Original subtitles

- I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN I REALIZED

THAT MY FATHER WAS A PORNOGRAPHER.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT WORD "PORNOGRAPHER"

IS A WORD YOU COULD APPLY TO YOUR OWN FATHER.

MY DAD WAS THE ART DIRECTOR OF HUSTLERMAGAZINE,

BUT I JUST THOUGHT MY FATHER WENT TO WORK

LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S PARENTS WENT TO WORK.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT'S A DOG ERECTION?

I MEAN, I-I--YOU KNOW,

I HAVEN'T HAD A DOG IN ABOUT 25 YEARS.

- WELL... - YEAH, I GUESS THAT IS.

- IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO A CAT ERECTION,

WHICH I'M FAMILIAR WITH.

- MIKE, I THOUGHT WE HAD THIS TALK ALREADY.

- I DON'T REMEMBER THAT TALK. WE NEVER HAD THAT TALK.

YOU KNOW WHAT TALK I HAD?

I HAD AN INTERNAL DIALOGUE

WHEN I SNUCK THESE OUT OF YOUR CLOSET.

- THERE'S SORT OF THIS MT. RUSHMORE OF PORNOGRAPHY.

HUGH HEFNER STARTED IN THE 1950s.

BOB GUCCIONE AND PENTHOUSE CAME ALONG,

WHICH WAS REALLY JUST A KNOCKOFF ON PLAYBOY--

JUST LARCENY.

AL GOLDSTEIN STARTED SCREWMAGAZINE IN 1968.

IT WAS REALLY VERY POLITICAL,

IT WAS RIGHT AT THE PEAK OF VIETNAM INSANITY.

LARRY FLYNT WORKED IN A STRIP CLUB

AND WAS FUCKING ALL THE GIRLS.

- AL GOLDSTEIN AND LARRY FLYNT ALWAYS HAD THIS LITTLE...

LOVE/HATE, YOU KNOW, COMPETITION THING.

- LARRY CAME TO MEET ME,

AND UNLIKE MOST PEOPLE, I SAID, "I'D LIKE TO MEET EVERYBODY."

- HE HAD A GRANDIOSITY, AND HE HAD A STRENGTH

THAT NOTHING SCARED HIM.

- WE WERE TRYING TO SELL MEMBERSHIPS TO THE CLUBS,

AND WHEN YOU'D BUY A MEMBERSHIP, YOU'D ALSO GET

A COPY OF THAT MAGAZINE.

- LARRY FLYNT HAD THE LITTLE HUSTLERMAGAZINE

THAT WAS A FLYER

WITH, LIKE, FIVE PAGES,

AND HE USED TO PUT HIS GIRLS THERE.

AND I GO, "GEE, WHAT A PIECE-OF-SHIT THING THAT IS."

- 1969, I GOT BACK FROM VIETNAM.

THAT'S WHEN WE OPENED A CLUB IN CINCINNATI.

BACK THEN, CLUBS WERE NOT LIKE CLUBS ARE TODAY.

THE GIRLS WERE DANCING IN BIKINIS

AND HUSTLING DRINKS.

- IT WAS JUST A BAR WITH LITTLE, TINY,

ROUND STAGES FOR HIS GIRLS.

AND THE GIRLS WERE VERY YOUNG.

WE'RE TALKING 18 AND 17 AND LITTLE HILLBILLY GIRLS.

- BEFORE ALL THIS SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

CAME ABOUT IN THE '80s...

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST ONE BIG ORGY.

- IT WAS WHEN THERE WAS SO MUCH PUSSY THERE.

AND IT WAS ACCESSIBLE. IT WAS AVAILABLE.

- GRAVY TRAINS AND GANG BANGS,

AND IT WAS FUN.

- ALTHEA WAS HIRED TO DANCE

IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

AND THEN LARRY MET HER.

- I STARTED TALKING TO HIM, EVEN THOUGH I HATED HIM.

YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT, "THIS GUY-- HE MUST BE HOMOSEXUAL."

HE HAD HIS FINGERNAILS POLISHED.

AND AT THE TIME I WAS VERY HIPPY-ISH,

AND I THOUGHT HE WAS A CAPITALIST PIG,

AND I WAS VERY AGAINST HIM.

BUT HE CAME OFF--HE WAS JUST-- HE WAS A VERY NICE GUY.

- THEY KIND OF HIT IT OFF

AND BECAME CLOSE FRIENDS AND EVENTUALLY GOT MARRIED.

- WE WERE TRYING TO FRANCHISE THE CLUBS

AND DO A MAGAZINE LIKE HEFNER DID.

THAT WAS OUR DREAM.

WE WERE INTRODUCED TO RON FENTON,

WHO'D PUBLISHED GALLERYMAGAZINE.

HE HAD OVERSPENT, OVER-ADVANCED IN THE MAGAZINE BUSINESS.

WE GAVE HIM $10,000, AND FOR THAT $10,000,

WE WERE PROVIDED WITH ENOUGH INFORMATION TO...

TO SHOW US A DIRECTION TO GO FOR A NATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR.

THAT'S HOW THE FOUR-COLOR HUSTLERORIGINATED.

- AL, YOU'RE MY HERO.

AND LET'S GET SOMETHING STRAIGHT FROM THE RECORD.

- ON 60 MINUTES, YOU DON'T SAY THAT.

- LOOK, GREAT--THAT'S BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T ASK ME.

YOU KNOW, I'M ON YOUR SHOW NOW, SO I'M TELLING YOU.

I THINK THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE PUBLICATION IN THE WORLD

THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN HUSTLER,AND THAT'S SCREW.

- I THINK THAT AL GOLDSTEIN'S PUBLICATION

HAD AN ENORMOUS INFLUENCE ON LARRY.

- LARRY WASN'T THAT SMART. HE WAS ILLITERATE.

I DON'T OPEN ANY DOORS. I'M NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

I'M GEOGRAPHICALLY A NEW YORK PIMP.

- WE WOULD RATHER HAVE TEN TRUCK DRIVERS READING OUR PUBLICATION

THAN ONE COLLEGE PROFESSOR.

- I USED TO SAY THAT.

IN FACT, KNOWING YOU, YOU PROBABLY FOUND THAT I SAID IT

AND STOLE IT, BUT--

- EVERYTHING HE HAD WAS DERIVATIVE, BUT IT WAS OKAY.

- ME, AL, AND LARRY FLYNT WERE ONCE HAVING

A DIM SUM BREAKFAST IN WESTWOOD.

I CALLED IT THE SLIME PACK--

NOT THE RAT PACK, THE SLIME PACK.

AL GOES, "YOU'VE TAKEN A LOT OF MY IDEAS, YOU KNOW."

"UH, THAT'S TRUE."

OH, MY GOD, HE FINALLY ADMITTED IT.

AL GOES, "PRAISE JESUS, HALLELUJAH."

HE SAYS, "LARRY FLYNT JUST ADMITTED

HE TOOK SOME OF MY IDEAS," YOU KNOW.

AL WAS JUST DANCING ON THE RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW,

HE SAYS, "HE FINALLY ADMITTED IT.

NOT ON CAMERA, BUT HE ADMITTED IT."

- LARRY FLYNT UNDERSTOOD THAT HE HAD TO DISTINGUISH

HIS PRODUCT FROM PLAYBOYAND PENTHOUSE.

THE FIRST EDITION OF HUSTLER, HE WRITES, VERY CLEVERLY,

THAT ANY MAN CAN BE A PLAYBOY AND HAVE A PENTHOUSE,

BUT IT TAKES A REAL MAN TO BE A HUSTLER.

- THE GREAT THING ABOUT LARRY IS THAT

HE DOESN'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF HIM.

THAT'S WHY I THINK I LOVE HIM.

HE'S GOT A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR,

AND HE DOESN'T TAKE HIMSELF SERIOUSLY,

WHEREAS HEF WAS ALWAYS

TRYING TO CONTROL HIS IMAGE,

YOU KNOW, EVERY NOTCH ON HIS BELT,

AND HE WAS--HE WAS THIS, AND HE WAS THAT,

AND EVERYTHING WAS PROGRAMMED.

- HEF WAS REALLY A SQUARE...

YOU KNOW.

FOR ALL HIS TALK ABOUT BEING SUCH A SWINGER,

I MEAN, HE'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, 23 SKIDOO,

HE'S STILL LIVING IN THE BIG-BAND ERA.

HE PRETENDS THAT PLAYBOY IS THIS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

THAT'S REALLY KIND OF NICE AND PART OF AMERICANA, YOU KNOW.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE SATURDAY EVENING POST

OF, YOU KNOW, MEN'S MAGAZINES.

AND NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE FUCKING TRUTH--

THAT IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT SEX AND SELLING FLESH.

- I THINK IT'S LONG BEEN KIND OF VIEWED

BY A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

THAT PLAYBOY WAS THE GIRL NEXT DOOR,

PENTHOUSEWAS THE RICH BITCH WHO WAS JUST NAUGHTY,

AND HUSTLERWAS THE HORNY, YOUNG GIRLS

WHO WERE ALWAYS ON THE BEACH WITH THE MOST FABULOUS TANS

DOING THE RAUNCHIEST THINGS.

- THE GIRLS WERE PORTRAYED AS THE ATTAINABLE GIRL.

IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT THE GIRLS IN PLAYBOY,

WELL, GUYS WOULD SAY,

"I DON'T HAVE A SHOT AT FUCKING THAT GIRL."

BUT THEY COULD LOOK AT HUSTLERAND SAY,

"I GOT A SHOT WITH THIS GIRL."

- PLAYBOYWAS KNOWN FOR THE NO VAGINA.

PLAYBOYWAS ALWAYS BIG, SEXY BOOBIES, NICE ASSES.

THEY ALWAYS TOLD THE GIRLS TO GROW HAIR

SO YOU DIDN'T SEE THE PUSSY, ACTUALLY.

YOU DON'T SEE THE LIPS.

SO THE CAMERA SHOOTS, THEY CAN'T REALLY SEE IT.

YOU NEVER SEE A SPREAD-LEG SHOT IN PLAYBOY,EVER.

THEY CALL THAT THE "OBSCENE VIEW."

PENTHOUSE,AT THAT TIME, WHEN HUSTLERGOT STARTED,

DIDN'T EITHER.

PENTHOUSETRIED TO BE A POOR MAN'S PLAYBOY,SIMILAR.

MODELS DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE SUCH BIG OF BOOBIES,

BUT THEY WERE VERY SLEEK.

THEY LOOKED MORE LIKE FASHION MODELS.

WHAT HUSTLERDID WAS THE VAGINA.

IT WAS FOR THOSE WHO THINK PINK.

- I DON'T THINK WE HAD SUCH PINK PUSSIES, REALLY.

- HUSTLERWAS JUST GROSS.

AND IT WAS JUST, LIKE, VIOLENT AND FRIGHTENING

AND FASCINATING

AND DISGUSTING AND EXHILARATING

AND JUST SO DIRTY, JUST SO WRONG.

AND I DIDN'T REALLY LIKE HUSTLERMAGAZINE.

BUT I STILL BOUGHT IT AND READ IT.

- WHO WAS THE FIRST PLAYBOYCENTERFOLD?

MARILYN MONROE, ON THE COVER OF THE FIRST PLAYBOY.

CELEBRITY NUDITY STARTED

THE MEN'S MAGAZINE REVOLUTION OF THE '50s.

- MARILYN JUST SAID, "I'M NOT ASHAMED.

IT'S SOMETHING I DID FOR THE MONEY. SO WHAT?"

AND PEOPLE TOOK HER TONE AND WENT WITH IT,

AND SAID, "YEAH, WHY SHOULD SHE BE ASHAMED?

SHE LOOKS AMAZING, AND SHE'S A SEX STAR ANYWAY."

IT MADE HER EVEN BIGGER.

- THE THING ABOUT CELEBRITY NUDITY IS THAT WITH CELEBRITIES,

YOU KIND OF KNOW THEM.

YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW THEM.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE SEEING YOUR NEIGHBOR NUDE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE SEEING SOMEBODY AT THE OFFICE NAKED.

- AL GOLDSTEIN GOT WORD THAT--

YOU KNOW, THAT JACKIE KENNEDY PHOTOS WERE AVAILABLE

FROM THIS PHOTOGRAPHER IN ITALY

BY THE NAME OF SETTIMIO GARRITANO.

- I DID IT FIRST.

