Larry! Jimmy!
That's very good. Good.
- How much is it?
- Two dollars.
There's 1.
There's 2.
Thank you.
- It's locked.
- He's in there again.
Pa! What are you doing in there?
Open up this door.
You better not be doing
what I think you're doing.
Hey!
I told you,
I make that for peddling.
Not for you to drink.
Hey, you show some respect.
Larry! Jimmy!
You all get on to the house.
Supper's ready.
Why did you hit him?
- He was drinking my profits.
- You can't be so ornery.
- People'll think you're crazy.
- No.
I'm just trying to make an honest buck.
- Larry.
- I'll call you back, Mama.
Give a big, big hand to Ilanis
from Ottawa, Tennessee.
Thank you, Jimmy.
You know
I don't know if you feel the way
I do right now
but we deliver the finest ladies
in southern Ohio.
Don't you think?
Thank you. And now,
please give a warm, warm welcome
to Kimberly and Melissa.
They're all the way here
from Paris and London, Kentucky.
So how are we doing?
- Bad.
- What do you mean, bad?
- I mean we're broke.
- How can we be broke, Larry?
Well, you know, these giveaways
are killing us. The limousine.
The smorgasbord was a stupid idea.
Then all your buddies are coming here
every night drinking for free.
You don't have to bring
my friends into this.
- Hey, ladies.
- Hey, Larry, we're ready to go.
You put forth some hard work.
Thank you. Thank you.
Ilanis, I'll be by in about an hour,
and I'll bring the Ping-Pong balls.
Leticia, I'll see you in two hours.
Hey, Leticia, I liked the way
you blew that candle out tonight.
There's the secret, there.
If I could just somehow let people
know what great lays these girls are
we'd have something.
Larry, you can't advertise that.
I know you can't, but
Jimmy
Mister, what kind of business is this?
Well, now,
I run the Hustler go-go clubs.
- I'm sure you've heard of them.
- No.
Yeah, well, see,
now that's why I need a newsletter.
I figured we'd run maybe,
eight, 10 pages per issue.
With nothing but nudie pictures?
Yeah, on this nice,
smooth paper like this.
- That's called "slick."
- Slick, yeah.
But I could get in trouble
printing these.
- Why?
- Because there are laws.
You gotta have some sort of text
like Playboy does.
- God will punish the sinner!
- God will punish the sinner!
Thank you all for coming
to my establishment.
And keep in mind, we welcome
Christians in here too. Thank you.
What do you think?
Well, how much did it cost?
Would you forget the money
for one second?
What do you think?
Well, what I think
depends on how much it cost.
Look, there it is,
the first Hustler newsletter.
It's all for the man on the go,
man about town.
Here it is, news service.
Larry, it's a magazine, not a newsletter.
How you gonna pay for that?
Don't interrupt me when I'm talking,
okay?
Let's hear it for Camille.
You were wonderful.
Welcome to the stage, gentlemen
Calamity Jane from Moscow, Texas.
Let's hear it for her.
Who is that?
That's the new girl.
She got the moves, don't she?
She ain't bad.
- She ain't legal either.
- Yes, she is legal. I saw her ID.
Look, you stupid briarhopper,
my dog could get an ID
from my goat.
Hey, listen
when she gets done up there,
send her on up to my office.
What ?
What's your name?
- Jane.
- Jane?
- We have a policy in this club.
- Oh, yeah?
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Okay, and ?
Trouble is, I have a sneaking
suspicion that you're not of age.
You know, this could cost me
my liquor licence.
I could have to close up shop
and fire a lot of people.
- I'll tell you something.
- Please.
Yeah, well, see this?
See that? That?
I am this far, one second,
one millimetre
one second from being legal.
So I'm gonna have to ask you
to come back
when you're
When that centimetre's up.
Well, that would be
tomorrow morning, then.
I like the way you dance.
I mean, don't get me wrong.
What's that?
Just a little something I got
from down home.
You're a classy guy.
I've heard about you.
This is moonshine. Is that ?
Is this moonshine, right?
- It's okay. It's just from potatoes.
- What's it gonna do to me?
Go ahead. It's fine. Natural.
But step away from the desk,
will you?
That's like fire!
- Sorry I made a mess.
