Good News/Bad News: The Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood sign was never really in danger, but it's good news that the land around the landmark has now been purchased by preservationists. As my colleague Ted Johnson notes, that means no "stucco, faux-Tuscan monoliths" will now be erected in the vicinity.

The good news: Hugh Hefner chipped in the final $900,000 to save the Hollywood sign.

The bad news: You don't want to know what Hef has in store for the sign's two "O"s.

The good news: Hugh Hefner chipped in the final $900,000 to save the Hollywood sign.

The bad news: Hef has decreed that ex-girlfriend Holly Madison legally change her name to "Holly Wood." (It's in her contract.)

The good news: Hugh Hefner chipped in the final $900,000 to save the Hollywood sign.

The bad news: The sign will now be covered in a discreet, brown paper wrapper.

The good news: Hugh Hefner chipped in the final $900,000 to save the Hollywood sign.

The bad news: The Hollywood sign now has some real daddy issues.

The good news: Hugh Hefner chipped in the final $900,000 to save the Hollywood sign.

The bad news: Those embarrassing photos that the Hollywood sign took when it was just starting out -- the ones that photographer said would never see the light of day -- will show up in the September issue.

The Hollywood Sign's Role in the Launch of the Fox Network

As the media extensively covered last week's Hollywood sign stunt, it served as a reminder that the landmark used to frequently be altered by businesses, college kids and pranksters.

These days, that never happens -- pranksters now have to rely on fake, doctored video footage -- which is why the Trust for Public Land scored tons of attention when it altered the sign to read "Save the Peak." (The Trust is looking to call attention to its efforts to buy and preserve nearby land on Cahuenga Peak.)



In 1987, Fox had much less altruistic reasons for altering the sign. The brand-new network, which launched its primetime schedule in April 1987, was looking to promote its debut, and hoped to make noise by turning the Hollywood sign into "Fox" (altering the "HOL" letters, and covering up the rest).



The business-oriented alterations of the sign appear to have ended after 1992's "Cool World." To promote that movie, a massive cutout of lead character Holli Would was placed on top of the sign -- angering many individuals. Paramount paid $54,000 to turn the sign into a massive promotion. (It's unclear how much News Corp. paid back in 1987.)