- SCREW'SLIMITED DISTRIBUTION WAS NEW YORK CITY.

- I BEAT HUSTLERNINE MONTHS.

I BOUGHT THE MAGAZINE

AT A NEWS STAND IN MANHATTAN FOR $20.

IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS.

SOLD A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND COPIES OF SCREW.

SHE WAS PUSSY. I WAS HAPPY TO HAVE HER THERE.

- BUT THAT WAS, LIKE, SHITTY NEWSPRINT BLACK AND WHITE,

AND IT'S SCREW.

- AND IF YOU HAD THE PICTURES, HOW COME JIMMY FLYNT

HAD TO GO TO ITALY TO GET THEM FOR HUSTLER?

- HE'S STUPID. HE'S A JEW BOY.

I PAID $20. HOW SMART CAN YOU BE?

JIMMY WAS, YOU KNOW, A REDNECK PIECE OF SHIT.

I LIKE JIMMY.

- WE WENT OVER AND BOUGHT THE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM SETTIMIO

AND RAN THOSE IN THE MAGAZINE.

AND WE MADE A MILLION DOLLARS.

OUR CIRCULATION WENT FROM--

WENT FROM, YOU KNOW, 100,000 TO A MILLION AND A HALF.

- HERE IS LITERALLY THE MOST FAMOUS WOMAN IN THE WORLD,

THE MOST ADMIRED WOMAN IN THE WORLD, COMPLETELY NUDE--

UNIMAGINABLE THAT YOU WERE EVER GONNA SEE JACKIE O. NUDE.

IT JUST CHANGED EVERYTHING.

- THE CHALLENGES BEGAN AS EFFORTS CONTINUE

TO GET A JURY TO HEAR THE CASE AGAINST HUSTLERMAGAZINE,

ITS PUBLISHER LARRY FLYNT, HIS WIFE, ALTHEA,

AND TWO OTHER HUSTLEROFFICIALS.

THEY'RE CHARGED WITH ENGAGING IN ORGANIZED CRIME

AND PANDERING OBSCENITY.

THE DEFENSE CLAIMED TODAY THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT

IS A PRINCIPAL ISSUE IN THE CASE.

PROSECUTOR SIMON LEIS CHARGED

THAT OBSCENITY IS THE ISSUE, NOT CENSORSHIP.

- BACK IN THE EARLY '70s, PEOPLE CAME THERE AND SAID,

"WELL, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAGAZINE."

HUSTLERMAGAZINE WAS FAR WORSE THAN PLAYBOY

AND ALL THE OTHER GIRLY MAGAZINES.

IT WAS GROSS.

- WHEN WE PUBLISHED THE FIRST ISSUE OF HUSTLER

AND IT BEGAN TO GET SOME ATTENTION,

THERE WAS A BIG RESENTMENT COMING FROM SIMON LEIS.

BUT THERE WAS A BUILDUP TO THAT POINT

BECAUSE HE KNEW HOW WE OPERATED IN THE CLUB BUSINESS.

HE WANTED A CLEAN CINCINNATI-- BASEBALL AND APPLE PIE.

- IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CASES THAT GOT NATIONAL ATTENTION.

AND THE FACT THAT LARRY HAD BEEN SUCH A PROMOTER

THAT, BY THE TIME THE TRIAL STARTED,

WHY, THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAS FOCUSED ON IT.

- I WOULD GIVE HERALD MOST OF THE CREDIT

FOR THE SOUND BITES THAT LARRY HAS USED OVER THE YEARS.

HE WAS A BIG PART OF PUTTING LARRY ON A PEDESTAL

AS THE DEFENDER OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

- WELL, WE DON'T SUPPRESS CIGARETTES AND LIQUOR

BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE HARMFUL TO CHILDREN.

WE JUST RESTRICT THE SALE.

IF WE TRY TO LIMIT ADULT READING HABITS

TO WHAT'S FIT FOR CHILDREN,

WE'LL HAVE NOTHING BUT ALICE IN WONDERLAND

AND LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.

- I USED TO SAY, "LARRY, YOU KNOW,

ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT YOU OUGHT TO STRESS

IS THAT FREEDOM IS INDIVISIBLE.

WE CAN'T SAVE IT TO ONE PERSON AND DENY IT TO ANOTHER.

IT'S GOT TO EXIST FOR ALL OF US,

OR THE REAL RISK IS IT MAY NOT EXIST FOR ANY OF US.

AND HE WAS VERY QUICK TO PICK UP ON THESE THINGS.

- HERALD FAHRINGER AND I USED TO BE PARTNERS.

AT THE TIME, I WAS HIS YOUNG PROTEGE, IF YOU WILL,

AND WE HAD JUST FINISHED

SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDING AL GOLDSTEIN IN FEDERAL COURT.

AND WE GOT A CALL ONE DAY.

SECRETARY SAID,

"WELL, THERE'S A MAN ON THE PHONE NAMED LARRY FLYNT."

- HE SAID TO ME,

"IF YOU WERE TO DEFEND MY MAGAZINE,

WHY WOULD YOU DEFEND IT?"

NOW, I THINK MANY LAWYERS MIGHT SAY,

"WELL, I'M BEING RETAINED.

THAT'S HOW I MAKE MY LIV--"

BUT I QUITE NATURALLY SAID,

"BECAUSE I BELIEVE VERY DEEPLY IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT

"AND THAT IN A FREE SOCIETY, EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE

TO CHOOSE WHATEVER THEY WANT TO READ."

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T MAKE THAT CHOICE.

THE MARKETPLACE SHOULD BE THE DOMINATING FACTOR.

THAT'S A KEY ELEMENT OF A DEMOCRACY.

- ORGANIZED CRIME STATUTE BACK IN THOSE DAYS,

YOU HAD TO HAVE FIVE PEOPLE WHO CONSPIRED TO VIOLATE THE LAW.

AND IF YOU HAD FIVE PEOPLE IN A CONSPIRACY,

THAT WAS A RICO STATUTE-- THAT'S HOW WE PROSECUTED HIM.

- FIVE KIDS STEAL APPLES FROM AN ORCHARD--

THAT'S ORGANIZED CRIME.

- THIS IS ACTION NEWS FROM WTBN TV, COLUMBUS.

- GOOD EVENING.

HUSTLERMAGAZINE PUBLISHER LARRY FLYNT

HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY IN THAT CINCINNATI TRIAL

AND HAULED OFF TO JAIL IN HANDCUFFS.

- CONVICTED OF PANDERING OBSCENITY.

- FLYNT IS APPEALING HIS SENTENCE

OF UP TO 25 YEARS AND HIS $11,000 FINE.

- THIS COULD TURN OUT TO BE A BIG CASE,

POSSIBLY LEADING TO MORE COURT RULINGS

ON WHAT IS OBSCENE AND WHAT IS NOT.

- I DIDN'T LIKE ANYTHING ABOUT THE MAN.

I STILL DON'T LIKE ANYTHING ABOUT THE MAN.

AND HAD I BEEN THE JUDGE...

I'M NOT SURE I'D GIVE HIM 25 YEARS,

BUT I'D GIVE HIM A HEFTY SENTENCE.

AND WHEN HE GAVE HIM 25 YEARS, I KIND OF SMILED.

- HOW COULD ANYBODY WHO JUST PUBLISHES A MAGAZINE

BE SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON?

EVERYBODY WAS ACQUITTED EXCEPT LARRY.

AND THEN ON APPEAL,

WE EVENTUALLY CONVINCED THE APPELLATE COURT

TO VACATE THE CHARGES

AND DECLARE THE STATUTE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

- THE JURY WAS OUT, AND I'D SEE THE BAILIFF COME IN.

I SAID, "YOUR HONOR,

"I KNOW THESE NOTES ARE COMING OUT FROM THE JURY.

"AND YOU'RE READING 'EM AND PUTTING THEM IN YOUR POCKET.

"I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING.

I THINK WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT."

WELL, OF COURSE, WHAT THE JURY WAS SENDING IN

WAS THAT THEY WERE SAYING. "WE'RE DEADLOCKED."

YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT,

BECAUSE WHEN A JURY IS DEADLOCKED,

THE LAWYER HAS A RIGHT TO SAY, "I THINK THEY SHOULD CONTINUE,"

OR HE CAN SAY, "I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A MISTRIAL."

YOU KNOW, SO WE IMMEDIATELY MOVED FOR MISTRIAL.

THAT WAS THE BASIS OF THE HIGHER COURT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,

REVERSING HIS CONVICTION.

- AS FAR AS GETTING THE ATTENTION

THAT GENERATED NEWSSTAND SALES,

SIMON LEIS PUT US ON THE MAP.

- I'M SURE EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE JUST AS PROUD

OF BEING AN AMERICAN AS I AM.

WE'RE THE STRONGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TODAY...

ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE THE FREEST COUNTRY

IN THE WORLD TODAY!

AND I DON'T WANT ANY AMERICAN ANYWHERE

TO EVER FORGET THAT THAT STRENGTH

LIES IN OUR PRINCIPLES TO BE FREE.

- WHEN THEY HIRED YOU, THEY WERE STILL COMING OFF

OF THE SUCCESS OF THE JACKIE O. ISSUE.

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT TAKING THIS JOB?

- WHEN I GOT THIS OFFER FROM MY AGENT TO DO HUSTLER,

TO ME, IT WAS LIKE GOING TO WORK AT PLAYBOY.

I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

I GOT THERE, AND WHAT I SAW

WAS A FREE-FOR-ALL OF POLITICS.

EVERYBODY WAS BLAMING EVERYBODY FOR BEING LATE,

EVERYBODY WAS YELLING AT EVERYBODY.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE AS TO A LOT OF SHORTCUTS

AND HOW TO DO THIS STUFF.

- YOUR DAD WAS BASICALLY THE POWER OF HIS OWN PRESENCE.

AND ALSO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, HE HAD--

I THINK HE HAD A HUGE INFLUENCE AND HUGE INPUT

ON THE TONE AND JUST THE CREATIVE STANDARD

COMING THROUGH THESE MAGAZINES.

- I WAS THE OUTSIDER, 'CAUSE I WAS COMING FROM NEW YORK,

AND I HAD TO STEP ON A LOT OF FEET,

AND IT CAUSED A LOT OF CONFLICT.

THERE WAS ALWAYS A BATTLE IN MAGAZINES.

I DON'T CARE WHAT MAGAZINE IT WAS.

IT WAS EDITORIAL VERSUS ART.

THE EDITORIAL WOULD TAKE THEIR TIME,

AND THE ART WOULD PAY FOR IT.

THE ART DEPARTMENT WAS WORKING TILL 1:00 IN THE MORNING

FOR ONE MAGAZINE.

THAT WAS CRAZY.

- YOU HAVE THESE REALLY GREAT ISSUES LIKE THIS

THAT HAVE SO-- LIKE, 200-PAGE ISSUES,

WHICH, AT THE TIME, WERE UNPRECEDENTED,

WITH NO ADVERTISING.

- HUSTLER'SBUSINESS MODEL WAS ALWAYS NEWSSTAND SALES,

NOT ADVERTISING.

- THEY NEVER HAD MAINSTREAM ADVERTISING.

LARRY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN COKE AND LIQUOR ADS.

IT WAS JUST THE PORN PEOPLE THAT WERE ADVERTISING.

- MAINSTREAM MADISON AVENUE WOULDN'T ADVERTISE

IN AN OUTRAGEOUS MAGAZINE LIKE HUSTLER.

WELL, THEN LARRY'S DECISION WAS TO ATTACK THOSE ADVERTISERS.

"TOYOTA, FROM THE FINE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT YOU PEARL HARBOR."

OR SHOWING A CAMEL CIGARETTE AD

AND JOHN WAYNE LAID BACK SMOKING A CAMEL.

HE DIED OF LUNG CANCER.

AND ONCE YOU RAN ONE OF THOSE, FORGET ABOUT IT.

- LOOK AT LARRY FLYNT, WHO STARTED RUNNING

AN ANTITOBACCO CAMPAIGN ON HIS DIME

AND CHASED ALL THAT SHIT OUT OF HIS MAGAZINE.

I MEAN, THAT'S CRAZY, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT--THAT'S--

YOU KNOW, SOME WOULD SAY THAT'S NOT GOOD BUSINESS,

BUT IT'S RESPONSIBLE.

THIS, LIKE, AWFUL PORNOGRAPHER, YOU KNOW,

WHO'S DOING ANTITOBACCO STUFF, AND HE'S DOING PRO-POLICE ADS.

