Hugh Hefner was 86 years old when he married 26-year-old Crystal Hefner, and now his widow is revealing everything.
The third and final wife of the Playboy founder has written a memoir. “Only say good things: Surviving Playboy and finding yourself.”
The title comes from Hefner's own words to his young bride. “Say only good things about him.”
“After I quit, I thought, [Playboy] Crystal, now 37, told Fox News Digital. “I realized that the mansion had a bigger impact on me than I thought. I just wanted to help others by telling the truth about my time there. ”
Holly Madison recalls Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's 'insecurities': 'He had a jealous streak'
Crystal Hefner, who runs a lychee farm in Hawaii, is sharing her story. (Tracy Lynn)
Crystal and Hefner died in 2017 at the age of 91, ending their marriage. She claims that Crystal's marriage of nearly five years was “emotionally abusive” and in her book that Hefner “may be charming” but “cruel”. He also pointed out that there was.
“After a little while, he told me I needed to tone up because I had gained a little weight,” Crystal claimed. “Then he started saying what colors of nails I could and could not wear. [I had to] Wear a more colorful shirt and wear a “flag” meaning the Playboy logo somewhere on your shirt. I had to dye and bleach my roots. When it grew, he patted it and told me to go fix it. ”
Crystal Hefner (right) claimed she had to adhere to a strict curfew while living with Hugh Hefner. (HMH Foundation)
Crystal also claimed that during their marriage, she had a strict curfew and was required to rush back to the Playboy Mansion before dark. Her book said that Hefner would yell at her if she was late.
Crystal Hefner's memoir “Say Only Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Yourself'' is now in bookstores. (Grand Central Publishing)
“A lot of the other girls were talking about whether their curfew was 9 o'clock or 9:30,” she explained. “When I was there, the curfew was 6 p.m., and I would often get home before it got dark outside. He disguised this curfew as a schedule, so I would have a 6 p.m. movie night. It will be.” [on] Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. And on Mondays and Wednesdays, I took a little break when he was busy with the guys for “Manly Night” or cards. …It was an extremely tight schedule. …I had to get in before it got dark. ”
In addition to Hefner's harsh comments about her weight, the former San Diego State University psychology major also criticized Hefner's strict rules and the expectation that he would “perform” in the bedroom whenever he felt like it. said it took a toll on her. But looking back on her marriage, she acknowledged that her late husband, a leader of America's sexual revolution, was a complicated man.
Crystal Hefner and Hugh Hefner celebrate their birthday. (HMH Foundation)
“I remember that time [former girlfriend] holly [Madison’s] “This book was published for the first time,” she said. “I was still living in that girlfriend's mansion. I was very protective of Hef. I'm like, 'Oh, I can't believe she could do that to her.' But once she left for treatment, she thought, “Okay, everything she's saying is true.'' And when she saw the A&E documentary, Playboy Secrets, she thought, “Oh, so much of what they're saying is true.''
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Hugh Hefner's ex-girlfriend Holly Madison previously wrote a book about life at the Playboy Mansion. (Dennis Trasello/Wire Images/Getty Images)
“Some of it was far-fetched and trying to tie Hef to events like being with someone in Geneva, but a lot of it is true,” Crystal continued. “Hef was a very complex person. He wasn't all good, he wasn't all bad, he wasn't a predator, but he was also a narcissist and a misogynist. Please be honest about your future plans.
“I still serve on the board of his foundation,” she said. “The other two members of the Foundation are fully aware that he can be all sorts of things.”
Crystal said she grew up in a “broken home” and lost her father when she was 12 years old. After encountering her stepfather's copy magazine “Playboy'', she dreamed of becoming as beautiful as the many blonde bombshells she admired.
Crystal Hefner lost her father at a young age. (Crystal Hefner)
“I thought, 'These guys are so powerful, they have the world at their feet, and I want to be like them,'” she recalls. “I didn't have any means and I always felt like I was just making myself small. I'm like, 'I wish I could feel powerful, I wish I could feel beautiful.'” I'm so excited about that. I was attracted to it. ”
In 2008, Crystal attended a Halloween party at the Playboy Mansion. Dressed as a French maid, she immediately caught Hefner's attention.
