LOS ANGELES, CA — Playboy magazine may have made history by featuring African-American Playmate of the Month Jennifer Jackson in its March 1965 issue – but former Night Calls producer Terri Hughes probably doesn’t think it did the company much good. Hughes is suing Playboy Radio for creating what she contends is a sexually and racially hostile work environment.According to a complaint filed against Playboy Enterprises Group, Playboy Radio executive producer Farrell Hirsch, and Night Calls host Christy Canyon, Hughes was knowingly and repeatedly subjected to discriminatory behavior related to her race and sex.
Among Hughes’ grievances are objections to repeated requests to “wax” show host Christy Canyon’s “ass” during a live three-hour broadcast – and Canyon’s insistence upon “exposing her genitals and breasts to co-workers, making requests to guests and co-workers to touch her genitals and breasts and masturbating herself with her own hands as well as with various sex toys during live broadcasts of Night Calls.
While these saucy on-air activities may sound scrumptious to fans, Hughes did not find them conducive to a harmonious workplace, especially if her other accusations are true.
Before having Christy Canyon ass waxer added to her list of unofficial duties, the African-American Hughes found herself passed over for what she believes was a natural move into the position of producer of Night Calls. Instead, when Marie Lanza left the position in order to move to Afternoon Advice,, it was handed to Kevin Dalton, a white man who had worked on the station’s Private Calls program.
According to Hughes, when African-American performer/director Vanessa Blue replaced previous co-host Ginger Lynn on Night Calls, fellow Playboy employee and porn performer Alana Evans observed to Hughes that “color” was being added to the show. Hughes indicates that Blue confessed frustration with Canyon’s overtly sexual behavior and racist conduct to her. Legal filings mention a photo of six white Playboy Radio hosts and Vanessa Blue and state that Blue’s image was “altered to intentionally deface, demean, humiliate and cause ridicule” to her.
In June, Hughes was asked to replace Dalton as Night Calls producer – but also allegedly told by Hirsch to show host Canyon “special attention” in order to retain her services on the show. Hughes reports that during the next month, all producers were given their own desks – except for her. Instead, she was told to share a desk with a Hispanic employee. Although Hughes says that she protested the situation, nothing was done to rectify it and, instead, she was informed that it would take eight months before her new business cards could be made.
Shortly afterwards, Canyon is said to have begun her on-air demands for ass waxing, which were repeatedly declined.
The next day, Hughes says she was quizzed about “a lawsuit involving Vanessa Blue,” which has not yet materialized. According to Hughes, she supported Blue’s contention that Canyon’s on-air behavior was sexually harassing and a problem – something Hughes believes may have inspired a “no penetration” policy instituted prior to her employment. At a later meeting between Hughes, Blue, and Canyon, the former proposed that since radio has no visuals, it was unnecessary for Canyon to engage in actual sexual conduct. She also emphasized to Canyon that “no means no.”
During the same month, Hirsch is alleged to have sent a letter to Hughes asking why there wasn’t more “sex” on Night Calls and complaining that she was booking too many male guests.
Other troubling accusations include those claiming that when African-American performer Sinnamon Love filled in for a protesting Canyon, Lanza accused Blue and Love of “soiling” and “staining” three studio chairs that were used during the show’s taping and claiming that they had left the room smelling “awful.” When Hughes investigated, she found a marijuana-filled water pipe, which she was told belonged to another Playboy employee.
When Hughes requested that she be removed from Night Calls but remain a producer of two other shows, Hirsch is accused of telling her that she must either work on all three or be demoted with a pay reduction. Previous producers were not faced with such a choice, according to Hughes.
In August, Hirsch removed Blue as a Night Calls co-host in order to giver her a show of her own and selected a replacement from an all-white list of candidates. When Blue requested Hughes as her producer, Hirsch is said to have replied with “I don’t know how to say this, and it might offend you, but I’m just going to say it anyway – no Negro shows.”
An August memo offering to transfer Hughes from Night Calls if she would accept a pay cut and demotion admits that Hirsch used the term “Negro” to describe programming he felt would be inappropriate for Playboy Radio.