- I USED TO KEEP A COPY OF THAT AD

"SOME STILL CALL HIM PIG" IN MY CAR.

I GOT OUT OF A TICKET WITH IT.

- THAT WAS THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY OUT THERE.

THEY WERE ALL VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DID.

LARRY ONLY PICKED THE BEST.

LARRY SAID, "FUCK AIRBRUSHING."

WE'RE GONNA SHOW EVERY PUBIC HAIR, EVERY BEAD OF SWEAT.

THE LAYOUTS ARE BRILLIANT.

- EACH PHOTOGRAPHER HAD HIS OWN PERSONALITY AND EGO

THAT WAS THE SIZE OF THE UNIVERSE.

- AFTER A WHILE, LIKE, YOU CAN SPOT--

YOU DON'T NEED TO SEE A NAME ON A PACKET

TO KNOW WHICH PHOTOGRAPHER SHOT WHAT.

THERE'S CERTAIN SHOTS THEY ALL DO,

CERTAIN SETUPS THEY DO OVER AND OVER,

AND THEY BECOME SIGNATURE SHOTS.

- WE SAW SOME OF THE WORK THAT JAMES BAES WAS DOING.

HE DID SOME WORK FOR PENTHOUSE.

AND THEN MATTI KLATT, HE CAME THROUGH JAMES.

AND THEN JAMES BROUGHT CLIVE MCLEAN,

AND THEN CLIVE BROUGHT SUZE RANDALL ABOARD.

- I MET LARRY AT HEFNER'S.

I WAS WORKING FOR HEFNER.

HE WAS KIND OF BLACKMAILING HEFNER.

HE HAD SOME PICTURES OF HEF WITH ANOTHER GIRL,

NOT HIS PRESENT GIRLFRIEND.

I'D JUST WRITTEN A KISS-AND-TELL BOOK

ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES OF PLAYBOY.

MET FLYNT, AND HE SAID, "OH, SUZE, WHY DON'T YOU

SHOOT YOURSELF FOR HUSTLER AND I'LL PUBLICIZE THE BOOK?"

LARRY PUT ON THE COVER OF HUSTLER,

"PLAYBOYPHOTOGRAPHER SHOWS PINK."

AND HEFNER THREW ME OUT.

THAT'S HOW I JUMPED INTO BED WITH LARRY.

- YOU'RE NOT POINTING YOUR TOES THERE.

- I KNOW. THAT'S SHOCKING. - IT IS SHOCKING.

- THAT'S SHOCKING. - IT'S TERRIBLE.

- THIS IS A TERRIBLE POSE.

BUT, ANYWAY, IT'S KIND OF GOOD.

I CERTAINLY DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT NOW.

SO THAT'S ONE ADVANTAGE IN SHOOTING YOURSELF FOR HUSTLER.

AND PEOPLE REMEMBER YOU THE WAY YOU WERE,

NOT THE OLD GOAT THAT YOU ARE NOW.

- I USED TO GO AND SHOOT FOR SUZE

AND HER DAUGHTER, WHO IS HOLLY RANDALL,

WHO IS, LIKE, A FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER.

I WAS JUST THIS LITTLE KID

WHO WAS KIND OF RUNNING AROUND ON THE SET, YOU KNOW,

WHILE WE WERE DOING MAKEUP, AND SHE'D BE OUT THERE

EATING HER PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES.

AND THEN HER MOM WOULD BE LIKE,

"OKAY, NOW," RUN 'EM OFF THE SET.

- "DARLING, GO ON UPSTAIRS.

I'M JUST SHOOTING THIS NAKED GUY IN THE GARDEN FOR PLAYGIRL."

"ALL RIGHT, MUM."

- SO, YEAH, I MEAN, IT WAS BECAUSE I THINK THAT

THERE WASN'T ANY, LIKE, SECRECY SURROUNDING IT

OR, LIKE, SENSE OF SHAME OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL.

- HER AND CLIVE MCLEAN ALWAYS HAD KIND OF A--

KIND OF A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP.

YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD SORT OF ALWAYS FEED OFF OF EACH OTHER.

- MY MOM AND CLIVE ACTUALLY WERE COMPETITORS,

AND I THINK THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE EACH OTHER

FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

- CLIVE AND I MET IN THE '90s. I WAS DOING MAKEUP.

AND WE, UM, GOT ALONG, LIKE, REALLY WELL.

WHEN I MET HIM, HE WAS KIND OF PRETTY WILD AND CRAZY.

WE WERE MARRIED FOR 12 YEARS.

CLIVE WAS THE SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

FOR LARRY FOR MANY YEARS.

HE LOVED LARRY, ABSOLUTELY LOVED LARRY.

AND HE WAS REALLY LOYAL TO HIM.

HE REALLY KNEW WHAT HE WANTED. HE REALLY THOUGHT IT OUT.

HE BROUGHT THE MAGAZINE TO LIFE.

- WE ACTUALLY HAD HIM OVER HERE FOR NEW YEAR'S.

AND THAT WAS WHEN I THINK HE FIRST STARTED

TO NOTICE SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH HIM

BEFORE HE ACTUALLY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER,

'CAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO SMOKE A CIGAR,

AND I THINK HIS HAND WAS TREMBLING,

AND HE WAS KIND OF, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

"I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HOLDING ON TO THIS."

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE FOUND OUT HE HAD CANCER.

AND THEN WHEN HE PASSED, IT WAS JUST SO SAD.

- WE WERE REALLY STRUGGLING

HOW TO LIGHT THE NUDES AND LIGHT THE PUSSY.

I MEAN, IT'S VERY HIDDEN IN THERE.

IT'S VERY HARD.

SHIT.

- SHE ALWAYS HAD THAT SHOT WITH THE MIRROR

WHERE SHE WOULD JUST THROW, LIKE, ALL THIS LIGHT

AT THE VAGINA.

- IT WAS REALLY EARLY DAYS ON THE PINK STUFF.

WE EVEN USED TO GLUE THE LABIA BACK.

- REALLY? - YEAH.

- WITH WHAT? - OH, CHEWING GUM?

NO.

- KRAZY GLUE? - KRAZY GLUE.

- WE USED TO COAT THE GIRL WITH VASELINE

AND SPRINKLE WATER ON IT LIKE SHE'S SWEATING.

WE WOULD TAKE THE VAGINA AND PUT VASELINE THERE,

AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS-- LIKE SHE'D JUST HAD AN ORGASM.

- WHAT I FOUND BORING ABOUT MOST OF THE MAGAZINE LAYOUTS

IS THE GIRLS ALL HAD THE SAME EXPRESSION...

BLAND, EYES CLOSED, SUPPOSED ECSTASY.

AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER SAID-- I HAD MY EYES CLOSED.

HE SAID, "NOW LOOK LIKE YOU'RE ANGRY."

WHEN I SAW THE PHOTOGRAPHS,

IT WAS LIKE, "OH, EXPRESSION, MOVEMENT."

IT'S INTENSE ENERGY.

- MY SECOND TIME BEING IN A LAYOUT WITH HUSTLER,

ME AND DANA GRAY GO TO HAWAII TO BE IN THIS BOY/GIRL LAYOUT--

ONE OF THE GREATEST EXPERIENCES OF MY ENTIRE LIFE.

JAMES BAES IS THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

HE WANTED THE SUN TO BE A CERTAIN WAY.

WE'D TAKE A HELICOPTER TO A CERTAIN PART OF THE ISLAND,

WHICH WAS TOTALLY DESERTED.

EACH DAY, JAMES BAES WOULD LOOK AT THE SUN AND GO,

"CLOUDS. IT JUST ISN'T--TODAY'S NOT A GOOD DAY TO SHOOT."

I'D SAY, "GOOD.

ALTHEA, SAILING TODAY? LET'S GO SAILING."

I'M IN LOVE WITH THESE GUYS. THEY PAID FOR EVERYTHING.

AND I GET A SALARY BESIDES.

SECOND DAY, I'M LIKE THIS.

JAMES BAES LOOKS AT THE SKY.

"I'M SORRY, ALTHEA. THIS ISN'T A GOOD DAY TO SHOOT."

"GREAT! SNORKELING."

AND GUESS WHAT WE HAD FOR DINNER THAT NIGHT.

SURF AND TURF, STEAK AND LOBSTER.

SO THE THIRD DAY JAMES LOOKS AT THE SKY.

"OH, TODAY WE CAN SHOOT." "FUCK!"

YOU KNOW, SO WE TAKE A HELICOPTER

TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND.

WE DO THIS NICE LAYOUT.

- LARRY FLYNT, A PORNOGRAPHER

WHO PUBLISHES A MAGAZINE CALLED HUSTLER--

IT CONTAINS, IN MY JUDGMENT, AT LEAST,

WELL, "SMUT" IS TOO KIND A DESCRIPTION.

BUT HE SAYS ALL OF THAT WILL CHANGE,

BECAUSE NOW CHRIST HAS WALKED INTO HIS HEART.

HE SAYS THAT HE'S BEEN HELPED IN THAT BY RUTH CARTER STAPLETON,

THE PRESIDENT'S EVANGELIST SISTER.

- I'M LISTENING TO THE NEWS.

THE NEWSCASTER SAYS LARRY FLYNT IS NOW BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.

- I GOT THIS CALL FROM HIM.

HE SAYS, "I'M UP IN THE AIR WITH RUTH.

I'VE JUST SEEN JESUS."

AND I SAID, "WELL, YOU TELL HIM I SAID HI, LARRY."

- A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GET INTO RELIGION

SUFFER FROM MANIC DEPRESSION.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

BEING THE PUBLISHER OF HUSTLER

AND "BORNED-AGAIN"

GOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUBLICITY,

WHICH FED THAT NARCISSISM.

- IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD'VE KNOWN LARRY

WAS GONNA DO SOMETHING IN THE BORN-AGAIN VEIN,

BECAUSE ABOUT THREE WEEKS PREVIOUS,

I GET A MEMO.

THE MEMO STATED THAT THE COMPANY IS CLOSED TOMORROW.

EVERYBODY'S GONNA GO TO THE LOCAL MOVIE THEATER.

AND WE WATCHED THE MARJOEMOVIE.

MARJOE GORTNER WAS A CON MAN RUNNING THESE RELIGIOUS REVIVALS

WHO WERE STEALING EVERYBODY'S MONEY.

- HALLELUJAH! - PRAISE JESUS!

- HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU, JESUS! - THANK YOU, JESUS.

- JESUS IS SO GOOD TO ME TONIGHT.

HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. I PRAISE THE LORD.

- HE MADE HIS OWN DOCUMENTARY CALLED MARJOE,

WHICH EXPOSES THE PHONINESS OF IT ALL.

- THERE'S THE EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU SAY YOU'RE SAVED,

THEN THERE'S THE FIRE BAPTISM WHEN YOU GET THE HOLY GHOST,

AND THAT'S THE TONGUES THING.

AND THEY LOVE TO WORK PEOPLE OVER.

YOU'VE GOT TO, LIKE, SHOOT IN ON THIS.

- AND THEN I GOT A PHONE CALL

THAT I HAVE TO FLY OUT TO COLORADO SPRINGS.

AND THERE ARE ALL THESE RIGHT-WING CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS.

THEY WANTED TO CONVERT ALL OF US,

MAKE ALL OF US BORN-AGAIN.

AND WHEN WE GOT THERE, LARRY SAT US DOWN

AND READ US THE LENNY BRUCE BOOK.

- LENNY BRUCE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THE SAME

CENSORSHIP ISSUES THAT LARRY DID.

- HE HAD LEARNED ABOUT ST. PAUL

AND KNEW I WAS THE CLOSEST TO LENNY WHO HE CONSIDERED A SAINT,

AND SO, UNDER THE--IN THE AFTERGLOW OF HIS CONVERSION,

HE HIRED ME ON A WHIM.

- HE AND LARRY JUST REALLY, REALLY HIT IT OFF.

THIS PAUL KRASSNER WAS JUST FEEDING OFF THIS MANIA,

YOU KNOW, AND I SAID, "PAUL, MAN, WON'T YOU JUST DISAPPEAR?"

- PAUL KRASSNER, IN MY OPINION,

WAS A FUNNY COMEDIAN, AN IRREVERENT COMEDIAN,

BUT AS AN ACTUAL PUBLISHER,

FIGUREHEAD OF A MAGAZINE,

HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW IT WAS PUT TOGETHER TOO WELL.