- It's okay.
- Can I ask you a question?
- Shoot.
I heard that you've slept with every
single girl in every one of your clubs.
Sort of a prerequisite.
I'm just wondering if that's true or not.
Well, you know, it ain't entirely untrue,
if that's what you mean.
I'm just curious
why you haven't taken a stab at me.
I just met you five minutes ago.
I think it was six.
Tick, tick, tick
tick
tick.
- Come on, one more time.
- One more time?
Come on, Althea,
even Superman has his limits.
That's the problem with you,
you know, men. You know?
Your batteries run out.
Because we women,
our batteries never run out.
- We can go on and on and on.
- Well, then, go fuck a woman.
"Then, go fuck a woman."
I do fuck women.
Excuse me?
You are not the only person
in this club
to have had every single woman
in this club.
After one night,
she's moving in with you?
Well, you know, this girl,
she had it rough.
- Grew up in an orphanage.
- Hey. Hey, buddy.
Hey. Are you that guy
in that little sex paper?
- Could be.
- Love the pictures. How do I subscribe?
Where did you come upon
the newsletter?
Found it in a bathroom
in a gas station.
Came in pretty handy.
Well, I'm glad we helped you out, but,
you know, it ain't for subscription.
This guy.
- Game one, steel-curtain defence
- Chips?
- never gave the Bengals a chance.
- Chips?
No, thanks.
- Look at her tits. They're nice.
- They're nice, but they don't look real.
- I don't understand this magazine.
- Look at her butt.
Fuzzy pictures, articles
but I don't know what the hell
they're talking about.
You guys read Playboy?
- Well, yeah. Sure.
- Yeah.
Did you? Excuse me, baby.
Did you enjoy this month's article
on how to hook up
your quadraphonic stereo system?
I think I missed that one.
And did you follow their advice
on how to make a perfect martini?
- Larry, come on, man, move over.
- Who is this magazine for anyway?
I mean, you know, if It's like,
if you don't make 20,000 plus a year
you don't jerk off.
Seven million people buying it,
and nobody's reading it.
Gentlemen, Playboy is mocking you.
- Give me a jelly doughnut, will you?
- Yeah, I got your jelly.
How many pages do we have
right now, exactly?
- We have 105.
- That's no good.
- Why not?
- 106 is good. 104, that's good.
- 105
- You connected with these numbers?
No, it's gotta be an even number.
Because a paper's got two sides,
right? That's two. Multiples of two.
No, a page has four. Four.
It's like four. It's one, two, three, four.
- You fold it, put the staple.
- That's it.
- It's not even an even number.
- That's right.
We'll get it figured out. We'll ask Larry.
What the hell's he doing?
Baby, let me see that flower
in your left hand.
No, not that one.
Your other left hand.
- Yeah, that's it.
- What? Hey, hey, hey.
Look, you know, we're not running
a flower shop here, okay?
We're selling the girl.
Stop futzing around with the props
and the pillows and the flowers,
and just shoot the girl. Okay?
Okay, now,
let's go for that leg thing here.
Let's recline a little. Yeah.
Let's see you open up them legs
a little bit.
Now give me a little wider. That's it.
Now give me a little wider.
A little wider.
Just another little touch wider.
- No, baby, not quite that wide.
- Wait, wait, wait.
No. That Get back to that.
That's exactly what we want.
Here. Okay, that's perfect.
Leave it there.
That's what you want.
A woman's vagina has
as much personality as her face.
- But you can't show the genitalia.
- Why not?
Well, Larry, Rudy's right.
- You can't legally show the vagina.
- Hey, shut up, Jimmy.
- Rudy, are you a religious man?
- Yeah.
- Okay, you believe God created man?
- Yeah.
- God created woman.
- Yeah.
Well, then surely the same God
created her vagina.
And who are you to defy God?
Just shoot her!
Jesus Christ.
Where is she?
Althea! Hey, baby. Hey.
Happy birthday, baby.
And I have a heart from my heart.
Larry, that's beautiful.
- What's wrong?
- The distributor called
and unfortunately, we've had
only a 25 percent sell-through.
Somebody want to translate that
for me?
What that means is,
they're sending back 150,000 copies.
That's what it means.
