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The Schmooze

Amy Schumer Flaunts ‘Beautiful Ugly’ Figure in Nude Calendar Photo

Amy Schumer and Serena Williams stripped down for the 2016 Pirelli Calendar, posing nude for the 43rd edition released Monday. Annie Leibovitz, who also shot the 2000 edition, photographed 13 distinguished women for the 2016 Pirelli Calendar.

Schumer posed topless, wearing just heels and underwear in the shot. The actress posted her photograph, different than Pirelli’s usual pinup style photos, to Twitter and Instagram Monday morning with the description, “Beautiful, gross, strong, thin, fat, pretty, ugly, sexy, disgusting, flawless, woman.”

“I’m a great admirer of comediennes. The Amy Schumer portrait added some fun,” Leibovitz said in a statement. “It’s as if she didn’t get the memo saying that she could keep her clothes on.”

Pirelli shared a behind-the-scenes video that gives viewers a glimpse of the studio shoot. “When Pirelli approached me, they said they wanted to make a departure from the past,” Leibovitz said in a statement. “They suggested the idea of photographing distinguished women. After we agreed on that, the goal was to be very straightforward. I wanted the pictures to show the women exactly as they are, with no pretense.”

“I felt I looked more beautiful than I’ve ever felt in my life, and I felt like it looked like me,” Schumer said in the video.

“I love that they’re embracing the moment that we’re in,” Ava DuVernay added.

The 2016 edition brings women of power and outstanding accomplishment. In the first few Pirelli Calendars of the 1960s, as well as Peter Lindbergh’s 2002, Patrick Demarchelier’s 2008 and Steve McCurry’s 2013 calendars, there are no nudes.

“The 2000 Calendar was an exercise in photographing nudes. It was a simple concept,” Leibovitz said in a statement. “For 2016, we did something completely different, but it is still simple. It is a classic set of black-and-white portraits made in the studio.”

Williams showed over her back muscles and athletic physique, posing with only underwear. The other models include accomplished women such as president of Lucas Films Kathleen Kennedy, director Ava Duvernay and singer-songwriter Patti Smith.

The full list of the women in the 2016 edition includes: Foreward: Yao Chen January: Natalia Vodianova February: Kathleen Kennedy March: Agnes Gund and Sadie Rain Hope-Gund April: Serena Williams May: Fran Lebowitz June: Mellody Hobson July: Ava Duvernay August: Tavi Gevinson September: Shirin Neshat October: Yoko Ono November: Patti Smith December: Amy Schumer

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