Following on from Power: The Maxwells, the chart-topping podcast investigative series returns with a new season.
This series explores the complex story behind legendary Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s rise and the legacy he left behind, told through the eyes of the women who knew him best.
Hosted by journalist and author Amy Rose Spiegel, the series will delve into Hefner’s rise to power and the origins of Playboy and investigate questions around the dark side of the brand, including notorious Mansion parties and Hefner’s manipulation and control of his girlfriends and other associates.
Power: Hugh Hefner tackles important questions around the brand’s complicated role in contributing to both progressive movements and the systems that held marginalised people back in the first place.
The series features conversations with several of the women directly involved with Playboy, including Bunnies who worked in the clubs, Playmates, magazine employees, and feminist organisers. Listeners also hear from model and TV personality Holly Madison who lived in the Playboy Mansion for seven years. They all join this series to offer their first-hand experiences.
Host Amy Rose Spiegel says: “As a journalist who examines power and gender dynamics, Playboy has been a constant source of fascination and influence in my work and life. I’ve always wanted to know more about the women who were really responsible for its power: How did Playboy affect the courses of their lives, for better and for worse?
“I was totally drawn to the story of how a multi-million-dollar business that was supposed to be a socially progressive force for good actually affected the people who built it up. With this series, I have the enormous pleasure and privilege of uncovering the personal stories of the women who knew Hugh Hefner and used the clubs, magazine, and man himself to find their way.”
Episode one of Power: Hugh Hefner, a Somethin’ Else production, is available weekly from Monday 1 November on Apple, Spotify, Acast and all podcast providers.