- Shit!
- You're a stupid, dumb briarhopper.
- What made you think you'd pull it off?
- At least he has balls, Jimmy.
- Yeah, well, what he needs is brains.
- Oh, God, Einstein's speaking.
I'm so impressed.
- One more issue and we're wiped out?
- Yeah.
You said yourself,
"It's not so bad to be poor."
Hey, fuck you, Althea.
You go be poor, okay?
Fuck me? I believe you're the one
that got us into this debt
in the first place.
You think just because it's your
birthday that you can be a bitch?
Yeah, and I think I'm 50 feet tall
and you have a needle dick, okay?
Don't ever hit me like that again.
Don't talk to me like that.
Don't hit me like that.
I'll go back.
I'll go back, and I'll eat dog food,
okay? Dog food.
You know, take this. I don't
own this anymore. I don't have one.
Throw it out in the street.
We have a guy on the phone
from Italy.
He claims he has naked pictures
of Jackie O.
Put him through. Yeah, hello.
- You the photographer?
- Right, yeah.
- What do you got?
- Is this Mr. Flynt?
Yeah, this is Mr. Flynt.
Listen, I was watching
that damn island for four months
and then one day, man,
cabana door opens
and out comes Jackie O
with nothing on.
- I mean, not a single stitch.
- You sure it's Jackie O?
Yeah, sure.
- And what do you see?
- You see absolutely everything.
Trust me. And she's a good one.
This ain't no Mamie Eisenhower
or Lady Bird.
Oh, my God. First pussy.
Everyone's talking about
local boy done good
- Hey!
- What?
Larry Flynt, whose Hustler magazine
has reached national sales
of an astonishing 2 million copies.
- And in a stunning disclosure
- Move your ass!
WGBE-TV has learned that
Ohio Governor Jim Rhodes, himself
was spotted at a newsstand buying
a copy of the infamous Jackie O issue.
- I spoke to the governor today
- Move it!
and he had this response:
Everybody knows I've been a historical
buff about first ladies for a long time.
Are you saying you'd be interested in
nude photos of Martha Washington?
- She's a little bit before my time.
- Arlo!
What about nude photos of your wife?
A teacher educates our children
and they become model citizens.
The clergyman preaches,
and we find spirituality.
My bank gives loans,
and homes get built.
But now there's a new,
darker influence in Cincinnati.
Mr. Leis, if you would?
Ladies and gentlemen, I ask
that you review this material carefully.
It's important you know
that I did not buy these
at a smut store.
These were not purchased
at a dirty book shop.
I bought this
in a neighbourhood grocery store
in full view of our children.
Ma'am, you cannot hide from this.
Decent people are being corrupted.
Why, just look what happened
to our fine governor.
As members
of the Citizens for Decent Literature
we cannot relent.
We must prevent the destruction
of the soul of our country.
- Larry.
- Yeah?
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?
- Ma. Pa.
- Must be it.
- My son.
- Hey. You came.
- It's so big.
- Hey, Larry.
- Larry, who are all these people?
- Well, these are my friends, Ma.
- You have so many friends.
- Lots of money, lots of friends.
- Look at you.
- Hey, Arlo.
- Know how many rooms I have here?
- No.
Twenty-four rooms.
Know who else has 24 rooms?
- The president?
- Hugh Hefner.
This is the best room in the house.
I think you're gonna like it.
"This is the best room in the house,"
he said.
You know, there's a maid
still cleaning up in there.
Let me just say a word.
The maid's cleaning up in there.
He's got
Listen, my folks are here, so just
move the girls into the Jacuzzi
- and I'll get with you later.
- Your folks are here?
What in the world is that?
- Hey, ladies.
- Larry!
The party is just beginning.
She's nice
and she's frigid.
Have to see what we can do
about that.
One, two
- Larry.
- Yeah?
Do you ever think
about getting married?
Oh, God. You know,
there's nothing more certain
to ruin a beautiful relationship
than marriage.
As soon as you get that ring
around the finger, okay
suddenly you have
an ownership situation.
Prior to that, it's friendly.
You're kind to each other.
And I'll tell you something.
As much as I love you
I want a variety of different
Vagina, pussy.
- I'm
- What did we just do?
