The Bunny Chronicles | The History of Hugh Hefner | The Empire He Built | Playboy Magazine

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In this engaging conversation, Andy Schreiber shares his journey from being a temp at Playboy to becoming the Vice President of International Home Entertainment. He discusses the innovative strategies he implemented, such as the After Dark brand, which significantly increased revenue. The conversation also highlights the recognition he received through the Golden Rabbit award and reflects on the unique and professional work environment at Playboy, emphasizing the pride employees felt in their roles. In this engaging conversation, the speaker reflects on their experiences within the Playboy brand, discussing the glamour and challenges of working in promotions, the legacy of Hugh Hefner, and the importance of kindness and philanthropy. They share personal anecdotes about their time at Playboy, the relationships formed, and the lessons learned, emphasizing the significance of reinvention and the impact of Hefner's vision on their lives and careers.

Takeaways 

·       Andy Schreiber started at Playboy as a temp in 1991.

·       He innovated the After Dark brand to increase revenue.

·       The Playboy library was a valuable resource for new content.

·       The Golden Rabbit award recognized extraordinary contributions.

·       Playboy was a professional and open-minded work environment.

·       Employees felt pride in their work at Playboy.

·       The entertainment industry has evolved significantly since the 90s.

·       Networking and relationships were key to success at Playboy.

·       The company invested heavily in production quality.

·       Recognition and awards motivated employees to excel. 

·       Building relationships was key to success in promotions.

·       Hugh Hefner was a gentleman and a visionary.

·       Playmates often had long careers beyond their initial shoots.

·       Reinvention is possible at any stage of life.

·       Personal stories can reveal deeper insights into the industry.

·       Philanthropy was a significant part of Hefner's legacy.

·       The importance of kindness in professional settings.

·       Networking and being good to others pays off.

·       Creativity often flourishes when stepping out of comfort zones.

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Welcome to a dual a unique show! Corinna and Echo sit down with our fellow Playmate Sister Victoria Fuller and Brian Olea, former Playboy Mansion Butler and co-host to Victoria Fuller and Jennifer Pershing from the podcast "Rogue Bunnies Mayhem."

Who are the Rogue Bunnies? Founder and Creative MasterMind Victoria Fuller has brought this super unique project to life, and it continues to unfold into a dynamic artistic venture that has only just begun.  The Rogue Bunnies is a bad-ass, women-led Web3 project from 100 Playmates that have gone "rogue." Once a Playmate, always a Playmate, but officially the Rogue Bunnies have no affiliation with Playboy. These days the landscape for the Playmates has changed dramatically, and we decided to take control of our valuable IP and create something new for our legions of existing fans.

Victoria Fuller, Miss January 1996, has reunited the Playmates to bring the Rogue Bunnies to the metaverse. The Rogue Bunnies identity emerged as the perfect union between the "rogue" nature of the Playmates and their playful and iconic bunny history. Hugh Hefner's focus on community building resonated with Victoria and this is evident in her vision to build meaningful connections among the Rogue Bunnies and community members in the metaverse. 

Brian Olea not only was a key player at the Playboy Mansion as a Butler and Head of Event Production for a span of 20 years. Brian also had a wildly successful show on PB Radio called "The Mayhem Continues," and he collaborated with Victoria to bring their podcast to the masses. Make sure you follow their show and support The Rogue Bunnies.

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Victoria Fuller has accomplished a multitude of successful ventures in her lifetime. She was not only featured as Playboy's Miss January 1996 Playmate of the Month but has also appeared in numerous Playboy Special Editions. Nine years after her Playmate appearance, she posed for Playboy again in the May 2005 issue.

Victoria also appeared on multiple reality TV shows: In 2004 she was in the sixth season of the television show The Amazing Race with her then husband. She would go on to appear in "Battle of the Network Reality Stars, Kill Reality" and a reality-star edition of "Fear Factor."

Current day Victoria is the founder and Chief Creative Art Director of
The Rogue Bunnies but is also the co-host of the new podcast Rogue Bunnies Mayhem.

