A close friend worked at Playboy Headquarters-in the Mansion. She said he was a perfect gentleman.
In fact, the only characteristic she ever related him having (as she was never a gossip of any kind) was one of obsession with "the best and newest" at the facility. That comes as no surprise as marketing (image / sales) was such a part of his, or any other, magazine.
Selling beer and Scotch at a baseball game = GOOD
Selling beer and Scotch in girly magazine ads = BAD. I don't think so.
I'd love to know how each of the 71 (I think) Playboy Clubs the world over performed financially. Those clubs limped into the '80's, no?