“Blue Bloods” is a work of fiction, but many of its storylines are inspired by the experiences of real-life law enforcement officers. While this fascination with the fuzz has led to “Blue Bloods” being accused of promoting “Copaganda,” it’s also helped the show become a consistent ratings smash for CBS. Furthermore, some of these reality-inspired storylines have mined scandals for inspiration, including one from Season 16’s “The Naked Truth,” which references a cop who posed for Playboy back in the day.
“The Naked Truth” sees Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) and his colleagues rave about the heroic efforts of Officer Carlie Gillson (Sofia Vassilieva), who leaps from a park bench to stop an attacker from getting away. However, the NYPD’s Commissioner of Public Information, Garrett Moore (Gregory Jbarra), reveals that she’s active on an Onlyfans-esque platform called Privately Plus, which prompts Frank and co. to reconsider her employment status with the NYPD.
During the conversation, Lieutenant Sid Gormley (Robert Clohessy) informs the team that officers have been fired for posing in “nudie magazines” and sharing risque content in the past. In real life, this happened to Carol Shaya, an NYPD officer who posed for Playboy while wearing her uniform. This is the case that Gormley was seemingly alluding to on “Blue Bloods.”
The Playboy scandal that inspired Blue Bloods’ Carlie Gillson storyline
According to The Spokesman-Review, Carol Shaya was relieved of her New York City law enforcement duties in 1995 after she received $100,000 to pose for the August 1994 edition of Playboy. Some of the photos depicted Shaya in her uniform and holding handcuffs, which didn’t go down too well with her bosses. In fact, William Bratton, who was the New York City Police Commissioner at the time, accused her of exploiting the badge to make money, which is why he opted for the strictest form of punishment, as opposed to fining or suspending Shaya.
“The reputation of the New York Police Department is not for sale, and there’s no room in our organization for anyone who would attempt to do so,” Bratton said in a statement. Playboy counteracted this viewpoint by noting that people are prudes who are scared of the sight of human bodies without clothes. Shaya was also off-duty when the photos were taken, and she reportedly wanted to remain on the force. Unfortunately, the decision of her bosses was a final one and the rest is history.
After parting ways with the NYPD, became an actor and personal trainer. She even played a police officer in the movie “Silent Prey” and appeared on some notable TV shows such as “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.”