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Hugh Hefner at a 2014 gala celebrating the 60th anniversary of Playboy magazine
Photo: Charley Gallay / Getty Images for Playboy
A documentary series about »Playboy« founder Hugh Hefner is causing new discussions in the USA about the exploitation of women around him.
In the ten-part series Secrets of Playboy, several women who were either direct friends of Hefner or frequented his home, the Playboy Mansion, describe how ubiquitous sex and drugs were there.
Among other things, group sex is said to have been on the plan five days a week.
Supposedly unattractive prostitutes are said to have been brought into the property
for so-called
pig nights .
In addition, the notorious narcotic Quaalude is said to have been widely used.
The series "Secrets of Playboy" has just started in the USA, a German broadcast date has not yet been set.
Some of the allegations made in it have been known for a long time.
Some of the testimonials from Hefner's longtime friend Holly Madison are new.
According to Madison, Hefner offered her the anesthetic Quaalude on the first date.
The drug is known for making people weak and has fallen into disrepute at least since the rape trial of comedian Bill Cosby, who is said to have also offered and administered Quaaludes to women.
In the "Playboy Mansion" Quaaludes were said to have been called "thigh openers" and were available in abundance, Hefner's former assistant Lisa Loving Barrett is quoted as saying.
Sex tapes as leverage?
Probably the most serious allegations are made by Hefner's ex-partner Sondra Theodore.
She reports that Hefner repeatedly filmed her having sex without her consent.
When Theodore asked him not to take any more pictures, Hefner only pretended to turn off the camera.
Theodore's statements are supported by Stefan Tetenbaum, a former domestic worker of Hefner.
According to Tetenbaum, the "Playboy" boss filmed everything that happened in his bedroom.
In addition, many men, stars and athletes would have had sex in this room, with Hefner as a spectator.
Hefner kept recordings of the sexual activities and used them as an instrument of power, says Tetenbaum.
It is not said what or against whom Hefner is said to have used the recordings.
The gossip site TMZ previously published excerpts from Tetenbaum's and Theodore's statements.
Hefner died in 2017. His son Cooper commented on the allegations made in the series on Twitter.
There he wrote that while some might disagree with his father's lifestyle, he was not a liar.
“As unconventional as it may have been, he was serious in his approach and lived honestly.
He had a generous character and he cared about people.
These raunchy stories are case studies of how regret can turn into revenge,” says Cooper Hefner.
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