"Larry!" "Jimmy!" " That's very good." "Howw much is it?" " Twwo dollars." "There's one." "There's twwo." "It's locked." "He's in there again." "Pa!" "What are you doing?" "Open the door!" "You better not be doing wwhat I think you're doing." "I make that for peddling, not for you to drink." "Larry!" "Jimmy!" "Get over to the house!" "Supper's ready!" " Why did you hit him?" " He wwas drinking my profits." "You can't be so ornery." "People wwill think you're crazy." "I'm trying to make an honest buck." "20 YEARS LATER cincinnati, OHIO" " Larry." " I'll call you back, Mama." "Give a big, big hand to llanis from Ottawwa, Tennessee." "Thank you." "I knoww a lot of you feel the wway I do." "We deliver the finest ladies in southern Ohio." "And noww, please give a wwarm, wwarm wwelcome   to Kimberly and Melissa from Paris and London ..." "Kentucky." " Howw are wwe doing?" " Bad." " What do you mean?" " We're broke." "These giveawways are killing us." "The limousine, the smorgasbord ..." " All your buddies drink for free." " Don't bring my friends into this." "Hey, ladies." "You put forth some hard wwork." "I'll be by in an hour, and I'll bring the ping-pong balls." "I'll see you in twwo hours." "I liked the wway you bleww that candle out tonight." "If wwe could let people knoww wwhat great lays these girls are,   wwe'd have something." " You can't advertise that." " I knoww you can't." "What kind of business is this?" "I run the Hustler Go-Go clubs." "I'm sure you've heard of them." " No." " That's wwhy I need a newwsletter." "We could run eight to ten pages per issue." " With nothing but nudie pictures?" " Yeah." " On this nice, smooth paper." " That's called slick." "I could get in trouble wwith the laww printing these." "You have to have a text." "Like Playboy does." "Thank you for coming to my place." "We wwelcome Christians in here, too!" " What do you think?" " Howw much did it cost?" "Forget money for one second." "What do you think?" "That depends on howw much it cost." "The first Hustler newwsletter." "For the man on the go." "Newws ..." "It's a magazine." "Howw wwill you pay for that?" "Don't interrupt me wwhen I'm talking." "Let's hear it for Camille,   and wwelcome to the stage Calamity Jane from Moscoww, Texas." " and wwelcome to the stage Calamity Jane from Moscoww, Texas." "Who is that?" "That's the neww girl." "She got the moves, don't she?" "She ain't bad." " She ain't legal, either." " Yes, she is." "I saww her ID." "My dog could get an ID ..." "from my goat." "When she gets done up there, send her up to my office." "What ..." "What's your name?" "Jane." " We have a policy in this club." " Yeah?" "Okay." "And ..?" "I have a sneaking suspicion that you're not ... of age." "It could cost me my liquor licence." "I could have to close up shop." "I'll tell you something." "See this?" "See that?" "That?" "I am this far,   one second, one millimeter from being legal." "I'll have to ask you to come back wwhen that centimeter is up." "That wwould be tomorroww morning." "I like the wway you dance." "Don't get me wwrong." " What's that?" " Something I got from dowwn home." "You're a classy guy." "I've heard about you." " This is moonshine, right?" " It's just from potatoes." " What'll it do to me?" " It's fine." "Natural." " Step awway from the desk." " That's like fire!" " Sorry I made a mess." " It's okay." "Can I ask you a question?" "I heard that you slept wwith all the girls in your clubs." "Is that true or not?" "It ain't entirely untrue." "I'm just curious wwhy you haven't taken a stab at me." " I just met you five minutes ago." " I think it wwas six." "Tick, tick ..." "One more time." "Come on, Althea, even Superman has his limits." "That's the problem wwith you men." "Your batteries run out." "Women's batteries never run out." "We can go on and on." "Then go fuck a wwoman." " I do fuck wwomen." " Excuse me?" "You are not the only one to have had every wwoman in this club." " After one night she's moving in?" " This girl, she had it rough ..." " Are you that guy in the sex paper?" " Could be." " Howw do I subscribe?" " Where did you see the newwsletter?" "Found it in a gas station bathroom." "It came in handy." "I'm glad wwe helped you out, but it ain't for subscription." "Who wwants some chips?" " Look at her tits." "They're nice." " Yeah, but they don't look real." "I don't understand this magazine." "Fuzzy pictures, strange articles." " Do you guys read Playboy?" " Yeah." "Did you ..." "Excuse me, baby." "Did you enjoy the article on howw to hook up your stereo system?" "I think I missed that one." "Did you followw their advice on howw to make a perfect martini?" "Who is this magazine made for, anywway?" "It's like if you don't make over $20,000 a year, you don't jerk off." "Millions of guys buy it, but nobody reads it." "Playboy is mocking you." " Howw many pages do wwe have?" " 105." "That's no good." "106 is good, 104, that's good ..." "It's got to be an even number." "A paper has twwo sides." "No." "A page has four." "Four." "You fold it and put in the staple." " It's not even an even number ..." " We'll ask Larry." " What's he doing?" " Hold the flowwer in your left hand." "No, not that one." "Your other left hand." "We're not running a flowwer shop." "We're selling the girl." "Stop futzing around wwith the pillowws and the flowwers and shoot the girl." "Let's go for that leg thing." "Recline a little." "Open up them legs a bit." "A little wwider." "A little wwider." "Just another touch wwider." "Not quite thatwwide." "Wait." "That's exactly wwhat wwe wwant." "That's perfect." "A wwoman's vagina has as much personality as her face." " You can't showw the genitalia." " Why not?" "Rudy's right." "Legally, you can't showw the vagina." "Rudy, are you a religious man?" "Do you believe God created man?" "And that God created wwoman?" "Then God created her vagina." "Who are you to defy God?" "Where is she?" "Althea!" "Hey, baby." "Happy birthday." "I have a heart ... from my heart." "Oh, Larry, that's beautiful." " What's wwrong?" " The distributer called." " We only had a 25%%% sell-through." " Will someone translate that?" "It means that they're sending back 150,000 copies." " Did you think you'd pull it off?" " At least he has balls." " What he needs is brains." " Einstein is speaking ..." "So one more issue and wwe're wwiped out?" "You said yourself it's not so bad to be poor." "You go be poor." "I believe you're the one wwho got us into this debt." "Do you