Hugh Hefner: I Waited A Decade To Divorce For The Kids

(AP Article, scroll for photos of Hefner in Toronto)

TORONTO -- Hugh Hefner said he waited more than ten years to complete his divorce "because of the children."

"I stayed married not because it was a marriage - the marriage ended in 1998," he said. "I stayed because she wanted me to."

But now his {younger of two sons with Kimberly is] turning 18, so the 83-year-old Playboy magazine founder says, "Now is the time."

On Friday, Hefner filed for divorce from former Playmate of the Year, Kimberly Conrad Hefner. The couple married in 1989, and were legally separated in 1998. Since then, Hefner lived with three girlfriends at the Playboy Mansion. That relationship was documented on the E! Reality show "The Girls Next Door."

Hefner made the comments at the premiere of his documentary, "Hugh Hefner: Playboy Activist and Rebel," at the Toronto International Film Festival.

At the premiere, Hefner described himself as "a dyed-in-the-heart romantic who played some part in the changing social sexual values of his time."

But the film shows a different side of him. Directed by Academy Award winner Brigitte Berman, she chooses to depict the making of the man and his stance as activist and humanitarian. The film opens in North America in the spring of 2010.

PHOTOS:

• • • With girlfriends Karissa Shannon, twins Kristina and Crystal Harris and and the film's director Brigette Berman

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Comments

[condor101]

This is another story to prove that marriage is not worth it for the male. the soon to be ex-wife was using the children against Hefner. Now that he files for divorce from that vampire, when he passes away, she won't get a piece of his estate. It all goes to all of his children.

Hefner is a great man and fighter for social justice. Good for him that he has these young and lovely girlfriends. And so what that they are with him for the fame and money. If it wasn't him, they would be leeching off of another man. Anyway, all relationships are forms of prostitution.

[gekler]

Sound like my soon-to-be­-ex-husban­d (and likely many others) who just wait to divorce until the kids turn the magic age of 18, so they will no longer be obligated to pay child support! Indeed, all about money...no­t the kids.

[booker52]

Why wait? Hep lived outside the home with numerous women who weren't his wife, so this statement in my opinion is bogus.

[terris]

booker52, there's nothing to understand besides it's about money.

[Angry23]

Yuckies.

[sssteverrr]

Hugh Heffner changed Amirica for the better. If it wasn't obvious befor, it is now: the women are getting something they want from him and he is getting something he wants from them. They are all adults and no harm no foul.

BUT, over the years, Hugh Heffner through his magazine has championed:

Minority rights
Womens rights
Gay rights
A womens right to choose
Decriminalization of drugs
Art
Literature
Film
PEACE
Anti imperialism
Speration of church and State
Freedom from government intrusion

Certainly he seems a litle feeble and laughable now at his advanced age, but he was a TITAN of liberalism in America.

[lammassu]

Shhhhhhhhh, you're not supposed to defend Hugh Hefner, you're supposed to express your scorn and hatred for the man, so you'll appear as a forward thinking progressive.

Image is everything here at Huffington Post!

[texastrixie]

Yes Hefner has done all these great things, but mainly he has created a culture where women are mainly prized for their looks - not their intelligence, their kindness, their loyalty, their value as wife or mother, basically just their face, bust size, and sexual ability. He, almost by himself, has promoted a culture that now destroys half of all marriages in this country. A culture where the average Joe feels entitled to a perpetually young, sexually inviting, mate. The fact that such women are few and far between, and would not settle for this average Joe for a second, does not deter Joe from becoming restless and wanting a new conquest as middle age approaches.

Finally, this culture that Hefner has promoted infects many young girls today who thus are never truly confident with their bodies, their place in life, or their value to men

[meemu]

I disagree that Hefner is responsible for a culture where women are prized for looks. Look at reality TV--what virtues are they praising in women? People watch that trash--young girls watch that trash, and learn from it. You can't blame Hefner for that. I believe there are other factors more harmful to our culture.

[OlsonBW]

"Yes Hefner has done all these great things, but mainly he has created a culture where women are mainly prized for their looks - not their intelligence, their kindness, their loyalty, their value as wife or mother, basically just their face, bust size, and sexual ability."

For SOME people they have ALWAYS been thought of like that. The good news is that women, at least attractive ones, can more easily use that to their advantage.

Keep in mind that in most parts of the world, and even to some degree here in America, women are still thought of as property as in land or stock as in cattle.

[omobob]

The older Hef gets the more ridiculous his "lifestyle" suffers. He’s gone from bachelor stud to dirty old man. I’m sure Hef would like to keep it classy but it’s too late now.

[MrsPeel]

Oh, ain't he a big man.

[bartonfink]

does he mean "grandkids" or "great grandkids," perhaps?

[Guytar]

Hefner gave us Playboy magazine, and millions of once were teenage dudes around the world will never forget.

But that was then. This is now.

[puddinpop]

So philandering about with girls a quarter your age is a better lesson for children?

[AudiGuy]

You have to admit it take a real set of ba!!s to say this with a straight face. Go Hef!

[abbienormal]

No kidding. All these years of standing up against prudish mores and still Hef has to face this nonsense. Geesh!

[nah415]

Does he mean his children or his bevy of Silicone Barbie's?

[T Specter]

The world is a better place because of this great man. Kudos.

[ZimboChick]

Buy a brain cell

[shag11]

I love Hef, but the more he talks, the less I think of him. He's an old ass man, and ought to quit with all the player stuff.

[SweetTart]

I appreciate Hef and the fact that he treats women fairly respectfully, especially considering the industry, but I agree. But cavorting and so on with 19 year old girls is really getting gross.

[MMJones]

He just looks plain silly.

[ignorantwillyharper]

He really doesn't look as silly, as he looks as thought he has just been prepared by a decent embalmer and instead of being place in a box, has been propped up.

[skullman]

He looks silly? What about the girls?