American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story

Hefner becomes addicted to an amphetamine drug that lets him work around the clock, using the pages of the magazine to fight for civil rights and ultimately publish what would become Martin Luther King Jr's final written words.

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♪ The Eastern world ♪

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and more and more, uh, kids are being sent

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[Hugh Hefner] So I hired a new assistant editor...

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and he was well connected with that world.

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demonstrated in cities across the country.

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For our humor section,

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[Kretchmer] Britain recently abolished the death penalty.

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and it's reflected in everything we do.

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between myself and readers...

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♪

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... an organization dedicated to fighting censorship

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such as Roe v. Wade and continued to support

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we published an interview with Dr. King,

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but he also explained how far we had to go.

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in the face of ruthless opposition.

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[cheers and applause]

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♪

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Hi.

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When Playboy published its first African-American Playmate,

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I need it by 2 p.m. Thank you.

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so I relied on a little orange pill, Dexedrine.

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[Hugh Hefner] I never tried hard drugs.

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They would last until 6:00 the next morning.

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[Rosenzweig] And then, he was so exhausted that he'd crash.

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Oh, is it my fault if the articles are shit?

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[Hugh Hefner] My staff had reached a breaking point,

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then the body starts depending on that,

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in Chicago back in '59,

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So I purchased the 37-floor Palmolive Building

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and there's really nothing you can do about it.

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that you are a player, right?

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Uh, Bobbie, we're in a meeting.

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that just seemed to stop time.

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... but is love and wisdom

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♪

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a work that would tragically become

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Everybody else, please stay back.

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[Strawbs] ♪ In the early dawn the Bishop's men ♪

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[Hugh Hefner] It was a time of revolution and some of it was violent.

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for a savage assault on the people,

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♪

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[The Grass Roots] ♪ One, two, three, four sha la la la la la ♪

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[Hugh Hefner] It was a uniquely Playboy way to build morale,

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bringing Playboy back to television.

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♪ Try to lift up your feet, girl ♪

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[Hugh Hefner] In 1969, we signed a deal

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♪

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