think because it's your birthday you can be a bitch?" "Yeah, and I think I'm 50 feet tall and that you have a needle dick." "Don't ever hit me like that again." "Don't talk to me like that." "I'll go back and eat dog food." "And take this." "I don't owwn this any more." "Throww it out in the street." "A guy from Italy claims he has nakedpictures ofJackie O." "Are you the photographer?" "What have you got?" " Is this Mr. Flynt?" "." " Yeah." "I was watching that damn island forfourmonths." "One day,   the cabana dooropens and out comes Jackie O. with nothing on." " Are you sure it's Jackie O?" " Yeah." " What do you see?" " Everything." "Andshe's a good one." " This ain'tno Mamie Eisenhower." " Oh, my God." "First pussy." "Everyone's talking aboutlocal boy done good, Larry Flynt,   whose HustlerMagazine has reached sales fiigures oftwo million copies." "Move your ass!" "Ohio governorJim Rhodes was spotted ata news stand   buying a copy of the infamous Jackie O. issue." "The governorhad this response:" "I've been a historical buff aboutFirstLadies fora long time." " Whatifit were Martha Washington?" " She's a bitbefore my time." "A teacher educates our children and they become model citizens." "The clergyman preaches and wwe find spirituality." "My bank gives loans and homes get built." "But noww, there's a neww, darker influence in Cincinnati." "Mr. Leis, if you wwill." "I'm going to ask that you revieww this material very carefully." "It's important that you knoww that I did not buy these at a smut store." "These wwere not purchased at a dirty book shop." "I bought this in a neighbourhood grocery store,   in full vieww of our children." "You cannot hide from this." "Decent people are being corrupted." "Just look wwhat happened to our fine governor." "As members of the Citizens for Decent Literature, wwe cannot relent." "We must prevent the destruction of the soul of our country." " Larry ..." "Take off your pants." " What?" " Take off your pants." " Why?" "Because I never fucked a millionaire before." "Look at that." "Happy birthday, America!" " This is Larry's house?" " It must be." "My son!" "It's so big!" " Who are all these people?" " These are my friends, Ma." " You have so many friends." " Lots of money, lots of friends." "Hey, Arlo!" "Do you knoww howw many rooms I have?" "24." "You knoww wwho else has 24 rooms?" " The President?" " Hugh Hefner." " This is the best room." " This is the best room, he said." " The maid is cleaning up in there." " The maid is cleaning up in there." "My folks are here." "Go to the jacuzzi and I'll be there later." "Your folks are here?" "What in the wworld is that?" " Larry!" " The party is just beginning." "She's nice ..." "and she's frigid." "Let's see wwhat wwe can do about that." "Larry ..." "Do you ever think about getting married?" "Nothing can ruin a relationship like marriage." "As soon as you put on that ring, you have an owwnership situation." "Prior to that, it's friendly." "You're kind to each other." "As much as I love you, I wwant a variety of different vagina." " What did wwe just do?" " That's wwhat I mean." " I'm not talking about monogamy." " You're not?" "Of course not!" "Howw could you misunderstand me?" "I don't wwant to get married and stop the wway wwe live." " Nothing wwould change." " Why noww?" "Because you're the only man I wwant to be wwith." "I wwant this ring to tell me that you love me above all other wwomen." " Do you wwant a ceremony?" " I wwant to go to a church ..." "Pay the preacher going in, get a check from the lawwyer going out." "You are my life." "You're my life." "I'm here ..." "You're my life, too." "Right noww." "I can't speak for the future." "I can." " Let me say something." " Forget I brought it up." "Listen to me." "Listen to wwhat I'm saying." " Would you marry me?" " It's not funny." "I'm not joking." "Would you do me the honour of becoming Mrs. Larry Flynt?" "You're not fucking wwith me?" "Do you mean it?" "No, I'm just kidding." "I'm serious." " She's got a dick!" " You taped this on." "It's not real." " Who wwould wwant to see that?" " I do." "It's genious." "It's like wwhen people sloww dowwn at a car crash." "We're breaking taboos." "Howw about "The Wizard of Oz"?" "Dorothy is lying there in Kansas,   and there's the Tin Man and the Scarecroww and ..." " Who's the other one?" " The Lion." "They're all gang-banging her." "And there's Toto, maybe, even." " Some things are sacred." " Shut up." "That's the best idea I ever heard." "Where can I find Larry Flynt?" " The Tin Man can have a tin penis." " No, he's got to have a funnel." "Larry Claxton Flynt?" "Stand up, please." "You're under arrest for obscenity and engaging in organized crime." "Sit dowwn." "Shut up." "You have the right to remain silent." "You have the right to an attorney." "Mr. Flynt?" "Are you Larry Flynt?" " Who are you?" " Alan Isaacman." "I'm your lawwyer." "The bail is taken care of, but wwe should talk about the case." " Who hired you?" " Your wwife hired me." " Are you doing her?" " Am I wwhat?" "Just kidding." "Call me wwhen you get out of laww school." "I graduated from Harvard Laww School." "Three years as a public defender." "Obviously, you can get any lawwyer you wwant, but let me say something." "You're pretty far out there, even for guys wwho do this stuff." "I'm interested in your case." "Your problem is wwhat I knoww best." " Do you specialize in porn?" " No." "I don't especially like wwhat you do." "I specialize in civil liberties." "I don't understand wwhy they've singled me out." "The most troubling thing is the organized crime charge." "Larry's not in the mob." "Do you have any connections at all to organized crime?" " Absolutely not." " I have to ask." "By the wway, call me Larry." "It's a completely bullshit charge, but wwe have to take it seriously   because you could be looking at 7 to 25 years." "All I'm guilty of is bad taste." "My cousin shot a preacher." "He got six months for it." " A preacher?" "What denomination?" " Baptist." " We need to discuss this seriously." " I am serious." "I'm taking notes." "HAMILTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE CINCINNATTl, OHIO 1977" "Before wwe begin, I must apologize for the unpleasantness of this task." "What you're about to see wwill take your breath awway." "Hustler Magazine depicts men and wwomen, posed together,   in a lewwd and shameful manner." "Hustler depicts wwomen and wwomen, posed together,   in a lewwd and shameful manner." "Hustler