Hugh Hefner's son defends his late father from critics and slams 'salacious stories' about the Playboy founder
- Hugh Hefner's son Cooper defended the late Hefner from critics in a statement posted to Twitter.
- Without mentioning specific accusations, Hefner wrote that his father was "not a liar."
Hugh Hefner's son Cooper defended Hefner and slammed "salacious stories" about the Playboy founder in a statement posted to Twitter on Sunday.
"Some may not approve of the life my Dad chose, but my father was not a liar," the 30-year-old wrote. "However unconventional, he was sincere in his approach and lived honestly."
Cooper Hefner went on to call his father, who died of natural causes in 2017 at the age of 91, "generous in nature" and someone who "cared deeply for people."
"These salacious stories are a case study of regret becoming revenge," the former Playboy executive concluded.
While Cooper didn't mention any specific accusations or the imminent premiere of A&E's "Secrets of Playboy" docuseries, his statement comes as more women are coming forward to speak about their experiences with Playboy and with Hefner himself.
"Secrets of Playboy" features interviews with several women, including Hugh Hefner's ex-girlfriend Holly Madison, who say they experienced mistreatment at the hands of the elder Hefner, or as a result of working for Playboy.
Madison lived with Hefner at the mansion as his main girlfriend from 2001 to 2008, and has been open about her experience with the late Playboy founder. According to Madison, Hefner once called her "old, hard, and cheap" after she got a short haircut, refused to use protection during group sex, and even took and distributed non-consensual, "sexually explicit" photos of her and other "heavily intoxicated" women during nights out.
In a statement shared with Insider, Playboy emphasized its commitment to supporting and uplifting women.
"Today's Playboy is not Hugh Hefner's Playboy. We trust and validate these women and their stories and we strongly support those individuals who have come forward to share their experiences," the statement read. "As a brand with sex positivity at its core, we believe safety, security, and accountability are paramount. The most important thing we can do right now is actively listen and learn from their experiences."
"We will never be afraid to confront the parts of our legacy as a company that do not reflect our values today. As an organization with a more than 80% female workforce, we are committed to our ongoing evolution as a company and to driving positive change for our communities," the statement continued.
"Secrets of Playboy" premieres Monday. Watch the trailer below.