Kristina and Karissa Shannon

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Kristina and Karissa Shannon
Karissa and Kristina Shannon 2008.jpg
Karissa (left) and Kristina during Los Angeles Fashion Week (October 13, 2008)
Playboy centerfold appearance
July/August 2009
Preceded by Candice Cassidy
Succeeded by Kimberly Phillips
Personal details
Born (1989-10-02) October 2, 1989 (age 23)
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

Kristina and Karissa Shannon (born October 2, 1989 in Ann Arbor, Michigan) are American glamour models, Playboy Playmates, and twin sisters.

Contents

Early life and education[edit]

The twins were raised in Clearwater Beach, Florida and attended Largo High School for a time.[1]

Career[edit]

In 2008, the Shannons moved into the Playboy Mansion as two of Hugh Hefner's three new girlfriends; because of their relationship with Hefner, the Shannons began appearing on the E! network reality television series The Girls Next Door. Despite their "girlfriend" status, Karissa said the relationship she and Kristina shared with Hefner was more for fun and the opportunity to be on the show, rather than romance. The first episode they appeared in attracted 2.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched season premiere in the show's history;[2] five weeks after the premiere, ratings had dropped to 919,000.[3]

The Shannons appeared as Miss July and Miss August 2009 in the combined "summer issue" of Playboy magazine, a combined issue necessitated by financial problems at the publisher.[4] The two shared a single centerfold, becoming the only twins to be designated Playmate of the Month for two distinct months.[citation needed] By January 2010, the Shannon twins moved out of the mansion, though they continued to appear in The Girls Next Door.

The twins had small roles in Somewhere, a film directed by Sofia Coppola which won top honors at the 67th Venice International Film Festival in 2010.[5]

In 2011, Karissa and her actor boyfriend Sam Jones III released the song 'Juice and Vodka', which is available on iTunes.

Karissa Shannon attracted some publicity by confirming she had been involved in sex tapes with Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag.[6][7] One sex tape of her and boyfriend actor Sam Jones III was released on DVD by Vivid Entertainment in October 2010 as Karissa Shannon Superstar.[8]

On 5 January 2012, the twins participated in the ninth series of the UK reality show, Celebrity Big Brother. Following issues with Frankie Cocozza and Denise Welch, they were the first celebrities to be eliminated on the show's finale night.

Kristina and Karissa Shannon at Playboy's 55th Anniversary Party on 12 Dec 2008

Legal issues[edit]

Karissa was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge in November 2007.[9]

The Shannons were both charged in January 2008 with aggravated battery after reportedly fighting with two others at a house party. The assistant state attorney filed the charge as felony battery. After pleading no contest, they were put on probation and required to pay restitution.[9]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2009 The Girls Next Door Themselves 14 episodes
2010 Somewhere Cindy and Bambi
2012 Celebrity Big Brother Themselves

References[edit]

  1. ^ Clearwater Beach twins Karissa and Kristina Shannon reach Playmate of the Month status - Tampa Bay Times
  2. ^ "Cable Ratings: ‘Knocked Up', New ‘Girls Next Door,’ Propel E!". Broadcasting & Cable. 2009-10-12. Retrieved August 4, 2010. 
  3. ^ "Sunday cable finals: World War II in HD beats Curbed, Dexter, Prisoner and Californication". Tvbythenumbers.com. November 18, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Hugh Hefner sells LA property as financial crisis hits Playboy". The Daily Telegraph (London). August 11, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Sofia Coppola’s ‘Somewhere’ Wins Venice Film Festival Top Prize". Bloomberg. September 11, 2010. 
  6. ^ Gensler, Howard (August 23, 2010). "More tawdry tales from the Spencer & Heidi show". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 23 August 2010. 
  7. ^ "Playmate in Pratt-Montag sex tape". Toronto Sun. August 22, 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010. 
  8. ^ http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8316223
  9. ^ a b MILLER, KORIN (October 10, 2008). "Double trouble! Playboy Hugh Hefner's new twins Kristina and Karissa Shannon have arrest records". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2009-05-28. 

External links[edit]