- That's what I'm talking about.
- What am I?
So do you think I'm talking
about monogamy?
- You think I'm talking?
- You're not talking about monogamy?
No, of course not.
Larry, how could you
misunderstand me?
I was wondering,
because I thought
I don't wanna get married
and stop the way we live.
The way that we live is great.
Nothing would change. My God.
- Why? Why now?
- Because I only wanna be with you.
You're the only man I wanna be with.
I want this ring on my finger
to tell me that you love me
above all other women.
- You want a ceremony?
- I wanna go to a church.
- We'll pay the
- I want a preacher.
Pay the preacher
on the way in
and we'll get a cash-ectomy
from the lawyer on the way out.
You are my life.
- You're my life. I'm here
- You're my life too.
- for the rest of my life.
- Right now, my life.
I can't speak for 20 years
down the line.
- I can.
- You can?
- Yeah.
- Let me say something, all right?
- Oh, man.
- No, no, no.
Just forget I brought it up.
Larry, just forget I brought it up.
Listen to what I'm saying, okay?
Listen to what I'm saying.
Would you marry me?
- It's not funny, a joke like that.
- I'm not joking. Would you marry me?
Would you do me the honour
of becoming Mrs. Larry Flynt?
You're not fucking with me?
You mean it?
- No, I'm just kidding.
- You are?
- No, I'm serious. I'm serious.
- Don't.
- She's got a dick.
- She taped this on.
Taped this on. This is not real.
- Who would want to see that anyway?
- I do. I think it's genius.
It don't matter. It's like when people
slow down at a car crash to peek.
- We're breaking taboos.
- How about The Wizard of Oz?
- What do you mean?
- Okay, like, Dorothy is laying there
in Kansas, and there's the Tin Man
and the Scarecrow and
- Who's the other one?
- The Lion.
The Lion.
And they're all gang-banging her.
And there's Toto, maybe, even.
Althea, I think there's
You know, some things are sacred.
Shut up.
Althea, that is the best damn idea
I ever heard.
- Yeah.
- It can work.
- Where can I find Larry Flynt?
- Work it out. What is it?
Yeah, the Tin Man
could have a tin penis.
No, he's got that hat, like a funnel.
You know, he's got that funnel hat.
Larry Claxton Flynt?
Larry Claxton Flynt!
- Yeah.
- Stand up, please, sir.
- Hands behind your back.
- What's this?
You're under arrest on charges
of pandering obscenity in Cincinnati
- and engaging in organised crime.
- Organised crime?
Sit down. Shut up.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will
be used against you.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you can't afford one
one will be appointed.
Mr. Flynt?
You Larry Flynt?
- Who are you?
- Alan Isaacman. I'm your lawyer.
I got bail taken care of.
Don't worry about that.
We ought to talk about the case
when you've rested.
- Wait, wait. Who hired you?
- Your wife hired me.
- My wife?
- Yeah.
Are you doing her?
Wai Am I? Am I what?
I'm just kidding. I like you.
Give me a call after you
get out of law school.
- No, I'm out of law school.
- What are you, 22?
27. Harvard Law School. Three years
in the public defender's office.
Mr. Flynt, obviously you can get
whoever you want to represent you
but at least let me say
one thing to you, okay?
How should I ?
You're pretty far out there,
even for guys who do this stuff.
Okay? I am interested in your case.
The problem you've got
is definitely what I know best.
And I am good at what I do.
- What, do you specialise in porn?
- No, no. I don't specialise in porn.
I'll be perfectly honest.
I don't particularly like what you do.
I specialise in civil liberties.
You know, I don't understand
why they've singled me out.
Look, Mr. Flynt, this case is bigger
than just you and your magazine.
In your case, what's more troubling
is this organised-crime charge.
Organised crime?
Larry's not in the mob.
Mr. Flynt, I gotta ask you one time.
Do you have any connections
to organised crime?
Absolutely not.
Gotta ask.
- By the way, call me Larry.
- All right, Larry.
In that case, Larry,
this is a completely bullshit charge.
But we have to take this seriously.
You could be looking
at seven to 25 years.
Twenty-five years?
All I'm guilty of is bad taste.
My cousin Bobby
shot a preacher in the back.
- He got six months for it.
