Lauer: Reagan-Era “Sexual McCarthyism” Preceded Hefner’s Stroke (Hef's Stroke Blamed On Reagan)

Media Research Center ^ | December 5, 2003 | Brent Baker

[PJ-Comix]

     Hugh Hefner’s stroke was the fault of Ronald Reagan and Jerry Falwell? During a taped interview with Playboy founder High Hefner on Thursday’s Today to mark the magazine’s 50th anniversary, Matt Lauer reminded him of the days after Reagan’s inauguration: "I think you refer to it as we went through in this country a period of 'sexual McCarthyism.’" After Hefner identified Reagan and the Moral Majority as threats to him, Lauer, over footage of Jerry Falwell and anti-pornography protestors, recalled: "The backlash against Playboy was expensive. Hefner and the magazine were marginalized. By mid-decade he suffered a stroke."

     MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens caught this part of the interview on the December 4 Today, which Lauer co-hosted from Burbank, in which Hefner played a martyr to the tyrannical Reagan. The segment mixed video which Lauer narrated with clips of Hefner talking to Lauer:

     Lauer: "With the 1980s the party slowed-"
     [footage of Reagans at inauguration]
     Lauer: "-for Hefner and for the country. Not the best time for Playboy."
     Hefner: "No. Tough time."
     Lauer helpfully reminded Hefner: "I think you refer to it as we went through in this country a period of sexual McCarthyism."
     Hefner: "Yes."
     Lauer: "What threats did you see?"
     Hefner: "Reagan was in the White House, put there, in part, by the Moral Majority. I really didn't know how, how to respond to the forms of criticism that were taking place in the 1980s."
     Lauer, over footage of Jerry Falwell and anti-pornography protestors: "The backlash against Playboy was expensive. Hefner and the magazine were marginalized. By mid-decade he suffered a stroke."

[PJ-Comix]

"The backlash against Playboy was expensive. Hefner and the magazine were marginalized. By mid-decade he suffered a stroke."

This proves that Lauer mindlessly recites whatever his earphone tells him to say. The fact is there was NO backlash against Playboy since it was softcore in a sea of hardcore pornography. The reason for Playboy's decline has to do with the rapid growth of other, more explicit magazines such as Penthouse as well as the introduction of Video players. Also by the 1980's, Playboy Clubs were considered to be tacky, not hip. It was competing market forces, NOT Ronald Reagan that caused the decline of Playboy. In addition, as the 1980s progressed, the quality of the Playmates declined since they all started to look like identical blondes with similar implanted bodies that were stamped out of a cookie cutter machine. In a last Hoorah, Playboy did end the decade with the most fabulous Playmate of all time, Petra Verkaik (Miss December, 1989), with natural wondrous hooters. But she was the great exception in a sea of robotic Playmates.

[Bikers4Bush]

The today show is nothing more than tabloid journalism.

[KellyAdmirer]

It must be comforting to blame one's illnesses and setbacks on others. Of course, Playboy's problems began in the 1970s when circulation started down and the clubs started closing and continued on through the 1990s, but we can't let facts get in the way of blaming a convenient scapegoat and political nemesis, now can we, Hugh?

[madison10]

What a stretch!! I don't recall any backlash against Playboy. I don't recall any McCarthy-like anti-sex campaigns. Hefner needs to look to himself & his own screwed up life, not ill, unconscious, honorable Ronald Reagan.

[joesnuffy]

Of course 50 or 60 yrs of debauchery had nothing to do with his poor health.....

[GungaLaGunga]

If this is true, then I blame Matt Lauer and Katie Couric for my excessive flatulence.

[PJ-Comix]

Of course, Playboy's problems began in the 1970s when circulation started down and the clubs started closing and continued on through the 1990s, but we can't let facts get in the way of blaming a convenient scapegoat and political nemesis, now can we, Hugh?

One of the most amusing characters I sometimes see are old lecherous creepy guys in tacky leisure suits who still wear the Playboy bunny gold medallions around their necks. And those guys all seem to look like Larry King!

[Paul Atreides]

What a shame this didn't make it into the miniseries! And, to think that, all that time that Reagan was winning the Cold War, he had Playboy in the crosshairs, as well.

[montomike]

I'll bet he did just a little blow during the party times and this raised the BP especially while cavorting with two or three playmates and ...voila...a stroke.

[squidly]

I do recall Ed Meese's little war on pornography, but I don't recall that it had anything to do with Playboy.

[kaktuskid]

Too much Pepsi!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The today show is nothing more than tabloid journalism.

You shouldn't denigrate tabloids like that. :^]

[Paul Atreides]

I would characterize The Today Show as nothing more than a daily DNC press release.

[My2Cents]

Hef should consider himself lucky. Had it been Clinton who was after him, he would have shown up dead at Ft. Marcey Park.

[My2Cents]

Had it been Clinton who was after him, he would have shown up dead at Ft. Marcey Park.

...with ten "self-inflicted" wounds.

[KevinB]

I think the backlash against Playboy started in 1974 when I, as a sixteen year old, purchased a Penthouse magazine and first saw (oops, can't say that here).

[TheMole]

Hefner may have had a stroke during the reagan Administration, but his real problems aren't physical. Ever read The Prodigy and the Playmate by Ben Wallace, published in Philadelphia Magazine a couple of years ago? It's about a fraudulent investment manager of the dot-com era who spent millions on hookers, particularly some from the Hefner stable.

It's a great read, but insofar as the stroke-convalescent Hefner is concerned, let me cut immediately to the critical information.

From page 4 of the online version

...Hefner and the twins flew across the country to promote the May cover of Playboy, barnstorming from The Daily Show to Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Flanked by the twins in matching hot-pink cowboy hats, Hefner swaggeringly maintained the facade of a relationship, gushing about the power of Viagra. (The heterosexual icon, Sandy had told Yagalla, had trouble finding satisfaction through intercourse; instead, he liked the girls to pleasure each other while he masturbated and watched gay porn.)

It's absolutely hearbreaking to think that Ronald Reagan and his tyrannical theocrats could have reduced a proud progressive American to such a state.

[PJ-Comix]

Are you saying that the Hef watched gay porn?

[mewzilla]

Well, what else would you expect from a cokehead? I would love to know how Lauer excuses his illegal drug use.

[narses]

That has been widely reported.