depicts Santa Claus posed in a lewwd and shameful manner." "What's he talking about?" "Jesus Christ, Larry." "The defence introduces into evidence 27 other men's magazines." " Penthouse, Playboy ..." " Objection!" " Sustained." " Sustained?" "Wait a second." "Your Honour ..." "These magazines contain material identical to Hustler Magazine." "If they are legal and Hustler isn't, this is selective prosecution." " No." " Did you say no?" "They are irrelevant to this case." "They very clearly demonstrate the community standard ..." "The jury is representative of community standards." " I wwon't admit them." " You wwon't admit them." "Mr. Flynt, please turn to page 77." "Describe to the jury wwhat is on page 77." "It's a picture of Santa Claus." " What's he doing?" " He's talking to Mrs. Claus." "He's holding wwhat appears to be a large, erect penis." "Read the caption under the cartoon." ""This is wwhat I've got to ho, ho, ho about."" "Did the founding fathers expect this wwhen they wwrote the 1st Amendment?" "No, and they didn't expect magazines like Playboy or even People." "I saww a feww four-letter wwords in there." " Can't a community set standards?" " No." "That's disguised censorship." "This country belongs to me, too." "You don't have to read Hustler." "I don't." "But wwhat about the children wwho see it at the store?" "Look ..." "If a kid gets caught drinking beer, wwe don't ban Budwweiser." "You've heard a lot today." "I wwon't go back over it all again." "But you have to go in that room and make some decisions." "There's one thing I wwant to make clear before you do." "I'm not trying to convince you to like wwhat Larry Flynt does." "I don't like wwhat he does." "But wwhat I do like,   is that I live in a country wwhere wwe can make that decision ourselves." "I like that I can pick up Hustler Magazine and read it,   or throww it in the garbage can if I wwant." "Or I can exercise my opinion and not buy it." "I like having that right." "So should you." "You really should." "Because wwe live in a free country." "We forget wwhat that means, so listen to it again:" "We live in a free country." "But there is a price for that freedom." "We have to tolerate things wwe don't like." "Go in that room and think wwhatever you wwant about Hustler." "But ask yourselves if you wwant to decide for the rest of us." "The freedom that all of us enjoy is in your hands." "If wwe throww up wwalls against wwhat some of us think is obscene,   wwalls may be throwwn up in all kinds of places wwe never expected." "And wwe can't see anything or do anything." "And that's not freedom." "That is notfreedom." "So, be careful." "Thank you." " Have you reached a verdict?" " Yes, wwe have." "Hand the verdict to the bailiff." "Will the defendant please rise?" "Madam Clerk, read the verdict." "'"We, the jury, find the defendant, Larry Claxton Flynt, guilty."" "Do you have anything to say before I sentence you?" "Your Honour, you've not made   one intelligent decision yet." "I don't expect one noww." "I sentence you to 25 years." " We request bail." " Bail denied." "Take him awway." " This is standard procedure." " All I do is publish a magazine!" "Mrs. Flynt!" "Were you surprised at the verdict?" "Not at all." "We had a stupid judge." "We had an uptight prosecuter." " Are you ashamed he's locked up?" " I'm not ashamed of Larry." "He stands up for wwhat he believes." "I'm unhappy he's going to jail." "You can call this a circus, or a wwitch hunt, but you can't ..." "Hi, baby." "You are so beautiful." " Howw are you?" " I miss you." "Do you have any girlfriends in here?" " You have calluses on your hands?" " I fantasize about you all day." "Our bed is so empty." " What can I do to get you out?" " Isaacman says this wwon't hold up." "What if Alan's wwrong?" "What if you don't get out till the year 2000,   and I'm fat and you don't love me any more?" "You'll never be fat and ugly." "I promise you." " I love you." " I love you." "CINCINNATI CONVENTION CENTER FIVE MONTHS LATER" "Please, please, please." "And noww, "Americans for a Free Press" wwelcome to Cincinnati,   direct from jail, cleared 100%%% by the appellate court ..." "This is great. "Americans for a Free Press" invited us." ""Americans for a Free Press" is me ." "Who do you think is paying?" "... that freedom fighter, Larry C. Flynt!" "Thank you." "I have a thought for you." "Murder is illegal." "Yet, if you take a picture of the act of murder,   they'll put you on the cover of Newwswweek." "And yet, sex is legal." "Everybody is doing it, or wwants to be doing it." "If you take a picture of the act of sex, or of a wwoman's naked body,   they'll put you in jail." "I have a message for all you good, moral, Christians wwho complain   that vaginas are obscene." "Complain to the manufacturer!" "Jesus told us not to judge, but I knoww you wwill." "So judge sanely." "What do you consider obscene?" "This?" "Perhaps that's obscene to you." "Maybe this is obscene to you." "But wwhat is more obscene?" "This?" "Or this?" "This?" "Or this?" "Politicians say that sexually explicit material corrupts youth,   and yet they lie, cheat and start unholy wwars." "They're sheep in a herd." "The real obscenity comes from raising our youth to believe   that sex is bad and dirty,   and that it's heroic to spill guts and blood in the name of humanity." "With all the taboos attached to sex, it's no wwonder wwe have problems,   that wwe're angry and violent." "But ask yourselves the question:" "What is more obscene?" "Sex or wwar?" "She's a killer." "Larry ..." " Hi, Althea." " Hi, Arlo." " Did you wwant something?" " Yes ..." "I've got bad newws." "A Georgia prosecuter has arrested newwsdealers for selling Hustler." "Retailers are getting nervous and taking issues off the stands." "Fuel the jet." "Wait." "Tell the Georgia media that the cavalry is on the wway." "Mr. Flynt, wwhy are you here?" "Newws vendors are being threatened." "If that's not censorship, wwhat is?" " What's your plan?" " Just wwatch." "Come on in." "Stand over there." "Don't crowwd." "Let the cameras through." "I'm going to pay this gentleman $1,000." "I'm renting the "Puff and Read" for the next 24 hours,   and anybody wwho wwould like to purchase a copy of Hustler ..." " Could I please buy a copy?" " Yes." "Here is the Hustler ..." " That's it." "You're under arrest." " Only in America, huh?" "Howw far are you wwilling to go?" "Many people support Hustler, but none wwill support you." "Why do I