RIP Hugh Hefner (1926-2017)

YouTube screenshot

Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner passed away Wednesday at the age of 91.

For the young people, Hugh Hefner’s name is synonymous with nudie centerfolds, cable reality shows, and the industry of sexual titillation (all good things). But Hefner’s impact as a cultural icon and tastemaker is his lasting legacy. He was countercultural with a pocket square. As Hefner said, “The notion of the single man began in the 1950’s. The idea of the bachelor as a separate life was new and obscure.”

We present a clip of Hefner’s “Playboy’s Penthouse,” from 1959, featuring the great Lenny Bruce.

Rest in peace, Hef.

Our Latest Articles