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

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It was 1990  when Richard Bann first visited Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion.   
Cinema and the importance of film preservation sparked a 30 year friendship. One that evolved into being closest of friends and an invitation to "Manly Night."
Monday was always Manly Night, a gathering of Hef's closest friends who would nominate and vote on what film to screen after dinner: Dick Stewart, Ray Anthony, Mel Torme', Johnny Crawford, John Dante, Bob Ridgely, Chuck McCann, Peter Vieira, Ron Borst, Kevin Burns, Robert Culp, Fred Dryer, Jerry Vale, Richard Bann. In 1993 Dick Stewart and his wife Playmate, Anne Randall moved to Sun City. Dick went to Hef and suggested his seat at Hef's left hand should be given to Richard Bann, and Hef agreed. Brother Keith Hefner moved to Los Angeles from Aspen in 1997 coincident with Mel Torme's passing and his seat was given to Keith. "A seat at the table" was a big deal and not everyone who was close to Hef would receive that invitation by Hefner. Hefner was a creature of habit. Every week the calender would reflect nightly events. Events that were religiously  held at the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills, for a span of 45 years.

Tuesday Nights = GAME night
Wednesday Nights = GIN night
Thursday Nights = FAMILY night when Hefners boys, Marston and Cooper were young.  Once the boys had grown up Thursday became a movie night.
Friday Nights = CLASSIC FILM Night 
Saturday Nights = RERUN Movie Classics
Sunday Nights = screenings of yet to be released films. Straight from the studios, delivered UNDER lock AND key!!  The films would arrive on reels  and placed on Hefners equipment in in a hidden room behind the grand living room inside the library.

Richard would write copious notes on each film before each movie night. Upon arriving at the Playboy Mansion, Richard would hand off his cliff notes to HEF.  Hefner, the consimate editor would take Richards notes and create his presentation. A cherished moment we ALL loved. Hef in his silk pajamas and robe, in his wonderfully warm and intoxicating way would present a tender and brilliant;  introspective and fascinating backstory on the film. It was "cinematic history" at it's pinnacle. We all shared the LOVE of movie nights held at the Playboy Mansion. The fondest memories we are so very lucky to share. Cathy,Thank you for being THE BEST CO-HOST for season two!

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Welcome to The Bunny Chronicles with Corinna Harney, Playboy's Playmate of the Year 1992, and Echo Johnson, Miss January 1993! These iconic playboy model and glamour model figures are back to share their stories and insights. Join us as these playmates bring a fresh perspective to their experiences, reminiscent of a retro photo shoot.

Join us for a trip down memory lane with Miss July '91 Carrie Jean Yazel, an iconic playboy model and centerfold. We're diving into some fantastic 90s nostalgia, sharing stories and laughs. This episode is packed with great memories from a true glamour model.

Todays guest and one of our all time favs! Miss July '91 Carrie Jean Yazel: Playboys Playmate of the Month another iconic centerfold.

While interviewing Carrie she asked if I knew where the Bunny Head was on my cover? "I said no - do you?'  She said: "No I have no idea." So with that said we created a contest!

Thank you to Carrie for filling in a my guest co-host and for a laugh out loud interview!

With Love & Gratitude 

Corinna and Echo

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Join us for a special episode of the Bunny Chronicles as we welcome our dear friend Sophronia Williams, who had the amazing opportunity to shoot for Playboy's Newstand Specials. Listen in as Sophronia shares her experience attending a casting call at the University of Texas, being selected for the Big 12 edition, and how her time with Playboy was both comfortable and professional. We also reminisce about our own experiences with Playboy, and the incredible opportunities that Hugh Hefner and the Playboy family provided for us.

From being part of history to seeing our photos in international publications and on billboards, we reflect on the incredible hospitality, networking opportunities, and unforgettable experiences at the Playboy Mansion. As we celebrate the trailblazing Jennifer Jackson, the first black Playboy bunny and centerfold, who made history in 1965, we discuss the courage it took for her to take on this opportunity at just 18 years old, the fan mail and hate mail she received, and how she paved the way for women of all backgrounds to be featured in Playboy.

We also share our own experiences as younger models and reflect on the fame that came with being part of the Playboy legacy. Join us for an episode filled with laughter, memories and the celebration of empowering women who have made history in the world of Playboy. Don't miss out on this heartwarming and inspiring conversation with Sophronia and our reflections on the incredible impact of the Playboy Mansion.

- With Gratitude - 

Echo Johnson + Corinna Harney

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We're absolutely thrilled to welcome the fabulous Sandra Taylor to our show, as she shares her incredible journey through her long-standing career in the entertainment industry. Starting as America's number one selling poster model to multiple Playboy covers, and even working with legends like Marilyn Grabowski and Gary Marshall, Sandy's experiences are truly captivating. Join us and our dear friend Cathy St. George as we reminisce about the iconic Playboy covers and the special accolades that came with them.