HE WASN'T CAPABLE OF MAKING MANY DECISIONS.

HE LET US MAKE THE DECISIONS,

AND HE WOULD PRETTY MUCH GO ALONG WITH IT.

AND...

THAT'S A TOUGH ONE FOR ME, BECAUSE I HAD A PRO--

YOU KNOW, IT WAS A TOUGH ONE FOR ME, BECAUSE...

I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS

WITH A LOT OF THE CRAZINESS GOING ON.

THERE WAS A LOT OF POLITICAL THINGS HAPPENING THEN,

AND I WASN'T VERY HAPPY WITH HIM AS A PUBLISHER.

HE WAS NO LARRY FLYNT.

WE HAD A BIG JOB IN FRONT OF US.

HOW DO WE PUT TOGETHER A BORN-AGAIN MAGAZINE?

- I MEAN, I WASN'T THE BRIGHTEST GUY IN THE WORLD,

BUT I KNEW THAT WOULDN'T WORK.

- THAT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE JOB.

AND I REMEMBER WE TRIED TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

IT WAS DIFFICULT.

- ME AND A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE

WERE TRYING TO HOLD THIS THING TOGETHER.

AND IT WAS COMING--

THE WHEELS WERE COMING OFF THIS THING.

- HE SAID, "I CAN MAKE THOSE WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN NOW,

JUST FROM SHEER WILLPOWER."

AND I SAID, "OH, BOY, THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT JOB."

HE SAID, "NO, NO."

HE SAID, "I DON'T WANT TO MISUSE MY POWER."

I WAS LIKE, "OH, COME ON, LARRY, PLEASE.

JUST THIS TI-- I WON'T TELL ANYBODY."

- THESE PREACHERS STARTED COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK.

"OH, LARRY, GOD BLESS YOU.

"I'M BUILDING THIS--

"I'M BUILDING THIS CHURCH IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA.

I NEED THE MONEY."

WROTE HIM A CHECK FOR $100,000.

- IT WAS A CON,

AND THAT WHOLE HEALING THING WAS A CON.

WE JUST WEREN'T SURE WHERE LARRY WAS GOING.

HE WAS--HE'S THAT GOOD OF AN ACTOR...

THAT HE CONNED US.

HE WAS SO CONVINCING.

HE CONVINCED US, AS WELL AS THE NEWS,

EVEN THOUGH WE WERE TOLD PREVIOUSLY

TO WATCH THIS MARJOEMOVIE.

- THAT PUBLICITY MADE HUSTLER.

AND AS MUCH PUBLICITY AS LARRY GOT,

THE CRAZIER HE GOT, THE MORE PUBLICITY WE GOT,

THE BETTER OUR MAGAZINE SALES GOT.

- WE'RE MAKING MANY CHANGES IN HUSTLER,

AND I SAID I WILL NO LONGER

HANG THE WOMAN UP LIKE A PIECE OF MEAT,

AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD

FOR WHAT I'VE DONE, AND WE WILL NO LONGER

PORTRAY THEM THE WAY WE HAVE IN THE PAST.

- IF I HAVE TO THINK OF ONE IMAGE THAT CHANGED MY LIFE,

I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE MEAT GRINDER.

NOTHING--NOTHING DELIVERED THE MESSAGE OF MISOGYNY TO ME

IN SUCH A CRISP AND SUCCINCT FORM AS THAT IMAGE.

- 30 YEARS LATER, THEY STILL

TALK ABOUT THE MEAT GRINDER COVER,

WHICH EVERYONE MISINTERPRETED.

THAT WHOLE THING WAS, YOU KNOW, SYMBOLISM,

AND THAT WE WERE ALMOST ACTUALLY

POINTING OUT THAT WOMEN WERE TREATED LIKE MEAT,

AND MAYBE PERHAPS WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT ANYMORE.

- THIS WAS A BIG PRODUCTION, AND IT HAD TO BE ON SCHEDULE.

SO I KIND OF WAS PUSHED AGAINST THE WALL

TO APPROVE IT, SO I DID,

AND HAD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SIGNING IT,

EVEN THOUGH I WAS AGAINST IT.

I HAD SAID TO THE EDITOR, YOU KNOW,

"WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

"WE'RE NOT GONNA HANG 'EM UP AS MEAT ANYMORE,

WE'RE JUST GONNA GRIND 'EM TO PIECES INSTEAD?"

- I THINK IN MANY WAYS, WOMEN ARE FORCED,

REALLY FORCED,

TO UNDERSTAND THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY

THAT DETESTS AND HATES AND LOATHES WOMEN,

BECAUSE THAT PICTURE CAPTURES IT LIKE NOTHING ELSE.

- IN THE MID-'80s, THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED

THE FEMINIST PORN WARS.

AND THAT WAS THE--

THE GIANT RENDING OF THE FEMINIST COMMUNITY

BETWEEN THE PRO- AND THE ANTICENSORSHIP FORCES.

NOW, PLENTY OF ANTICENSORSHIP FEMINISTS

DO NOT LIKE PORNOGRAPHY, ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH PORNOGRAPHY,

BUT UNDERSTAND THAT CENSORSHIP

IS A BIGGER PROBLEM FOR WOMEN THAN DIRTY PICTURES.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE FEMINISTS WHO THINK THAT DIRTY PICTURES

ARE THE MOST SERIOUS THING FACING WOMEN IN THE WORLD TODAY.

SO THAT MEAT GRINDER COVER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JOKE,

BUT THE IDEA THAT PORNOGRAPHY TREATS WOMEN LIKE MEAT

IS A TROPE OF FEMINISM NOW

THAT NO ONE EVER...

EXAMINES OR PUSHES BACK AGAINST.

- WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CALLING IT REALLY WHAT IT IS,

WOMEN AS OBJECTIFIED, SORT OF COMMODIFIED OBJECTS,

TO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN FASHION ANYWAY OR TV ANYWAY?

YOU KNOW, SO, IN A WAY, HE JUST PUSHED IT A LITTLE FURTHER.

- WE'RE ALL NEUROTICS RESPONDING TO A NEUROTIC ENVIRONMENT.

AND I DON'T FEEL THAT WE CAN EVER KNOW GOD

TILL WE KNOW OURSELF.

AND THE PERSON THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MAGAZINE

THAT HE THINKS BANNING IT IS GONNA SOLVE,

HE'S GOT A PROBLEM.

- WE WENT TO TRIAL IN LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA.

WE WERE FINISHED WITH JURY SELECTION,

WE WERE INTO THE CASE.

LARRY WAS ON THE STAND FOR THE DEFENSE, TESTIFYING.

WE HAD A LOCAL LAWYER. HIS NAME WAS GENE REEVES.

WE HAD HIRED GENE REEVES FOR 500 HOURS A DAY

TO BE A CONSULTANT ON JURIES,

BECAUSE HE LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO, WHEN WE WERE PICKING A JURY,

WE NEEDED SOMEONE WHO KNEW EVERYONE.

AT LUNCHTIME, REEVES SAID,

"LOOK, I'LL TAKE LARRY TO LUNCH."

GREAT, BABYSIT HIM.

'CAUSE WE WERE STAYING IN THE COURTROOM DOING OUR WORK.

- AND LARRY SAID, "WELL, IT'S THE LAST DAY.

WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US?"

AND I SAID, "LARRY, I'M GOING TO STAY HERE

AND WORK ON MY FINAL ARGUMENT TO THE JURY."

- SO I WAS THINKING, WHERE WOULD BE THE GOOD PLACE

TO SET UP THE AMBUSH?

SO I KEPT WALKING, AND I SAW THAT OLD BUILDING.

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, IT WAS VACANT.

I GOT THERE EARLY, AROUND--

I THINK IT WAS AROUND 9:00 OR 10:00.

AND JUST WAITED FOR HIM.

YOU KNOW, I KNEW THE ROUTE HE WAS TAKING.

I'D BEEN WALK-- YOU KNOW, CASING

THE WHOLE TOWN OF LAWRENCEVILLE FOR SOME TIME.

YOU KNOW, KNEW WHERE HE WOULD BE WALKING BY.

- THEY HAD A RED PHONE BOOTH OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE.

I WAS ON THE PHONE TALKING TO MY SECRETARY.

AND LARRY AND THE OTHERS

WERE COMING ACROSS THE LITTLE SQUARE THAT'S THEIR TOWN SQUARE.

- FLYNT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING FROM ONE DIRECTION.

I WAS EXPECTING THEM FROM THE RIGHT, THE COURTHOUSE.

AND THEY WERE COMING FROM THE CAFETERIA.

WHEN I GOT THE CROSSHAIRS ON HIM,

I RECOGNIZED LARRY AS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WALKING.

SO I IMMEDIATELY SQUEEZED OFF A ROUND.

- DOWN LARRY GOES. DOWN GENE REEVES GOES.

- SO THE BULLET WENT THROUGH LARRY AND WENT TO--

AND TO GENE REEVES.

I DIDN'T EVEN INTEND AT ALL TO SHOOT HIM,

BUT THE BULLET IS SO POWERFUL, THEY GO RIGHT THROUGH A PERSON.

- I RUSH OVER TO THEM,

AND REEVES IS ROLLING AROUND HOLDING HIS SHOULDER.

- I TOOK OFF RUNNING THROUGH THE BACK ALLEY

AFTER I SHOT LARRY TWICE.

- LARRY, BY THE WAY, WAS LAYING THERE,

AND HE WAS JUST WIDE OPEN.

- LARRY FLYNT IS PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON IN HISTORY

WHO'S EVER BEEN SHOT WITH A .44 MAGNUM TWICE AND LIVED.

- THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER WAS I SAW ALL THESE TV PEOPLE

RUNNING WITH THE CAMERAS, YOU KNOW.

AND I KNEW SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED,

AND WHEN I GOT DOWN THERE,

AND I SAW WHEN THEY OPENED UP HIS SHIRT,

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BURNED INTO MY MIND.

IT WAS LIKE A WAR SCENE.

- YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE LARRY, LIKE, A 10% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.

AS WE'RE SITTING THERE,

WAITING NOW FOR ALTHEA TO FLY IN,

THE WHOLE MEDIA WORLD IS CONVERGING ON THIS PLACE.

- I MEAN, THE PUBLICITY WAS ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE--

TV, RADIO, THE TALK SHOWS.

- THEY FLEW ME TO ATLANTA

TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS STAYING.

HIS WIFE, ALTHEA, WAS THERE, AND HE WAS BEING HELD TOGETHER

BY SCOTCH TAPE AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY,

WITH HIS OXYGEN MASK.

AND JUST HELD HIS HAND, AND I SAID,

"WELL, LARRY, YOU KNOW, TOMORROW IS GOOD FRIDAY,

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO WORK."

AND ALTHEA SAID, "PAUL, LOOK AT HIM."

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S SAYING.

HE WAS BLINKING HIS EYES VERY FAST,

AND SHE SAID, "HE'S LAUGHING."

AND SHE SAID, "I WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS

AND PUT IT IN HUSTLERAND SHOW PEOPLE WHAT WAS DONE TO HIM."

AS I WAS LEAVING, SHE SAID, "OH, PAUL,

REMEMBER, GO HARD CORE."

- RUTH CARTER COMES IN,

AND SHE SAYS,

"WELL, NOW WE'RE ALL GONNA,

YOU KNOW, KNEEL IN PRAYER FOR LARRY."

SO WE'RE ALL LIKE--FAHRINGER AND I ARE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER

LIKE, WOW, YOU KNOW,

WE KIND OF NEVER EXPECTED ALL OF THIS, RIGHT?

SO HERE WE ARE, ALL IN THE HOSPITAL IN A CIRCLE,

KNEELING DOWN AND BEING LED IN PRAYER

BY THE PRESIDENT'S SISTER.

- IF YOU CAN BELIEVE FRANKLIN WAS THE SHOOTER,

THEN YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE HIS COMMENTS

OF WHEN LARRY CHOSE TO RUN

THE INTERRACIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF BUTCH AND PEACHES.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT FRANKLIN SAYS

IS THE REASON THAT HE SHOT HIM.

- CAN YOU TELL US WHY YOU SHOT FLYNT IN THE FIRST PLACE?

- IT WAS THE INTERRACIAL PUBLI--

PICTURES AND STUFF IN THE MAGAZINE.