- Bobby shot a preacher?
- You didn't know?
- What denomination?
- Baptist.
- I always liked that kid.
Can we discuss Cousin Bobby later?
We need to discuss this seriously.
- If you want my opinion
- I'm serious. I'm taking notes.
Good morning,
ladies and gentlemen.
Before we begin
I must apologise
for the unpleasantness of this task.
What you're about to see
is going to take your breath away.
Hustler magazine
depicts men and women
posed together
in a lewd and shameful manner.
Hustler depicts women and women
posed together
in a lewd and shameful manner.
Hustler magazine
depicts Santa Claus
posed in a lewd
and shameful manner.
What's he talking about?
Jesus Christ, Larry.
Your Honour, the defence would like
to introduce into evidence
27 other men's magazines
sold in the Cincinnati area.
- Titles such as Penthouse, Playboy
- Objection!
Sustained.
Sustained?
Wait a second.
Your Honour, if I may.
These magazines
contain material that is
virtually identical to Hustler.
If these magazines are legal
and Hustler is not legal
then this is a case
of selective prosecution.
No.
I'm sorry. Did you say no?
I will not allow them into evidence.
They're irrelevant to this case.
But they are not irrelevant. They
demonstrate the community standard
- which is laid out
- No!
The jury is representative
of community standards
not a pile of magazines.
I won't admit them.
You won't admit them.
Mr. Flynt
would you please
turn to page 77?
Would you describe to the jury
what is on page 77, please, sir?
It's a picture of Santa Claus.
What is Santa Claus doing?
He's talking to Mrs. Claus
and holding in his hand
what appears to be
a large, erect penis.
And would you read the caption
under that cartoon, please?
It says:
"This is what I've got
to ho, ho, ho about."
Mr. Flynt, do you think
the Founding Fathers
had a cartoon like this in mind
when they wrote
the First Amendment?
No, but I don't think they had
Playboy or People in mind either
because I saw a couple
of four-letter words in there.
But isn't a community allowed
to set its own standards?
No. That's just a disguise
for censorship.
This country belongs to me as much
as it belongs to you, Mr. Leis.
And if you don't like Hustler
magazine, don't read it.
I don't.
But what about children who gaze
upon your magazine in our stores?
Well, look
you know, if a kid gets caught
drinking beer in a tavern
we don't ban Budweiser
across the nation.
Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury
you've heard a lot here today,
and I'm not gonna try
to go back over it all
again for you.
But you have to go back in that room
and make some decisions.
And there is one thing I want to make
very clear to you before you do.
I am not trying to convince you
that you should like
what Larry Flynt does.
I don't like what Larry Flynt does.
But what I do like
is that I live in a country
where you and I can make
that decision for ourselves.
I like that I live in a country
where I can pick up Hustler
and read it if I want to
or throw it in the garbage can
if that's where I think it belongs.
Or better yet, I can exercise
my opinion and not buy it.
I like that I have that right.
I care about it.
And you should care about it too.
You really should.
Because we live in a free country.
We say that a lot, but I think
sometimes we forget
really what that means,
so listen to it again.
We live in a free country.
And that is a powerful idea.
That's a magnificent way to live.
But there's a price for that freedom,
which is that sometimes
we have to tolerate things
that we don't necessarily like.
So go back in that room,
where you are free to think
whatever you want to think about
Larry Flynt and Hustler magazine.
But ask yourselves if you want to
make that decision for the rest of us.
Because the freedom
that everyone in this room enjoys
is in a very real way
in your hands.
If we start throwing up walls against
what some of us think is obscene
we may very well wake up
one morning
and realise walls
have been thrown up
in all kinds of places
that we never expected.
And we can't see anything
or do anything.
And that's not freedom.
That is not freedom.
So be careful.
Thank you.
- Have you reached a verdict?
- Yes, Your Honour, we 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 as charged on all counts."
Do you have anything to say
before I sentence you?
Your Honour
you have not made
one intelligent decision
during the course of this trial
and I don't expect one now.
Knock yourself out.
I sentence you to 25 years
in the Ohio State Penitentiary.
- No!
- We request bail.
- Bail denied!
- Denied?
- Bailiff, take him away.
- This is a standard procedure!
