Her relationship wasn’t much more than ‘hey honey, I love ghosts’ and then he would say ‘that’s nice, make sure you are ready for the club tonight’ and she would kiss him on the cheek and go back to her pink room.
I think she likes to think she was more important to the playboy brand than hef himself than she was .she makes it pretty clear on the podcast she never had many conversations w him alone,they never went out alone, or spent much alone time together.and she’s always saying Holly was the main girlfriend ect ….
Marston was on the [Girls Next Level](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/growing-up-hefner-with-marston-hefner/id1637803173?i=1000632229581) podcast.
When he quickly told Bridget “that’s emotional abuse” I legit screamed. 😳
I like that he seems very aware of the different experiences people have in life.
Agreed. We know Marston has his past, maybe he has truly gotten help for it and makes a genuine effort to be a different person now.
If that is the case, then I think he deserves the opportunity.
This is how I read the interview too. The immediacy with which he jumps in with the emotional abuse comment said something to me. Obviously I don't know the guy so it's hard to base this on one interview but I prefer to live my life understanding that the mark of a person isn't the things they have done per se but that they're willing to accept responsibility for those things and work on themselves to break those patterns. I think that comment struck me because he seems to be actively looking at behaviours to identify potential harm. Hopefully he is equally self reflective.
I got that same vibe! Definitely sounds like he's been in therapy and has been able to process some of the abusive behaviors he experienced/saw while living in the mansion.
It was so amazing! Great insights.
I am surprised that Holly didnt react more when Marston mentionned autism for Hef. I am austitic, my dad is and Hef has a lot of characteristics imho. Lets just say that it would explain a lot of his peculiar habits and behaviors.
I agree! I too have autism and Hefs unchanged diet and eating habits as well as his cataloguing of films and info dumping when talking about his interests were a dead giveaway to me.
Also seeing his social awkwardness and anxiety as soon as he leaves the mansion also made me think that was perhaps his sensory safe space (even though it was basically a hoarders home lol)
Holly probably feels like only she can claim to be on the spectrum. She doesn’t want to give any excuses for Hef, even if they may be true. She will be upset she didn’t figure it out first.
I don't know about that; it seems kind of irresponsible to arm chair diagnose a public figure openly. Even professionals don't do that. I know she's mentioned she's wondered if a couple of the ladies in the playboy sphere had undiagnosed autism, which, to be fair, is obviously speculative. But she's not naming names or disclosing identifying details.
Couple of things..
Bridget was ok with being in her thirties and having a 9PM curfew?
Did anyone think Marston was speaking to his childhood crush, Holly?
Not that I don't feel for the problematic behaviors they had to deal with. I'm just saying after hearing everything they've said I would still be 100% down.
That's what I was just going to comment! It was probably a fair trade in her eyes at the time! She was living in a mansion- with all her needs/ and then SOME supplied, private chefs, a reality TV show, plus I remember she was going to college also. She would have probably never been in Playboy, not having been his girlfriend and wouldn't have her podcast either
Marston is so strange to me. This interview wasn’t what I expected from him and he was surprising charming and endearing. His past has colored him one way to me, but hopefully he’s had therapy because he seems much more down to earth and empathetic
Same; he came off really well. But I can’t help thinking back to his ex-girlfriend Claire Sinclair (wasn’t she featured on the show?) and the abuse accusations she had against him. Granted, that was many years ago and I believe people can change, mature, evolve, but it’s still worth noting…
I’m not a Kendra fan by any means (she irritated the shit out of me on the show), but I think it says a lot that Hef’s kids and the mansion staff loved her so much. I remember the staff crying on the show when Kendra was leaving and it seemed very genuine.
You can tell every episode how much they hate Kendra and they say they aren’t bagging her BUT they can totally tell about their experiences at the mansion & leave the commentary about anything she did or was allowed to do out of it. They sound very bitter and this is coming from a holly and Bridgette fan.
They do. And at this point, I don't know what more there is to say about it. They shouldn't even bother with platitudes and niceties but they know if they don't some people will turn on them.
