Hugh Hefner dead at 91

[tangor]

Some of us knew Hugh from his magazine. Or a visit to a Bunny Club. The rest know he was almost mythic.

Pretty sure he and a few past Bunnies are now sitting in the Sky Club audience watching the Greats in Jam Session...

rip

[engine]

Whist many would dislike his publication, and have strong views about how he used people, he did try to lead the free speech movement.

[keyplyr]

he did try to lead the free speech movement

And gave voice to the anti-war movement during the Vietnam era.

I was the pianist in the Cabaret room at the Century City Playboy Club in Los Angeles on Sunday nights for several months in the mid 70s.

Wannabe singers would get up on stage and I'd try to make them sound good for their agents, friends and family. One of the most difficult jobs I've had. Many of the singers had no idea what key they sang the tunes in.

I also worked as Musician's Union rep at the Playboy Jazz Festival in mid 80s held at the Hollywood Bowl.

He certainly made an impact. While reminders of his influence were everywhere, I never met Hef.

The Playboy Mansion had been up for sale for the last couple years. Part of the deal was that Hef would be allowed residency in the top floors until his death. Don't know if that was what in fact happened.

[topr8]

... ah so that's the source of your name, keyplyr!

[lucy24]

how he used people

Q: Hef, how come you get so many ###s?
A: Because I don’t call them ###s.

[Shepherd]

"In my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined of living a sweeter life" - Hugh Hefner

They say when you die you go to a better place. In Hef's case I'm not sure that's possible.

[tangor]

Whist many would dislike his publication, and have strong views about how he used people, he did try to lead the free speech movement.

He was a pimp and pronographer testing the limits of social/traditional behavior and the limitations on obscenity legislation. Wouldn't say so much free speech as a general destruction of social values. In that regard his Mark will live on long past his demise. Made a pot of filthy lucre (like keyplr) six weeks on contract in a bunny club as a long haired rock n roll guitar player in a regionally successful band that never made it national. Those were the days.

[keyplyr]

Just learned that one of his neighbors had purchased the Playboy Mansion last year for $100M, and did in fact agree to let Hef live out his dying days there.

I've driven by the place a few times. It's in an area called the Holmby Hills, Los Angeles which is a little NE of UCLA (where I worked for a long time.) You had to have authorization to be up there; guard stations and such.