Hugh Hefner, the legendary editor of Playboy who died today at the age of 91, will forever be remembered for lifting the veil of secrecy and shame from the word 'sex', his son Cooper Hefner has said.
Cooper, 26, had weighed in on his father's legacy in an interview earlier this year, just five months before his father's death.
Hefner's death triggered tributes and obituaries for the media mogul, who spearheaded a sexual revolution in the 1950s America with his magazine for men, its centrespreads and Playboy bunnies.
Describing his father as a cultural revolutionary, Cooper had told PTI in an interview in April this year, "I have utmost amount of respect for my father. What he did was revolutionary."
"People did not talk about something that is responsible for all of our existence, which is sex. People found that to be something that was dirty when my father's point of view was that it should be celebrated," Cooper added in the exclusive interview from LA.
Hefner, who lived as colourful a life as he promoted in his magazine, was both admired and derided in equal measure but leaves an imprint on the pop culture scene.
Playboy made a sensational debut in 1953 with the centrefold photo of a nude Marilyn Monroe that Hefner had bought from a photographer who had shot her during her days of struggle in 1949.
The magazine became a hit with its first edition itself but touched the peak in the 1970s when it had more than seven million readers.
Hefner's aim was to create a niche magazine for men - which offered a spread of images of nude women, along with detailed write-ups, interviews and fiction by many a well- known writers.
The magazine, which came to be recognised by its logo of the bunny face with a bow tie, helped Hefner launch a multi- million enterprise.
But in recent years, Playboy became something of a relic as the internet explosion removed the shock and awe around nudity.
In 2015, the magazine decided to do away with the nude images but the decision was reversed when Cooper became Chief Creative Officer at Playboy Enterprises.
Cooper said that while it was not the big money maker for them as it was in the past, the magazine had not lost its relevance.
"The magazine is the flagship of the brand because it started the company but of course, media has changed and it is not going to be a big money maker for us. But it is remarkably relevant because what we do in the magazine generates press around the world.
"We went back to nudity in the US edition and I read about it in China, India and Brazil and Mexico. How can one argue that the magazine is not relevant when there are millions of press impressions that are generated because of the decisions we make in the magazine?" he had told PTI.
Hefner, who loved the spotlight, also hosted a TV show, "Playboy After Dark", and the reality TV show, "The Girls Next Door", with three live-in girlfriends in The Playboy mansion.
His life was the subject of a 10-part mini-series.
The Playboy magazine paid tributes to 'Hef' (Hefner's nickname) on their official Twitter handle.
"American Icon and Playboy Founder, Hugh M Hefner passed away today. He was 91. #RIPHef," the post read.
It also shared his photograph embossed with his famous quote, "Life is too short to be living someone else's dream".
Hefner is survived by his wife Crystal and other three children - Christie, 64, David, 62 and Marston, 27.
Celebrities and former Playboy cover models also took to Twitter to share their tributes.
"RIP to the legendary Hugh Hefner! I'm so honored to have been a part of the Playboy team! You will be greatly missed! Love you Hef!" Kim Kardashian tweeted.
"RIP #Hef Thank you for being a revolutionary and changing so many people's lives, especially mine. I hope I made you proud," Jenny McCarthy tweeted along with a photo of her January 2005 Playboy cover.
"A great man, entrepreneur and innovator. Your legacy lives on. #Hef," Gene Simmons tweeted.
"Hugh Hefner was a strong supporter of the civil rights movement. We shall never forget him. May he Rest In Peace," said Jesse Jackson.
"So sad to hear the news about @HughHefner. #RIPHef," Paris Hilton tweeted.
"One of the nicest men I've ever known. Godspeed, Hugh Hefner," Nancy Sinatra wrote.
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