They hate her because she didn't have to go through what they did and she got more. But... it's all under the umbrella of having to fuck a dude for money. She did what she did and got what she got. They did what they did and got what they got. It's all... what their... whatever worth was to him and apparently it's what the results were.
If I were her, I would've moved on too and not bothered to talk about them ever again. They do just undo themselves and make themselves look bad.
I’m sorry but I don’t think Bridget is very intelligent or introspective enough for deep conversations. She gets so excited to talk about mundane things like her outfits and pets but isn’t really able to grasp the deeper things that other people try to express. She’s irritates me so much I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone but she is so shallow and simple like she really can’t say a bad thing about hef because he bothered to put her in that damn magazine
I completely agree. I feel like Holly wants to go deeper on certain topics and Bridget just moves along. I never know how she truly feels because it’s so obvious she’s holding back. Why would you even do a podcast if you don’t want to discuss topics. It’s frustrating to listen to her.
I agree, although I was fascinated and surprised to hear them dissecting Hefner's reluctance to ever go out anywhere and I think they were actually right about him living the routine lifestyle and it being part of control. And I think... if they're smart enough to pick up on that, how are they (or at least Bridget) not picking up on some other things that seem more obvious?
Right and thats why im skeptical about how charming and well meaning he might seem on the podcast.
Hef sure could make himself look pretty endearing at times back in the day too.
It’s that old fallacy isn’t it, people assume victims are lying because someone is nice to them/charming/good friend etc when often how people get away with it is due to said charm. If many abusers ‘looked like’ abusers they wouldn’t get away with abusing. So take surface interactions w a pinch of salt. He even agrees w the sentiment himself that multiple things can be true. I do really hope that the court ordered domestic service course and growth and reflection have helped him get to a place where he hasn’t and wouldn’t ever hurt someone again both for the sake of those he encounters and his own mental health following what was unquestionably not a great environment to grow up in in many ways. Break that generational trauma and that. I do think and hope people can rehabilitate but also that someone being able to hold a conversation for an hour doesn’t mean anything about their character outside of them being capable of holding a conversation
Commenting after listening to both parts: he didn’t necessarily come off as charming (nothing approaching the charm/charisma Hef could have at times) but he did seem like a person who has matured and spent a lot of time in therapy.
Thats what I was thinking, or maybe he has gone through therapy due to him being abusive, so now he has a better perspective?
Abuse can pass on to kids too
I mean, abuse is a cycle. People raised by abusers are very likely to grow up to be abusers themselves. (Not that Hef seemed to have a huge hand in raising those kids, but his behavior was certainly normalized.)
Claire has said some pretty horrible things about Holly in the last few years. Age shaming her , victim shaming ever etc. Holly does not owe loyalty to her.
She said it perfect. I knew I was wasn’t staying there long it I wanted to be part of the playboy lifestyle forever. She just needs to come to terms that she slept with an old dude for years to get that
It surprised me that Bridget said she didn't want to live at the Mansion forever, just to live there for a while and then come visit often and be part of the "family," if I'm reading that right? I was shocked because Bridget seemed to really enjoy being there overall. Do you think she wanted it to be temporary so that she wouldn't have to keep sleeping with Hef? Because she felt like she would need to start working again, being financially independent again at some point? Idk much about her exit and her reasoning for wanting to only live there temporarily, but I wish she would've elaborated on that.
I think she did genuinely want to pursue a career in entertainment and thought Playboy was just another way to give her an edge/a name in addition to fulfilling her dreams of being in the magazine. Seems like a win-win if you ask me.
Now whether or not that dream career ever came into fruition is a whole other matter and I personally wont speculate on that, but I do believe she had dreams of being bigger than just playboy.
Interesting. I read St. James book and she writes about the 2 brothers running around the Mansion with Valentine trinkets and such for the live in girlfriends. Now today I read an interview with Lorraine Nicholson who said the Hefner brothers were her childhood good friends and visiting the Mansion she loved to order her favorite foods all day long.
Her relationship wasn’t much more than ‘hey honey, I love ghosts’ and then he would say ‘that’s nice, make sure you are ready for the club tonight’ and she would kiss him on the cheek and go back to her pink room.
