Holly Madison has opened up about her experiences living in the renowned Playboy mansion, shedding light on some of the peculiarities she observed.
As a former Playboy Bunny and one-time partner of Hugh Hefner, Madison experienced firsthand the reality of life at the mansion. She has since described her relationship with Hefner as a “false paradise” and has recounted what life was like within the mansion’s walls.
Madison was in a relationship with Hefner for seven years, from 2001 to 2008. During this period, she resided in the mansion where the bunnies received weekly payments, saw “weird” trays scattered in various rooms, and felt the environment had a “cult-like” vibe.
In a discussion with the Daily Mirror prior to the release of the 2022 documentary “Secrets of a Playboy,” Madison detailed her experiences, mentioning that bunnies had a strict 9pm curfew, among other restrictions.
Madison noted that not only was there a curfew, but the bunnies were also not permitted to leave for extended durations.
She claimed the bunnies received a weekly allowance of $1,000.
However, she pointed out that life in the mansion wasn’t just about financial perks; it came with stringent rules.
She explained, “The reason I think the mansion was very cult-like, looking back on it, is because we were all kind of gaslit and expected to think of Hef as, like, this really good guy.
“You started to feel like, ‘Oh, he’s not what they say in the media — he’s just a nice man’. Another thing that reminds me of a cult is how it was so easy to get isolated from the outside world there.
“He said it made him jealous, and he would appreciate it if I quit my job – so, instead, we were given $1,000 a week as an allowance. You had a 9 o’clock curfew, you were encouraged to not have friends over. You weren’t really allowed to leave unless it was, like, a family holiday.”
Madison also recounted her “traumatic” initial night with Hefner, explaining that he was “literally pushed on top” of her and reacted negatively when she cut her hair shorter than he preferred.
In a previous interview with People, she described the presence of “weird” trays containing “any kind of makeshift lube” scattered around the bathroom, tennis courts, and pool area.
Details about life in the mansion have surfaced since Hefner’s passing in 2017 at the age of 91, including rumors of Hollywood celebrities engaging in “scandalous nights” and sex parties, with “carloads of women” being brought to the Playboy Mansion.
There have also been claims regarding drug use and sexual misconduct at the mansion. According to Insider, a former employee of Hefner’s described the extensive drug use as a “necessary evil,” with Quaaludes being dubbed “leg-spreaders.”
The Playboy Mansion was sold for $100 million a year before Hefner’s death, but he continued to reside there until he passed away.