“Why did he choose me? I think it was based purely on something like this at first.” [the] “I think at that point I had built myself into the playboy ideal, the Hugh Hefner ideal,” she explained. Maybe by becoming his wife I brought some kind of peace to his life, or maybe he was hoping for a good PR story towards the end of his life. I'm not sure, but I still think about it often. ”
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Crystal Hefner is pictured here meeting Hugh Hefner for the first time at a Halloween party in 2008. (HMH Foundation)
Krystal had never had a crush on Hefner, but felt she had to protect the older man, who she said was clinging to a past image. Living in a mansion seemed decadent to someone who grew up struggling, but Crystal said she saw a different side of the hedonistic hotspot after moving in.
Crystal Hefner claimed that the birds at the Playboy Mansion were dying of thirst. (HMH Foundation)
Crystal claimed the property was “in disrepair” and had mold as birds on the property died of thirst. Even though Crystal felt “trapped,” she felt a sense of urgency to protect Hefner in his later years.
Crystal Hefner claimed that she felt the need to protect Hugh Hefner as his health deteriorated. (HMH Foundation)
“When I was told what to wear, what to do, and to lose weight, I thought, 'I can be better, I can do better,'” she said. “I don't know why my mind went that way at that moment instead of saying, 'Why are you treating me like that?' But I don't know what made me have to protect him.
“Maybe in a way I felt sorry for him. Maybe it was Stockholm syndrome in a way. I really believe that's what happened because it was such a bubble at the time. But… I definitely felt like I had to protect him for some reason.”
While living in the mansion, Hefner gave his girlfriend a ring.
Crystal Hefner claimed that Playboy exploited her “runaway bride” image. (Dennis Trasello/Wire Image)
“He didn't ask me to marry him,” she said. “He handed me a ring in a box and said, 'I hope it suits you.' And then I just thought, 'Maybe he's going to end his life at the wedding.' , maybe they want a good PR story like this.” “We had never talked about it before, so I was just guessing. If I had said no, I would have had to leave right then and there, and I wasn't ready to leave.”
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Crystal Hefner is seen here after Hugh Hefner gave her an engagement ring. (HMH Foundation)
After accepting Hefner's marriage proposal, Krystal called off their engagement just days before hitting the road. After a rocky relationship with Dr. Phil's son Jordan, she returned to marry Hefner. Crystal claimed the magazine was quick to capitalize on her “runaway bride” image.
Looking back, Crystal said she saw herself more as a caregiver than a wife.
“The last few years I felt like I had to be there for him,” she said. “It became increasingly difficult for him to do anything or walk, and he wanted to be remembered as the man, the man that everyone saw him as, or thought he was. , that's not actually true. But I tried very hard to help him save his life.'' Picture it all the way through. ”
Crystal Hefner was 26 years old when she married Hugh Hefner. He was 86 years old. (HMH Foundation)
Playboy reached out to Fox News Digital for comment about Crystal's book, but did not immediately receive a response. A spokesperson released a statement on the occasion of A&E's 2022 documentary series.
“Today's Playboy is not Hugh Hefner's Playboy,” it said in a statement. “We believe and validate these women and their stories, and strongly support those who come forward to share their experiences.As a brand with sex positivity at its core, we believes that safety, security and accountability are paramount.”
Crystal Hefner said she considers herself more of Hugh Hefner's caregiver than his wife. (Charlie Galley/Getty Images, Playboy)
“The most important thing we can do now is actively listen to and learn from their experiences,” he added. “We are never afraid to confront those parts of our corporate heritage that do not reflect our values today.
Playboy model Crystal Hefner admits she was never in love with late husband Hugh Hefner
“I have nothing to hide anymore,” Crystal Hefner told Fox News Digital. (John Chapple)
“As an organization with more than 80% female employees, we are committed to continually evolving as a company and creating positive change in our communities.”
Crystal currently lives in Hawaii where she runs a lychee farm. She has “nothing to hide anymore.”
“I hope he OKs this book that I wrote,” she said of Hefner. “I hope he bless me. His foundation is very much about First Amendment rights, freedom of speech and expression, so I hope he's okay with me telling the truth.” I hope so.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
