Secrets of Playboy (2022–2023) User Reviews

People Don't Understand

[rickspung · 8/10 · 27 March 2022]

Most of Playboy's 'golden years" were the 60s, 70s and 80s. There were no sexual harassment laws then and few workplace rights laws. A lot of reviewers don't understand this, possibly because they didn't have jobs in those years.

Hefner was smart. He controlled all of his press. He never had tough questions in interviews. They were always positive. He invited journalists, cops and politicians to his parties where he could video and audio tape them doing various things.

There was no Internet then and no cable news channels. It was easy to hide the truth.

People say "Why didn't these girls know better?" Easy- they were told over and over again that they would be safe and they were respected. It was all a lie, but even after they were victimized, where could they turn? There was no DNA testing technology back then. The authorities were compromised, as I earlier described.

Even the butlers and security guys were threatened with instant termination if they intervened when a girl was getting assaulted.

It's a sad story. Everything changed in the 90s and after that. Now justice is easier to get. Back then there was no justice. Especially in Hollywood. The authorities had been covering up scandals since the 30s. They were experts.

Well done!

[cockezville · 8/10 · 9 February 2022]

Time that Hefner and his malignant narcissistic lifestyle was exposed. The guy always disgusted me with his insincerity and his slimy persona. When I saw Bill Cosby's face I knew the mansion was a place darkness and evil, and that Hefner had no interest in the girls. I had a friend who was a bunny and she could attest to the conditions they were forced to endure- weight checks, horrific inhumane uniforms, swollen feet, and a demerit system And the whole bit about Don Cornelius was just disgusting. He should have rotted in jail. I have only seen 4 episodes- looking for the next 3 in season 1. I wonder why Barbi Benton has not spoken up.

It just gets worse and worse

[mls4182 · 8/10 · 30 January 2022]

We all knew Hefner would have few if any women interested in him if he didn't have the power to promise them opportunity. He was the hero of incels everywhere. These poor women all look cartoonish.

He obviously couldn't appreciate and love real ladies.

The allegations are shocking but unfortunately, believable. Of course he had to abuse and use women. He had probably been limp the last 40 years of his life and he resented the fact that women were with him for exposure.

I always knew he was a despicable creature.

Very deep dive

[enaglak · 10/10 · 21 April 2022]

Very deep dive into what really happened within playboy. I really appreciate the older women's interviews showing how long this has gone on. All the reviews blaming the women can eat it. Pathetic, privileged people.

slow moving but very real

[lorri-28858 · 7/10 · 3 March 2022]

Slow at times but impactful to really listen to these women and men talking about the dark side of this business. Too bad so many people were hurt for the sake of selling magazines and making money.

Insightful

[tforbes-2 · 10/10 · 3 December 2022]

"Secrets of Playboy" isn't perfect, but it paints a picture of a cultish situation that I am familiar with. Add to that the power that comes with money and celebrity, and the picture that emerges here is not a surprise.

But it is a truly sad story.

While I enjoyed the nudity and the great articles that appeared in the magazine (including the interviews), I was no admirer of Hugh Hefner. And that world looked too much like a fantasy to me to be really believable, especially when these women looked so impossibly gorgeous when compared to those I would see around in Upstate New York and New England.

I am glad these women are stepping forward to tell their tales. And if they are doing so after Hugh Hefner's death, it is not surprising, given the power he had on so many levels. I'm sure not all of the Playmates would agree with what is presented here, but so it goes.

As for the dynamics of the situation, I did say earlier that I know this for myself, albeit in a different setting. But when you already are dealing with people who got damaged, and you have those who are predatory, then you have a real potential for that perfect storm. No more, no less.

Somewhat surprising, however...

[aksarge · 6 February 2022]

When looking back at the men whom were always in attendance at the Playboy mansion parties (Cosby being the one to stick out the most), how would anyone possibly find it the least bit surprising to hear that the men mistreated the women up there at the mansion?!

Horrendous...

[eskimosound · 10/10 · 26 March 2022]

A brilliant documentary series. One can only imagine the horrors these women have gone through. Thank goodness they have come forward. The world of sex and sleeze was certainly a lot darker in the 70s and 80s...This is an incredible look into a dark world that made me realise that Playboy rather than being a corporate company was a weird Sex Cult that trafficked young women and trapped them. So successful was Hefner with his facade that it has taken till his death for these women to feel safe enough to come forward. It's heartbreaking and I hope humanity will learn a lesson.

Milking a sleazy corpse

[jollyjumpup · 7/10 · 28 February 2022]

If you're in the mood for sleaze, this series delivers bucketloads. But as with any documentary series, especially one in which most of the witnesses are peddling books or have other agendas, it's important to read between the lines and separate the chaff from the wheat.