Victoria is a beloved and revered artist, her true passion. Her skills are showcased in her newest venture, "The Rogue Bunnies," a collaboration with the renowned GATEFOLD LABS. The partnership has seen the launch of a collection of wildly creative and unique NFTs of close to 70 Playboy Playmates spanning the multiple decades of Playboy's legendary featured Playboy Playmates.

Not only is Victoria the mastermind behind the creation of these masterpieces of art that are, at the end of the day, valuable collectibles, but she is also integrating the functionality of these very unique and special NFTs into a full-fledged "Rogue Bunnies Ecosystem." Both Corinna Harney and Echo Johnson have been invited to be a part of this new venture, and we encourage you to not only check out what Victoria is up to with this incredible project that only keeps evolving but to support her and the collective of beauties, all former Playboy Playmates, that make up what is now known as "The Rogue Bunnies."

Follow Victoria Fuller:  IG - @theroguebunnies  / FB - @theroguebunnies / www.theroguebunnies.com

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Bill Farley would wear many hats during his extensive career in the world of Media / PR & Communications.  Farley began his career as a newspaper reporter, a radio newsman and a DJ.  In the late 70's  Farley found his home with "ABC the NETWORK. "
Upon departing ABC's Prime Time Television Operations in Los Angeles in 1981, Farley was brought in as a consultant with Playboy to help launch Playboys first venture into the new world of Cable Television. Farley would oversee the creation & implementation of the wildly successful “Playboy Cable Television Network.”

For 3 years Farley oversaw the development of Playboy TV and its home videos concept with the inception and explosion of VHS Tapes.  

In 1985 Farley stepped into the role of Communications Manager for PLAYBOY ENTERTAINMENT. It was at this time - Farley would begin working closely with HEF and the PB Mansion Staff. 

Farley was not only responsible for developing the Communications Department he would also be designated as PB “National Director & VP of Marketing” as well as “President of Playboy Models/Playmate Promotions.”

Over the course of his Playboy career, Bill Farley served as a spokesman for HEF and Playboy Entertainment as a whole. Farley would be designated as “VP of the famed Playboy Jazz Festivals” as well as managing director of the newly created “Playboy Playmate Promotions department.” The department served as an agency within the corporate offices for PLAYMATES to be hired for appearances, modeling contracts & a multitude of key PRESS Events.
Over the span of his 25 Years at PB, Farley would be responsible for coordinating multiple profound milestones in HEFS personal and professional life. The wedding of HEF to Kimberly Conrad. “The Comedy Central Roast” in honor of HEFNER. Coordinating PB’S 50th anniversary celebration, the Pre-Game Super Bowl Parties & Events, and HEFS very successful series of national commercials for Carl's Jr. in the early 2000’s. 
In 2005 Farley retired from Playboy and returned to his roots as a print journalist in South Carolina.

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Stephen Wayda: PLAYBOYS REVERED PHOTOGRAPHER for 30 YEARS

Internationallypublished photographer best known for his demonstrative images of celebrities, women. and lifestyles.  In his creation of entertaining and compelling images he is regarded as a master in the use of composition and light, both natural and artificial.

Wayda’s photographs of A-list celebrities, Pop Culture icons, supermodels, musicians and the “girl next door” are a depiction of personality and, most of all, attitude. He is known for his use of light and composition to create a mood of realism that captures the intimacy and openness of his subjects, bringing out those fleeing moments of their humanity and their sense of self.

At Playboy, where he photographed the most celebrities, covers, women and pictorials in the magazine’s history, he was joined by many of the world’s most influential, celebrated and noted photographers in creating iconic, controversial and celebrated images.

His photographs have been sold and exhibited at Christie’s, Art Basel, the Aspen Art Festival, Mutual Art, Boetto Auction House, Gallery M, Kavachnina Contemporary and currently PICKHOBI Gallery Istanbul.

