nothing is a collection of women used to seeing women — or at least mannequins — wearing little and next to nothing.

Counter girls, cashiers, store managers, and retail executives who work for Victoria’s Secret will be the next hot and naked thing if Playboy.com has anything to say about it. Naturally, this has caused some grumbling and hand-wringing in Columbus, OH, where the barely respectable Victoria’s Secret is based. According to local press, the underwear company with the skinny models shoved into Wonder Bras so they look like they’ve gone through puberty does not approve of what the naked magazine company with the slim and busty models who are clearly adults is trying to do.

About 500 people who attended a New Zealand fundraising ball for sick children aren’t very impressed by what the magazine company is trying to do, either, but it’s got nothing to do with whether the publication’s models wearing clothing or not. Instead, the guests are likely annoyed by the fact that Hefner’s empire wants 25-percent of the money raised during the charity ball.

Why does Playboy Enterprises think it deserves to take money away from sick kids? Cuz the evening had a “bunny theme” and initially featured waitresses wearing costumes with bunny ears and cute cotton tails. After being assured by Playboy Enterprises’ attorneys that such things were forbidden, organizer Craig Douglas says he scrapped the ears and tails, along with a few other bits that rubbed the magazine’s legal counsel the wrong way.

Nonetheless, once the dishes had been put away and the money counted, Douglas received notice that Hef’s bunny defenders were filing suit and wanted a quarter of the evening’s take.

Douglas’ group had raised somewhat more than $13,000 in donations during the evening, earmarked to go to a charity dedicated to helping sick and disabled children fulfill their dreams.