Holly Madison is “not backing down” from Crystal Hefner.
The former Girls Next Door star is accusing Hugh Hefner’s widow of “legal bullying” amid reports that Hefner recently hit Madison with a cease and desist letter over what her lawyer described as “malicious” comments about her on Madison’s podcast.
According to a TMZ report on Tuesday, June 11, Hefner’s attorney took issue with alleged insinuations on a May 13 episode of the “Girls Next Level” podcast that Hefner kept the late Playboy founder “doped up” in his final years. The episode featured an interview with Hugh’s son, Marston.
Now, Madison and her cohost Bridget Marquardt are sharing their side of the story in a new video published by TMZ on Friday, June 11.
“If I remember correctly, in the podcast, Marston said he was a little bit disturbed at the amount of medication his father was receiving. He said when you’re that rich and powerful, there’s always gonna be someone to write you that prescription,” Madison explained in the clip. “I took that to mean as he just felt like when you have that kind of access, there’s always gonna be a doctor somewhere who’s gonna maybe give you a little too much if you want it.”
“I don’t think that had anything to do with Cease and Desist Lady,” she said, referring to Hefner, 38.
Madison, 44, went on to say that she’s “not backing down” and called out Hefner for being what she deems to be overly litigious.
“There’s a thing that I like to call ‘legal bullying,’ when people who think they’re richer than everybody else pay their attorneys to send cease and desists to people to shut them up,” she said. “You’re trying to intimidate somebody into shutting up.”
At the start of the video, Madison teased that she “got some toilet paper delivered,” referring to the legal warning. She said that Marquardt and Marston had received letters too.
“We were obnoxiously careful. We’re not stupid… we’re not going to say anything on the podcast that’s lawsuit-worthy,” Madison said, explaining that she and Marquardt’s attorneys signed off on the episode before it was released.
Hefner’s attorney confirmed the existence of the letter in a statement to TMZ on Tuesday. “Ms. Hefner will not have her name and reputation tarnished by opportunists. We stand by the contents of the letter and will enforce Ms. Hefner’s rights to the fullest,” the lawyer told the outlet.
Madison acknowledged receipt of a cease and desist letter in cryptic social media posts this week, though she didn’t directly confirm that it was sent by Hefner’s lawyer.
“Imagine running a free speech foundation and then sending someone a cease and desist for talking 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣,” the former Girls Next Door star wrote via X on Monday, June 10.
On Tuesday, she shared: “Your attorney can’t even find my correct email address 🤡”
Also on Tuesday, Madison took to her Instagram Stories to share a video of her using a copy of a cease and desist letter instead of toilet paper after going to the bathroom.
Us Weekly has reached out to Hefner for comment.