The series is built on behind-the-scenes peeks into Heffner's hedonistic kingdom and vengeful blowback delivered by former associates. If all of the personal allegations made against "Heff" are true, he was a highly amoral deviant. But the most damning allegations come from single sources, notably former lovers like Sondra Theodore and Holly Madison who by their own admission remained at his side for years after discovering his dark side. With the late Heffner unable to defend himself, it's up to the viewer to accept or reject their claims.

What is supported by many witnesses is that Heffner was a jaded libertine with a taste for drugs and a stable of $1000-a-week concubines, including the two above-mentioned sugarbabies now eager to let the world know what a monster he was.

So we're left to choose between the glowing praise of Heff's male and female friends and the admirable fact that he was an early proponent of equal opportunity for minorities - or the claims (to be blunt) of a self-admitted bisexual coke whore who was happy to enlist other women to do the perverted things she loathed and an apparent gold-digging barracuda, both of whom came to the Playboy mansion with their eyes set on snagging a very lucrative prize for themself, and ultimately failing.

But the sleazy allegations don't end with Heff. The Playboy empire included clubs and promotions and a magazine. Here the testimony is more convincing, coming from well-spoken former execs like Miki Garcia and PJ Matten whose only goals were to move up the corporate ladder, albeit at a company built on the exploitation of the female body. It's no surprise that the male execs were sexist pigs, but anyone who lived through the "sexy 70s" probably worked in a similar sexually charged environment, something these women might not even realize.

None of this excuses Heffner or the piggish execs or rapist celebrities. There's plenty of genuine outrage to be had here. Some of the most satisfying moments are when Garcia and Matten name names and show pictures of the executive offenders. One only wishes they had gone to the police or the press to blow their whistles when it would have mattered, instead of doing business as usual and crying about it later. That is the lesson to be learned.

Equal Parts Fascinating and Repetitive

[hardestheartedharlot · 5/10 · 30 March 2022]

This could have been condensed into two hours. After a time nothing new is said. I expected the interviewer to ask the hard questions of those who witnessed assaults, brutal beatings and rapes and did nothing about it, but those questions never came. So much is missed in this documentary. Give us the names of all the men involved. Tell us who in the police department was in Playboy's pocket. Take to task the parents who signed their daughters and their bodies over to Playboy when they were still minors. We see women of all ages give their accounts and notice the ravages of time, drugs and trauma on their faces. Aside from rape, there's another commonality between these women. There's no light behind the eyes, they are detached, uncoupled, gone!

Dark world of Playboy

[thechloejj · 10/10 · 4 February 2022]

Playboy was something everyone before 90s knew as a huge thing but the fact that he was basically a prequel to Epstein, makes me shocked. Hefren even made underaged girls portray in Playboy cover while paying them only 50 dollars. He even forced Marilyn Monroe on the cover and even though she backed off later on, her picture was still shown. I am glad that women spoke up and showed the REAL story of Playboy. It is horrible to know that women were lower than dirt and used as sexual objects only. The fact that it was basically a cult to only satisfy one man's desires and visions, is pretty sick. Based on a lot of documentaries I've seen, it is pretty good. Whoever says these women whine and complain, does not know what SA is and how it can give you lifelong trauma. I hope these women will seek help (if they haven't so far) and I am glad Hefner's real personality is being shown. Great documentary!

Shocking but not Surprising.

[BeccaGudd · 6/10 · 9 February 2022]

I have watched every episode of TGND. Holly Madison certainly didn't seem trapped or miserable. I wonder why she is choosing to speak out 14 years after leaving the mansion? I do believe most of what was in the documentary however i always believe there is 2 sides to every story and unfortunately Hugh Hefner isn't here to tell his side. I don't think anyone would be so shocked to know drugs and sex were a big part of Playboy. After watching the episodes i do not know who to believe. Most of the people featured in the documentary, starred in TGND and in my opinion did not seem wary of Hefner or disgusted by him. So i'm still thinking there are reasons for speaking out now.

Enablers on Display

[makeham98 · 3/10 · 14 April 2022]

This could have been much better, as others have noted it's not balanced, no one "friendly" with Hefner speaks in his defense (who would?).

As they call him especially in the final two episodes, Hefner may have been "the devil". But he got away with it only because he had a team of enablers, many of whom are his accusers in this series.

Their claims may all be true, but too many of them sat by and enjoyed their lifestyle selfishly and did little or nothing while this took place. Especially the two "girlfriends", Holly and Sondra, whose epiphanies corresponded with when Hefner dumped them.