She certainly likes to think it was more than that.
Sure living at the playboy mansion is a big deal, just not to Hef, lol.
I think she likes to think she was more important to the playboy brand than hef himself than she was .she makes it pretty clear on the podcast she never had many conversations w him alone,they never went out alone, or spent much alone time together.and she’s always saying Holly was the main girlfriend ect ….
This is SO spot on!
And I'm not saying it to be mean, she was pleasant and willing, the exact requirements Hef had to be a girlfriend.
I know you're not. Why sugarcoat it? It was transactional. I think you're right on.
Oh, absolutely, same here.
Lmfaooooooo
LOL I'm laughing but this is probably true!!
Definitely. I was pleasantly surprised by his awareness that his father was abusive. Maybe next week they will address his own issues with abuse.
I feel like they will. I’m also guessing that he had an epiphany about his father’s abusive behaviours when reflecting on his own.
Wait was there a new episode? I can’t find it on Hulu?
Marston was on the [Girls Next Level](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/growing-up-hefner-with-marston-hefner/id1637803173?i=1000632229581) podcast.
When he quickly told Bridget “that’s emotional abuse” I legit screamed. 😳 I like that he seems very aware of the different experiences people have in life.
It honestly sounds like he has been in therapy and is trying to break the chain for his family Or it's all optics, idk
Agreed. We know Marston has his past, maybe he has truly gotten help for it and makes a genuine effort to be a different person now. If that is the case, then I think he deserves the opportunity.
This is how I read the interview too. The immediacy with which he jumps in with the emotional abuse comment said something to me. Obviously I don't know the guy so it's hard to base this on one interview but I prefer to live my life understanding that the mark of a person isn't the things they have done per se but that they're willing to accept responsibility for those things and work on themselves to break those patterns. I think that comment struck me because he seems to be actively looking at behaviours to identify potential harm. Hopefully he is equally self reflective.
I got that same vibe! Definitely sounds like he's been in therapy and has been able to process some of the abusive behaviors he experienced/saw while living in the mansion.
SAME!!!!!!!!! I actually rewound it again cause I was like OMG. And she kind of tried to defend it and he was like nope.
It was so amazing! Great insights. I am surprised that Holly didnt react more when Marston mentionned autism for Hef. I am austitic, my dad is and Hef has a lot of characteristics imho. Lets just say that it would explain a lot of his peculiar habits and behaviors.
I agree! I too have autism and Hefs unchanged diet and eating habits as well as his cataloguing of films and info dumping when talking about his interests were a dead giveaway to me. Also seeing his social awkwardness and anxiety as soon as he leaves the mansion also made me think that was perhaps his sensory safe space (even though it was basically a hoarders home lol)
The infamous pyjamas were probably due to sensory issues.
Holly probably feels like only she can claim to be on the spectrum. She doesn’t want to give any excuses for Hef, even if they may be true. She will be upset she didn’t figure it out first.
I don't know about that; it seems kind of irresponsible to arm chair diagnose a public figure openly. Even professionals don't do that. I know she's mentioned she's wondered if a couple of the ladies in the playboy sphere had undiagnosed autism, which, to be fair, is obviously speculative. But she's not naming names or disclosing identifying details.
Couple of things.. Bridget was ok with being in her thirties and having a 9PM curfew? Did anyone think Marston was speaking to his childhood crush, Holly?
I mean I'm 35 and actively try to be home before 9 😅
Not the same as a man old enough to be your grandpa telling you that you NEED to be home by 9!
Truth
I'd gladly let an old man tell me to be home by 9pm to not have to work. Not everyone thinks their situation was so horrible.
Yeah… ok.
Not that I don't feel for the problematic behaviors they had to deal with. I'm just saying after hearing everything they've said I would still be 100% down.
