Playboy Responds After Holly Madison Describes Time in Mansion as 'Cult-Like,' Claims Girls Were 'Gaslit'

In a clip from the upcoming docuseries "Secrets of Playboy," Madison drew a comparison to her time with the other girls who lived in the Playboy mansion and being part of a cult, saying, "The reason I think the mansion was very cult-like looking back on it is because we were all kind of gaslit."

She talked about feeling isolated from the world outside the Playboy Mansion (Madison lived there from 2001 to 2008) explaining, "You had a 9 o'clock curfew. You were encouraged to not have friends over. You weren't really allowed to leave unless it was like a family holiday."

Madison also said that all the girls were "expected" to think of Playboy founder Hugh "Hef" Hefner as a "really good guy," which resulted in them rejecting what might have been being said about him in the media.

Madison was Hefner's "number one" girlfriend, though he was also dating Marquardt and Wilkinson during most of their show's run.

In a lengthy statement to E! News, the organization noted that "Playboy is not Hugh Hefner's Playboy." They further emphasized, "We trust and validate these women and their stories and we strongly support those individuals who have come forward to share their experiences."

"As a brand with sex positivity at its core, we believe safety, security, and accountability are paramount," the statement continued. "The most important thing we can do right now is actively listen and learn from their experiences."

The statement further noted that more than 80 percent of its current workforce is female, adding that the company "will never be afraid to confront the parts of our legacy as a company that do not reflect our values today."

"We are committed to our ongoing evolution as a company and to driving positive change for our communities," the statement concluded.

In another clip released last month, Madison further illustrated the toxic atmosphere of the mansion by sharing how Hefner allegedly reacted when she decided to cut her hair short without his permission.

"I got to a point, not too far into my time there — I think it was, like, six months in — where I kind of broke under that pressure being made to feel I had to look like everyone else," she confessed. When she had arrived home after changing up her look, she claimed that Hefner "was screaming at me and said it made me look old, hard and cheap."

"Secrets of Playboy" will also include interviews with other former Hefner girlfriends, Playmates, and members of Hefner’s staff and inner circle. The 10-hour series premieres January 24, 2022 on A&E.