Friends And Fans React To The Passing Of Iconic ‘Playboy’ Founder Hugh Hefner At 91

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.

— Hugh 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.

— Hope King (@lisahopeking) 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:

— Mike Epps (@TheRealMikeEpps) September 28, 2017

RIP Hugh Hefner, guess it's up to me now

— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) September 28, 2017

I met Hugh Hefner at the Playboy mansion. He was very nice to my mom. Don't ask. #RIPHef

— Kat Dennings (@OfficialKat) September 28, 2017

RIP Hugh Hefner… pic.twitter.com/MNJVjnSKYw

— Brian Dorman (@BDormanTV) September 28, 2017

Hugh Hefner, a titan. honored to have worked for his magazine. RIP.

— Michael Hafford (@michaelhafford) September 28, 2017

Hugh Hefner lived a long, successful, and by all accounts, immeasurably decadent life. A dream life lived to fullest, if ever one was.

— John Squires (@FreddyInSpace) September 28, 2017

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

So long, and thanks for all the articles… R.I.P. Hugh Hefner pic.twitter.com/VqQ539jAKh

— PLAYERUNKNOWN (@PLAYERUNKNOWN) September 28, 2017

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

— Anthony Castelli (@Castelli_UNLTD) September 28, 2017

Rest In Peace to the iconic Hugh Hefner. #RIPHef pic.twitter.com/cnfM4upwyD

— Brad Gilmore (@bradgilmore) September 28, 2017

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 (@mbretosESPN) 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:

— Joe R (@Randazzoj) September 28, 2017

Hugh Hefner was complicated. Surely you’ve read Gloria Steinem’s story on infiltrating the Playboy Bunny complex https://t.co/mgGwrzpqFC

— Heidi N Moore (@moorehn) September 28, 2017

Whenever I think of Hugh Hefner I think of baby oil

— roxane gay (@rgay) September 28, 2017

I know Hugh Hefner/Playboy did important things, I'm also just saying dude was a god level creep and I find the hagiography off-putting.

— Nathaniel Friedman (@freedarko) September 28, 2017

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:

— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) September 28, 2017

RIP to Hugh Hefner who I recently learned gave Dick Gregory the money to find the slain Civil Rights workers in 1964 https://t.co/uHmezW1JY6

— David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) September 28, 2017

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

This headline is from The Advocate. pic.twitter.com/LwF1EvBnhv

— Raymond Braun (@raymondbraun) September 28, 2017

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 Cigno (@IsabellaCigno) September 28, 2017

Playboy After Dark put Lenny Bruce and Duke Ellington on a national TV stage. Hef knew no social boundaries.

— All-flicker (@allflicker) September 28, 2017

But as expected, the largest amount of people celebrated Hef’s career and lifestyle by making jokes:

— 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

I remember talking to Hugh Hefner on the phone when Milton Berle died. He said, "Milton had a great sense of humor. And an enormous penis."

— Anthony Breznican (@Breznican) September 28, 2017

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

I used to think Hugh Hefner was the Playboy brand mascot, like a Mr. Clean or an Aunt Jemima

— Gal Gadabagool (@jimpjorps) September 28, 2017

Cannot believe how many people I like are tweeting variations of “Hugh Hefner invented getting horny, respect.”

— K (@kevinmccauley) September 28, 2017

"Hugh Hefner was a virgin until he was 22" should be the whole obit

— Molly Lambert (@mollylambert) September 28, 2017

Hugh Hefner’s greatest (and only) meaningful contribution to society was the 2008 film THE HOUSE BUNNY, and i will not budge on this point. pic.twitter.com/0kO0TzUJBf

— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) September 28, 2017

RIP to the legend Hugh Hefner. The House Bunny is still one of the greatest movies ever made

— anthony amorim (@AnthonyAmorim) September 28, 2017

RIP Hugh Hefner, the only publisher to ever successfully pivot to video.

— Dasuquin Snyder (@BuzzfeedChris) September 28, 2017

RIP Hugh Hefner, a titan in alternative energy research pic.twitter.com/d9iaN5Decb

— Bobby Big Wheel (@BobbyBigWheel) September 28, 2017

"I can call you Hef, can I"

"No"

RIP Hugh Hefner pic.twitter.com/c9muh6HJup

— Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) September 28, 2017

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:

— 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

Twitter allows an additional 140 characters and Hugh Hefner passes I refuse to believe this isn't a coincidence.

— Will Abeles (@WillAbeles) September 28, 2017

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.