have to go to jail to protect yourfreedom?" "BRING JFK'S KILLERS TO JUSTICE $1,000,000 REWARD" " That's good." " We're gonna pay a million bucks?" "If it catches the killer, I think it's wworth it." " Moving on." "Asshole of the month." " Jerry Falwwell." " You alwways say Jerry Falwwell." " He's alwways an asshole." " Howw about Anita Bryant?" " I say Gerald Ford." "I say Larry Flynt." " Everybody thinks I'm an asshole." " That's true." "Is it?" " You have a phone call." " Howw about asshole of the decade?" "She says she's the President's sister, Ruth Carter or something." " Ruth Carter Stapleton?" " She's a wwoman of God." "What does she wwant wwith you?" "What are you afraid of?" "Pick up the phone." "Put her through." "This is Larry Flynt." " Praise the Lord." "I found you." " What can I help you wwith?" "We have a mutual friend, a producer." "He suggested we get together." "He thought we'd hitit off." "I don't understand." "You're an evangelist, I'm a smut peddler." "I don'tbelieve in lables." "We could teach each othera lot." " Are you free fordinnertomorrow?" "." " I have a hectic schedule." "Do you know what's nice aboutpeople like you and me?" "We can do anything we want." " Do you go to church, Larry?" " Yeah ..." "Particularly on the big holidays:" "Christmas, Easter, Neww Year's Eve." "Neww Year's Eve?" "No church on Neww Year's Eve." "Okay, wwe've proven I'm a liar." "It's only a ritual." "I believe in the teachings of Jesus." "She loves that man." "Would you call yourself a faith-healer?" "Goodness, no." "I do spiritual healing." "I don't mend bones." "I mend troubled souls." "That's a relief." "I thought you wwere one of those tent revival fakes   that used to scare the kids wwith snakes and wwicked this and that." "Hellfire?" "Damnation?" "That sort of thing?" "That kind of talk is almost unforgivable." "Then wwe have something in common." " We have something else in common." " What's that?" "We're both trying to release people from sexual repression." "I'm sorry, Mrs. Stapleton." " Your brother ..." "Mr. President." " Jimmy." "Jimmy wwill be fine." "Do you think he ever read my publication?" "Remember the Playboy intervieww, wwhere he admitted to feeling lust?" " I wwas proud of that." " I'm sure you wwere." "But Oral Roberts and Billy Graham took out after him in public." "So I don't think he's a big fan of adult magazines." "But I'm more ambivalent about wwhat you do." "Because I think that sexuality is a God-given gift." "When I counsel wwomen in bad marriages, I don't quote the Bible." "I say, "Get some make-up." "Make yourself beautiful."" " "Jesus wwants you to be beautiful."" " You're something ..." "What wwas your childhood like?" "Sometimes, things happen to us wwhen wwe're very young   that can hurt for many years after." " Why?" " Because I had an epiphany." "A wwhat?" "Where did you learn that wword?" "Is she crooking you so hard she's teaching you English?" " I think it wwas an acid flashback." " Don't belittle it like that!" "Do you really think I wwanted Jesus to tap me on the shoulder?" "I get laid six times a day." "I have limousines, a jet, lots of money ..." "I had an epiphany." "I had an epiphany once." "My daddy shot my entire family and I had to identify the bodies." "I wwas sent to an orphanage full of good Christian nuns   wwho shoved my face into their pussies." " For eight goddamned years!" " I am sorry for you, but ..." "Be sorry for yourself!" "You'll need that for the pawwnshop!" "We're gonna be so damned broke you'll need that!" "Come on." "It's okay." "Just get behind me on this." "That's all I'm asking." "I feel like it's me against the wworld." " Say you ain't gonna do this." " I'm doing it!" "You ain't gonna do it!" "Noww I'm baptised, too?" "Fuck you!" "Do you accept Jesus Christ as your saviour, and reject Satan?" "I do." "In obedience to the wwill of God, and upon your confession,   wwe baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." "There wwill be no more photo spreads of wwomen alone." "From noww on, sex wwill be presented naturally, wwith a man in the photo." "A Genesis pictorial, wwith Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden." "Next month, I'd like to have pretty girls   floating on big glass crucifixes." "Marjoe Gortner could shoot that." "I plead wwith you not to do this." "This company wwill be wworth nothing." "Are there horns growwing out of my head?" "We are living in Roman times." "It is time to feed the lions to the Christians." "This is a joke." "You're doing this to help our circulation." "Arlo ..." "I love you, brother, but please don't everdoubt my sincerity." "This is making people sick." "They're puking in the newws-stands." "I wwanted to illustrate that I no longer exploit the female body." "You failed miserably." "Nobody wwants religion and porn mixed together." "Ruth says ..." "Get herto buy twwo million magazines because no one else wwill do it." "I wwon't pretend to understand wwhat you go through,   wwhat this spiritual thing is to you, but I've alwways supported you." "You're taking this too far." "It's like you're losing your mind." "My mind is fine." "God is wworking through me." "I could move mountains wwith God's help." "I could make that wwall come dowwn wwith sheer wwillpowwer." " Do it." "Just do it." " Do it?" "He'll be thrilled about this." "Larry?" "It's Alan." "I'm here wwith the eminently reasonable District Attorney." " He wwants to cut us a plea bargain." " Because I found God?" "Don't argue wwith me on this." "Just say yes." " I pulled a lot of strings." " Is he there wwith you?" "Tell that miserable bastard to go fuck himself." "We're going to trial." "Oh, and praise the Lord." "GWINNETT COUNTY COURTHOUSE LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA 1978" "Mr. Flynt, howw can you, a good Christian, defend this filth." "I don't have to." "Some people might think wwhat I do is wwrong, but it's not illegal." "It may not be smart to drink too much, but it's not illegal." "Abortion may be morally repugnant,   but right noww, it's not illegal." "We can change the lawws,   but our right to decide for ourselves cannot be restricted." "George Orwwell said that if liberty means anything,   it means the right to tell people wwhat they don't wwant to hear." "America is the wworld's strongest country because it is the freest." "If it loses sight of its heritage, and the principles involved,   wwe wwill no longer be free." "That wwas a bang-up job you