Latest news with #PlayboyMansion
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet the twins who moved into Playboy Mansion at 17: Karissa and Kristina Shannon opened up about their lives as Playmates, fraught relationship with Hugh Hefner, and hopes for the future
In the tell-all interview published on April 27, the Shannon twins – who were only 17 when they moved into the Playboy mansion – detail their often traumatic years at the mansion and their 18-month relationship with the late publisher who died in 2017. Karissa and Kristina Shannon with Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris at an event in California, in 2009. Photo: AP Photo Advertisement 'Everyone was saying we were going through our 'Anna Nicole phase',' Kristina told People about the unsettling years after the twins moved out of the Playboy mansion. 'We gained weight. There was alcohol and pills. We were really unhealthy and lost and, even at points, suicidal. We had no one. It was just us, trying to figure it out after losing ourselves.' Anna Nicole Smith was a former playmate who tragically died in 2007 after an accidental drug overdose. She was only 39 years old. Now 35, the rarely seen twins are ready to make a comeback – but not without dishing about the drama of their years at the Playboy mansion. Karissa Shannon and Kristina Shannon, then girlfriends of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, at a charity event in Los Angeles, in 2009. From abortions, bullying, and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, to finding Jesus -here's everything to know about Karissa and Kristina Shannon. They have been modelling since their teen years
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Nightclub to remain shut for five weeks after fight
A nightclub will remain shut for five weeks after a fight required a large police presence. The Gun Street Garden, in Reading town centre, is a late-night venue hosting DJs, musicians, professional dancers and bottle service to guests. Its licence was suspended by Reading Borough Council after two alleged incidents that occurred during its Playboy Mansion event on Easter Sunday. In February last year the club also had its license suspended after evidence of cocaine was discovered at the venue. The first recent incident was at 02:00 BST, which allegedly involved a man throwing a hard plastic glass and punching a woman. While the second was at 03.07, and was reported as a public disorder that required a large police presence. A statutory consultation saw support for the venue, one customer said: "I feel safe when attending on a typical night", with another adding: "Everyone working there is always on high attention and alert to what is happening within the club." The venue also received support from councillor Imtiyaz Shaikh, Mayor of Swindon, who said the club operators also run a venue in his town that positively contributes to its cultural and social scene. The owners said they agreed to implement new conditions in an effort to meet the concerns raised by police. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Nightclub licence suspended after cocaine discovery Reading Borough Council
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Reading nightclub to remain for five weeks shut after fight
A nightclub will remain shut for five weeks after a fight required a large police Gun Street Garden, in Reading town centre, is a late-night venue hosting DJs, musicians, professional dancers and bottle service to licence was suspended by Reading Borough Council after two alleged incidents that occurred during its Playboy Mansion event on Easter February last year the club also had its license suspended after evidence of cocaine was discovered at the venue. The first recent incident was at 02:00 BST, which allegedly involved a man throwing a hard plastic glass and punching a the second was at 03.07, and was reported as a public disorder that required a large police presence.A statutory consultation saw support for the venue, one customer said: "I feel safe when attending on a typical night", with another adding: "Everyone working there is always on high attention and alert to what is happening within the club."The venue also received support from councillor Imtiyaz Shaikh, Mayor of Swindon, who said the club operators also run a venue in his town that positively contributes to its cultural and social owners said they agreed to implement new conditions in an effort to meet the concerns raised by police. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Revamped Playboy Mansion unveiled after five years of renovations by new billionaire owner
Renovations on the infamous Playboy Mansion have finally been completed, five years after works started. Aerial images show the luxury property looking vastly different than before with a brand new cream and aqua blue color scheme. From some angles, the once debaucherous mansion now resembles a picturesque Disney castle. The surrounding area of the now Disney-esque mansion boasts an impressive guest house, a cobalt blue tennis court, and perfectly manicured lawns and gardens. The rear terrace deck appears to have been extended to allow more space for outdoor entertaining. Additionally, to help guests fully unwind, there's a new 42 by 23-foot solarium. Underneath the solarium is a new luxury state-of-the-art spa-jacuzzi. The spa on the site also includes a 'cold plunge,' a treatment favored by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga, and Madonna. The late Hugh Hefner's legendary home, which served as the backdrop to his Playboy magazine, was sold in January 2016 to Greek-American business mogul Daren Metropoulos for $100million. Daren, 42, is the son of billionaire businessman Dean Metropoulos, 79, and boasts his own impressive business portfolio. Daren heads companies such as Hostess Brand, which produces snacks like Twinkies and HoHos, and Pabst Brewing Company – both at some point previously owned by his father. Hang out area: The rear terrace deck appears to have been extended The businessman has seemingly been a fan of Hefner's fantasy home before he owned it, as he was photographed partying at the 29-room Holmby Hills property in 2012 alongside rapper Snoop Dogg and an entourage of bunnies. The makeover of the property was executed by architect Richard Landry, who has renovated multiple star's houses such as Tom Brady, Kylie Jenner, Rod Stewart, Mark Wahlberg, and Sylvester Stallone. Daren has spent the last 18 years buying up iconic properties, with estimating that the mogul has spent around $326million so far. Outside of the Playboy Mansion, Dean's purchases include $148million on a Mediterranean Revival-style home in Palm Beach, Florida. Speaking to The Wall Street journal in the past, he said: 'My general approach is very measured and tactical and I am particularly interested in hidden jewel properties that rarely come to market.' In addition to owning the $100million Playboy Mansion, Daren also owns a 'miniature' mansion next door which is worth around $60million. He has hinted in the past that he has plans to combine the two estates. Building permits filed with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety at the start of renovations five years ago, showed his intention of remodeling the kitchen, family room bathrooms and powder room in the main house. When Daren originally bought the mansion in 2016, he allowed Hefner to live out his last days there. He died the following year at age 91 from sepsis which he had developed after he contracted E coli. The Playboy Mansion is emblematic of celebrity culture with some of the biggest stars scrambling to enjoy Hefner's lingerie-only dress code for the female guests who roamed around the estate. Elvis Presley reportedly had sex with eight Playmates at once at the home, while John Lennon burned a Matisse original with a cigarette. Donald Trump even filmed an episode of The Apprentice at the mansion where contestants got to meet Hefner and several of his girlfriends. However, the mansion also has a dark side, with allegations against disgraced actor Bill Cosby purported to have taken place during these debauched parties. Judy Huth claimed that Cosby assaulted her when she was 15 at Hugh Hefner's home. Chloe Goins claims she was also assaulted by Crosby at the mansion, but criminal charges in the case were ruled out. The luxury pad was also reportedly filthy. Multiple former Playboy bunnies previously spoke out about the dilapidated building which had floors strewn with dog feces and urine. In 2011, health officials confirmed that the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease was found in a whirlpool spa at the Playboy Mansion where more than 100 people fell ill. The Los Angeles County Health Department presented its findings at an annual conference at the Centers For Disease Control in Atlanta. The legionella bacteria also cause a milder illness - Pontiac fever. Symptoms, which include fever and headache, are the same as those suffered by Playboy Mansion partygoers. Building permits, accessed by in 2023, revealed that workmen repaired 'termite and dry-rot damage' from the original wooden framing. The Playboy mansion sits on five acres adjacent to the Los Angeles Country Club – on Charing Cross Road in the exclusive Holmby Hills neighborhood just off the famous Sunset Boulevard. The house was designed by Arthur Kelly for Arthur Letts Jr - the son of Arthur Letts who founded The Broadway, a now-defunct department store – and was completed in 1927. It was purchased by Hefner in 1971 for $1million, becoming the second Playboy Mansion house. The first was a 54-room classical brick and limestone mansion in Chicago's Gold Coast district.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Kendra Wilkinson unplugged: tales from the Playboy Mansion to finding her true self
In happier times, Playboy magazine's late founder, Hugh Hefner, with Kendra Wilkinson. Image: Instagram. Kendra Wilkinson, a former Playboy model, recently shared her experiences as one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends on "The Skinny Confidential". During the interview, she discussed the realities of life at the Playboy Mansion, her transition to being single, and her journey of self-discovery. Now a realtor, television personality, model and author, Wilkinson first captured the spotlight on the hit reality show "The Girls Next Door", which showcased life inside the Playboy Mansion. Wilkinson, who has also successfully starred in her own series "Kendra" and "Kendra On Top", reflected on how her commitment to authenticity has been the cornerstone of her two-decade long career. "I've always been this party girl, and who says it like it is. I wear my heart on my sleeve as well, which sometimes comes at a cost." Having been single now for seven years since her divorce from Hank Baskett, Wilkinson candidly spoke about the difficulties of dating: "I've been divorced and single for seven years now. I've explored little things here and there, but I have not been in a relationship. "It's going to take a lot to be my boyfriend now. I am not settling for whatever. I'm so used to being single ... Now I look at men and freak out thinking about commitment ... I get really nervous about life getting boring." Wilkinson admitted that while she does struggle with shame and regret, at the time she chose to enter the Playboy Mansion, she was faced with difficult choices in her life. "I was 18 at the time. It was either I was going to be a stripper or take this one-way ticket to LA and move into the Playboy Mansion ... those were the only two options I had, and I knew myself, I knew I could survive, so I took the trip to LA and never looked back." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Wilkinson expressed gratitude for her time at the Mansion, describing it as a "safe and healthy environment", highlighting that, contrary to public perception, life there was not as scandalous as it seemed. "It was so amazing, and it was healthy for me, it was happy for me, I was safe, and it's taboo to the world because they don't really know what went on there. In my perspective, it was only one party every few months, and the rest was that we all had sex with Hugh Hefner once a week, and that's the taboo, that we had sex with a 70/80-year-old." "I had room service 24/7. I could eat whatever I wanted, I could eat healthy, I had chefs making me salad every day. Anything I wanted, I got. The parties were fun, I've been to worse parties outside the mansion than I ever did at the mansion. I couldn't have been happier." Wilkinson's insights into her life were not limited to her time in the Mansion; she also spoke on how she began preparing for her future. "I started setting myself up. I started booking my own work, and I hustled my a** of to get my new show, to book appearances around the world. I had issues with the business part of it, but not Hugh. He was a generous, nice person." Looking ahead, Wilkinson, who has a ten-year-old daughter, says that she has made sure that her daughter will never have to make those hard choices like she did growing up. "She's 10 and I already told her that she's going to college." Watch the full episode below.