Sandy's career doesn't stop at modeling and acting. Tune in to hear about her transformation into a professional sommelier, blending her 30 years of entertainment experience to create something unique and innovative. We chat about her time in Piedmonti, Italy, her prestigious silver pin certification, and how she became the lead sommelier for the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders Stadium. Plus, learn about her enchanting experience blending her own rosé with legendary winemaker Gerard Trand and her connection with John Bon Jovi.

Finally, we explore Sandra's revolutionary role as a personal sommelier, where she combines her storytelling prowess with her love for wine. Discover how she created and managed a wine locker program for Mark Davis, educated clients on skincare, and her passion for teaching others. We even delve into the differences between champagne and prosecco, and the unique methods used to create them. So grab a glass of wine and join us for this unmissable conversation with the incredible Sandra Taylor!

Cathy St. George + Echo Johnson  

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“Victoria Valentino, Playboy's Miss September 1963 is ONE of the Top 100 Centerfolds of the 20th Century. Victoria started her career with Playboy as a Bunny @ the LA Club on NYE in 1964.

A media personality, keynote speaker, author, activist, SAG/AFTRA actress, performs live theater, Spoken Word, AND she mentors sexual assault survivors as she is one of Cosbys rape survivors!

In 2016 - always inspired by activism Victoria became a founding member of ERSOL (End Rape Statute of Limitations) She can be seen lobbying, rallying, and testifying in Gloria Allred's documentary film, "Seeing ALL RED," for Senator Connie Leyva's bill SB 813. The Justice for Victims Act, effectively abolishing the SOL in California for rape and sexual assault. She was instrumental in seeing Cosby prosecuted for his decades of crimes against women.

Ms. Valentino continues to advocate for sexual assault victims and healing. She continues to be interviewed by major media from Forbes to Fox, the L.A. Times to Kamau Bell's FOUR PART ShowTime series"WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY."
She acts in live theater, performs Spoken Word and is a keynote speaker on women's issues.

Her memoir, "My Dirty Diamonds: The Repurposed Life of a Playboy Icon and Cosby Survivor" tells of her journey from abuse to healing, from objectification to self-actualization.

AMAZON REVIEW of MY DIRTY DIAMONDS: “Best Playboy Playmate memoir EVER!"

This one stands head and shoulders above all others. The writing is superlative—both erudite and engaging—and the stories she weaves are gripping, often heart wrenching, and ultimately poetic. This is an incredibly well-written and relevant tale of a fascinating life, replete with all the epic highs and crushing lows of great fiction. “

To watch the 4 PART DOCUSERIES - "We Need to Talk About Cosby" click here.

To make a change for ALL VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE - click below:
Senator Connie Leyva's bill SB 813.   The Justice for Victims Act, effectively abolishing the SOL in California for rape and sexual assault.

Thank you to Victoria for sharing your journey and most of all for enacting change with our LAWMAKERS!

With Love & Gratitude

Cathy St. George & Echo Johnson

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CANDACE JORDAN: Award-winning media personality and social scribe, founder
CandidCandace.com, Associate Publisher & Editor Chicago Star Media, former Chicago N"Candid"

Candace Jordan has been a notable fixture on the Chicago social scene since
her arrival in 1974 from a small town (Dupo) in Southern Illinois. Her long-running (10
year) Chicago Tribune column covered the nonprofit community (until Covid struck)
and her award-winning blog,

She's appeared on over 20 national magazine covers including 9 for Playboy (3 U.S., 6
international), had a billboard in Times Square, was a Playboy centerfold, Playboy
Bunny of the Yearand appeared in “Risky Business” with Tom Cruise.

Her lifelong association with Playboy began in 1974 when she became a Bunny at the St. Louis Playboy Club. Following her inclusion in a "Best Bunnies" pictorial in the magazine, she was invited to transfer to Chicago, the organization's hub, where she moved into the Playboy Mansion (when Hefner was in residence). She then went on shoot her centerfold and was given the coveted title of Miss December 1979 .

Magazine pictorials, Bunny of the Year honors, covers and a centerfold quickly
followed. In 2017, she was invited to reprise her 1979 cover with 6 other prominent
Playmates. In 2019, she was contacted again by the magazine to appear in a 12-page
cover story feature (with 4 Playmates) in the magazine's now iconic, Winter 2020,
"Equality Issue."

She's been spotlighted in media publications as: 100 Powerful Chicagoans, 25 Most
Intriguing Chicagoans, 100 Women Making a Difference, 100 Women of Influence,
Chicago Style Setter, Style Icon, Style Influencer, Fierce 50, Leading Ladies in News, Top 25 Most Fashionable Chicagoans, among others.

Jordan has built an incredible career shining a spotlight on and providing a platform for many Chicago charities.

Thank you to Candace for sharing her unique experience as both a bunny and a centerfold in the 60's and 70's!

With Love and Gratitude
Corinna and Echo

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Mark Hopkins worked as Hugh Hefners Personal Valet for 3 years in the early 80's.

