The Governor Who Planned Her Wedding At The Playboy Mansion

Oklahoma politics has some sordid tales to tell. We have some colorful governors and legislators. But this governor's romantic life has had some tales of unprecedented scale. Bill Clinton's governor's mansion might not have as much scandal as our current occupant?

Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion party guests included
Joe Fallin and Mary Copeland

  Randy Fellers was a social scene columnist for Oklahoma City The Lost Ogle reproduced an interesting scrapbook on Mary Fallin's younger days.
You can read the entire post, at The Lost Ogle.
  Young starlette, Mary Copeland, was at Hugh Hefner's Los Angeles Playboy mansion when her lover attempted to get her into the famous grotto for his big surprise. He settled for a private moment on the bridge where he popped the question and made her hunt for the ring somewhere in the stonework structure.
The two had been on a whirlwind frolic which started at a Utah ski resort, then on to Tahoe, Malibu, and finally a big Playboy party.
   Joe convinced the jet-set bachelorette to come back to Oklahoma and be his wife.
The marriage lasted until Joe hired his own private investigator and found out about "unprofessional conduct" by Mary and her state trooper bodyguard. (Read the Daily Oklahoman account of the claims of Fallin's adultery)

"Rambling with Randy" press clippings. Mary Fallin's single days and the party scene

   Mary then filed for divorce and made claims of domestic violence and rampant drug abuse against her husband. No assault charges were ever filed. That claim has never been litigated and quite often family court judges see it as an attempt to 'color' the divorce proceedings. Joe Fallin immediately took a drug test and his attorney presented the clean findings to the judge, as evidence that the Lieutenant Governor's claims were slanderous and constituted perjury. The married bodyguard (Greg Allen) was allowed to resign the next week amidst the scandal . The bodyguard did admit to various forms of affectionate physical contact with Mary Fallin.

Mary Fallin's grateful for Oklahomans who believe in personal redemption.

  The interesting thing about political history is that it's often something that the political publicists would rather that you not find out about. And something they get really bothered at your writing about it.
  Perhaps it demonstrates the progress of Mary's personal pilgrimage in finding greater purpose and learning from bad experiences. Would Mary Fallin's campaign managers want us to know what her past was like? Not likely.   But if you ask Mary what she has learned from her past embarrassments, she'll tell you that she is grateful for another chance to demonstrate that she's not the same person she used to be. And Mary Fallin's grateful for Oklahomans who believe in personal redemption. Maybe this will help Mary learn to demonstrate grace to others who wish not to be dismissed by one bad incident it their past? Or maybe Mary will not yet learn that 'to whom much is given, much is required'?

David Van Risseghem