LOS ANGELES, CA —Playboy founder Hugh Hefner will donate $2 million for an exhibition space in the school’s new headquarters complex, the USC School of Cinematic Arts announced last week.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,” Hefner 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 as well as a media repository to house past student films.
Despite Hefner’s status as a legendary pornographer, cinema students said they did not see any problem with using him as a benefactor as his cash is quite green.
“He’s just benefiting the students. It’s not like he’s putting Playboyat 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.”
Hefner has given to the school previously.
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.
