Inside The Playboy Mansion.

It’s time for some light reading.  I came across an interesting book that gives insight to Hugh Hefner’s Playboy.  Written by a former girlfriend, Izabella St. James, she calls her book Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion.  But I want to focus on the author, a woman who is highly educated (she has a post graduate law degree).  After reading this book, I’m left wondering why on earth would this woman want to waste 2 years of her life as one of 5 “Girlfriends” of Hefner? 

She tells a story of a man who is way past his prime, trying to live up to an image of a sexual dynamo.  News flash, this prowess no longer exists.   I will spare you the sexual details.  What really struck me was the nature of the relationship and the “rules” which had to be followed in order to stay in Hef’s good graces.  For example, each Girlfriend was given a weekly allowance of $1000.  St. James explains as follows:

Every Friday morning we would go to Hef’s room and ask for our allowance……..We disliked this process for two reasons: one, we had to go there during a small window of time to catch him after he wakes up but before he goes to his office, otherwise it would take days to get it.  And life was so unstable at the Mansion that we always felt that we had to get it right then, because we did not know if we’d be there tomorrow.  Additionally, not only was it uncomfortable and slightly embarassing to always have to ask for the money, but also, to make things worse, Hef used the occasion as an excuse to bring up whatever he wasn’t happy with in the relationship.(bold added)

At one point, St. James had hoped Hefner would pay some of her student loans.  She had heard Hef did this for other Girlfriends.  This book details plenty about the inner circle of Hefner and his many “Girlfriends”.  The back biting, the petty jealousies, the plastic surgeries, and overall silliness of the Playboy Mansion.  After reading the book, I still can’t understand why someone as educated as St. James would waste 2 years of her life in this world?  I could understand a couple of weeks of fun and play, but 2 years!?!?!?  She gave up her independence for Hugh Hefner?!?!?!

When The Girls Next Door first aired in 2006, I got the sense that Hef had seen better days.  And now that he is “engaged” to a woman who is young enough to be his great, great, granddaughter, I find him to be ridiculous.  He seems to me to be a dirty old man.  If anything he is hindering the brand because of his silly antics.  I do not, nor do I think anyone should assume that Hefner is the same as he was in his 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s.  I’m not saying that Hef should move to a nursing home and wait to die.  But I believe in aging gracefully-and so far he’s doing it badly!

Bookish Babe

Update: grammatical changes.