Hugh Hefner's ex-Playboy staffers, former Playmates, and romantic partners defend the late founder in an open letter amid 'Secrets of Playboy' allegations
- A group of former Playboy employees signed a letter in support of Hugh Hefner, according to People.
- The ex-staffers denounced the recent allegations made against Hefner in A&E's "Secrets of Playboy."
A group of ex-Playboy employees — including former Playmates and Bunnies — signed a letter in support of Hugh Hefner, whom they called "a person of upstanding character."
In the letter, obtained by People, hundreds of former employees and ex-girlfriends of the late Playboy founder denounced the allegations made by women against Hefner on A&E's new docuseries "Secrets of Playboy."
"We sign our names to support Hugh M. Hefner. From all we know of Hef, he was a person of upstanding character, exceptional kindness, and dedication to free thought. He demonstrated a commitment to living an honest life beyond everything else," the letter said, per People.
"Our time within Hugh Hefner's Playboy and the organization's subsidiaries remains a period all of us are fond of," it continued. "I proudly sign this letter in recognition of Hugh Hefner's character amid unfounded allegations in the A&E show."
Among the signees were Hefner's ex-wife Kimberly (who was married to Hefner from 1989 to 2010), Renee "Sloan" Baio, an ex-girlfriend of Hefner's, and Joy Jamieson, a former Playboy enterprises employee, who worked at the company from 1969 to 1975.
A&E shared the following statement in response to the open letter when reached for comment by Insider:
"The stories shared in 'Secrets of Playboy' are the personal experiences of the documentary's participants and deserve to be told despite how difficult they may be for some to hear. Signatures on a letter, or a different experience with Mr. Hefner or the Playboy culture, do not negate the experiences of those who have come forward to share their truth on the series and we look forward to continuing to bring these stories to light."
"Secrets of Playboy" premiered in late January, and has thus far featured several allegations against the Playboy founder, who died of natural causes at the age of 91 in 2017.
In one episode, Hefner's ex-girlfriend Holly Madison said she thought it was "really gross" that Hefner "didn't want to use protection" during group sex with her and other women at the Playboy mansion. Madison also said that Hefner offered her Quaaludes — the brand name for a prescription sedative that became a popular recreational drug during the 1970s and '80s — during their first night out in a group together and referred to them as "thigh-openers."
And in the most recent episode, a former Playboy Bunny said she was forced to cover up the alleged rapes and abductions of two "baby" Playboy Bunnies and alleged that Hefner "definitely" knew about the incident.
Hefner's estate has not responded to Insider's previous requests for comment regarding the allegations made by Madison and others in "Secrets of Playboy," though Hefner's son, Cooper Hefner, tweeted a statement in defense of his father on January 24 ahead of the docuseries' premiere.
Cooper called the "salacious stories" about his father "a case study of regret becoming revenge."