I WAS SITTING ON THE COUCH, AND I PICKED IT UP,

SAW THE PICTURE OF THE STUD FROM OHIO OR SOME CRAP LIKE THAT,

YOU KNOW, THE PICTURE

OF THE BLONDE-HAIRED BROAD FROM OHIO

HAVING SEX WITH A BLACK MAN.

I BECAME OUTRAGED, SLAMMED IT DOWN,

SAID, "I'M GONNA KILL THIS GUY."

- WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO LARRY FLYNT NOW?

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS HAPPENING FROM THIS POINT ON?

- WELL, THAT DEPENDS ON WHETHER I'M ABLE TO WALK OR NOT.

AND I'VE GOT THE DETERMINATION THAT I'M GOING TO.

IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHETHER I WALK ON LAND OR WATER.

- WHERE IS THIS THING GOING?

LARRY WAS GETTING INTO THIS BORN-AGAIN TOO MUCH.

PART OF MY MIND SAID, "WHY AM I MOVING TO L.A.?"

- COLUMBUS WAS GETTING KIND OF ANNOYING.

I GUESS HE JUST GOT TIRED OF BEING HASSLED THERE.

IT JUST SEEMED LIKE HE COULDN'T DO HIS THING.

HE HAD A MAGAZINE OUT HERE CALLED CHIC

THAT WAS ALREADY IN LOS ANGELES.

HE NEVER GOT TO ENJOY THAT WHOLE, UH, CALIFORNIA THING

'CAUSE HE JUST GOT SHOT SIX WEEKS LATER.

- MRS. ALTHEA FLYNT IS JUST 24 YEARS OLD,

BUT SHE'S RUNNING A PUBLISHING EMPIRE

WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

SHE SPENDS LONG DAYS SHEPHERDING NEARLY A DOZEN MAGAZINES,

NEWSPAPERS, AND COMPANIES

FOR DISTRIBUTION, ADVERTISING, AND MAIL ORDERS.

SHE MONITORS HER HUSBAND'S CARE.

- SHE WOULD HAVE GOOD IDEAS.

I WOULD HAVE A MEETING WITH HER IN HER OFFICE,

AND--WITH MY LITTLE PAD AND PEN, AND SHE WOULD SAY,

"I WANT TO HAVE AN ARTICLE

ON THE POOR QUALITY OF SCHOOL LUNCHES."

AND I SAID, "SURE," BECAUSE IT WAS EXPANDING.

I MEAN, I GOT ARTICLES IN ABOUT THE ASSASSINATION OF MALCOLM X.

I GOT A FEMINIST FRIEND TO WRITE A PIECE ABOUT ABORTION RIGHTS.

- I LEFT, UM...

A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER LARRY GOT SHOT.

UM...

- WHY?

- PLACE WAS JUST POLITICAL. IT WAS CRAZY.

AND WE WERE IN LOS ANGELES BY NOW.

AND I GOT A BETTER OFFER. IT WAS SIMPLE AS THAT.

AND WE JUST HAD YOU,

AND I NEEDED A STEADY INCOME.

AND THINGS WERE JUST TOO CRAZY OVER AT HUSTLER.

- AFTER LARRY GOT SHOT,

THERE WAS A TERRIBLE CASH-FLOW PROBLEM.

THE PEOPLE THAT HUSTLEROWED MONEY TO WANTED IT RIGHT AWAY,

AND THE PEOPLE THAT OWED HUSTLERMONEY

DIDN'T PAY IT, 'CAUSE THEY FIGURED, YOU KNOW,

IT'S GONNA GO DOWN THE TOILET IF, UM...

IF HE'S NOT ABLE TO COME BACK.

- LARRY BELIEVED IN SPENDING MONEY TO MAKE MONEY,

AND ALTHEA THOUGHT MORE LIKE A REPUBLICAN,

WHICH IS CUTTING COSTS IS THE WAY THAT YOU MAKE MONEY.

- SO ONE DAY SHE CALLED ME IN,

AND I HAD MY PEN AND PAD READY, AND SHE SAID,

"PAUL, I HAVE TO FIRE YOU." AND I WROTE DOWN, "FIRED."

- PAUL WAS MAKING THE MOST MONEY OF ANYBODY AT HUSTLER.

- I WAS KIND OF RELIEVED.

YOU KNOW, I WENT INTO MY OFFICE, CLOSED THE DOOR,

PUT THE MUSIC ON MY RADIO, AND STARTED DANCING.

- SHE DECIDED TO ELIMINATE HIS POSITION

AND ACT AS PUBLISHER HERSELF.

A LOT OF THE EDITORS WHO WORKED FOR HER DIDN'T LIKE HER

BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T COME OUT

OF THE WRITING, EDITING END OF THE BUSINESS.

SHE CAME OUT OF THE DANCING-NAKED END

OF THE BUSINESS.

- SHE TOOK THE REINS OF THE COMPANY

DURING THAT TIME WHEN LARRY WAS NOT,

YOU KNOW, WELL ENOUGH TO DO THAT,

AND SHE REALLY USHERED THE COMPANY

THROUGH SOME HARD TIMES THERE,

AND SHE DID IT WITH HER OWN STYLE

AND SENSE OF HUMOR.

- SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING,

I MEAN, SHE REALLY STOOD UP FOR HERSELF,

AND SHE KNEW THE MAGAZINE, SHE KNEW THE READERSHIP.

- WHAT SHE REALLY DID WAS JUST KEEP TRYING TO COPY

WHAT HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL SEVERAL ISSUES AGO.

- YOU CAN SEE IT. LIKE, THE COVERS ARE REALLY STALE.

EVERYTHING'S REALLY FLAT.

IT'S GOT NO REAL POINT OF VIEW.

- THIS WAS A TIME WHEN BOTH LARRY AND ALTHEA

STARTED TO USE HEAVY DRUGS.

WHEN LARRY WOULD ORDER SOMETHING FROM HIS HOSPITAL BED

THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO OR WAS TOO WACKY TO DO,

ALL OF US, INCLUDING ALTHEA, WOULD SAY,

"OH, LARRY MUST'VE BEEN CONFUSED,"

MEANING LARRY WAS OUT OF HIS FUCKING MIND

WHEN HE MADE THAT DECISION.

- WE USED TO HANG OUT AT THIS CLUB CALLED THE RAINBOW,

AND ONE NIGHT UP PULLS THIS BIG, BLACK LIMO,

AND ON THE SIDE OF THE LIMO WAS THIS NAKED LADY.

IT SAID, "THINK PINK" ON THE LICENSE PLATE.

AND OUT POPS THIS WOMAN WITH LEATHER PANTS ON

AND THIS SHOCK-BLACK HAIR.

AND IT WAS ALTHEA FLYNT. SHE WAS AWESOME.

SHE WAS THIS BRASH WOMAN

WHO WOULD JUST GET RIGHT DOWN TO BUSINESS.

"HEY, I'M GONNA SHOOT YOU FOR HUSTLER."

AND, "COME ON OUT WITH ME. WE'RE GONNA GO PARTY."

AND YOU GET IN THE BACK OF THE LIMO,

AND THEY BREAK OUT THIS BIG BAG OF COKE.

AND I WAS, LIKE, SITTING THERE GOING--

NOW, I'M THIS KID FROM ORANGE COUNTY,

LIKE, I HAD NEVER EVEN SEEN A BAG OF COKE THAT BIG.

- YOU WOULD BE WORKING ALL THESE HOURS,

NOT REALLY GETTING PAID OVERTIME,

BUT THEY GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA MONEY HERE OR THERE,

BUT THEN EVERYTHING YOU WOULD EARN YOU'D SPEND ON COKE

SO YOU COULD STAY AT WORK AND WORK MORE.

SO IT WASN'T REALLY LIKE A-- THERE WAS NOT--

R.O.I., THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT,

WAS MAYBE NOT SO FANTASTIC IN A MONETARY WAY,

BUT IT WAS KIND OF EXCITING.

IT WAS VERY EXCITING.

- THAT WAS PRETTY-- A PRETTY HIGH-ON-COKE TIME.

LARRY WASN'T THERE

AND THE PARANOIA

AND THE FEAR GOING ON IN THAT COMPANY...

- PEOPLE KIND OF JUST WENT CRAZY.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF DRUG USE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PARTIES.

- I GOT BACK TO HUSTLER IN THE EARLY '80s.

AND I DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF LARRY. ALTHEA WAS IN CHARGE.

AND I WANTED TO GO BACK TO HUSTLER

AND FINISH WHAT I'D STARTED YEARS AGO.

- LARRY HAD THIS REAL NEED TO HAVE QUALITY WORK.

HE WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT

THAT HE CAME FROM THE HILLS.

HE WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS SELF-TAUGHT.

AND SO HE WANTED HIS MAGAZINE TO REFLECT

NOT HILLBILLIES FROM KENTUCKY, BUT HE WANTED IT TO BE,

YOU KNOW, A REALLY STRONG MAGAZINE WITH HIGH STANDARDS.

- THERE WERE A COUPLE OF EMBARRASSING MOMENTS.

I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN LARRY ASSIGNED AN ARTICLE

THAT K-Y JELLY CAUSED AIDS.

IT WAS RIDICULOUS. THERE WAS NO PROOF.

BUT IT WAS SOMETHING WE DID.

YOU GOT TO OWN UP TO YOUR MISTAKES ALSO.

- EVERY ARTICLE WAS FACT-CHECKED COMPLETELY,

PARTIALLY BECAUSE WE'D GET SUED AND WOULD HAVE TO SHOW

THAT YOU ACTUALLY FACT-CHECKED AN ARTICLE

TO AVOID LOSING A LIBEL SUIT.

- WE HAD A PHRASE THAT WE USED AT THE TIME CALLED,

"WE WANT TO DO LAWSUIT-QUALITY WORK."

IF WE DON'T GET SUED, THEN WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB.

- THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE DID

THAT WE WERE PRETTY MUCH FIRST AT.

I THINK WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE

TO TALK ABOUT THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT.

I CAN STILL REMEMBER

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FLOODED CITY.

THAT WAS PRETTY SPECTACULAR AT THE TIME.

THIS WAS BACK WHEN ILLUSTRATION WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

I WAS ALWAYS INTO SUPERREALISM

BEFORE I EVER TOOK THE JOB AT HUSTLER.

I LOVED THAT LOOK, AND THAT WAS THE LOOK OF HUSTLER,

WHICH WAS A PERFECT MATCH FOR ME.

ILLUSTRATORS LIKE REN WICKS AND ALEX EBEL.

- LARRY LIKES CARTOONS.

AND HE USED TO SAY, "IT'S A POUND OF PAPER.

IT'S GIRLS, CARTOONS, AND THE ARTICLES."

HE FELT THAT'S WHAT SOMEBODY

WHO BOUGHT THE MAGAZINE WOULD BE LOOKING AT...

IN THAT ORDER.

- WE CAME FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY,

NO EDUCATION,

AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THAT BARNYARD HUMOR CAME FROM.

- LARRY REALLY DIDN'T BREAK NEW GROUNDS WITH HUMOR.

HE JUST EXTENDED A LINE THAT'S BEEN GOING

SINCE THE RENAISSANCE, SINCE BEFORE THE RENAISSANCE,

SINCE MEDIEVAL ERA.

YOU KNOW, JUST A LINE OF ANTIAUTHORITY,

SEXUALLY CHARGED HUMOR.

AND I THINK HUMOR UPSETS THE POWER STRUCTURE

MORE THAN ANYTHING.

- DWAINE TINSLEY BROUGHT A CRAZY IRREVERENT HUMOR

TO HUSTLER.

DWAINE BROUGHT THAT CHESTER THE MOLESTER CHARACTER.

WHETHER HE WAS DEALING WITH JESUS ON A CROSS,

OR FECES,

AS SICK AS YOU COULD DO IT, THE BETTER FOR HIM.

- IF THERE ARE LEVELS OF BAD TASTE,

DWAINE WAS AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE LEVEL.

BUT HE WAS A VERY TALENTED GUY,

AND HE WOULD GO AFTER ANYBODY AND EVERYTHING

FOR A LAUGH.

AND HE TOOK LARRY FIVE STEPS FURTHER

FROM ANYTHING THAT WOULD COME OUT OF LARRY'S MOUTH.

HE WANTED TO OFFEND, AND HE WANTED TO OFFEND SERIOUSLY,

BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST AMENDMENT BATTLE.

