Maniac publisher Felix Dennis sold Maxim for $250 million to Steven Rattner's Quadrangle Group in 2007; now, Rattner's firm is about to lose control of the magazine. Related: Dennis "once exclaimed at a meeting, 'I need to stop smoking crack.'"

That last bit, according to a former Felix Dennis employee tipster! Since we told you about some of Dennis' various maniacal foibles yesterday, like being a neat freak and owning many dildos, allegedly, more tips have poured in! We love Felix Dennis a bit more every day. The following are just rumors:

• This one comes "second hand" so let's take it with several grains of salt, but don't you think this is awesome?: In the mid-90s, in England, Dennis throws a huge masquerade ball-type party. He arrives dressed as a king, with several women in tow. Halfway through the party, he has the then-president and VP get up and make a speech to the company about what a great job they'd done. "Then Felix took the mike and promptly fired the president and VP in front of everyone, [and] kicked them out of the party." Ha.
• He forced employees to go to his poetry book readings.
• He smoked cigarettes constantly, in a non-smoking office.
• He bought a forest and named it after himself (true!).
• He rewarded his employees of the month with free trips to his estate in Mustique, featuring servant service and all.
• Maxim's office had a full bar, and a bong.

Maybe if Steven Rattner hadn't got rid of the bong, the banker geniuses wouldn't be in this mess.
[NYP. Pic: Flickr. Got more stories about crazy titans of the magazine world? Email us.]

Send an email to Hamilton Nolan, the author of this post, at Hamilton@gawker.com.