All I do is publish a magazine!
Mrs. Flynt, were you surprised
by the verdict?
No. I was not surprised
by the verdict at all.
We had a stupid judge. We had
a uptight prosecutor, two of them.
Are you ashamed to have
your husband locked up?
I am not ashamed of Larry.
I never would be.
I'd rather have a man who stands up
for what he believes in.
Of course, I'm not happy
he's going to jail.
But you know what?
You guys can call this a circus
you can call it a witch-hunt,
but you can't
Hi, baby.
You are so beautiful.
Oh, Larry.
- How are you?
- I miss you.
I miss you too.
You got any girlfriends in here?
- You got calluses on your hands?
- You know it.
I fantasise about you,
just, all the time.
Our bed is so empty.
Oh, baby.
Oh, baby.
Oh, God.
Oh, baby.
What can I do to get you out of here?
You know, Isaacman says there's
no way this is gonna hold up.
What if Alan's wrong?
What if you don't get out
till the year 2000
and I'm fat and old and ugly,
and you don't love me anymore?
You ain't never gonna be
old and fat and ugly.
I promise you.
- I love you.
- I love you.
Please, please, please.
Please, please.
And now,
Americans for a Free Press
take extreme pleasure in welcoming
to Cincinnati, direct from jail
cleared 100 percent
by the appellate court
This is really great. Americans for a
Free Press to invite us here tonight.
You idiot.
Americans for a Free Press is me.
- Who do you think's paying for this?
- That freedom fighter
Larry C. Flynt!
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- We love you, Larry!
I have a thought for you:
Murder is illegal.
But you take a picture of somebody
committing the act of murder
they'll put you
on the cover of Newsweek.
You might even win a Pulitzer Prize.
And yet sex is legal.
Everybody's doing it, or everybody
wants to be doing it, huh?
Yet you take a picture of two people
in the act of sex
or just take a picture
of a woman's naked body
and they'll put you in jail.
Now, I have a message
for all you good, moral, Christian
people who are complaining
that breasts and vaginas are
obscene. Hey, don't complain to me.
Complain to the manufacturer. Okay?
Although Jesus told us not to judge,
I know you will. So judge sanely.
Judge with your eyes open.
What do you consider obscene?
Is this obscene to you?
Or perhaps that's obscene to you.
Maybe this is obscene to you.
But what is more obscene?
This?
Or this?
This?
Or this?
You know, politicians
and demagogues like to say
that sexually explicit material
corrupts the youth of our country
and yet they lie,
cheat and start unholy wars.
Look at them. They call themselves
men. They're sheep in a herd!
I think the real obscenity comes
from raising our youth to believe
that sex is bad and ugly and dirty.
And yet, it is heroic
to go spill guts and blood
in the most ghastly manner
in the name of humanity.
With all the taboos attached to sex,
it's no wonder we have problems.
It's no wonder we're angry
and violent and genocidal.
But ask yourself the question:
What is more obscene, sex
- or war?
- War!
She's a
She's a killer.
- Larry?
- Yeah?
- Hi, Althea.
- Hi, Arlo.
Arlo, you wanted something?
Yes, I've got bad news.
A Georgia prosecutor arrested some
news dealers for selling Hustler
and some other retailers
are getting nervous
and they're taking issues
off the stands.
Fuel the jet.
Okay.
Wait. Alert the Georgia media.
Tell them the cavalry's on the way.
- Mr. Flynt?
- Mr. Flynt?
Larry, why are you here?
Good, hardworking news vendors
are being threatened.
If that's not censorship,
I don't know what is.
- So, what's your plan?
- Well, just watch me.
Come on, right on in here.
- You okay, baby?
- I'm fine.
Stand right over there.
All right. Don't crowd.
Let the cameras through, okay?
You rolling?
Now, what we're gonna do here is
I'm gonna pay this gentleman
$1000.
I am renting the Puff and Read
for the next 24 hours.
I am in control now.
And anybody who would like
to purchase a copy of Hustler
Could I please buy a copy
of the Hustler magazine?
Yes, you can, sir. Here is the Hustler
magazine that I am selling
That's it. Larry Flynt,
you are under arrest.
Okay. I gotta give him
some change.
Only in America, huh?