- THERE WAS NO RULES, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT WAS A NEW WORLD WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS WHEN YOU'RE A KID,

COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, MARVEL COMICS OR SOMETHING.

HERE'S ANOTHER DWAINE TINSLEY PIECE.

THESE ARE DONE WITH PEN AND WATERCOLOR, I BELIEVE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH LITTLE DETAIL IN THERE.

NOTICE A LITTLE PISS STAIN ON THE UNDERWEAR.

I MEAN, THAT'S COMEDIC AS ALL HELL.

- NO MATTER HOW OUTRAGEOUS IT IS,

IT'S NEVER OUTRAGEOUS ENOUGH FOR LARRY.

HE ALWAYS WANTS TO PUSH IT A LITTLE FURTHER.

- FIRST I START OUT WITH A ROUGH TISSUE DRAWING.

AND I WORK EVERYTHING OUT

THE WAY I'M GONNA INK IT.

AND THEN I USE MY LIGHT BOARD

TO PUT A NICE, CLEAN PIECE OF PAPER ON TOP OF THAT,

AND I INK IT FROM MY ROUGH TISSUE,

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT I SUBMIT TO HUSTLER.

AND IF LARRY LIKES IT AND PICKS IT FOR A FULL-PAGE COLOR,

THEN I DRAW IT AGAIN.

AND HERE IS THE FINISHED FULL-PAGE COLOR

OF THAT SAME CARTOON.

THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES,

WHERE A GUY'S CLEANING PUBIC HAIR OFF A MEN'S ROOM FLOOR

AND SEES WHAT HE WILL LOOK LIKE WITH HAIR.

- I MEAN, YOU GOT TO BE A SICKO

USING THE AGE-LONG TRADITION

OF MR. AND MRS. SANTA CLAUS

AND USING THEM IN THAT TYPE OF...

CONFRONTATION.

I THINK IT'S...

ABSURDLY WRONG.

- HUSTLERPRIDED ITSELF ON BAD TASTE.

THAT WAS KIND OF ITS BADGE OF HONOR.

AND PEOPLE OFTEN SAY TO ME,

"WASN'T HUSTLER AN EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY OFFENDER?

YOU KNOW, DIDN'T IT MAKE FUN OF EVERYBODY?"

THE ANSWER TO THAT, ACTUALLY, IS NO.

THEY WERE NOT AN EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY OFFENDER.

THEY KEPT RACISM ALIVE IN THE MAINSTREAM

IN A WAY THAT--

I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER MEDIA GENRE THAT DID THAT.

- THERE ARE JUST AS MANY JOKES ABOUT WHITES

AS THERE ARE ABOUT BLACKS, ABOUT EVERYONE.

ALL THAT GROSS-OUT HUMOR, WEIRD STUFF,

THAT WAS JUST SORT OF THROWN IN THIS "BITS & PIECES" SECTION.

"BITS & PIECES" WAS INSPIRED BY HUMOR.

IT WAS REALLY NATIONAL LAMPOON WITH MORE TITS.

YOU COULD GET VULGAR AND DISGUSTING AND GROSS.

- MY FIRST DAY I WAS TAKEN TO DO AN EDITORIAL-CARTOON SHOOT

IN WHICH THERE WERE TWO GUYS

WHO WERE ROUGHLY THE SAME SIZE AS REAGAN AND KISSINGER

WEARING SUITS,

A NUDE MODEL, WHO WAS STANDING ON HER HEAD,

AND THE KISSINGER AND REAGAN CHARACTERS

APPEAR TO BE PULLING THEIR FISTS OUT OF THIS CHICK,

AND THE LINE ON IT WAS, "I DON'T KNOW, HENRY,

WE KEEP SENDING IN ARMS, AND ALL WE GET BACK IS SHIT."

SHE HAD "NICARAGUA" OR "EL SALVADOR"

PAINTED ON HER STOMACH.

AND...

THAT WAS MY INTRODUCTION TO WORKING AT HUSTLER.

- I WOULD GO IN, AND THEY'D GIVE ME IDIOTIC THINGS TO DO,

AND I WOULD REVEL IN THEM.

THERE'S ONE WHERE I'M ROLLING A ROLLING PIN ON MY DICK,

FLATTENING IT OUT.

I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE PHYSICAL TORTURE TO IT

BECAUSE I JUST FIGURED NOBODY ELSE WANTED TO DO THAT STUFF.

- THEY USED TO USE ME A LOT FOR THOSE,

AND THOSE WERE ALWAYS A LOT OF FUN--

SOMETIMES INSULTING, BUT REALLY FUN.

- I DID ONE CALLED "MARS NEEDS PUSSY,"

WHERE IT WAS ALIENS WHO CAME DOWN IN THE SPACESHIP

AND GRABBED THIS BLONDE CHICK,

AND IT TURNED INTO HENTAI TENTACLE PORN,

FOR THOSE THAT ARE THE UNINITIATED.

- ONE OF MY MOST CONTROVERSIAL ONES

IS WHERE I'M FUCKING THE SKULL OF SHAUNA GRANT,

WHICH WAS SORT OF EERIE.

- I WOULD COME IN TO ALLAN MACDONELL ON A MONDAY,

PITCH HIM IDEAS.

HE WOULD APPROVE THE IDEAS

OR SAY, "THESE SUCK. GIVE ME SOME NEW ONES."

THOSE WOULD BE SKETCHED OUT.

THEN AFTER THAT, I WOULD HAVE A MEETING

WITH THE TALENT DEPARTMENT WHO WOULD BOOK THE MODELS.

THEN I WOULD MEET WITH PEOPLE LIKE KENNY DEMARTINES,

WHO BUILT A LOT OF THE SETS, IN TERMS OF PROPS AND WHATNOT.

- WE MADE A LOT OF SHIT IN DIFFERENT FORMS,

AND I BECAME KIND OF AN EXPERT AT DOING THAT.

WE MADE THEM OUT OF CLAY.

WE MADE THEM OUT OF STYROFOAM.

WE MADE THEM OUT OF FOAM INSULATION.

IT ALL DEPENDED ON WHAT THE CONCEPT CALLED FOR.

THERE WAS MANY TIMES THEY HAD TO FLOAT

AND LOOK LIKE A SPECIFIC SHAPE

WHEN THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN A TOILET.

THERE WAS A COUPLE CONCEPTS WHERE THEY WANTED...

UH...

SWASTIKAS, CROSSES, STARS

TO LOOK LIKE EXCREMENT.

- AT TIMES, I ASPIRED FOR IT TO BE SMART,

JUST ADDRESS POLITICAL ISSUES AS WELL.

BUT REALLY, IT JUST CAME DOWN TO, HOW CAN WE SHOEHORN IN

A NAKED CHICK INTO A PARODY OF EVIL DEADOR SOMETHING?

- ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE DAY, LARRY CAME IN,

TOLD US ALL HE WAS BACK.

AND HE SAID, "THINGS ARE GONNA CHANGE NOW,

"AND THINGS ARE GONNA GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY WERE

BEFORE HE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE."

- HE COMES ROLLING UP TO MY OFFICE,

AND I'M STANDING IN THE HALLWAY IN FRONT OF MY OFFICE,

AND HE STOPS,

AND HE LOOKS UP AT ME, AND HE PUTS HIS HAND OUT,

AND I SHAKE IT.

HE GOES, "YOU HOLDING DOWN THE FORT HERE, LONN?"

I SAID, "YES, SIR."

"GOOD, 'CAUSE I'M COMING BACK."

"RIGHT ON. GOOD TO SEE YOU, BOSS."

AND HE KEPT ROLLING.

HE ALWAYS CAME BACK, MAN.

YOU COULD NOT KEEP THAT MAN DOWN.

- HE'S HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT SURGERIES TO LESSEN THE PAIN

FROM--HE'S GOT BULLET FRAGMENTS IN HIS SPINE.

AND THIS IS, I BELIEVE, AFTER THE FIRST SURGERY,

THE FIRST TIME WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE DIDN'T HAVE

ALL THIS OVERWHELMING PAIN THAT JUST--

THAT WOULD JUST DICTATE, YOU KNOW,

WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT ALL DAY, WHAT HE DID ALL DAY.

- FROM THEN ON, WE HAD TO KEEP UP WITH HIM.

- THAT RUN IS WHAT LED TO THE NUMEROUS LAWSUITS

AND THE TANGLEMENT OF LAYERS OF LEGAL PROBLEMS,

WHICH LED TO HIM GOING-- - HE MADE UP FOR LOST TIME.

- THE FIRST ISSUES I WAS WORKING ON WERE PROBABLY THE END OF '83,

AND THEN RIGHT AT THE START OF '84, HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT.

HE BECAME A VERY HIGH-PROFILE FIGURE.

- HE WAS ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS. HE WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER.

ANYTHING THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN AT THE TIME,

HIS NAME WAS ALWAYS OUT THERE.

- I HAVE MORE MONEY

THAN ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES PUT TOGETHER,

AND I INTEND TO OUTSPEND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

I AM GOING TO ENTER EVERY SINGLE PRIMARY,

AND I AM GOING TO WIN EVERY PRIMARY,

AND I AM GOING TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

- I MEAN, THE GREATEST ISSUE, I THINK,

IS THE "LARRY FLYNT FOR PRESIDENT."

AND IT HAD THE BUMPER STICKER INSIDE OF IT.

WHERE IT WAS LIKE, THIS GUY HAD THE MONEY

TO INDULGE HIS WILDEST STUFF IN THE PAGES

OF THE WILDEST MAGAZINE THAT HAD EVER BEEN PUBLISHED.

- ARE YOU GONNA PAINT THE WHITE HOUSE BLACK?

- NO.

- WILL YOU DECLARE HOMOSEXUALS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

BECAUSE OF AIDS? - YES.

- WILL YOU APPOINT ANDY WARHOL

AS THE OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER?

- YES.

AND I'LL PAINT THE WHITE HOUSE PINK...

BECAUSE PINK IS WHAT PUT ME THERE.

- OH, NO!

- NOW I HAD THE PRESSURE OF LARRY RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT,

AS WELL AS GETTING THE MAGAZINE OUT.

IT WAS A 24-HOUR-A-DAY JOB. IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS EXCITING.

- WHO WOULD YOU VOTE FOR? - LARRY FLYNT.

- WHY WOULD YOU VOTE FOR LARRY FLYNT?

- HE AIN'T GOT NO BULLSHIT. HE JUST TELLS YOU THE WAY IT IS.

- HE WAS RUNNING ON THE REPUBLICAN TICKET

JUST TO PISS THEM OFF.

AND RUSSELL MEANS, THE AMERICAN INDIAN ACTIVIST,

WAS HIS RUNNING MATE.

- ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES SAID ON THE FLOOR

THAT NO DECENT MEMBER OF CONGRESS WOULD ACCEPT HUSTLER.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I SENT IT TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.

YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF LOW-LIFE, INDECENT, PUKE-INFESTED MAGGOTS

THAT SHOULD BE HOUNDED FROM OFFICE

FOR BEING POLITICAL, INEPT QUACKS,

SPELLED Q-U-A-C-K-S.

FUCK YOU, MOTHERFUCKERS.

- LARRY HAD INCREDIBLE ACCESS TO PEOPLES' PRIVATE PHONE NUMBERS.

AND HE MANAGED TO GET NANCY REAGAN'S PERSONAL PHONE.

WE RAN THAT AS THE PHONE NUMBER IN THAT AD.

VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER RECEIVED

A COMMUNICATION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

REQUESTING THAT THAT PHONE NUMBER NO LONGER BE USED.

JESSE HELMS WAS THE SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA--

RACIST SENATOR.

LARRY PROVIDED US WITH JESSE HELMS'S HOME PHONE NUMBER

AND HIS WIFE'S PERSONAL NUMBER,

AND THE AD SAID SOMETHING LIKE,

"I LIKE 'EM BIG AND BLACK."

"CALL ME AT THIS NUMBER, AND IF I'M NOT THERE,

CALL THIS NUMBER AND ASK FOR MY WIFE."

TO THIS DAY, THAT'S THE--

I THINK MY SINGLE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT THERE.

- HE CALLED ME IN HIS OFFICE ONE NIGHT

WHEN WE WERE WORKING LATE,

HAD TO BE 7:00, 8:00 AT NIGHT.

HE SAID, "BILL, BILL, I GOT IT."

AND HE REACHED UP. "I GOT IT."

I SAID, "LARRY, WHAT DO YOU HAVE?"

HE GOES, "JESUS CHRIST.

I'M GONNA PUT JESUS CHRIST ON THE MASTHEAD."

I WAS WORRIED HE WOULD END UP GETTING SHOT AGAIN.

I DIDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

AND I MADE A VERY BIG MISTAKE BY GOING TO ALTHEA,

AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME HE EVER THREATENED MY JOB.

HE WAS FURIOUS WITH ME.

- F.B.I. SURVEILLANCE TAPE SHOWED JOHN DELOREAN

VIEWING A SUITCASE FULL OF COCAINE,

THEN TOASTING HIS FUTURE.

- GOLD WEIGHS MORE THAN THAT, FOR GOD SAKES.

- MOMENTS LATER, DELOREAN WAS ARRESTED.

BY LAW, DELOREAN'S DEFENSE TEAM

HAD TO BE GIVEN COPIES OF THESE TAPES BY PROSECUTORS.

BUT PUBLISHER LARRY FLYNT ALSO GOT COPIES.

HE GAVE THEM TO THE MEDIA. BUT WHO GAVE THEM TO FLYNT?

- I GOT 'EM FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

WHO ELSE COULD I HAVE GOT 'EM FROM?

THE GOVERNMENT TAPED 'EM.

- THE GOVERNMENT SAYS FLYNT IS LYING.

THE F.B.I. HAS BEGUN AN INVESTIGATION.

- I WAS SITTING OUTSIDE HIS OFFICE

WHEN A FELLA THAT LOOKED VERY FAMILIAR DASHED BY ME.

THEN I WENT INTO LARRY'S OFFICE, AND HE SAID TO ME,

"YOU KNOW WHO THAT WAS? THAT GUY?"

AND I GO, "NO."

"THAT'S DON HEWITT, PRODUCER OF 60 MINUTES.

"HE'S ALL PISSED OFF 'CAUSE I'M GIVING THE DELOREAN TAPE

TO THAT HOT BLONDE LAUREL ERICKSON FROM KNBC."

OH, MY GOD.

MY MENTOR.

- SURROUNDED BY ARMED GUARDS,

FLYNT WAS WHEELED OUT TO A NEWS CONFERENCE AT HIS BEL AIR HOME.

AND HE PLAYED AN AUDIO TAPE RECORDING

WHICH HE SAYS IS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN DELOREAN

AND GOVERNMENT INFORMANT JAMES TIMOTHY HOFFMAN.

THE AUDIO IS POOR QUALITY.

THE CONVERSATION SUPPOSEDLY TOOK PLACE

SEPTEMBER 15, 1982.

EARLIER IN THE TAPE, THE MAN IDENTIFIED AS DELOREAN

SAYS HE DOES NOT WANT ANY PART OF NARCOTICS.

FLYNT SAYS HE PAID FOR THE TAPE.

- WHO WAS YOUR SOURCE FOR THIS TAPE?

- NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.

- SOMEBODY ASKED TO HEAR THE TAPE AGAIN,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WAS MISSING.

AND LARRY'S GOING,

"YOU MOTHERFUCKERS, YOU TOOK MY TAPE."

HE WAS SUBPOENAED TO COME TO JUDGE TAKASUGI'S COURT,

WHERE THE DELOREAN CASE WAS BEING HELD,

AND PRODUCE THAT AUDIOTAPE.

- THAT'S WHEN HE CAME TO THE COURTHOUSE

DRESSED IN THE FLAG WITH THE HELMET ON.

- THIS IS WHEN THE COURT WAS FINING HIM $10,000 A DAY...

- YES.

- 'CAUSE HE WAS IN CONTEMPT OF COURT

FOR NOT REVEALING HIS SOURCE... - YES.

- ABOUT THE DELOREAN TAPE? - YES.

- "I WANT YOU TO GO TO THE BANK

AND GET THAT $10,000 IN PENNIES."

"OKAY."

"AND THEN I WANT YOU TO GET TEN HOOKERS

"TO DELIVER IT TO THE COURTHOUSE.

THEY GOT TO BE HOOKERS."

SOMEONE, LIKE, DEFENDED ME AND SAID,

"LARRY, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR LONN TO FIND PROSTITUTES."

"WELL, THEN GET PORN STARS

"THAT LOOK LIKE HOOKERS.

"AND THAT'S HOW I WANT THE MONEY DELIVERED.

CAN YOU DO THAT?" "YES, SIR."

- THEY LOADED EVERYBODY ON A BUS AND TOOK 'EM DOWN THERE,

AND THE MONEY WASN'T ACCEPTED.

AND IT JUST ADDED A LITTLE BIT MORE FUEL TO THE FLAME.

- I'LL BE BACK AS LONG AS I HAVE MONEY,

AND THEN WHEN I RUN OUT OF MONEY,

THEY CAN PUT ME IN JAIL.

AND I'LL STAY THERE TILL I ROT

OR HELL FREEZES OVER, WHICHEVER HAPPENS FIRST.

BUT I WILL NOT GIVE UP MY SOURCE.

- HE WAS HELD IN CONTEMPT.

THAT'S WHEN THINGS WERE KIND OF BECOMING UNGLUED.

- HE WOULD BE IN JAIL,

AND HE'D HAVE PHONE CALLS, AND WE'D GO INTO HIS OFFICE.

HE'D CALL 'EM "CODE PINKS."

- HE WAS JUST PILING LAWSUIT ON TOP OF LAWSUIT.

- AND HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO ANY OF HIS LAWYERS.

LARRY HAD BALLS, BIG BALLS.

HE WASN'T AFRAID OF VERY MUCH, EVEN AFTER HE GOT SHOT.

- LARRY WOULD CURSE AT THESE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES

AND NOT BACK DOWN.

I MEAN, THAT'S GUTS.

- I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO TELL THE SUPREME COURT,

BUT HE ACTUALLY DID IT

AND WASN'T PROSECUTED FOR IT.

HE WAS ORIGINALLY PROSECUTED, AND THEN WE SAID,

"WELL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SUBPOENA

ALL THE JUSTICES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH,"

AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, NO MORE CASE.

- TO SOME, IT'S THE CLASH OF THE TITANS--

KING OF SLEAZE LARRY FLYNT

VERSUS SUPER PREACHER JERRY FALWELL.

- HE WAS PROFILED AS LOSING HIS VIRGINITY

WITH HIS MOTHER IN AN OUTHOUSE.

- WELL, MY LATE MOTHER WAS IN THE AD

AND GODLIEST SAINT--

I DECIDED SOMEBODY NEEDS TO RING THAT FELLA'S BELL,

AND I THINK I'LL BE THE GUY TO DO IT.

- HE SUED BECAUSE HIS FEELINGS WERE HURT.

- LARRY MADE IT POSSIBLE TO INSULT ANYBODY FAMOUS.

THEY'RE FAIR GAME.

- I MEAN, THIS WHOLE THING WITH FALWELL--LIKE, YOU KNOW,

THEY WERE TWO GUYS THAT WERE MAKING MONEY OFF OF EACH OTHER

BY THREATENING TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM EACH OTHER.

BUT I LIKED THAT THAT'S PART OF THE KENTUCKY HUCKSTERISM.

- HE BECAME FRIENDS WITH MADALYN MURRAY O'HAIR,

WHO HEADED UP THE ATHEIST MOVEMENT BACK THEN--

HER AND HER SON.

AND LARRY BECAME-- AFTER HIS RELIGIOUS CONVERSION--

BECAME AN ATHEIST.

AND LARRY IS GOING TO PUT

ALL HIS ASSETS IN MADALYN'S NAME.

AND I SAID, "HO! NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT," YOU KNOW.

- I MEAN, LARRY WAS AROUND FOR A--

IN AND OUT, FOR A LOT OF IT.

THERE WERE ONLY CERTAIN ISSUES THAT WERE TOTALLY WITHOUT HIM.

LARRY SENT OUT PROBABLY HUNDREDS

OF INVITATIONS FOR CELEBRITIES TO DIRECT THESE SHOOTS.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE

I SPOKE TO WAS DENNIS HOPPER.

HE DID A TERRIFIC JOB, BUT IT WAS QUITE AN ORDEAL.

HIS DESIGN WAS THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE AN ART GALLERY.

AND THE PAINTINGS THAT WERE ON THE WALL

WERE HIS PAINTINGS.

IT WAS A LONG SHOOT BECAUSE HE DISAPPEARED A LOT.

AND THEN HE'D SHOW BACK UP AGAIN, AND--

IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DISJOINTED AT TIMES.

- DENNIS AND I SEARCHED FOR HIS MODELS FOR TWO WEEKS.

EVERY NIGHT, HE AND I WENT TO A DOMINATRIX BAR TO FIND

THE PERFECT DOMINATRIX TO DO THAT SHOOT.

- TIMOTHY LEARY, DENNIS HOPPER...

- I'M LOOKING LIKE THE BEE GEES.

YEAH.

WHAT'S WITH THE OPEN SHIRT?

WHAT WAS I FUCKING THINKING?

- WELL, THAT'S WHAT YOU DID BACK THEN.

- ONE OF MY FAVORITES, BECAUSE HE WAS

A CHILDHOOD KIND OF IDOL OF MINE, WAS FRANK ZAPPA.

HE DID A SHOOT THAT WAS ENTITLED THE THING-FISH.

THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECIAL EFFECTS

AND PROSTHETICS.

- AND FRANK ZAPPA WAS GOING OVER BUDGET.

NOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT LARRY TOLD FRANK ZAPPA

THAT HE HAD CARTE BLANCHE.

LARRY TOLD ME TO WATCH THE BUDGET.

SO I SORT OF BECAME THE BAD GUY IN THAT ONE.

- AND THE HOURS WERE CRAZY.

YOUR DAD COST ME MY MARRIAGE.

YOU WORK 18 HOURS A DAY, SOMETIMES 20.

AND MY WIFE ASSUMED THAT I WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR.

AND SINCE I'M COMING HOME AFTER ALL THESE HOURS,

SHE THOUGHT, "WELL, HE MUST BE FUCKING SOMEONE

AT WORK OR WHATEVER."

SO SHE GOT UPSET AND ENDED UP DIVORCING ME.

- LARRY INVITED AL GOLDSTEIN TO DIRECT HIS SHOOT,

AN ANTIFEMINIST RANT, AND IT WAS PHENOMENAL.

- I WOULD FUCK THEM ALL THE TIME.

I GOT $10,000 TO DO A PHOTO SHOOT.

BUT AT LEAST I RAISED HELL.

- I WAS ON THAT FAMOUS MARJOE GORTNER SHOOT

THAT WAS THE LAST SUPPER.

- HE HAD A PLEXIGLAS CROSS

THAT WE ACTUALLY HUNG A MODEL ON.

YOU COULD PRODUCE SEVERAL VIDEOS TODAY

WITH THE MONEY THAT WAS SPENT ON THESE SHOOTS,

AND, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T UNCOMMON

FOR SOME OF THEM TO COST $25,000, ALL TOLD.

AND IN THE '80s, THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY

FOR AN ADULT SHOOT--

STILL-PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOT IN A MAGAZINE.

- LARRY CALLED A CODE PINK.

AND HE WANTED US TO STOP MAKING THE MAGAZINE.

EVERYBODY SHOULD GO TO THE FEDERAL BUILDING

TO PICKET, TO GET HIM OUT OF PRISON.

AND I OPTED TO GET THE MAGAZINE OUT.

AND HE HAD SOMEBODY SPYING ON US.

AND THIS GUY GOT BEAT UP AT THE MANSION.

THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, LARRY'S ASKING ME

IF I HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.

AND I TOLD HIM NO,

AND THEN HE WANTED ME TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH TEST.

AND THAT'S HOW I WAS FIRED.

- THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD SUSTAIN THAT KIND OF CRAZINESS.

NO ONE COULD WORK LIKE THAT. - NO. NO.

- GEORGE AND MARTHA WOULD NEVER BELIEVE THIS,

BUT ALTHEA HAS REFUSED TO BE FIRST LADY.

SHE SAYS SHE'LL SLEEP WITH ME,

BUT SHE WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS.

- WE WENT IN HER LIMOUSINE TO THE COMEDY STORE.

ANDREW DICE CLAY STARTS DOING HIS OLD MATERIAL

ABOUT GAYS AND H.I.V.

AND SO ALTHEA WALKED OUT.

