Around the world, people are still in shock at the tragic passing, the founder of the iconic Playboy Magazine and main tenant of the fabled Playboy Mansion. Playboy Enterprises announced earlier today that Hugh Hefner had passed away of natural causes at the Playboy Mansion. He was 91 years old. His son, Cooper Hefner, paid tribute to his father when he said that Hefner would be "greatly missed by many". He also hailed his dad for his "exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer", calling him a huge advocate for not only sexual freedom, but for civil rights and free speech as well. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/hughhefner/status/820451418842640384]] Living in a mansion with nothing but beautiful models to keep him company, Hefner was understandably the envy of an entire generation of men, who would have given anything to experience one day at the helm of Playboy Mansion. It wasn't all babes and partying for Hugh Hefner, though, and his very final tweet showed a very different side to this celebrated man. Over the last couple of months, hurricane season has devastated many parts of the United States and the Caribbean; millions of people have lost their homes, some even losing their lives. Although Playboy Mansion was spared from the adverse weather conditions far away in Los Angeles, that didn't stop the 91-year-old Hefner from asking his nearly 1.5 million-strong Twitter following to donate to the cause. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/hughhefner/status/910213546977439746]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/hughhefner/status/910213808039321600]] Thanks to the sexually liberal nature of his magazine and the depiction of his lifestyle, Hugh Hefner was sometimes criticised for being little more than a dirty old man, but the media narrative often completely forgot his kinder, more philanthropic side. In the wake of his death, his final tweet has taken up new significance, and people have replied to his final tweet nine days later to pay their respects to one of pop culture's longest-serving pioneers. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/VigilanteArtist/status/913251685002301440]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/KingBrush/status/913253947325984768]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Shane/status/913244453166444544]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/schmidtDA/status/913256240742100992]] Outside of his campaigning for hurricane relief efforts, Hugh Hefner was an active player in many an altruistic act, donating significant portions of his fortune to political and humanitarian causes. So impressive were his efforts, the nonprofit organisation Children of the Night, who work to curb child prostitution around the world, presented Hefner with the first-ever Founder's Hero of the Heart Award in 2010, for his "unwavering dedication, commitment and generosity". "No one has been more important in launching, developing and maintaining Children of the Night and its groundbreaking work of rescuing America’s children from the ravages of prostitution." Of course, everyone on Earth is only here for a limited time, and we each have a responsibility to make as good of an impact as we can on the world around us. Some people may remember Hugh Hefner as the guy who spent all of his time with beautiful, scantily-clad women, but his final tweet and various kind acts showed that his legacy deserves much, much more. Rest in peace, Hugh Hefner, you will be dearly missed by many across the world. Our thoughts go out to Cooper Hefner and the rest of Hugh Hefner's family at this difficult time.

After 91 long years on this planet, Hugh Hefner certainly made his mark. He was celebrated as a sexual revolutionary, criticised as a misogynist, and will almost certainly be remembered as an American icon. Regardless of how we feel about Hef, however, we can't deny that he had a good run. So what was it that eventually put an end to his extravagant and (some may say) decadent life? Well, despite already being well into his 80s, Hefner's health only began to decline significantly a couple of years ago, after he contracted an infection which caused "a crippling back condition". According to his family, the Playboy founder had suffered from back problems prior to that, but his physical state deteriorated rapidly only after the infection, which made him bedridden. From that point, he was unable to walk unassisted, yet he still attended public events and posed for photographs with "Playmates". That's hardly surprising, though, as he was always a "youthful" man at heart. According to TMZ, however, Hef was eventually called up to the great Playboy Mansion in the sky after suffering from a bug he caught two weeks ago. The website also reports that the 91-year-old was surrounded by loved ones at the time, including three of his children - two of his sons, and his only daughter - as well as his second wife, Kimberly Conrad. Hugh's oldest son, David, who is twice the age of Hef's third wife, Crystal Harris, was not present at the time, but appeared at a meal with his siblings on Thursday night. Harris was apparently not invited to the dinner, and it's not yet clear whether she was at her husband's side at his time of death. In a statement on his father, Cooper Hefner said: "My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom. 

"He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history. 

"He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston, and all of us at Playboy Enterprises.'"

Hefner is due to be buried in the West Memorial Park in Los Angeles, something he'd planned since 1992, when he bought the plot next to Marilyn Monroe for a whopping $75,000. This might seem a little odd to some, as Monroe's pictures were used without consent in order to launch the first ever issue of Playboy, but it was Hefner's wish ever since he bought the plot of land. Another strange bit of news that has been disclosed in the wake of Hefner's death is that Crystal Harris is not set to inherit anything from his estate, as she signed a prenup before their marriage, and was never added to his will. She has also yet to comment publicly on her husband's passing. That's obviously because they got married for love, not money,  right?

The silk-robed lothario, Hugh Hefner, not only made an indelible mark on popular culture but forever changed the way that pornography is consumed in the mainstream media. As famous for his larger-than-life lifestyle as his legendary men's magazine, Hefner found himself engulfed in an air of mystery and urban legend that not even a myriad of interviews and his own E! reality television show could shake. Playing a pivotal role in the sexual revolution of the 60's, Hefner launched Playboy magazine in 1953 with only $600. The men's magazine eventually turned into a multimillion-dollar business venture which grew to include television shows and a chain of Playboy Clubs which featured cocktail waitresses adorned in the brand's synonymous cottontails and bunny ears.