- How far are you willing to go?
- What are your plans now?
There's many who support Hustler,
but none are willing to support you.
How do you feel about that?
Why do I have to go to jail
to protect your freedom?
That's good.
So we're gonna pay
a million bucks?
Why not? Listen, if it catches
the killer, I think it's worth it.
Okay, moving on.
Asshole of the month.
- Jerry Falwell.
- You always say Jerry Falwell.
Jerry Falwell is always an asshole.
That's why, Arlo.
How about this month
we do Anita Bryant?
I say Gerald Ford.
I say Larry Flynt.
Yeah, I like that, bro. I mean,
everybody thinks I'm an asshole.
- Yeah, it's true.
- Is that right?
- Larry, you have a phone call.
- Take a message.
- How about asshole of the decade?
- She's calling from North Carolina.
She says she's the president's
sister. Ruth Carter something.
Ruth Carter Stapleton?
- She's a woman of God.
- What does she want with you?
What are you afraid of?
Pick up the phone.
Okay.
Patch her through.
Hello, this is Larry Flynt.
- Praise the Lord, I've found you.
- Hallelujah.
What can I help you with?
We have a mutual friend, Larry.
A television producer
and he suggested
we get together.
He thought you and I
would hit it off.
You know, I don't understand.
I mean, you're an evangelist
and I'm a smut peddler
Larry, I don't believe in labels.
I think you and I could
teach each other a lot.
So are you free
for dinner tomorrow night?
You know, I have a hectic schedule.
You know what's nice about people
like you and me, Mr. Flynt?
- What's that?
- We can do anything we want.
Do you go to church, Larry?
Yeah, church.
Particularly, you know,
the big holidays
Christmas and Easter
and New Year's Eve.
New Year's Eve?
Well, that
They don't have church
on New Year's Eve. Okay, well
we've proven I'm a liar and
- I never go.
- It's not important.
That's only a ritual.
And I believe in going straight
to the teachings of Jesus.
And does she love that man.
So 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 might
be like those tent revival fakes
you know, that used to come
scare the kids with snakes
and, you know, "Wicked this,
wicked that," and
Hellfire? Damnation?
- That sort of thing?
- Yeah.
That kind of talk
is almost unforgivable.
Well, then, I'd say we have
something in common.
Actually, Larry, there's something
else you and I have in common.
What's that?
We're both trying
to release people
from sexual repression.
Really?
I'm sorry, Mrs. Stapleton.
So tell me, is your brother, Ji
Mr. President
- Jimmy. Jimmy will be fine.
- Okay. Jimmy
You think he ever read
my publication?
You remember that interview he gave
Playboy magazine?
The one where he admitted
that he had lust in his heart?
You know, I was especially
proud of that.
I'm sure you were. But Oral Roberts
wasn't, and Billy Graham wasn't.
And they took out after him in public.
So I don't think he's a big
fan of adult magazines.
But you know, Larry, I'm more
ambivalent about what you do.
Because I think that sexuality
is a God-given gift.
I have to agree with you.
When I counsel Pentecostal women
in bad marriages
I don't take the Bible out.
I say to them, "Get some makeup.
Get yourself some curlers.
Make yourself beautiful.
- Jesus wants you to be beautiful."
- Yeah, well, that
You're something.
You surprise me.
Larry, what was your childhood like?
You know, sometimes
things happen to us
when we're very young
that can hurt for many years after.
You know, I think we're all
born into this world
Why? Why?
- Because I had an epiphany, okay?
- A what?
- An epiphany.
- Where'd you learn that damn word?
She's crooking you so hard,
she's teaching you English now?
She ain't crooking me.
- It was more an acid flashback.
- Don't belittle it like that!
It was a serious thing!
Do you think that I wanted Jesus
to tap me on the shoulder?
I'm the last guy who wanted that.
I'm getting laid six times a day.
I got limos and a jet, and I'm sitting
on a mountain of money.
You think I wanted God tapping me
on the shoulder? I didn't want that.
- I had an epiphany once, Larry.
- What was that?
When my daddy shot my
entire family in the head
and I was the only one
to identify the bodies.
I got sent to an orphanage full of good,
Christian nuns, who shoved my face
into their pussies with their crucifixes
on for eight goddamn years!