Sondra especially, who claims to have watched a lot of abuse of women, still returned to the mansion for Easter parties because of the "family atmosphere".

She and the bunny mother, also traumatized by her LONG relationship with Hefner/Playboy, appear to have kept well-organized scrapbooks of the "good days".

This doesn't speak to the validity of their claims (there's enough terrible stories there even if you disregard a lot of it), but they are unreliable narrators.

I exclude Micky from this; at least she got away early on and spoke out publicly. The others seem to have waited until years (and lives) had passed.

The series should have been 3 or maybe 4 episodes, but salacious accusations sell. A ful episode devoted to Dorothy Stratton, whose story was told years ago in "Star 80", but now it's Hefner's fault. Stratton was doomed when she hooked up with that husband of hers. One of the later episodes features two twins, who came to Playboy AFTER being hired and publicized by a Hooters-type pub when they were only 15.

The "secrets" are a microcosm of the Hollywood casting couch and young women coming from what used to be called broken homes.

Hefner may have been the devil, and a lot of the women featured may have sold their soul to him and regretted it later.

But he never would have gotten away with it without these (and many other) enablers.

Pervert

[johnnyboygrant · 10/10 · 10 April 2022]

I always knew hefner was a disgusting pervert but that doesn't even come close to describing him. I have a whole new hatred for Hollywood. All this perversion because the girl he liked in highschool rejected him... Absolutely pathetic. If I believed in Hell I would hope he's burning.

What Secrets?

[Unknownian · 17 February 2023]

Is it a secret that Hefner's girlfriends got real used to the 'good life', and when he moved on to someone new, the old one had to leave the mansion, and move back into her studio apartment?

Is it a secret that men applied for jobs at Playboy because they "really" liked naked women?

Is it a secret that most men that own a popular business, provide their close friends with perks?

Is it a secret that all prospective Playmates showed up at Playboy ready to bare it all for international distribution, and took off all their clothes the very first day for test photos?

Is it a secret that most women wouldn't pose nude for "any publication"?

Is it a secret that most women regret some of their decisions and actions from their past when they were young and naive?

Any Playmate Centerfold that entered the Playboy Mansion property after she was published, was well aware that she was taking a risk for better or worse. Unfortunately for some.... it was for the worse. Her job posing for Playboy was completed. Why was she at the mansion afterwards?

... If there is a secret... that's it.

Delusion

[inacan-90-894261 · 7/10 · 11 May 2022]

This docu series brings light several delusional narratives pitting positive views vs negative. Ultimately it's interesting to watch but I would argue it's wrapped around a core principle. People are obsessed with celebrity and fame.

For some of these women they have experienced terrible trauma due to bad policies and bad experiences with individuals and it's heartbreaking to hear about. However:

Listening to an American who lives in a country where you aren't given even basic healthcare without a cost expect a company to provide protection and perks outside of working hours for essentially a waitress is ridiculous. No the company isn't going to overly protect you because NO COMPANY DOES.

As someone who worked in the luxury industry the complaints about how their personal looks were handled isn't anything new. I wasn't allowed to grow a beard without approval and literally had it in my contract I had to shave every day.

When you have a group that was being paid higher than average wages for the time in an environment which had more rules and structure for them to complain showcases they never really worked anywhere else or are picking their gripes.

This doc is a lot of excused naive people trying to lash out at an organization that certainly was disturbed but they also complicit in a lot of dealings.

Hefner was a odd character. A clear narcissist and sex addict who manipulated to get what he wanted. That being said if you see a man who has 7 girlfriends and think that's normal and you can live a normal life with that. You clearly have a warped sense of relationships and human connection and I don't think you should be used as the litmus test.

I started watching as a Playboy fan, but I believe these women

[mazedm · 9/10 · 19 April 2022]

Although I'm a woman, I've long been a bit of a Playboy fan. I thought it was ridiculous some years ago when several feminists wrote pieces in outlets like The Guardian cheering the demise of Playboy magazine (this was before it ended up being sold). To me, fairly tasteful photos of beautiful naked women were something to be more celebrated than ever in an era when the most vile, degrading imagery imaginable of women are really available online. As far as Hugh Hefner, while I assumed the man was not exactly a paragon of virtue, nor did I believe he was evil or a sleaze bag. So, I had no axe to grind against Playboy or Hefner as I began watching this series.

After watching a couple of episodes, though, I can hardly believe how naive I was. What man with immense power, wealth, and fame--all of it due to a business built on the images of beautiful, and usually very young, nude women--isn't going to end up corrupted? I actually found myself saying out loud at one point, "Christ, this man was actually **evil.**" I recall seeing an interview with Hefner's ex-paramour, and ex-Playmate, Barbi Benton, when the Bill Cosby scandal originally broke, and she declared flatly, "Her would never have tolerated anything like that," meaning rape. Well, not only did he tolerate other famous and/or powerful men committing rape, he raped too. (The photos of poor Dorothy Stratten taken after her assault by Hefner, compared to her earlier photos, are chilling. She looks dead inside, whereas in her earliest Playboy photos she appears genuinely happy.) Don Cornelius in particular (the longtime host of the old TV show Soul Train) deserves to burn in hell next to Hef. I am embarrassed I was ever a Playboy fan.

WOW!!

[bondgirl-66501 · 10/10 · 8 March 2022]

This is one of the best documentaries I've ever watched...shocking, raw and emotional. I knew the goings on at the mansion were most likely pretty sordid, but NOT to the degree that was talked about in the series..Way worse. These were young, vulnerable girls, still in their teens, starved for attention and self-worth..who are now grown women. They were lambs to slaughter.

Looking at the dark side and Hef.

[blanbrn · 6/10 · 5 February 2022]

A@E's new doc series "Secrets of Playboy" is revealing and perhaps truth telling as it tells some past dark stories of the legendary "Playboy" empire. As many past employees and Bunnies tell of a wicked side to the icon Heffner. Old clips and interviews are shown with each episode and each show having a different theme and topic relating to mansion life. Really it's hard to call you be your own judge as Heffner is now gone and past why bring up his past closet skeletons? Or do you believe the word of past beauties and female employees, so watch and be your own judge and do your own research for an accurate verdict.

You already know

[dcmackdon · 2/10 · 15 February 2022]

Short of it: According to Shondra Theodore, who seems to be the main storyteller, Hefner was a mob boss, drug trafficker, human trafficker, peodophile, ophidiophile (beastiality), sociopath, psychopath, satan worshipper, the devil incarnate, and the antichrist. Keep in mind she only knew him for 5 years out of the 60+ he ran playboy and she loved him more than he did her, so of course she sees it as a waste and drain on her life, similar to what Holly's psych has convinced her of.

This doc starts off with the women talking about how fun and great in was at playboy. One lady says, "can't talk about the good, without talking about the bad." True.

Basically, everything bad that happened to any of these women was ALL his fault. You will see if you hear the stories. They even hit you with the "'Technically' Hefner did nothing wrong, but we now think and know it was wrong." These were women who wanted the lifestyle, BUT Hefner 'went too far' mainly cause he didn't do enough, to protect the women from the image that he created and they participated, which some say they ashamed.

Obviously a hit peice (A&E did a lot of glorified pieces in the past), most of it is in fact hear say and a lot of it sounds vindictive after all the fun was had, but he is dead and gone and I know his daughter hates this. Honestly, these things are based on what you will believe, tears mean nothing nowadays, cause folks pick who they want to believe went thru trauma, simply DEAD and GONE.

Shocking in Episode 3

[melissa-25367 · 10/10 · 6 February 2022]

Really interesting to watch this documentary. Seems like Hef fooled a lot of people. Absolutely shocking in episode 3 about baby bunny sisters been held against their will, raped, drugged and tortured for 3 days. They weren't allowed to seek medical attention and the men were never brought to justice. Hef's big cover up. I hope these girls have found peace, plus the rest of the playboy bunnies who were raped.

Finding out that the "champion of sexual freedom", was a controlling jerk that allowed abuse and rape in the Playboy Mansion.

[alanalorie · 7/10 · 13 March 2022]

I do not like the style of interviewing several people and clips. However, this series will be hunting for some women. It shows Hef's need to be in the Hollywood boy's club and need to be the center of attention and in control of his girlfriends. An alleged victim of Bill Cosby's tells her story. Shocking.

Don't fall for this manipulation

[adamineden69 · 2/10 · 16 May 2022]

Secrets of playboy? Who came up with that daft title. There is no secrets in playboy, even my next door neighbors dog knows what goes on at playboy.

Here we have a bunch of has been trying to go out with a bang, the crocodile tears, the Botox filled faces, all acting the innocent now their day has gone. They knew exactly what they were doing and what they were getting involved in, no one held a gun to there heads they could have walked away at any time yet ALL of them chose to stay and participate, don't fall for the fake crocodile tears.

These women wanted to sleep with the rich and famous, they loved the attention, they loved the money they were getting, they loved the lifestyle, that's what drew them in in the first place and that's why they stayed. If they were that repulsed by what went on in the mansion they would have run a mile, but oh no, they stayed for YEARS.

I have no pity for the woman in this soap, they got what they deserved, they wanted the pervert and that's what they got. They reaped what they sowed and they loved it until the wrinkles and drug effects came home to roost.

Secrets of Playboy

[trimbolicelia · 8/10 · 29 January 2022]

So far I've seen two episodes of this docu-series. The first one shocked me, finding out this woman was practically raised in the Playboy Mansion from a tender, young age. Her father, Hefner's doctor, is a real piece of work. If anything he's worse than Hefner. Where was her mother in all this. I don't think Hefner's elder children were raised in this atmosphere. Mind you the woman raised in the mansion had virtually nothing negative to say about Hefner or her father. As far as I'm concerned those two are slugs.

She seems to recognize how disfunctional that upbringing was but she also has fond memories. The second episode has one of Hefner's "girlfriends" telling of her "horrendous" time at the mansion. It served her well though. What I would like to see is a documentary or book with factual and dispassionate narration and factual incidents, even if they can't name names. Not just personal experiences and skewed viewpoints.

I've seen all ten episodes now. Now I can understand to a certain degree why these women were kind of fearful of saying anything to the authorities, or leaving the organization. The Hefner/Playboy empire would have squelched any complaint to the cops. These big boys had POWER, and friends in high places. No one may have believed these women, or treated the report like a joke or some sort of sour grapes revenge. Even to this day women are sometimes treated with disrespect and/or disbelief when they report abuse or rape. The stories of Hefner degenerating into more vile forms of sexual enjoyment are not unbelievable. After enjoying sixty plus years of constant sexual freedom the same ole acts may become boring. Doesn't make these new acts understandable, much less excusable. No wonder Hefner had such a gag control over everyone.

About the women in the corporate area of the Playboy Empire who endured harassing treatment and/or rape, WHY DIDN'T YOU LEAVE? Obviously, the jobs paid well (though I'll bet they were not paid as well as the men), and probably had good perks. Their complaints, if they had made them, would have been dismissed, ignored, or the women fired is they had pursued their grievances. What they should have done is while still working there is looked for another position elsewhere. They may have not been paid as well, but they may have gotten lucky and found a less toxic environment.

To be fair one can't judge someone until one has walked in that person's shoes.

Let's all malign a dead guy . .

[Ex-Player · 25 January 2022]

I can just see the pitch for this show:

"Hey, since we're in a Woke/MeToo environment now, let's take one of the best known male publishing celebrities of the last 50 years, and get all his ex-girlfriends and ex-employees that have tell-all books about him to push, and line them all up as an endless series of babbling interviews so they can slam his reputation now that he can't defend himself!"

As a woman I find these ridiculous interviews really offensive. Most of Hefner's harshest critics come off as either bitter or psychotic (yes, I mean YOU, Holly,) and prattle on and on about the horrible experiences they had as Playboy darlings while they happily pocketed their $1000 per week "allowance" and lived and ate at the mansion rent free. . .along with having their plastic surgery bills paid for in full. Gee, I can't imagine why any of these acerbic gold diggers fell out of Hef's favor . .

To be fair, the filmmakers do attempt to balance the catty sniping with complimentary remarks from associates who were not physically involved with Hefner, but it's all skewed toward the notion that Hugh Hefner's legacy should place him somewhere between Satan and Adolf Hitler because of his "sinister" treatment of women. Funny thing, not one of his detractors goes into any detail about exactly what heinous conduct he's guilty of, other than having more than one girlfriend at a time when each of them thought they alone were "the special one."

The fact that most of the interviewees are constantly talking about the tell-all books they either published or plan on publishing make this droning series of whiny talking heads nothing but a big. Long, tedious commercial that makes the Sham-Wow guy feel like a breath of fresh air by comparison. (Although there is one hysterical bit in episode 2 wherein one of Hefner's former paramours bristles at being thought of as a hooker as there was no "direct" exchange of money for services . . yes, she had sex with him and yes she was paid every week to live in the lap of luxury, but there was no "direct" exchange . . this whole interview is made even funnier by that fact that she's perched cross-legged in a short skirt facing the camera at such an angle that barely conceals her gender. Class act all the way.)

I couldn't help but notice from the credits that roughly 85% of the crew was comprised of young women. I guess in these low-tolerance times, it comes as no surprise that a group of millennial females would choose to get a paycheck by vilifying the guy who published a magazine with classy nudes, although I would've been more impressed if they went after less literate periodicals like Penthouse or Hustler. Maybe we'll see that in succeeding seasons . .

Avoid, unless you're addicted to gossip from bitter ex's.