[Mark-in-Kentucky]

"Her life sure went into a tailspin. I'm in no position to say if she was a gold digger or a victim, or maybe both. She was one of those people, like Hugh Hefner, that I've never quite been able to dislike, even though their values seem very different from mine. Maybe with Hef, it was the pipe, and with Anna Nicole, well . . . need I say more? RIP"

Agreed completely, both on Anna Nicole and Hefner. Hefner, despite some believing he exploits women, appears to have a very deep respect and love for them. He's certainly no Larry Flint. And we fellow guys have to admire the man's incredible vitality at his age.

On Anna Nicole, she always struck me as being a decent caring person underneath all the glitz and zaniness. A simple country girl dealing with a life and environment she wasn't emotionally and mentally equipped to deal with.

RIP

[mombonn]

despite some believing he exploits women

Sheesh. He probably also "exploits" kleenex.

Of course, those "kleenex" aren't innocent either.

[Aquamarine]

Being in Playboy is a very bad idea for women. Marilyn Monroe was the first on the cover of Playboy and she met the same fate. There is a lesson here if anyone is paying attention, when a woman sells her body it leads to drug abuse and early death. If Hefner really cared about those women he wouldn't set them up for that kind of failure.

[Bitter Bierce]

A simple country girl dealing with a life and environment she wasn't emotionally and mentally equipped to deal with.

Yeah, it's a real tragedy that "simple country girl" never had the chance to spend the $450 million from J. Howard Marshall's estate before she succumbed to a fife (and a lifestyle) she was neither emotionally or mentally equipped to deal with.

[Steve_Seattle]

Regarding Hef, I always thought that he sincerely believes that what he's doing is right, and he's never seemed to be a jackass like Flint. And, as you say, the women he deals with all seem to like him. In all these years, I've never heard one story claiming he was abusive, mean, etc.