Image Source: New York Post, Laughing Place
‘Secrets of Playboy’ is an upcoming TV mini-series that is all set to release on January 24th, 2022 on A&E, and it is going to explore “the hidden realities behind the famous fables and philosophies of the Playboy Empire through a lens.” The series is going to also dive into the world that women involved in the world describe it as the ‘dark side’.
In the trailer, PJ Masten, Bunny Mother explained that behind Hugh Hefner’s billion-dollar empire, ‘there was a secret world’. The miniseries will conclude with ten episodes along with featuring archival footage of Hugh Hefner with Anna Nicole Smith, Pamela Anderson, the Girls Next Door, and Jenny McCarthy. PJ Masten said, "Playboy was all about powerful men preying on beautiful young women. The Playmates, the Bunnies, let's not forget the girlfriends."
Sondra Theodore, Hugh Hefner’s former girlfriend said, "It was a manipulation from the beginning. Hugh Hefner groomed us all. Really, he was a monster. The things he got turned on by." Further, she also explains about the use of hard drugs at the Playboy Mansion and quotes, “It was such a seduction, and the men knew this – that they could get girls to do just about anything they wanted if they gave them a Quaalude.” According to the series description, Hugh Hefner is accused of passing girls/women around to his friend and there have been allegations that VIPs have assaulted and raped young women.
The series is also going to include interviews with Hugh’s former girlfriends that include Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt, the author of Playground: A Childhood Lost Inside the Playboy Mansion, Playboy Mansion West resident Jennifer Saginor and former Playmates Rebekka Armstrong, Susie Krabacher, Dona Spier and Tylyn John.
Holly Madison who dated Hugh Hefner from 2001 to 2008 recalled during an interview that she wanted to look a little different from all the women in the mansion during that time so she went and got a haircut and received verbal abuse in return. She explained, "I came back with short hair and he flipped out on me. And he was screaming at me that it made me look old, hard, and cheap.” Bridget Marquardt who also dated Hugh Hefner from 2001 to 2008 adds to Holly’s memory and shared, "Hef would be pretty abrasive in the way he said things to Holly. She came down with red lipstick one time and he flipped out and said he hated red lipstick on girls, [and that she] should take it off right away. Even though other people could wear red lipstick and it didn't seem to bother him."
Holly Madison also shared that she had not realized that getting into the Playboy world was a dangerous choice. Jennifer Saginor, former Playboy Mansion West resident also shared, "He didn't want people to know what was really going on. The people who were really there, they're the ones who know the real truth." Holly had shared about her experience at the mansion in her 2015 released book, ‘Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny’ in which she described Hefner as controlling and manipulative, and in return to her accusations, Hugh Hefner responded via a statement that read, "Over the course of my life I've had more than my fair share of romantic relationships with wonderful women. Many moved on to live happy, healthy, and productive lives, and I'm pleased to say remain dear friends today. Sadly, there are a few who have chosen to rewrite history in an attempt to stay in the spotlight. I guess, as the old saying goes: You can't win 'em all!”
Holly Madison dated Hugh Hefner during 2001 to 2008. Image Source: Fox News
After the trailer and interviews of the former girlfriends were released via small clips on YouTube, Playboy told E! News in a statement, "We trust and validate women and their stories and strongly support the individuals who have come forward to share their experiences in this documentary. As a brand with sex-positivity at its core, we believe safety, security, and accountability are paramount. After nearly 70 years in business, there are many elements of Playboy's long history of which we are immensely proud, and there are elements we find unworthy of our principles. Today, we strive to live up to the positive aspects of our legacy, and are proud of the work we have done in recent years to stand for freedom and equality while advancing our mission of pleasure for all. The Hefner family is no longer associated with Playboy."
The Hefner family is no longer associated with Playboy. Image Source: ABC News
According to actual description, ‘Secrets of Playboy’ is going to reveal and show the details on how the Playboy "machine was a powerful force that, at its worst, manipulated women in a toxic environment, silencing their voices, pitting them against one another, and opening the door to sexual predators."
Elaine Frontain Bryant, A&E’s Executive Vice President and Head of Programming said in a statement, "Breaking down barriers and exposing the truth, Secrets of Playboy is a masterful example of brave storytelling that takes an unflinching look at the personal affects of Hugh Hefner's empire, while also exploring his legacy's larger influence on our society and modern-day views of sexuality.”
Hugh Hefner passed away in 2017 at the age of 91 but he is remembered as a father of the sexual revolution. The series is all set to release on January 24th on A&E.