SHE GOES, "YOU KNOW, HE'S INSULTING GAYS.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS RIGHT NOW.

HE'S ALSO INSULTING H.I.V. YOU KNOW, I AM H.I.V. POSITIVE."

THAT'S WHEN SHE FIRST BROKE IT TO ME.

I'M GOING, "WHAT?"

IT WAS INCURABLE AT THAT TIME.

AND IT WAS A GUARANTEED DEATH SENTENCE.

- AND I ALWAYS CONSIDERED HER A FRIEND ALSO.

SHE WAS A REAL SWEETHEART.

- LARRY LOVED HER VERY MUCH.

- I STARTED WORKING FOR LARRY IN 1991.

WE WERE MARRIED AT OUR HOME

IN LOS ANGELES IN '98.

I ALWAYS STAYED LOYAL TO MY PROFESSION, NURSING,

AND ALWAYS FELT THAT HE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST CARE.

- HE WENT TO DUKE WITH HIS WIFE, LIZ,

AT THE MEDICAL CENTER THERE.

AND THEY PERFORMED, LIKE, SOME KIND OF ADVANCED NEUROSURGERY

AND LIZ WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS WORKING OUT.

- HE HAD A TOTAL OF FIVE SURGERIES.

AND THAT'S WHEN HIS HEALTH, YOU KNOW, TURNED,

AND HE WAS PAIN-FREE.

- HE CALLED US ALL INTO A ROOM

AND ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS BACK.

HE WAS GONNA REALLY KICK THE SUPER NARCOTICS

THAT HE WAS ON AND TAKE OVER THE COMPANY AGAIN.

IN THE '90s, THE MAGAZINE WAS LACKING

IN, YOU KNOW, THAT LARGER-THAN-LUST VIBRANCE

OF THE PAST.

BUT ALLAN HAD BEEN PUSHING IT IN AN INTERESTING DIRECTION.

- SO I BECAME EXECUTIVE EDITOR,

AND LARRY WAS VERY MUCH IN THE BACKGROUND

BECAUSE OF THE MEDICATION HE WAS ON.

- ALLAN WAS HIRING A LOT OF UNDERGROUND PUBLISHERS,

AND FOR ILLUSTRATORS, HE WAS USING, LIKE,

ALL THESE GREAT UNDERGROUND CARTOONISTS.

- I STARTED WORKING AT HUSTLER

AFTER ALLAN MACDONELL OFFERED ME A JOB

BASICALLY AFTER READING ISSUES OF FILM THREATMAGAZINE.

I WOULD SEND HIM ISSUES OF FILM THREAT.

HE WOULD SEND ME BOXES OF FREE PORN.

IT WAS A GREAT DEAL.

- ALLAN, I'LL TELL YOU, WAS A HORRENDOUS BOSS.

ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, ONE OF THE WORST PEOPLE

YOU COULD EVER POSSIBLY WORK FOR.

AND HE HAS THIS LEGENDARY REPUTATION.

AND IF THERE WAS AN OBJECT ON HIS DESK,

IT WAS THROWN AT ME.

- I COMPLAINED TO HUMAN RESOURCES ABOUT HIM.

BUT I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINED AT HUMAN RESOURCES ABOUT ALLAN.

- YEAH, I WANTED THE MAGAZINE TO BE

AS GOOD AS IT COULD POSSIBLY BE.

EVEN IF IT WAS JUST A JERK-OFF MAGAZINE.

- DURING CLINTON'S IMPEACHMENT,

LARRY HAD HIS INVESTIGATORS DETERMINE

THAT THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, WHO WAS A CRITIC OF CLINTON,

WAS HAVING THIS AFFAIR FOR ALL THESE YEARS.

- HE'S THIRD IN LINE FOR PRESIDENT

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

AND WE MADE HIM QUIT HIS JOB.

- OBVIOUSLY THAT HAD A BIG IMPACT

ON TAKING THE STING

OUT OF WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO TO CLINTON.

- EVERY CONCEIVABLE SEX ACT IS AVAILABLE

FOR YOU RIGHT NOW FOR FREE

ANYWHERE YOU ARE, IF YOU HAVE A SMARTPHONE.

- THE INTERNET, WHICH I ALWAYS PREDICTED

WAS A BIG PIECE OF SHIT, YOU KNOW, A LONG TIME AGO

IS CAUSING A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS YOUR FRIEND--

VIVID.COM, HUSTLER.COM.

NOW IT'S THE TOTAL ENEMY OF THE BUSINESS.

- CAN YOU IMAGINE THE ACT OF MASTURBATING

TO A STILL PHOTOGRAPH IN A MAGAZINE?

IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.

- WE'RE RAISING A GENERATION OF KIDS

WHO FEEL YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR NUDE PHOTOGRAPHS.

SO THEY GO, "WHY ARE YOU GONNA NEED TO EVER BUY ANYTHING?"

- YOU DON'T NEED TO BUY ANYTHING TO JERK OFF

EXCEPT FOR ONE COMPUTER ONCE.

SO THAT'S THE END OF PORNO-MAGAZINE PUBLISHING,

EXCEPT FOR, I THINK, VERY SPECIALIZED MARKETS,

AND THOSE WILL CONTINUE TO SHRINK.

AND THAT'S JUST FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS

OR ARE TOO OLD OR TOO WEIRD OR HAVE A SPECIAL FETISH

FOR PAPER OR SOMETHING.

- THE QUALITY OF JOURNALISM HAS REALLY BEEN HURT

BY THIS WILD WEST SENSE OF JUST PUT MORE, PUT ANYTHING,

TRY TO GRAB PEOPLE'S ATTENTIONS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS. JUST GET CLICKS.

- IT'S STILL PUBLISHING. YOU STILL HAVE TO WRITE WORDS.

YOU STILL HAVE TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS.

YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE A POINT OF VIEW AND PERSPECTIVE.

I DON'T THINK THE INTERNET AND iPADS AND ALL THAT STUFF

IS THE DEATH OF PUBLISHING.

IN A GIVEN DAY, SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN,

AND FIVE MINUTES LATER, SOMEONE CAN READ THAT STORY,

AND IT GETS TWEETED OUT AND SPREAD AROUND,

AND NEWS TRAVELS FAST. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

- THERE WAS A TIME THAT THE MAGAZINES

WERE ABLE TO PAY YOU SO MUCH MONEY.

YOU'D BE ABLE TO FLY OUT TO MEXICO,

AND YOU WOULD SPEND THREE DAYS SHOOTING ONE LAYOUT.

NOW YOU GOT TO SHOOT, LIKE, FIVE LAYOUTS IN ONE DAY.

AND THAT WON'T EVEN COVER YOUR PRODUCTION COSTS.

THEN YOU GOT TO PUT IT ON YOUR WEBSITE.

THEN YOU GOT TO TRY TO SELL IT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TO V.O.D.,

AND THEN YOU GOT TO TRY TO SELL IT MAYBE TO MOBILE.

- IT TURNS OUT EVERYONE ON EARTH IS A PORN STAR.

EVERYONE POSTS NAKED THINGS OF THEMSELVES ON XTUBE,

AND SOME OF THEM ARE DAMN GOOD, AND THEY'RE REAL.

THEY'RE NOT DOING IT FOR THE MONEY.

THEY'RE DOING IT 'CAUSE THEY REALLY HAVE THIS SEXUAL URGENCY.

SO THERE'S SOMETHING HOT ABOUT IT

THAT CAN'T BE RE-CREATED WITH ACTORS

PRETENDING TO BE INTO EACH OTHER.

THAT SEEMS VERY OLD SCHOOL NOW.

- LARRY IS IN THE PART OF THE BUSINESS NOW

THAT IS SURVIVING

BECAUSE HE WAS SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW TO DIVERSIFY

AND TO GO INTO THE AREAS THAT ARE STILL STRONG.

- GOOD AFTERNOON. LFP.

- HE'S PRESIDENT

OF THE LARGEST ADULT-ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

IN THE WORLD.

SO, YEAH, DEFINITELY, BUSINESS IS ALWAYS ON HIS MIND--

ALWAYS, 24-7.

HE'S GOT THE MARKET CORNERED.

- HE WENT INTO VIDEO,

AND THEN HE STARTED OPENING UP RETAIL STORES

ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN 2000, HE OPENED UP THE HUSTLER CASINO

20 MINUTES SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.

- THIS IS THE FIRST HUSTLER STORE.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE 13 NOW THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE PREMIER ONE.

IT'S THE ONE I THINK MR. FLYNT TAKES THE MOST PRIDE IN.

HE CERTAINLY STOPS BY HERE VERY OFTEN.

WE DO SIGNINGS FROM A LOT OF THE MAJOR PORN STARS,

PUTTING THEIR HANDPRINTS IN THE CEMENT OUTSIDE OUR STORE.

WE'VE GOT SEVERAL DOZEN OF THEM OUT THERE NOW,

AND THEY JUST KEEP GROWING, YOU KNOW.

- WORK IT, BABY. PERFECT.

YES. YES. YES.

GOOD JOB.

THERE'S MY BABY.

THAT'S EXCELLENT.

- WE'RE AT THE LARRY FLYNT PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO.

WE SHOOT PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE ON VIDEO,

ALL OF OUR BIG FEATURES.

EVEN SOME OF THE SMALLER STUFF THAT YOU'LL CATCH

ON YOUR MOBILE PHONES.

A LOT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHY IS DONE HERE,

AND CERTAINLY EVERYTHING THAT WE SHOOT

WINDS UP ON HUSTLER TV.

THE LARGEST, IF NOT NEXT-TO-THE-LARGEST, BROADCASTER

OF HARD-CORE CONTENT IN THE WORLD.

- LARRY IS JUST A BUSINESS.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MAYBE HE'S IN THE SEX BUSINESS,

BUT, REALLY, HE'S IN THE MONEY BUSINESS, AND HE GETS IT.

YOU KNOW, GUCCIONE DIED PENNILESS.

HE SPENT IT ALL.

IT'S A CRAZY RICHES-TO-RAGS STORY, YOU KNOW.

AND HEFNER'S, LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST FLOATING IN THE AIR,

YOU KNOW, SORT OF THIS CRAZY, OLD QUEEN LOCKED UP.

IT'S, LIKE, SUNSET BOULEVARD OR SOMETHING OVER THERE.

YOU KNOW, AND POOR AL GOLDSTEIN,

WHO'S SUCH A VISIONARY AND SUCH AN AVATAR,

YOU KNOW, BUT ALSO A VICTIM OF HIS OWN INSANITY...

- I'M TELLING YOU, YOU'LL STAY UP TO GO SUCK MY DICK.

- YOU KNOW, IS IN THIS NURSING HOME.

BUT LARRY'S GOT A BUILDING ON WILSHIRE FUCKING BOULEVARD

WITH HIS NAME ON IT STILL.

HE'S ON TOP OF THE FUCKING WORLD.

- YOU KNOW, THE '70s AND '80s WAS--

IT WAS DIFFERENT. I MEAN, THIS WAS THE ONLY PLACE

THAT YOU REALLY GOT SLEAZY KIND OF STUFF.

- GOD, IT'S SO BORING NOW, ALL THOSE FLOPPING VAGINAS,

BUT...

AND HOW DO YOU TOP IT?

I MEAN, IT'S SO NICE

WHEN THINGS ARE NOT ALLOWED AND THINGS--

- NO, BUT THAT'S THE INEVITABLE--

- I KNOW, BUT-- - INEVITABLE HISTORY IS FULL--

HOW DO YOU HAVE BRINKSMANSHIP? YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A BRINK.

- WE WERE LUCKY TO BE THERE,

YOU KNOW, TO HAVE SOME TABOOS TO BREAK.

- THAT'S RIGHT. - WE WERE REALLY LUCKY.

- I THINK THESE ISSUES ARE ACTUALLY UNDER RECOGNIZED.

THEY'RE IMPORTANT CULTURAL DOCUMENTS

OF THE TIME AND A PLACE.

- THERE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT

BETWEEN THE PAGES OF HUSTLER.

IT WAS A LOT OF UN.

IT WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE.

I HAD ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS MORE...

OF MAGAZINE EXPERIENCE, BUT NOTHING WAS AS EXCITING AS THAT.

I WAS A KID. I WAS YOUNGER THAN YOU ARE.

I WAS JUST DOING MY JOB, YOU KNOW, HAVING FUN.

- IT'S A WRAP. WE'RE GOOD.