Hugh Hefner

Re "Pajama Party" by Michael Quintanilla, Feb. 5: So, Hugh Hefner still thinks he's a "babe magnet"? This is what I see: a pathetic aging man who needs drugs to [have sex]. A hypocrite who says he loves his wife yet still needs the adolescent sexual titillation of hanging around with countless other women. And a man whose lifestyle basically says that women are great to [have sex with] but not worth honoring with commitment and respect. Pretty disgusting. DOLORES LONG Van Nuys Hugh Hefner has 100 pairs of pajamas at a cost of approximately $250 each?

Playboy Enterprises Inc. said it had hired Freedom Communications Inc. Chief Executive Scott N. Flanders to lead the company. Flanders' selection as CEO ends a five-month search for a new leader at the struggling Chicago company after Christie Hefner, daughter of founder Hugh Hefner, resigned in January. Jerome Kern has been serving as interim CEO. Flanders, 52, helped expand online revenue and streamline operations at Freedom, owner of the Orange County Register.

Al Gore and Joe Lieberman can preach family values from here to eternity. The true values of the Democrats were displayed prominently in your section ("L.A.'s Long, Strange Tryst With the Democrats," Aug. 9). Clinton standing proudly with Hugh Hefner, a photo of a self-described "feminist sex activist" and a scene from "Boogie Nights." Oh, and let's not forget the [attempted] Sanchez celebration at the Playboy mansion. Family values? ROSANNE GAMBOGI Palos Verdes Estates

The Hollywood sign has endured almost as many deaths, near-deaths and revivals as Kenny in "South Park." Just a few weeks ago, its solitary iconic presence was rescued yet again — this time by a last-minute donation of $900,000 from Hugh Hefner, which matched grants from the Tiffany & Co. Foundation and Aileen Getty and supplemented donations from thousands of individuals, famous and not. Since 1923, when it began life as an advertisement for...

When Playboy founder Hugh Hefner heard that the campaign to buy the open space west of the Hollywood sign was short about $1 million, he knew he had to step in once again to protect the famous Los Angeles landmark. "Turned out the kid was back in the water again," he said in a telephone interview. So he anted up $900,000, which helped the campaign cross the finish line. On Monday, the Trust for Public Land announced that, thanks to Hefner's gift and an additional $500,000 from the Tiffany & Co. Foundation and Aileen Getty, it finally had the $12.5 million needed to buy Cahuenga Peak from Fox River Financial Resources Inc. The 138-acre property, which offers a spectacular 360-degree panorama of the Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando Valley, now will become part of Griffith Park.

Regarding "Hugh and Crew Bask in the Birthday Limelight" (March 6) about the pre-75th birthday party for Hugh Hefner, I have to admit I don't begrudge Hugh one iota for his lifestyle. He is upfront and honest about what he does and made millions in the process. Although having identical twins for "girlfriends" or seven young honeys at a time--and perhaps the assistance from massive injections of Viagra--won't keep him any younger, he can certainly play out his life for his remaining years.

After five years of frustrating, disappointing and anguished service as a commissioner of the Los Angeles County anti-pornography commission, I am, with this letter, resigning from that body. I have concluded that Hugh Hefner knows much more about pornography than I ever will, as evidenced by the views in his letter. Perhaps Hugh can be persuaded to take my place on the Los Angeles County Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. His immoral views seem to prevail in today's "First Amendment" society.

The Times has missed the point in its editorial (July 23), "Blind Morality." The House of Representatives is accused of censorship in cutting a $103,000 allotment for the production of Playboy magazine in Braille. There is no censorship here, ladies and gentlemen. Private persons or industry is perfectly free to provide unlimited numbers of Playboy copies in Braille. Indeed, Hugh Hefner may wish to foot the bill himself. No government body will interfere. But the expenditure of taxpayers' money?