Can anyone confirm that Penthouse editor-in-chief Mark Healy was kicked to the curb this afternoon? The rumor is that Healy, who left his position last October as GQ articles editor to join Penthouse, amid much anticipation, was escorted off the premises today. Just before his first issue hit the stands in March, Healy told the Observer he thought that Penthouse, unlike other skin mags, was "closer to the act, and closer to the feeling, of actual seduction." Healy's name was among those mentioned for the editor's chair at Jann Wenner's Men's Journal, but the position went to Brad Weiners last week. A tipster tells us the move came as a surprise and that Penthouse doesn't have a plan in place to replace Healy; indeed, the word "disarray" was used. Update: We hear from inside that "We're all feeling pretty pissed about it, and the office was definitely in a shitty mood all afternoon. My guess is he wanted to go on his own terms and the big guys up in corporate couldn't handle that. Word around the cubicles is we're getting some official news tomorrow morning. " Friday's WWD says he's returning to GQ.

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