- I'm sorry for you, but that does not
- Don't be! Be sorry for yourself.
- Don't start throwing that ring at me.
- We're gonna be broke. You'll need that!
Come on. It's okay.
Just get behind me on this, okay?
That's all I'm asking.
I feel like it's me against the world.
You're all I got, baby.
Say you ain't gonna do this.
Promise me you ain't gonna do it.
- I'm doing it! I'm doing it!
- No, Larry, you ain't gonna do it!
Now I'm baptised too, is that it?
Fuck you, Larry! Fuck you!
Hi. How you doing?
Do you accept the Lord Jesus Christ
as your saviour
and reject Satan and all his works?
I do.
In obedience to the will of God and upon
the confession of this our brother
we baptise you in the name of the
Father and in the name of the Son
and in the name of the Holy Spirit.
Hallelujah!
There will be no more
photo spreads
of women alone.
From now on, sex will be presented
in a more natural setting
with the man in the picture, you know,
a Genesis pictorial
with Adam and Eve getting it on
in the Garden of Eden.
Then next month, I'd like to have
pretty girls all floating
on big, glass crucifixes.
Yeah.
Marjoe Gortner could shoot that.
Larry, I plead with you not to do this.
If you do this, this company's
gonna be worth nothing.
You're all looking at me like
I'm growing horns out of my head.
Look around you.
We are living in Roman times.
It is It is time to feed
the lions to the Christians.
This is a joke.
You're just doing this
to help our circulation.
Arlo
I love you, brother.
But please don't ever, ever, ever
doubt my sincerity.
This is making people sick.
They're going up to the newsstands,
and they're puking. They're vomiting.
Baby, I'm just trying to illustrate
that I am no longer willing
to exploit the female body.
You failed miserably at that.
Nobody on this planet wants their
religion and their porn mixed together.
Well, you know,
Ruth says that sex
Get your friend Ruth to buy 2
fucking million of these magazines
because nobody else
is gonna fucking do it.
Larry, I'm not gonna pretend that
I understand what you go through
what this spiritual thing is to you.
I never have.
But I've always been
supportive, always.
And, honey, you're just
taking this too far now.
It's going too far.
It's like you're losing your mind.
Hey!
My mind is fine.
God is working through me. Don't you
see that? I could accomplish anything.
I could move mountains
with God's help.
You see that wall? I could make it come
tumbling down with sheer willpower.
God, do it.
Just do it, then. Do it.
- Do it?
- Yeah.
He's gonna be thrilled
about this, really.
Hey, Larry. Yeah, it's Alan.
I'm here with the eminently reasonable
district attorney of the state of Georgia.
He's very impressed by your conversion
and wants to cut us a plea bargain.
A plea bargain because I found God.
Larry, listen to me for a second.
Don't argue with me on this, okay?
Just say yes because I pulled a lot
of strings to make this happen, okay?
- Is he sitting right there with you?
- Yeah.
Could you do me a favour?
Just tell that miserable, old, grey-haired
bastard to go fuck himself.
We're going to trial.
- Okay, right.
- And praise the Lord.
Right. I got it. Okay.
The Gwinnett County Court
is now in session.
Mr. Flynt, how can you, as a good
Christian, defend this filth?
I don't have to.
It may be wrong in some
people's opinion
to portray women the way
I have, but it's not illegal.
It may not be the smartest thing
to drink too much, but it's not illegal.
You know, abortion may be morally
repugnant, but right now it's not illegal.
If we want to change the laws,
that's another discussion.
But our right to decide for ourselves
cannot be restricted.
You know, George Orwell said
that if liberty means anything
it means the right to tell people
what they don't wanna hear.
Now, America is the strongest
country in the world today
only because it is
the freest country.
And if it ever loses sight
of its basic heritage
and the principles involved,
then we will no longer be free.
Larry, over here!
That was just a bang-up job you did.
Did you pray before you
went into the courtroom?
No comment.
No comment.
Is your wife jealous of Ruth?
- Is that true, Larry?
- Mr. Flynt, do you have anything to say?
This is Jackson. We got shots
fired in front of the courthouse.
- Somebody help!
- We need an ambulance right away.
Stand back! