Hugh Hefner’s Legacy: The Celebrity Pornographer Turns 80

Breakpoint with Charles Colson ^ | 4/10/2006 | Charles Colson

[SW6906]

"While riding in their cars, children are treated to the sight of X-rated films on the DVD screens of cars in the next lane.There are some good points in the article but the above statement is way over the top. Theoretically possible but highly unlikely.

There was an article about it happening to someone here some months back in a Seattle newspaper and I have witnessed it myself on one occasion. Damn near crashed trying to match the speed of the car next to me........ ;o)

[conserv13]

I don't even think that you can call Playboy 'pornography'. There is really nothing vulgar or over the top about it. Its pictures of nude women. *gasp*

But you are right in the 50s that was breakthrough.

[buffyt]

We were at the LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX Sunday and Hefner was there celebrating his 80th birthday. We didn't see him. We did see Paul Newman though!

[The Louiswu]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

MY EYES

[MineralMan]

So, Hef is responsible for all the porn, then? I don't see it. There has been pornography since there has been civilization. There was porn before Hef, too, however old he is.

Further, classifying Playboy's airbrushed naked women as pornography seems to me to trivialize true pornography, which is explicitly sexual.

Colson has gone off the deep end, here, in my opinion.

Is Hugh Hefner someone to be admired? Probably not. Is he responsible for the growth of pornography in this country? Not really. So, what is responsible for pornography? Human nature, I suppose.

[buffyt]

We also saw William Shatner, Patrick Dempsey, Bo Bice, Martina Navratiola, Frankie Munoz, John Elway, etc.

[ArGee]

There are some good points in the article but the above statement is way over the top. Theoretically possible but highly unlikely.

I remember the news article when it happened, although I don't remember any of the details.

Shalom.

[Skooz]

Back in the 1970s, Bossier City, La. had the old Don Drive In, a drive in theater that had seen better days.

The screen faced I-20 and a busy street called Airline drive.

From about 1974 on, the Don showed nothing but R and hard-R flicks with mucho sex and nudity. That part of I-20 always slowed down considerably.

[Just mythoughts]

Sounds like Hef and bjclinton have much in common, both are searching for a respectable legacy.

[buffyt]

You are right. There are porn post cards that were made in France back when there were first cameras. We have some of these antique photos.

[conserv13]

He supported racial integration for one.

[veronica]

"Hef's" world. A place where men never grow up, (they never even change out of their pajamas) women have big boobs and bigger ears, and life is sex, drugs and rock and roll 24-7. GROW UP already, Hef.

[ArGee]

But, America would not be awash in porn were it not for the overwhelming demand.

A very great man once said something to the effect of, "Men will sin, but woe be to the one who helps them sin."

The porn "industry" needs both suppliers and users. Both are guilty.

Shalom.

[MineralMan]

"I have a better statistic - apparently the pornographic film industry now makes more money than Hollywood.

That was simply not the case before Hefner came onto the scene. "

---

Or it could have been television, or the Chrysler Corp's first Hemi engine. Lots of things happened in the 1950s. Hefner was the first one to put out a magazine with photos of nude women that reached the newsstands. That was about it, though. Porn existed long, long before Playboy.

[mlc9852]

LOL - yeah, I remember learning that in American History.

[ArGee]

But, America would not be awash in porn were it not for the overwhelming demand.

I am genuinely interested. How do you think Hefner changed the world for the better?

Shalom.

[Skooz]

And Rock n Roll existed before the Beatles.

And the automobile existed before the Model T.

[MadIvan]

I'm not denying that - I do think, however, Hefner brought it out "into the open".

Regards, Ivan

[DennisR]

If the guy did not have oodles of money made from promoting porn" how many of those "girlfriends" would be hanging onto this pervert?

[Andonius_99]

I agree...tendonitis and tennis elbow have increased by 600% since the 1960's, so how is that an improvement?