The position was a coveted one and Mark was the lucky one to receive this title and role to be in service to Hefner for a span of 3 years.

The era was the early 80's - HEF wasn't married at the time but was in a relationship with Sondra Theodore.  The celebrities who were on the 24 hour list were A- LIST STARS  comedians, actors, writers and movie stars. And the encounters that Mark would have with these people were profound to say the least!

After leaving the Mansion in '84, Mark earned his degree in journalism from Ohio State. He met his  wife and raised four kids and have been together 40 years. Both are retired now and enjoying life every day.

Thank you Mark for taking the time to sit down with us and share a time in history that we were not privy to.

- With Love & Gratitude -

Cathy St. George + Echo Johnson

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"The hedonistic pursuit of uninhibited sex. Put these images together and a single name springs to mind--Hugh Hefner. From his spectacular launch of Playboy magazine and the dizzying expansion of his leisure empire to his recent television hit "The Girls Next Door,"  the publisher has attracted public attention and controversy for decades.

Mr. Playboy tells the compelling and uniquely American story of how one person with a provocative idea, a finger on the pulse of popular opinion, and a passion for his work altered the course of modern history. Spans from Hefner's childhood to the launch of Playboy magazine and the expansion of the Playboy empire to the present. Puts Hefner's life and work into the cultural context of American life from the mid-twentieth-century onwards."

He reveals that Hefner, from the beginning, believed he could overturn social norms and take America with him. This fascinating portrait illustrates four ways in which Hefner and Playboy stood at the center of several cultural upheavals that remade the postwar USA.

"The publisher played a crucial role in the sexual revolution that upended traditional notions of behavior and expectation regarding sex. He emerged as one of the most influential advocates of a rapidly developing consumer culture, flooding Playboy readers with images of material abundance and a leisurely lifestyle. He proved instrumental--with his influential magazine, syndicated television shows, fashionable nightclubs, swanky resorts, and movie and musical projects--in making popular culture into a dominant force in many people's lives. Ironically, Hefner also became a controversial force in the movement for women's rights.

Watts offers singular insights into the real man behind the flamboyant public persona. He shows Hefner's personal dichotomies--the pleasure seeker and the workaholic, the consort of countless Playmates and the genuine romantic, the family man and the Gatsby-like host of lavish parties at his Chicago and Los Angeles mansions."

- PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE- 

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The Lovely, buxom and slender blonde model, actress and make-up artist Cathy St. George  was born on August 23, 1954 in Norfolk, Virginia. An Army brat, Cathy moved with her family to Los Angeles, California.

St. George started out working for "Playboy" as a make-up artist. Cathy was the Playmate of the Month in the August, 1982 issue of "Playboy." She posed with her sister Toni for a pictorial in the April, 1985 issue of "Playboy." Moreover, St. George has appeared in a handful of "Playboy" special edition publications and was featured in several "Playboy" videos.

Cathy not only has acted in a few films and TV shows, but also has modeled for various artists. In addition, she has worked as a make-up artist in print, film, and television. Cathy owns a dog named Tallulah and makes regular appearances at assorted conventions held all over America. Cathy St. George lives in New York City.

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A HUGE THANK YOU TO CATHY ST. GEORGE! Both as my guest co-host and for this awesome interview!

With Love & Gratitude 

Corinna and Echo

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 What happens when the truth behind Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Mansion comes to light? We're joined by incredible guests who lived and worked at the Mansion - Audra Lynn, Miss October 2003, Brian Olea, a 20-year veteran butler and events coordinator, and Josh Friedman, Hef's private bartender for 14 years. They're here to set the record straight and share their first-hand experiences of life inside the luxurious estate, revealing the man behind the controversial legacy.

Together, we discuss the allegations based on Jennifer Saginaur's book, which has been used as a foundation for many claims against Hef and the Mansion. Our guests tell us their stories, shining a light on the true character of Hugh Hefner as a feminist, civil rights advocate, and loving father. We also explore the importance of speaking out against false narratives and the dangers of cancel culture.

Listen in as we tackle misconceptions surrounding the Playboy Mansion, from the supposed nudity and drug use to the treatment of women by Hef himself. We hear from Audra, Brian, and Josh, Corinna and Echo as they paint a picture of a man who enforced strict rules to create a safe environment for all.
 
Alexandra Dean and the group of female producers behind the disgusting and salacious narrative of "WHO" Hugh Hefner was, clearly had an agenda from the beginning. That agenda was to craft, cultivate and spread a false narrative about one of the most prolific historical icons the world has ever seen; by attaching his name, his character and the iconic company he built PLAYBOY Magazine to the  #METOO MOVEMENT. 

Hugh Hefner WAS NOT and IS NOT a SEXUAL PREDATOR, as the females in the docuseries are claiming.  We "THE PLAYBOY FAMILY" stand with HEF. We know the truth. Don't miss this eye-opening episode that challenges the narratives we've been told and reveals the reality behind Hugh Hefner and his iconic Mansion.

With Gratitude - 

Corinna and Echo

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