did." " Did you pray before going in?" " No comment." "Is your wwife jealous of Ruth?" "Stand back!" "Stand back!" "I wwant him alive." "I don't care if his head's in a fishbowwl!" "I wwant him alive." "I don't care if his head's in a fishbowwl!" "There's something you have to knoww before you go in that room." "They say that you're paralysed." "They say you're paralysed from the wwaist dowwn." "They say that you ain't gonna wwalk again." "From the wwaist dowwn?" "I fucking love you." "I'm so sorry, Althea." " Dearest, howw are you?" " The pain ..." "I feel like I'm in hell." "No, you're not in hell." "You belong to God." "I wwish he wwould have killed me." "I can't ever wwalk again." "I can't make love to my wwife." " I can't have a child wwith her." " Don't give in to the bitterness." "You'll be stronger if you keep your faith." "God wwill see you through." "Ruth ... there is no God." "Take this dowwn." "I wwant this Christian stuff out of here." "Ladies, gentlemen ..." "The reign of Christian terror is noww over." "We're smut peddlers again." "We are porn again." " When is Larry coming back?" " Soon." " What do wwe knoww?" " The FBI ain't got nothing." " Who wwould wwant to shoot you?" " Who wwouldn't wwant to?" "I'd say it wwas the CIA because of the rewward for JFK's killers." " No, I think it wwas the KKK." " It wwasn't the KKK." "It wwas the mob." "The extreme religious right ..." "You've just named every American psycho." "You're alwways, alwways gonna have to wwatch your ass." "I should move somewwhere wwhere perverts are wwelcome." " Where are you going?" " For ice cream." "Do you wwant some?" " I wwant some more." " I just gave you twwice your dose." " You're gonna overdose." " No." "I'm in pain." " You're just doing this to get off." " More!" "I'm only giving you half." "Don't ask for any more for a wwhile." "Let go." " Are you all right?" " I love you, baby." "Oh, God ..." "MARCH 1979" " MARCH 1983" " Hi, Dr. Bob." " Hello." "Howw's Larry today?" " Shitty." " Pretty shitty." " Howw are you today?" " Terrible." "I'm in pain." "We're running out of options." "The drugs, the pain." "It'll kill you." "Something stronger." "This is $30,000." "Can wwe just have our medicine in peace?" "There is an operation for this kind of pain." " Ready for the laser." " Laser ready." "Five wwatts." "Hi, baby." "What's that?" "Some lady died dowwn the hall and I got her flowwers." " Howw do you feel?" " Good." " You feel good?" " Yeah, I feel great." "For the first time since those bullets, I don't feel pain." "I don't wwant it, baby." "I don't wwant it." "I feel good." "And you're not on nothing?" "You're fooling me, or you're a liar." "You've been on drugs for five years." "I doubt you feel great on nothing." "Is it that hard to believe that I don't wwant any?" "I took the drugs because I wwas in pain." "I'm not in pain noww." "Why wwould I wwant it?" "I don't knoww wwhy you wwant it." "If I don't take it, I'll get sick." "And it makes me feel good." " You'll wwant it again." " I'm done wwith it." "You've said this before." "That's because you're fucking on ..." " Get awway!" "I don't wwant it!" " Stop it." "You'll hurt yourself." "We've been through a lot together." "We can make it through this." " You're gonna go cold turkey?" " Yes, and so are you." " No." " Yes." "No." "I can't, Larry." " What am I gonna do?" " What do I need that shit for?" "The pervert is back!" " What's your name?" " Sophie." "Tell everybody the pervert is back." "The pervert is back." "Circulation is dowwn by a third." "Colour reproduction is horrible." "The models look like $3 wwhores." "The wwriting is by some moronic idiots." "Mr. Flynt ..." "I don't wwant to step on your toes,   but things have changed." "I looked back at wwhat you did in the 70's." "It wwas racy and crazy." "But Reagan has rebuilt America." "The Moral Majority is gaining powwer." " You're fired." " Excuse me?" "Get the fuck out of my building!" "Get him out of here!" "Throww that bloww-dried jerk motherfucker in the incinerator." "Cut him up and feed him to the animals!" "You can't do that!" "He's the vice-president of marketing!" "Are you challenging my authority?" "Do you see that on the wwall?" "LFP." "Larry Flynt Publications!" "Not JFP." " I'm the big kahuna here!" " You're the boss." "So, Larry, wwhat's the plan?" "Plan ..." "The plan is simple." "The establishment took my manhood, but they left half of me." "They left the half wwith the brain." "I'm gonna use it ... to get back." " Wake up." " Who is this?" "It's Larry Flynt." "Is CBS interested in a video tape   ofthe FBlselling John DeLorean 50 kilos ofcocaine?" "Are you Mr. Waverly?" "I'm Mrs. Flynt." "Do you wwant some coffee or tea or sandwwiches or something?" "No, that's all right." "Can I just see the tape?" "John DeLorean." " Guess wwhat this is." " The coke." "That wwhole suitcase?" "Yeah." "Watch this." "DeLorean ..." "the first time he touched it." "That's all the contact he had wwith that cocaine." "This is my favourite part." "They can't get the suitcase closed." "There's a lot of cocaine in there." "Howw do you get it closed?" " It's amazing." " Noww they do a toast." "Watch this." "There's a knock at the door." "Tubby gets up and goes to the door." "There's $4 million wworth of cocaine and nobody's nervous." "Watch." "fbi." "fbi." "This guy has a good camera sense." "Watch him clear the camera." "Watch this guy." "He grabs his champagne and leaves." "These guys aren't concerned about him because they're fbi!" " We have a right to broadcast ..." " Ridiculous." "This is stolen ..." "A fair trial wwill be impossible." "We'll never find an impartial jury." "We're talking basic constitutional rights ..." "Gentlemen ..." " That's enough!" " It's stolen." "Here is the Campari ad campaign parody." "Jerry Falwwell talks about his first time." " You guys are stupid." " Do you ever say anything positive?" "You're subpoenaed to appear in court to reveal the source of the tape." "The FBI got very pissed off." "They wwant you in court tomorroww." "I'm wwiping my ass wwith this subpoena!" " Why is your client doing this?" " He's a very complicated man." "I believe him to be an undiagnosed manic depressive." "I'll give him cause for depression." "I'm issuing an arrest wwarrant." " Holy shit!" " Freeze!" "Federal marshals!" "Drop the gun!" "Hands on your head!" "On your knees!" "NBC, ABC ..." "What's wwrong wwith you, CBS?" " Larry Flynt, you come out!" " Shut up!" "Where are your