I am going to start by saying that I WOULD LOVE TO SHAKE THIS MANS HAND!

Hugh Hefner has become a household name. Whether people love him or loath him, they know his name and his profession. As the founder of Playboy Magazine, Hefner was a big influence to the sexual revolution here in the United States. He broke stereotypes, boundaries, and barriers on his way to the top, owning one of the most successful publications of all times.

HUGH HEFNER: PLAYBOY, ACTIVIST AND REBEL, by director Brigitte Berman, takes a look into the life of a man so wealthy that he never has to change out of his pajamas. More importantly, it goes behind the scenes, and takes a look back into the history of the man that changed the world as we know it.

Many of us, although being very familiar with the name HUGH HEFNER. have no real knowledge of the life that he has lead, or the events that have made him as successful and well known as he is today. For example, he was one of the first people on television to showcase singing groups with both Caucasian and African American members. Hefner is an avid Jazz fan, and would often showcase music that was less than mainstream, but certainly interesting and quite unique. A lot of this was done on his show PLAYBOY AFTER DARK.

Hefner also faced controversy for  showcasing written stories and articles by people that were portrayed as less than favorable by the government during the Communism scare. Because the government was unable to stop him from printing certain authors, they later (in his theory) attacked him for a pictorial of Jayne Mansfield, where she was nude. The pictures were in no way different than precious centerfolds, but Hefner suspects that he was attacked for selling obscene literature because they could not control his authors. Hefner fought and the case was dropped after a hung jury.

The documentary interviews everyone from Gene Simmons, Tony Bennett, Dick Cavett, Bill Maher and Jenny McCarthy to feminists, activists, and those that did not necessarily believe that he was right in his sexualized lifestyle. One thing this movie showcases is that Hefner himself did not, nor does not believe that he objectified/objectifies women sexually. Hefner believes his magazine helped showcase to the world that woman enjoy sex as much as men, and that it should be accepted. Some may be offended by his pictorials, bit for every offended person there is a male or female who he aided in discovering their sexual side.

Plus, it talks about how Hugh Hefner actually got the naked pictures of Marilyn Monroe for the very first cover of Playboy Magazine, and how he settled on the bunny-loving name. All the Playboy facts that you are dying to know are here!

Without giving too much away, I will say that this documentary gives viewers an intriguing and fascinating look into the life of a revolutionary man. His role in history, be it sexually, visually, with the amazing literature that he has published over the years (You know, the stuff in between the pictures of naked ladies!), or to break  racial stereotypes will be everlasting. As I stated before… I WOULD LOVE TO SHAKE THIS MANS HAND! (A visit to the mansion would be pretty sweet too! WINK…WINK!!!)

OVERALL RATING: 5 out of 5 stars