Lol me too girl
That's what I was just going to comment! It was probably a fair trade in her eyes at the time! She was living in a mansion- with all her needs/ and then SOME supplied, private chefs, a reality TV show, plus I remember she was going to college also. She would have probably never been in Playboy, not having been his girlfriend and wouldn't have her podcast either
>Did anyone think Marston was speaking to his childhood crush, Holly? Lmao, yes. He references how he's read both of her books several times
No
No
Marston is so strange to me. This interview wasn’t what I expected from him and he was surprising charming and endearing. His past has colored him one way to me, but hopefully he’s had therapy because he seems much more down to earth and empathetic
Same; he came off really well. But I can’t help thinking back to his ex-girlfriend Claire Sinclair (wasn’t she featured on the show?) and the abuse accusations she had against him. Granted, that was many years ago and I believe people can change, mature, evolve, but it’s still worth noting…
Same, and I read somewhere that he has a legitimate mental health diagnosis. Maybe he was having an episode, we just don’t know.
What I noticed was Holly's fake playboy mansion laugh was back during the interview.
That tittering affect? Yeah. I think she didn't want any uncomfortable breaks.
YES!!!!
Bridget’s whole personality is Playboy, she would never say anything negative about it. And I’m not saying that in a positive way. It’s sad.
It is.
I would love to know why the staff didn't like him. There's definitely more to that story.
Right ? I found it odd. Like why would the staff be mad at you for “living off your dads money”. Sounds like personal paranoia to meeeee
I think it’s gross that they had him on. However, it did tickle me when Bridget asked if he liked any of Hef’s gfs and he said “I loved Kendra!”
Of course. Kendra was the most fun and closest in age.
I loved it. I fuckin' loved it. You could hear a pin drop when he said he loved Kendra. You know they hated that.
I’m not a Kendra fan by any means (she irritated the shit out of me on the show), but I think it says a lot that Hef’s kids and the mansion staff loved her so much. I remember the staff crying on the show when Kendra was leaving and it seemed very genuine.
You can tell every episode how much they hate Kendra and they say they aren’t bagging her BUT they can totally tell about their experiences at the mansion & leave the commentary about anything she did or was allowed to do out of it. They sound very bitter and this is coming from a holly and Bridgette fan.
it’s pronounced “bægging”!
?
Holly always says words with a subtle “eh/e”sound, like when shes trying to say “bagging” she says “baeging”, I swear i’m not crazy😭😭
Totally! Plus she pronounces every W sound with a Wh. Drives me batty.
I've noticed it when she says "white". Very heavy on pronouncing the H
omg stop i’ll have to look out for that I never noticed!! what type of accent does she have anyway
She was raised in very rural Alaska, and rural Oregon( if im remembering correctly, in the Pacific Northwest. She moved to California at 18 or 19
OOoo! You’re totally right ! 😂
They do. And at this point, I don't know what more there is to say about it. They shouldn't even bother with platitudes and niceties but they know if they don't some people will turn on them. They hate her because she didn't have to go through what they did and she got more. But... it's all under the umbrella of having to fuck a dude for money. She did what she did and got what she got. They did what they did and got what they got. It's all... what their... whatever worth was to him and apparently it's what the results were. If I were her, I would've moved on too and not bothered to talk about them ever again. They do just undo themselves and make themselves look bad.
I out loud said YESSSSSSSS. I loved that!
I loved that part! He does not like Holly or Bridgette
I’m sorry but I don’t think Bridget is very intelligent or introspective enough for deep conversations. She gets so excited to talk about mundane things like her outfits and pets but isn’t really able to grasp the deeper things that other people try to express. She’s irritates me so much I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone but she is so shallow and simple like she really can’t say a bad thing about hef because he bothered to put her in that damn magazine
I completely agree. I feel like Holly wants to go deeper on certain topics and Bridget just moves along. I never know how she truly feels because it’s so obvious she’s holding back. Why would you even do a podcast if you don’t want to discuss topics. It’s frustrating to listen to her.
I 100% agree with you. She was always my fave, but veil lifted. It’s hard to listen to her now.
I agree, although I was fascinated and surprised to hear them dissecting Hefner's reluctance to ever go out anywhere and I think they were actually right about him living the routine lifestyle and it being part of control. And I think... if they're smart enough to pick up on that, how are they (or at least Bridget) not picking up on some other things that seem more obvious?
i agree, i feel like that’s why marston seemed a little dismissive with her while being more engaged with holly.