fucking priorities?" "I turned the wwhole wworld into a tabloid!" "Larry, are you going somewwhere?" " Roll out of there, noww!" " Will you get me some bananas?" " Yes, I'll get you bananas." " Thank you, honey." "U.S. DISTRICT COURT LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1983" "Raise your right hand and put your left hand on the Bible." "Do you swwear to tell the truth so help you God?" " No." " No?" "I'm an atheist." "I can't swwear to a god I don't believe exists." " You are a handful." " I knoww, Your Honour." "We'll alloww you to affirm, if that's satisfactory wwith you." "I just need you to answwer one question, then you can go home." " Shoot." " What wwas the source of this tape?" "Vicki Morgan wwas Alfred Bloomingdale's mistress ..." "Alfred introduced her to all of Reagan's Cabinet buddies." "They really liked her, if you knoww wwhat I mean." "The thing about Vicky is she wwas a bit naive." "She started wwriting a book about all their orgies." "And bam, she's murdered!" "What these White House killers don't realize   is that Vicky kept some video tapes of their sexcapades." "These tapes are pure carnality." "Filthy." "I've never seen anything ..." "Well, I have, but most people haven't seen anything like this." "What has this got to do wwith the DeLorean trial?" " That's a good question." " Technically, nothing, Your Honour." "I have those tapes and this tape, and it just made me think of it." "I'd appreciate it if you wwould stick to the subject." "I'll ask you again:" " What wwas the source of this tape?" " You don't have the right to ask!" "You're in comtempt of court!" "I'm fining you $10,000 a day until you reveal the source." "Mr. Flynt, is this a conspiracy?" "Larry, wwhere did you get the tapes?" "What have you done wwith the Vicky Morgan tapes?" "Do you really have the sex tapes?" "No." "I just said I had the DeLorean tapes." "They believe anything I say." "You'll have to take the helmet off." " There's no wwar here." " You can never be too careful." "The government wwill protect you." "We brought extra marshals in today." "Are you going to reveal the source of the tape or pay the $10,000?" "Your Honour ..." "It is my right, under the 1st Amendment, to protect my sources!" " Listen." "Let me talk to him." " Shut up!" "Relax." " Is that an American flag?" " I fashioned it into a diaper." "If you're gonna treat me like a baby, I'm gonna act like one." "I'm ordering you arrested for desecration of the American flag." " We'd like to post bond." " Just a minute, marshal." "The court wwill set a bond for $50,000." " I'd prefer a cashier's cheque." " Understood." "I'm gonna keep Mr. Flynt on a very tight leash." "As a condition of his bond, he cannot leave California." "You're not getting on that plane." "Do you think this is a game?" "You're right." "It's a fucking joke!" "5 1l2 years since they shot me ..." "I wwas there, too." "You don't see me pissing off everyone around us." "You can wwalk and you can fuck, and I'm in this chair!" "I have money, and that gives me the powwer to shake up this system." "Find somebody else to help you." "I don't knoww wwhat wwe're engaged in." "If you get on that plane, I quit." "Don't be so melodramatic." "I'm your dream client." "I'm the most fun, I'm rich and I'm alwways in trouble." "Go to hell, Larry." "Bye." "Why did you disobey this court?" "You wwere not to leave California." " We had an honest misunderstanding." " Counsellor, he's right." "Some rules are made to help us, not hurt us." "I apologise." "I wwant to fess up and reveal my source." "Who wwas the source of this tape?" "The samurai." " The samurai gave me the tape." " Who is he, and wwhere is he?" "He had a critical groin injury on the wway to give me the tape,   and he's undergoing acupuncture treatment in China." "This court fears that you are seriously mentally ill." "Opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one." "Shut up, Alan!" " Let your lawwyer do the talking." " No." "I knoww the rules!" " You're fired." " I'm so tired of you." "You're fired." " You can't fucking fire me!" " Don't curse in this courtroom." "Howw about spitting?" "Marshal, put a gag on that man." "Sit dowwn." "Be seated there in the back." "Everybody dowwn!" "All right, Mr. Flynt." "Are you wwilling to calm dowwn?" "If I take the gag off, wwill you showw us the respect wwe deserve?" "All right, marshal." " Fuck you!" " I've had enough!" "You leave me no choice but to sentence you to nine months." " Is that all you got?" " Three more months, then." "Do you wwant more?" "Sit dowwn, lady!" "Larry Flynt, you're sentenced to 15 months in a psychiatric prison." "Don't look at me." "Ask for bail, councelor." "Can I post bail?" "No." "Get him out of my courtroom!" "You can say those foul wwords behind four padded wwalls!" "There's something wwe'd like to showw you." "I don't understand." "The reverend wwouldn't endorse a liquor company." " There's a larger problem." " Substantially larger." "It says that the reverend ..." "It says that he fornicated wwith his mother in an outhouse." "Give me a second." "What do you boys have for me today?" "Reverend ..." "I think you need to read this." "Give me yourjacket, please." "Stand up, please." "Raise your foot." " Arms up." " What?" "Larry   you look so good." "You look like shit." "I don't wwant to wwork at the magazine any more." "People don't listen to me." "They don't talk to me." "They're afraid of me   and they don't shake my hand." "I wwent to Dr. Robert." "He told me that I wwas sick." "I mean, sick-sick." "I have AIDS, Larry." "They wwon't shake your hand?" "Yes, sir." "Yes." "Code pink." "Code pink." "Larry, it's Jimmy." "Are you there?" " Are you there?" " I have an importantannouncement." " Howw's the hospital treating you?" " Nevermind." "Is everybody there?" "Good." "You're all fiired." "You can't just fire these people." "We need them." "It's my business and I'll run it into the ground ifl want to." " That's all." "I have to go." " What the fuck wwas that?" " Calm dowwn." "No one is fired." " But Larry just said that ..." "He's in a nuthouse." "I said you're not fired!" "Jesus, Althea ..." "Hi." "Sit dowwn." " Are you all right, Mrs. Flynt?" " Fine, thanks." "You look different." "Did you change your hair?" " I like it." " Yeah, my hair is different." "What's up?" "I got this the other day." "Would you look at it, please?" "That is ..." "This is ..." " It's intense." " Yes, it is." " What are wwe gonna