Holly Madison Makes Sad Claim About Playboy's Playmate Of The Year

Playboy's publisher Hugh Hefner died on September 27, 2017, at the age of 91 in his Playboy mansion in Los Angeles, California. Many secrets about his life and business conduct emerged after his death — his main girlfriend from 2001 to 2008, Holly Madison, has been a primary source behind the revelations.

The American model and TV personality, who has appeared in the E! reality show "The Girls Next Door" and her own series titled "Holly's World," has openly talked about what it was like to be Hefner's girlfriend and live in the mansion. In the teaser of the new documentary "Secrets of Playboy," Madison reveals that the atmosphere at the mansion was "cult-like" and that the models living there were "all kinds of gaslit" as they were expected to think of their benefactor — Hefner — as a "really good guy." Hefner added that the women had a 9 p.m. curfew each night and were encouraged to not invite friends over.

The documentary's release also detailed other allegations laid out by Madison, including what it took to hold the title of Playboy's "Playmate of the Year."

Holly Madison revealed that it was hard for models to nab the position of Playboy "Playmate of the Year" without being physically intimate with the magazine's publisher, Hugh Hefner.

"When I first arrived, it seemed like most of the women who were coming through and testing for Playmate felt like they had to sleep with him to get Playmate of the Year," says Madison, according to People's exclusive look at the documentary. "Not every single one of them did. There were a few exceptions," she continues. "But I think a lot of people felt like they had to." Speaking of the title's perks, former Playmate Promotions director Miki Garcia said that the title gave the women more fame, money, and power.

Madison's been quite vocal about her relationship with Hefner ever since their 2008 split — she even detailed much of it in the 2015 memoir "Down The Rabbit Hole." Hefner had mocked the memoir at that time. "Over the course of my life I've had more than my fair share of romantic relationships with wonderful women. Many moved on to live happy, healthy, and productive lives, and I'm pleased to say remain dear friends today. Sadly, there are a few who have chosen to rewrite history in an attempt to stay in the spotlight. I guess, as the old saying goes, 'You can't win 'em all!,'" he told Us Weekly in a statement after the book's release.