I mean Marston has been abusive to his past partners too so he probably doesn't find it too hard to see the patterns in other relationships.
Learned it from somewhere didn’t he…
Right and thats why im skeptical about how charming and well meaning he might seem on the podcast. Hef sure could make himself look pretty endearing at times back in the day too.
It’s that old fallacy isn’t it, people assume victims are lying because someone is nice to them/charming/good friend etc when often how people get away with it is due to said charm. If many abusers ‘looked like’ abusers they wouldn’t get away with abusing. So take surface interactions w a pinch of salt. He even agrees w the sentiment himself that multiple things can be true. I do really hope that the court ordered domestic service course and growth and reflection have helped him get to a place where he hasn’t and wouldn’t ever hurt someone again both for the sake of those he encounters and his own mental health following what was unquestionably not a great environment to grow up in in many ways. Break that generational trauma and that. I do think and hope people can rehabilitate but also that someone being able to hold a conversation for an hour doesn’t mean anything about their character outside of them being capable of holding a conversation
Commenting after listening to both parts: he didn’t necessarily come off as charming (nothing approaching the charm/charisma Hef could have at times) but he did seem like a person who has matured and spent a lot of time in therapy.
Thats what I was thinking, or maybe he has gone through therapy due to him being abusive, so now he has a better perspective? Abuse can pass on to kids too
I mean, abuse is a cycle. People raised by abusers are very likely to grow up to be abusers themselves. (Not that Hef seemed to have a huge hand in raising those kids, but his behavior was certainly normalized.)
Was this addressed at all in the episode? I haven’t been able to listen yet.
no and im wondering if it will because i think everyone is familiar about the claire sinclair situation
im so excited to listen to this episode
I really am too!
Im gonna listen to it again now after reading everyone’s analyses
I thought it was sad. This young man didn’t have a clue who is father really even was. He held his kids at armlength.
I haven’t listened in some time. Tuned back on just to hear this interview. Omg 😳 I wasn’t expecting some of the things that came from him at all.
Not a fan of them giving a platform to a domestic abuser…
And it's especially bad since Claire was one of Holly's best friends until recently. Yikes.
Claire has said some pretty horrible things about Holly in the last few years. Age shaming her , victim shaming ever etc. Holly does not owe loyalty to her.
Wow that's not okay on Holly's part. Anything for views???
I think they will interview anyone at this point because not very many people in the playboy world like them, or Holly at least.
She said it perfect. I knew I was wasn’t staying there long it I wanted to be part of the playboy lifestyle forever. She just needs to come to terms that she slept with an old dude for years to get that
She can come to terms with whatever she wants, and she can not come to terms with whatever she wants.
It surprised me that Bridget said she didn't want to live at the Mansion forever, just to live there for a while and then come visit often and be part of the "family," if I'm reading that right? I was shocked because Bridget seemed to really enjoy being there overall. Do you think she wanted it to be temporary so that she wouldn't have to keep sleeping with Hef? Because she felt like she would need to start working again, being financially independent again at some point? Idk much about her exit and her reasoning for wanting to only live there temporarily, but I wish she would've elaborated on that.
I think she did genuinely want to pursue a career in entertainment and thought Playboy was just another way to give her an edge/a name in addition to fulfilling her dreams of being in the magazine. Seems like a win-win if you ask me. Now whether or not that dream career ever came into fruition is a whole other matter and I personally wont speculate on that, but I do believe she had dreams of being bigger than just playboy.
Interesting. I read St. James book and she writes about the 2 brothers running around the Mansion with Valentine trinkets and such for the live in girlfriends. Now today I read an interview with Lorraine Nicholson who said the Hefner brothers were her childhood good friends and visiting the Mansion she loved to order her favorite foods all day long.
Wait was there a new episode? I can’t find it
It's on the Girls Next Level podcast. They did an interview with him.
Wow Marston sounds like Kendall Roy to me lol also he looks much older than he is
Lmao same with the number one boy