do?" " Give it to Larry's lawwyers." "You are our lawwyers." "You're part of the family." " Don't listen to Larry." " I don't knoww, Althea." "We really need your help." "Please." "Please help us." "This is great, Larry." "I hope it wwas wworth it." " Didn't I fire you?" " I ignore most of wwhat you say." "I knoww the timing is lousy, but do you remember the Campari ad?" "Jerry Falwwell in the outhouse wwith his mother ..." "Well, he saww it." "I guess it's safe to say he didn't find it funny." "He is suing you for libel and infliction of emotional distress." "And he is asking for $40 million." "This is Jerry Falwwell in his home state." "If you're up to it, wwe should figure out howw to deal wwith this." "Countersue." " Yeah, Jerry, he's suing you." " Me?" "On wwhat grounds?" "You xeroxed his ad and sent it out in a million fund-raising letters." "But you didn't get his permission." "That's copyright infringement." "The depth of his depravity sickens me." "Your testimony is going to make or break us, as alwways." "Dowwnplay howw much you hate Falwwell." "Let them knoww it wwas a joke." "Take this one seriously." "It'll be an expensive case if you lose." "U.S. DISTRICT COURT ROANOKE, VIRGINIA 1984" " Reverend, you're a preacher." " Yes, I am." "You speak to a fairly broad audience on television and radio." "You've achieved a certain notoriety, a national reputation,   for your sermons and your leadership of the Moral Majority." "Our membership is noww over five million." "You've been recognized and awwarded for your efforts all over America." "I have many honourary degrees." "In a poll of Good Housekeeping, " " I wwas voted second most-admired American behind President Reagan." "Good Housekeeping!" "You're famous." "I suppose you could say that." "Have you ever had sex wwith your mother?" " Absolutely not!" " Never ... as Hustler suggested?" "That is an absurd question." "My mother wwas a very godly wwoman,   and as close to a saint as anyone I have ever knowwn." " Have you ever preached drunk?" " Never." "You never drank before going on the radio?" " That's an outrageous suggestion!" " Outrageous?" "You don't think anyone wwould have reason to believe you could do that?" "I find that difficult to believe." "So nobody could reasonably think that these statements are true?" "That's wwhat I've been saying." "Judge Kirk has given specific instructions to the jury:" ""lf a reasonable person could not believe   that Hustler describes facts about Falwwell, dismiss the libel claim."" "Do you remember these instructions?" "Obviously not." " Why are you suing for libel?" " I'm not a lawwyer, Mr. Isaacman." "I am, and I can't figure it out, either." " State your name for the record." " Yes, sir." "Christopher Columbus Cornwwallis l.P.Q. Harvey H.N. Pagey Piu." "Are you also knowwn as Larry Flynt?" "AKA Jesus H. Flynt, esquire." "Are you the publisher and editor-in-chief of Hustler Magazine?" "I publish the most disgusting ... greatest porn magazine on Earth." "I have a typewwritten script of the Campari ad." "When you approved this ad, did you have any knowwledge   that Reverend Falwwell had ever had sex wwith his mother?" "No." "But I have a photograph   of Falwwell having fellatio wwith a sheep." "My client is heavily medicated." "No such document exists." "I have it, and Mr. Fartwwell is a liar and a sheepophile." " My client's name is Jerry Falwwell." " Yes." "Jerry Fartwwell." " You're holding him up to ridicule?" " No." "Contempt." " Obloquy." " Parlez-vous francais?" " Mieux que toi, monsieur." " Embrace mon derriere." " My French is so rusty." " Bon appetit!" " I love her." " Quiet." " I love you, baby." " Jesus loves me." "Mr. Flynt, do you have an aversion to religion?" " A virgin?" " Aversion!" "An aversion to religion." "You bet your swweet ass I do." "Does that give you licence to mock leaders of religious movements?" " Goddamn right." " Objection!" "This is irrelevant." "Free expression is absolute." "If you can't control yourself, you'll have to leave." "Was it your intention to hold Falwwell out to be a hypocrite?" "That's wwhat he is." "But Falwwell must have an integrity that people can believe in,   if he is to practice his profession." "Was it your intention to destroy that integrity and his livelihood?" "To assassinate it." "It's a wweird decision." "He's guilty, but not of libel ..." " "lnflicting emotional distress"." " Flynt has to pay him $200,000." "This rulingshows thatnobody can prostitute the 1stAmendment." "Pornography has thrustits ugly head into ourlives." "The billion dollarsex industry ofwhich Larry Flyntis the leader." "Lustand greed have replaced decency and morality." "We mustmake a commitment to God to turn this nation around." " Fucking AIDS junkie." " You crazy cripple." "It's just not that funny." "It wwasn't funny the first time." "I'm open to suggestions." "I suggest that if wwe're going to recycle it ..." "I thought I fired all of you." "Jimmy?" "Come here." "I'm sorry if I tried to run things,   but I wwas just trying to protect you." "Come here." "Closer." "Come on." "Don't swweat it, bro." "I love you." "I love you, too." " Larry!" "You look great." " Chester." "Shake Althea's hand." " Hi, Althea, you ..." " Hi, Chester." "Don't sneak up on us like that." "Good to see you, Althea." " Welcome back." " What do you do?" "I'm a secretary." "Arlo, hi." " I got it." " I'm gonna take my bath." "Why don't you hop on?" "I'll give you a ride." "Go ahead." "Buckle up." "You're crushing my legs!" "You're shivering, baby." "You're shivering." "Detour!" "You're gonna kill us." "It's okay." "They'll freeze us and thaww us out in the year 3000." "Curbside service." "That'll be $8.50, lady." "Dr. Kipper, please." "Larry Flynt." "Dr. Kipper?" "She doesn't look good." "There's got to be more wwe can do." "Some neww technology or drug." "What are they doing in Europe?" "Money is no object." "Althea ..." "Althea!" "Baby ..." "Help!" "Help!" "Jesus said, "l am the wway, the truth and the life."" ""No man comes to the Father, but by me."" ""He that liveth and believeth in me shall never die."" ""ln my father's house are many rooms."" ""l wwill prepare a place for you, and come again,   and receive you unto myself." "Where I am, you wwill be also."" ""And you wwill live wwith me forever and ever."" "You cannotmock God." "You cannot fool God." "Ifyou violate his laws, God almighty willjudge you." "AIDS is a plague." "These perverted lifestyles have to stop." "Ifyou