You've probably heard by now that Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, has passed away from natural causes at the age of 91. The multi-millionaire, who shot to fame when Playboy magazine first emerged in 1953, leaves behind four children, and 31-year-old Crystal Hefner, his third wife. After a long and eventful life, Hef certainly garnered a lot of public attention - not least of all in the 1990s, when he bought himself a funeral plot next to Marilyn Monroe's. In the wake of his death, this has obviously been brought to light again, but some of his weirder choices in life have not caused too much of a negative reaction towards his passing. Tributes have been pouring in across social media from friends, family, and, of course, former models. Surprisingly, though Hef was known for being a bit of a sleaze throughout his life (he claimed on multiple occasions that he'd slept with over a thousand women), almost every single model has had the same thing to say about him. Jenny McCarthy, an actress and model, thanked the former Playboy Mansion owner for, 'changing so many people's lives, especially mine'. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BZkdZjWHyQU/]] Donna D'Errico, another actress, was grateful to Hefner for 'igniting [her] career', and added, 'You will forever live on as an icon of epic proportions.' [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/DonnaDErrico/status/913246012772278272]] Carmen Electra, too, had a lot of good things to say about the man, but again highlighted her gratitude at being chosen for a shoot: 'I am so grateful I had the opportunity to shoot many Playboy celebrity pictorials with u Hef ... thank u for picking me and Bringing me into the magical world of Playboy !' [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BZkk2Pzli-n/]] Yes, it seems that - even after all this time - these models are still grateful to Hefner for giving their careers a kick-start. Despite the criticism the magazine received, it undeniably helped these women move forward in their lives, and even those who had already found fame recognised that. Kim Kardashian, who appeared in the magazine in 2007 after that tape was leaked, said: 'RIP to the legendary Hugh Hefner! I’m so honored to have been a part of the Playboy team! You will be greatly missed! Love you Hef! Xoxo' [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/913261037373100034]] And La Toya Jackson, who posed for Playboy over 20 times, offered a simple but heartfelt tribute: 'May you #RIP Hugh Hefner My condolences to the Hefner family!' [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/latoyajackson/status/913289001976553473]] Others took a slightly more comical approach to their tributes, playing on the old joke that people only bought the magazine 'for the articles': 'RIP Hef. I always read it for the articles.' [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/russbengtson/status/913243966031659008]] 'Thank you Hugh Hefner for the articles' [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/nwalks/status/913245583745409024]] 'Playboy not only featured beautiful women but truly did have the best articles.' [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/AndyRuther/status/913243142756765696]] No matter your opinion on him, you've got to admit that the guy lived a pretty fruitful life. He single-handedly changed the face of the media, forged himself a role as a cultural icon, and - evidently - helped a lot of women achieve their dreams. To find out more about the man who 'ushered in a sexual revolution', here is a brief report on the news that broke this morning: [[rumblewidget||https://rumble.com/embed/u9m1b.v14or5/]]

Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy and iconic glamorous bachelor, passed away this week. At the grand age of 91, his family have announced that he died peacefully in his home in Los Angeles. The entrepreneur has been said to have passed away due to natural causes.

A statement from Playboy Enterprises read:

"Hugh M. Hefner, the American icon who in 1953 introduced the world to Playboy magazine and built the company into one of the most recognisable American global brands in history, peacefully passed away today from natural causes at his home, The Playboy Mansion, surrounded by loved ones. He was 91 years old."

Born in Chicago in 1926, Hefner served in the US Army in the 40's, before he left to become a copywriter for mens magazine Esquire. Borrowing some money to start up his own magazine catering to a different kind of audience, he started Playboy in 1953. The very first cover featured none other than Marilyn Monroe, likely the most iconic star of Hollywood.

Within a few weeks they had sold 50,000 copies, and within a few years they would have several million subscribers, evolving the project into more than a magazine – with the iconic brand eventually including nightclubs, clothing, and television. Many attribute the immediate success of the enterprise to Monroe's appearance on the front cover, as well as a nude photo of her that Hefner included in the magazine.

Hefner must have been grateful and aware of the great impact the actress had on his life, as it was her plot that he will be buried next to following his death. Monroe is buried at the Westwood Memorial Park in LA, and in 1992, Hefner reserved the spot alongside her, paying $75,000 for the privilege.

His son, Cooper Hefner, is currently the chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises. Speaking of his father following the death, he spoke highly of the man, saying he will be "greatly missed" by his family, friends and fans across the globe:

"My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom.

"He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history.

"He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston, and all of us at Playboy Enterprises."

Many tributes have flooded in from those that have known him over the years, including Kim Kardashian, who said in a tweet that she was "so honored to have been a part of the Playboy team". The public were never in agreement over whether his work was respectable or immoral, but even with his choice of burial, it looks as if he stayed true to his unique lifestyle to the bitter end.