As a contributing photographer for Playboy magazine, Playboy Publisher Hugh M. Hefner stated:

"For over 30 years Stephen Wayda has shared my dream and vision. From an inauspicious start at Playboy, he has become the most published photographer in the history of Playboy. His photographs have helped Playboy in changing the way the world looks at women, and changed the way women look at the world. His influence on photography cannot be overstated. His evolving styles, his sense of sexuality coupled with the personality of his photographic subjects brought the Playboy dream, from the fantasy of decadence and passion in Paris, to the charm of the girl next door in the wheat fields of Texas, to life."

We are so grateful for Stephen. For his insight, his history and his stories. Most of all we applaud Stephen for the epic photos he's captured for 30 + years. This was an incredibly fun and insighful interview, with a legend that we both had the honor of knowing and working with!

With Gratitude - Echo and Corinna

Follow Stephen:
IG: @stephenwayda
www.stephenwayda.com

“Beauty lights the brain and is its own reward. Playboy is that visual feast of beauty and that reward…. a celebration of glamour and the good life, and a reflection of my own romantic views of women. It’s the girl next door as part of a positive, life-affirming attitude toward sexuality, of female emancipation rather than exploitation. Playboy is a statement that good girls like sex, too.

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 Kane’s appearances on the big screen include Just Married  - Secondhand Lions - Taxi - Life or Something Like It,  Friday Night Lights, and Summer Catch.

From 2008 to present day: Kane appeares on the TNT television series Leverage as Eliot Spencer. Kane performes all his own fight scenes and also choreographed fights for the series. Kane plays the same character in Leverage:Redemption, which premiered in July 2021, streaming on IMDb TV and can now be viewed on Amazon Prime.

Christian also is an accomplished musician with a southern rock band called "Kane." They have toured the U.S., as well as England and Germany. The band has self-released two albums. Their label debut, The House Rules, was released December 7, 2010. It debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers album chart and no. 25 on the Country Albums chart.

Christian joins me in the studio to share his Playboy experience and what it was like to date a celebrity Playmate as well as his long friendship with David Boreanez and my dear friend Jaime Bergman PLAYBOYS 45TH Anniversary Playmate of the month,

follow Christian Kane @christiankane1 on IG as well as christiankane.com

A fun trip down memory lane we shared!

With Gratitude -

Corinna and Echo

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Greg Gorman is a world renowned photographer who is known for his stark, honest portraits of the most famous and infamous faces from the worlds of entertainment, art, sport and music, Greg Gorman’s images have intrigued the viewer from the onset of his career. Over the years Greg has been acknowledged for his contribution to the world of photography, most recently being recognized by The Professional Photographers of America (Lifetime Achievement Award in Portraiture) as well as The Lucie Awards for Portraiture. His charitable works by such organizations as The Elton John Aids Foundation, The Oscar de La Hoya Foundation and Paws LA to name but a few have also been critically recognized.

Echo Johnson had a fateful meeting with Greg the summer of '92 just as she had graduated from high school. Greg was shooting for German Playboy and made an introduction to Echo and her mother while dining at the same restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Echo's hometown.  What transpired would change the trajectory of Echo's life. Echo is one of the most published Playboy Playmate of all time. With 10 covers and 15 years of experience working with Playboy Echo has come full circle 30 years later as she cultivates this podcast in honor of Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Legacy.
 
Greg sat down with Echo to discuss how it all began!

Today Greg continues to work on compilations of his imagery and exhibits his work at galleries and museums around the globe and is a highly sought after teacher and speaker as he hosts photography workshops around the world.

To learn more about Greg Gorman go to www.gormanphotography.com!

Thank you for all your support! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and SHARE with all your friends!

With Gratitude -

Echo & Corinna

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Cindy Rackowitz joined Playboy in 1986 and stood at the helm of Playboy Promotions for 16 years, as the Corporate Vice President of Promotions ( all divisions-worldwide ) and as the President of Playmate Promotions & Modeling Agency.

Cindy held a very important position with great significance in the 1st decade she was with Playboy. The role was a tough one and a huge challenge as Playboy entered the nineties and had to build a  “dot com” division with an impressive online presence. It was well executed and challenging with its 40 years of archives but none the less achieved.