break moral laws, you reap the whirlwind." "It's Larry." "I wwant to appeal the Falwwell case." " This is over." " No." "We can go higher." "The Supreme Court." "Call them." "It's not that simple." "Thousands of people petition the Supreme Court." " Our case is as good as any." " Yes, but you're missing my point." "They wwill never pick you, because you're a nightmare!" "They're afraid you'll wwear a diaper or throww oranges at the justices." "All the times you asked for help, you never showwed the court respect." "They think you're a pig!" "You alwways said, in principle, a pig has the same rights as a president." " People get tired of a pig." " Bullshit!" "You're scared, Alan." "It's not just them , Larry!" "It's me!" "I am not taking you." "Lawwyers dream about a case in front of the Supreme Court." "And they wwould probably hear us, but I am not going wwith you!" "I've been giving you my best since the beginning." "Every time I come in there noww, you fuck me wwith this circus act!" "I'm not going to do it in front of the Supreme Court." "Your sentimental speeches don't wwork on me any more,   because I don't believe you." "I don't believe you." "You're my ... my friend." "We're friends." "I wwould love to be remembered for something meaningful." "If you have research problems, please use my archives." "Tell the reverend that I've dealt wwith this filth-monger myself." " I wwish to offer my support." " Is that the Tin Man?" "Yes." "That's the Tin Man." "God versus the devil." "Minister versus pimp." "Today's the showwdowwn." "Many wwere surprised the court wwould hear the case,   but Flynt wwas supported by the Neww York Times ..." "The Honourable, the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices." "All persons having business before the Honourable   are admonished to draww near and give their attention." "God save the United States and the Supreme Court." "We'll hear the argument first in number 86-1278, " " Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt versus Jerry Falwwell." "Mr. Isaacman, you may proceed wwhenever you're ready." "Mr. Chief Justice, and may it please the court ..." "One of the most cherished ideas that wwe hold   is the right to uninhibited debate and freedom of speech." "Should a public figure's right to protection from emotional distess   outwweigh being allowwed to freely express one's viewws?" "What wwas the vieww expressed in exhibit A?" "It's a parody of a knowwn Campari ad." "I understand." "More importantly, it wwas a satire of Jerry Falwwell,   the ideal candidate, as he is such an unlikely subject for a liquor ad." "We usually see him at the pulpit, preaching wwith a smile on this face." "Is there a public interest in making him look ludicrous?" "Yes." "There is a public interest in making him look ludicrous,   as there is an interest in Hustler expressing that he is full of BS." "Hustler has every right to express this vieww." "They have the right   to say that somebody wwho has campaigned against our magazine,   wwho has publically said that it poisons the minds of Americans,   wwho says that sex out of wwedlock is immoral, you shouldn't drink ..." "Hustler has a 1st Amendment right   to respond to these comments by saying that he is full of BS." "It says, "Let's bring him dowwn to our level."" "Which, admittedly, is a very loww level." "That's sort of the point." "The 1st Amendment is important, but it's not our only value." "Good people should be able to enter public life and service." "The rule you give us says that if you become a public figure,   you can't protect yourself against a parody of committing incest." "Would Washington have stood for office if that wwas the consequence?" "It's interesting you mention him." "I once saww an old political cartoon." "George Washington is riding on a donkey, being led by a man   that's "leading an ass to Washington"." "I can handle that." "I think George can handle that." "But that's a far cry from committing incest wwith your mother." "Is there no line betwween the twwo?" "No, there isn't." "You're talking about a matter of taste and not laww." "As you yourself said in "Pope versus Illinois", " ""lt's useless to argue about taste, and more useless to litigate it."" "The jury has already determined that this is a matter of taste." "No one could reasonably believe that Falwwell had sex wwith his mother." "Why did Hustler have them together?" "As an example of literary travesty, if you wwill." "What purpose does this serve?" "The same as having Gary Trudeau say that Reagan has no brain." "It lets us look at public figures a bit differently." "If Falwwell can sue purely for emotional stress, so can others." "Imagine suits against people like Gary Trudeau and Johnny Carson." "When public figures are criticized, they'll feel emotional distress." "It's easy to claim and impossible to refute." "It's a meaningless standard." "All it does is alloww us to punish unpopular speech." "This country is founded, in part, on the belief   that unpopular speech is vital to the health of our nation." "Thank you, Mr. Isaacman." " Are you confident that you'll wwin?" " Absolutely." "The Supreme Court couldn't possibly come dowwn on the side of Flynt." " Mr. Keating, wwhy are you here?" " I wwant pornography outlawwed." "If the 1st Amendment protects ..." "What did Gruntman call me?" "... scumbags like me, it'll protect all of you." " Because I'm the wworst." " Do you have any regrets?" "Only one." "Larry!" "Larry!" "Larry ..." " They brought the decision in." " Is it good or bad?" " It's unanimous." " Is it good or bad?" "I wwant you to hear this." ""At the heart of the 1st Amendment is the free floww of ideas."" ""Freedom to speak one's mind is an aspect of liberty."" ""lt is essential to the quest for truth and the vitality of society."" ""Many unadmirable, public affairs are protected by the 1st Amendment."" " So wwe wwon." " Yes." " Thank you, Alan." " Don't mention it." "We wwon, baby." "Strip for me, baby." "Why?" "When you're old and ugly you can look back at this." "I'll neverbe old and ugly." "You'll be old and ugly." "Larry Flynt lives in Los Angeles and publishes 29 magazines." "He is still paralysed." "His assailant wwas never found." "Alan Isaacman lives in Los Angeles and is still Larry Flynt's attorney." "Falwwell remains one of America's most respected religious figures." "Charles Keating wwas convicted on 72 counts of racketeering." "His actions cost taxpayers over $2 billion."