Hugh Hefner Dead: Social Media Reacts

The founder of Playboy and giant of American 20th-century culture Hugh Hefner died yesterday at the age of 91. This divisive figure criticised by many including conservatives - for bringing the decay of society and its values - and the left - for the objectification of women- but was also celebrated by many for positively normalising sex in America culture. Here we look at some of the reactions to his death on social media.

Hefner's story was straight out of the 'American Dream' playbook. After being denied a pay rise at Esquire, Hefner quit and started Playboy with an $8,000 investment. The first issue was published in 1953 when Hefner was just 27-years-old and sold more than 50,000 copies. At its peak in the 70s, the magazine had a circulation of more than seven million.

The magazine is remembered for its iconic covers including Marilyn Monroe (Dec 1953), Lorna Hopper (April 1969), Kim Kardashian (Dec 2007) and even Marge Simpson (Nov 2009), it's sexually explicit content and the journalism it printed from writers including Ian Flemming, Alex Hayley and Jack Kerouac.

When asked in 1992 what he was most proud of Hefner told the New York Times, "That I changed attitudes towards sex. That nice people can live together now. That I decontaminated the notion of premarital sex. That gives me great satisfaction."

Hefner, who was married four times, is survived by his wife, Crystal, a former Playmate, and four children. He will be buried in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, where he bought the mausoleum drawer next to Marilyn Monroe.