The debate over Hugh Hefner’s legacy is still going on, and likely will continue for a while. I don’t really have a dog in the fight, but I thought this was pretty compelling:
And then, of course, there was Hef, who, whatever one thinks of his media persona, was personally involved in every part of the magazine and fostered a work environment open to all ideas, regardless of the source. “It was a completely non-hierarchical environment, says [former editor Barbara] Nellis. “If you were manning the receptionist desk in the front of the 10th floor at 919 North Michigan and you had a good idea, they were happy to have it.”
Said [former editor] Patty Lamberti: “Hugh called me when he heard I was leaving to say that he was sad to see me go, and I’d done a great job. To get a call like that from Hugh Hefner is one of the highlights of my career. When I left my other jobs, no one in charge ever said goodbye, and they were no Hugh Hefners.”
(Hattip: Amy Alkon.)