 The company needed a New York based Public Relations professional to rebuild its image after Newsweek ran a cover story featuring Hugh Hefner & Carrie Leigh - his long term girlfriend at the time. The Headline Read: The Party’s Over. The Clubs Closed.  
Magazine circulation was dwindling.  All signs of changing times in the 80s. The PR team had to manage communication with multiple constituents as Playboy Enterprises changed its business model. Subscription sales over single copy sales was the primary focus while also aggressively building its entertainment focus into premium cable tv & video. Essentially building its global presence. 

Cindy also had the incredibly task of "managing down" a gigantic staff as the company streamlined its operations. 

In 1988 to 1989 Playboy saw more good news than bad news with a successful 35th anniversary strategy & execution. It was at this conjecture - Christie Hefner was appointed CEO of PEI.

Cindy shares her very fond memories of the nineties when Hef moved relocated her to Los Angeles. "He wanted the image driver under his wing" as Cindy shared.

Today Cindy runs the non-profit foundation she founded:  Fit 4 The Cause provides diverse exercise and nutrition education programs for low-income communities, vulnerable children, at-risk teens and fragile seniors in Ventura, Simi Valley, Conejo Valley and the San Fernando Valley.

Thank you to Cindy for taking the time to go down memory lane with us!

To learn more about Fit for the Cause: Click Here:

Follow Fit 4 The Cause on IG

With Love and Gratitude -

Corinna and Echo

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Ever wondered what life was like behind the scenes at the iconic Playboy Mansion?

 Join Carrie Yazel and Echo,  as we sit down with two former Mansion butlers, Bryant and Carlena, who share their fascinating stories and unique experiences from their time working at the legendary estate. From meeting Hugh Hefner for the first time to rubbing shoulders with celebrity guests and attending unforgettable parties, there's never a dull moment in this revealing conversation.

In this exclusive look inside the world of the Playboy Mansion, Bryant and Carlena open up about the challenges and rewards of their unique jobs, the friendships formed along the way, and their emotional connections to Hef and his family. We also discuss the unforgettable night of Hefners passing and the massive undertaking of clearing out the Playboy Mansion.

As we wrap up our captivating chat with Bryant and Carlena, we learn about their current pursuits - Carlena's role as a butler in Las Vegas, and Bryant's path of a college professor currently teaching Intro to Psychology in East Los Angeles.

So, sit back and enjoy this fascinating journey into the lives of those who worked behind the scenes at the Playboy Mansion. You won't want to miss it!

With Gratitude -

Echo Johnson and Carrie Yazel

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Imagine having exclusive access to Hugh Hefner's personal scrapbooks – a treasure trove of free speech and free press history. Join us as we chat with Stuart Brotman, author of "The First Amendment Lives On: Conversations Commemorating Hugh and Hefner's Legacy of Enduring Free Speech and Free Press Values," who had the extraordinary opportunity to explore Hefner's extensive collection. Stuart shares insights into Hefner's passionate belief in the First Amendment and how it shaped Playboy, particularly through thought-provoking interviews that showcased a marketplace of ideas.

As we celebrate Hefner's legacy, we ponder innovative ways to promote First Amendment education in society. Ideas like reciting the First Amendment before the Star-Spangled Banner at sporting events or displaying it on movie theater screens could spark crucial conversations on the importance of free speech and free press. Additionally, we discuss the HMH Foundation and the First Amendment Awards, which honor those who have fought to defend these vital principles.

By the end of this captivating episode, you'll have a newfound appreciation for Hugh Hefner's dedication to free speech and free press values. Discover how the First Amendment lives on through Stuart Brotman's book and the inspiring work of those who continue to protect and advocate for our fundamental rights. Don't miss out on this fascinating conversation that will leave you inspired and eager to champion the First Amendment in your own life.

We are so very grateful to Stuart Brotman for not only authoring and publishing this incredibly insightful book - but for the time he took out of his busy schedule to sit down with Carrie Yazel and I for this all to important interview. An interview on a topic that remains eternally relevant - particularly in the climate of our times.

Purchase Stuart Brotmans book here:
The 1st Amendment Lives On - Converations Commemorating Hugh M. Hefners Legacy of Free Speech and Free Speech Values


 

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