Until recently, the story of Hefner and his Playboy empire was widely seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of advertising, even when it’s done for good causes. Hefner the man and Playboy the brand were inseparable: Pipe-smoking hedonist who built a multimedia empire of clubs, mansions, movies, and television symbolized by bow-tied women in bunny costumes. And while his version of sexual liberation might have felt like it for the dudes who idolized him, it was an example of Marcusean repressive sublimation: Hefner reduced women to little bunnies that existed entirely to suck his penis.
But this weekend, the widow of Hefner – Crystal Hefner – announced she would release a memoir revealing the iconic Playboy mansion’s “toxic” truth. Speaking to Daily Mail, the 37-year-old said she never spoke about her life with Hefner because she felt obligated to “protect” her husband, who died in 2017. But now she’s ready to set the record straight.
The outlet further reported that the book’ Only Say Good Things’ will be published in January 2024. It will detail “the toxic objectification and misogyny” that Hefner subjected the women who lived with him to. According to the publication, Crystal’s new book will be a mix of personal experiences and insights she gained while traveling the world with Hefner.
It needs to be clarified precisely what she plans to share. Still, some details are already out there: Hefner’s harem of blonde girlfriends became famous to a whole new generation after appearing in a popular E! reality series from 2005 to 2009. Viewers were drawn in by the glamorous lifestyle the girls experienced, which included jet-setting, partying, and feuding. The show also shows that their lifestyle was often stifling and restrictive and that they were being sexually oversexualized.
Many women who lived in the mansion have remained close friends since the show’s end, but there’s no doubt some are still bitter. In the past few weeks, several of them have taken to Twitter to complain about how Hef and his henchmen treated them.
The Playboy empire is fascinating, not only because of Hef’s legacy. The magazine itself has been a significant catalyst for social change. When a group of Vietnam vets wanted to advertise their anti-war campaign in the magazine, Hefner gave them a full-page ad to reach thousands of soldiers. It’s a remarkable story and a reminder that the power of advertising can be used for good or evil.
Hefner may have been a bigot and a hedonist, but he pioneered advertising. He showed us that there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for success, and he inspired many people along the way. He will be missed by all who knew him.
