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Cinematic Arts receives cash from Hugh Hefner

Playboy founder promises $2 million to build new exhibition space.

Alexander Comisar

Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: News
  • Page 1 of 1
Hugh Hefner, founder of the Playboy media empire, will donate $2 million for an exhibition space in the school's new headquarters complex, the USC School of Cinematic Arts announced Thursday.

Hefner said in a statement released by USC that he wanted to do all he could to contribute to the education of future professional storytellers.

"I'm proud to support the USC School of Cinematic Arts, which offers dialogue and personal interaction between scholars, educators, industry veterans and students," he said in the statement. "I've always believed that following one's dreams is very important."

The donation will fund an exhibition space contained within the school's new central building, which is currently under construction, as well as a media repository to house past student films.

Hefner's donation comes less than a year after George Lucas donated $175 million, the majority of which benefited the School of Cinematic Arts.

Despite Hefner's status as a porn media mogul, cinema students said they did not see any problem with using him as a benefactor.

"He's just benefiting the students. It's not like he's putting Playboy at USC," said Victoria DeKoker, a junior majoring in cinema-television critical studies. "It's just money."

Jared Scheib, a senior majoring in cinema-television production, agreed with DeKoker.

"I don't see anything intrinsically wrong with him or what he's done," he said. "It's not like he's funding some sort of porn start-up at USC or anything."

Although it is his largest, Hefner's recent donation to the School of Cinematic Arts is not his first.

In 1992, he donated $100,000 to fund the course Censorship in Cinema (CTCS 409), currently taught by professor Drew Casper.

In 1995, he gave $1.5 million to endow the Hugh M. Hefner Chair for the Study of American Film.

In the statement released by the School of Cinematic Arts, Dean Elizabeth M. Daley said Hefner's donation is a testament to his commitment not just to film, but education as well.

"Hugh Hefner's enduring support for the school makes a powerful statement … for his dedication to ensuring that we're successful in preparing our students to become entertainment arts leaders," she said.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3

Tonya

posted 11/16/07 @ 7:03 AM PST

Glad to see the old pervert is trying to do some good with his misgotten proceeds from decades of polluting the world with his degrading crap.

Matt

posted 11/16/07 @ 11:33 AM PST

wow, if you thnk Playboy is degrading, what must you think of pretty much everything these days? Playboy is tame.

Dreamer

Jose Daniel Arana

posted 11/18/07 @ 4:23 PM PST

It is not "just money." Receiving a donation and accepting it when not in dire need of it already demonstrates that the School of Cinematic Arts has no problem with Playboy. (Continued…)

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