An Inside Look at Nude Celebrity Photo Scandals

With so much talk this week about Vanessa Hudgens nude pics, you'd think she was the first star ever to scandalously bare it all.

In reality, she's far from it. And we very much doubt she'll be the last.

Here's a look at three other memorable sex photos, none of which hurt the careers of their stars very much:

1. In 1985, Penthouse (the future home of Tila Tequila, another often naked celebrity) and Playboy rushed to publish naked Madonna photos taken in the 1970s of the then-unknown artist, just as the singer's breakout album, "Like a Virgin," was riding the charts.

Of course, the Material Girl didn't exactly mind.

Madonna issued a statement saying "I'm not ashamed," and later tried to push the boundaries of public acceptance of nudity and sexuality with such projects as her 1992 book, "Sex."

2. In 1997, Playgirl's paparazzi photos of Brad Pitt naked on a Caribbean beach with then girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow sparked a legal battle between the Oscar-nominated actor and the magazine. Pitt sued the publication, alleging invasion of privacy and emotional distress; and the judge ordered a recall of the magazine, although the issue had already sold out.

Today, the bootleg item can be found on Amazon.com for $1,000. That's a small price to pay to see Pitt in his birthday suit, isn't it?

3. In 1984, Ugly Betty actress Vanessa Williams broke the color barrier when she became the first African American to be named Miss America. However, her victory was short-lived when nude photos of Williams with lesbian overtones were published by Penthouse.

In other words: she was Katie Rees before Katie Rees was Katie Rees.

Williams was forced to resign her crown, but the actress-singer has had the last laugh, re-creating her career with well-received performances in such Broadway hits as "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Into the Woods," while selling more than 6 million albums of her music.