Who picks up the tab for the Playboy Mansion and it’s non-stop parties?
Does Hugh Hefner personally pay, or do shareholders of the publicly-traded company?
Depends on who is hosting the party. I have been to several there and the guests pay to be there; they are sponsored by corporate entities and many people (guys) pay memberships to belong to those “clubs” which sponsor the parties. Many of the girls who are there – obviously – do not pay to attend but they do have to pass muster (submit their statistics and photographs) to the “clubs” to get in.
Who pays? Hugh pays. 
There are parties and there are Official Playboy-sponsored to be photographed for the magazine parties. The latter would be a legitimate business expense. I doubt that those happen more than once or twice a year, though. And they wouldn’t be any different from events thrown by virtually every large business in the country that are also legitimately treated as business expenditures.
I think they’re more common than that. Pretty much every issue of the magazine has pictures from recent parties. I think they even have a page called “News From The Mansion” or something similar.
I’ve been to a party there. It was part of a business group, and we all paid about $500. It was well worth it. And I state that as a fact, in GQ.
Me too - 'cept I’m a girl and I didn’t pay…
OK, stipulating that the reply will be annecdotal, tell us why it was well worth it.
From what I have WITNESSED at the Playboy parties (read: Not Participated In) - it is cheaper for guys to spend $500 to attend one of those gatherings than it would be to buy a prostitute - and it includes alcohol.
The parties tend to have freely accessible, constantly flowing alcohol and sexually uninhibited persons available for practically whatever is desired (especially in the Grotto).
I didn’t realize guys paid $500 or so to get into the Mansion.
The place may even turn a profit at that rate.
And the Halloween party is $1,000 a person. And it is packed. Besides that, there are some who pay for “premium service” (like not having to be bussed in with the rest of the hoi polloi). I believe to get there a little earlier via limo and have some private time in a secluded part of the mansion, one pays $5k, possibly more.
[slight hijack] Has anyone read Kendra Wilkinson’s new book? She was one of the trio of girlfriends featured on the TV show Girls Next Door. It was a pretty good read but sadly didn’t reveal a whole lot about the parties. [slight hijack]
So where are your pics at?
Hefner is trying to buy all outstanding shares to take the company private.
There aren’t any, actually… I was on the board of directors of one of those corporate entities which sponsored the parties. 
But I still dressed appropriately for the shindigs and turned a few heads despite my advancing years. 
Dang! I was going to crack a joke about a $20 cover charge and a three drink minimum.
Is it like it was represented on Fresh Prince: only men and women in a certain league can get in?