With the death of Hugh Hefner, a complicated discussion is sure to follow. While the Playboy founder created a brand that is almost as iconic today as Coke and Pepsi and led a life that many consider “the dream,” he also courted controversy with his lifestyle, the content he produced, and the empire he helped establish at The Playboy Mansion.
#scrapbooksaturday pic.twitter.com/YVYs1eRvRu
— Hugh M. Hefner (@hughhefner) February 20, 2016
Taking a quick look through the reactions to his passing at 91, you see many different opinions already grabbing hold and spreading in reference to Hefner’s life. To some, he’s a hero that created a brand that helped shape them over the years. To others, he’s a villain that exploited women and used their bodies to make a fortune. And then mixed in are the people willing to look at him as a complicated character in American life that represented some of its best qualities and some of its worst qualities.
Omg Hugh Hefner has died pic.twitter.com/x4sJalr2Ef
— Hope King (@hopeking) September 28, 2017
There’s sure to be many “hot takes” in the days to come about Hefner’s life and the entertainment juggernaut he created 60 years ago, but the underlying theme is how much influence Hefner had over American life in both a positive and negative way.
For most, Hefner was a hero that lived their wildest fantasies inside his mansion full of beautiful people:
RIP to the OG #HughHefner 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/AVXwKU1V4A
— Mike Epps (@TheRealMikeEpps) September 28, 2017
RIP Hugh Hefner, guess it's up to me now
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/OfficialKat/status/913249808667746304
RIP Hugh Hefner… pic.twitter.com/MNJVjnSKYw
— Brian Dorman 💙 (@BDormanTV) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/michaelhafford/status/913237811410567168
https://twitter.com/FreddyInSpace/status/913249045136764928
I'm not sure why I thought Hugh Hefner was invincible but I did and this is crazy.
— salem (@salemmitchell) September 28, 2017
One of my favorite Hugh Hefner stories: Has the Grateful Dead on his Playboy show, gets dosed on acid, writes letter of appreciation after. pic.twitter.com/w02oY1i6dZ
— brandon wenerd (@brandonwenerd) September 28, 2017
RIP Hugh Hefner a man who lived the dream pic.twitter.com/OYCadWpTXa
— Prakash Ruparelia (@P_Ruparelia) September 28, 2017
RIP Hugh Hefner #playboy
It's been a long day without you, my friend
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. pic.twitter.com/U09kI8pRf6— •●๋ Gastón ๋●• ♛ (@GastonHPx) September 28, 2017
Says what you will—Hugh Hefner's influence was enormous.
— Jeff Pearlman (@jeffpearlman) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/PLAYERUNKNOWN/status/913247081128538113
RIP Hugh Hefner;
A fearless visionary, entrepreneur, and creator. 💯
Godspeed, Hef. ✊🏼
I'd say you're in a better place, but I doubt it. 😉 pic.twitter.com/CIzTSkfhEn
— Tony Castelli (@Castelli_unltd) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/bradgilmore/status/913243055905484800
If you were ever going to follow Will Ferrell's advice in "Wedding Crashers", Hugh Hefner's funeral is the place to do it.#playmates #RIPHef
— Sean Salisbury (@SeanUnfiltered) September 28, 2017
RIP Hugh Hefner, I discovered my favorite author of all time and so much amazing fiction via Playboy. And the playmates were great too..
— timeless mixes (@timelessmixes) September 28, 2017
Serious take on Hugh Hefner: Arguably, one of, if not, the most important publisher of the second half of the 20th century.
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) September 28, 2017
Hugh Hefner a revolutionary and uncompromising force… RIP. Thanks for the material. I enjoyed the articles.
— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) September 28, 2017
RIP Hugh Hefner. If it weren’t for you, every girl in my 9th grade class wouldn’t have had a bunny tank top from Hot Topic.
— Samantha Ruddy (@samlymatters) September 28, 2017
Hugh Hefner, who lived a full, compassionate & amazing life, has passed. This has to be hard on,,,maybe not the perfect words,,,many.#RIPHef
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) September 28, 2017
Others were quick to point out the complicated, controversial, and negative aspects of Hefner’s life:
https://twitter.com/Randazzoj/status/913252545392345093
https://twitter.com/moorehn/status/913252191208660996
https://twitter.com/rgay/status/913247784240852992
https://twitter.com/freedarko/status/913252110971502592
And while the simple tributes and criticisms are expected, some expanded on the things that Hefner did away from Playboy magazine and his extravagant lifestyle. This includes his role with the civil rights movement, his treatment of social norms, and the various issues he supported over the years:
Hugh Hefner was a strong supporter of the civil rights movement. We shall never forget him. May he Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/oL3lKLZRQ5
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/DavidDTSS/status/913241397620301829
Hugh Hefner repeatedly hired Dick Gregory to perform at Playboy clubs when no one else would hire him.
Respect— John Lurie (@lurie_john) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/913246613367398400
https://twitter.com/raymondbraun/status/913250732203266049
Hugh Hefner was more than just Playboy. He also supported gay marriage and said "it's a fight for ALL our rights. #RIPHughHefner #HughHefner pic.twitter.com/kgzwOiaWst
— Isabella Steele (@MsBellaSteele) September 28, 2017
Playboy After Dark put Lenny Bruce and Duke Ellington on a national TV stage. Hef knew no social boundaries.
— AllFlickering Against the Dying of the Light (@allflicker) September 28, 2017
But as expected, the largest amount of people celebrated Hef’s career and lifestyle by making jokes:
I read Playboy for the articles. Seriously. https://t.co/v4EMw8GWqP
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 28, 2017
Hugh Hefner, publisher of skin mag everyone said they read for the articles, is dead at 91. pic.twitter.com/vrEeXCAgrF
— Philip Gourevitch (@PGourevitch) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/Breznican/status/913245596907061248
As per his wishes, Hugh Hefner’s body will be left in a fort in the woods for other kids to find & pass around.
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/jimpjorps/status/913252720601071618
https://twitter.com/kevinmccauley/status/913252979389628417
"Hugh Hefner was a virgin until he was 22" should be the whole obit 🐇
— Molly Lambert 🦆 (@mollylambert) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/davidehrlich/status/913250265066852352
RIP to the legend Hugh Hefner. The House Bunny is still one of the greatest movies ever made
— anthony amorim is nostalgic (@AnthonyAmorim) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/BuzzfeedChris/status/913248351063236608
https://twitter.com/BobbyBigWheel/status/913242300247142400
https://twitter.com/sung_minkim/status/913240743262568449
Then there’s the select few who decided to use Hefner’s death as a way to continue their chatter about Twitter’s new character limit decision:
Hugh Hefner dies right after Twitter starts going to 280 characters? Coincidence? Yeah, probably. Those two things are not related in any way, pretty much. So anyway, gotta fill up some more space here. Use it or lose it, right?
— Unrated No Check Bob Lesh (@Bob_Lesh) September 28, 2017
Very cool of Twitter to go from 140 to 280 characters in honor of Hugh Hefner, who dedicated his life to making things double in size.
— Jim Kane (@Jim_Kane_) September 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/WillAbeles/status/913246788441788416
The interesting part of this events, both the celebratory and the tragic, is seeing where people seem to travel in their own minds and dump out on Twitter. Hefner’s death certainly brought out a wide array of reactions almost immediately, so it’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here.