LOS ANGELES — Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is claiming that the newly released issue of Playboy magazine featuring nude Lindsay Lohan is selling out fast.
The issue's also giving a boost to the iPlayboy.com online magazine archive, according to reports.
Hefner tweeted, “The Lindsay Lohan January-February Double Issue is breaking sales records”
After an Internet leak of Lohan’s cover and layout that allegedly originated from Russia, Hefner decided to release the magazine earlier than the original Dec. 15 date.
Supporting Hefner’s claim, TMZ reported, “According to our sources, newsstands in major cities like New York and Los Angeles have had to re-order the issue multiple times. We're told Playboy is even getting re-orders from cities that usually never order more issues.
“Our sources say Lindsay's appearance in the mag has also had an effect online as well ... where the mag has seen a huge increase in subscription sales to their online service, iPlayboy.com.
But other reports paint a different picture.
CNN reported after contacting several newsstands in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and New York, only one said it had actually sold out of the issue.
And Fox News reported that after canvassing gas stations and newsstands between New York and Philadelphia on Friday none had actually sold out. “No one has bought it,” several respondents told Fox.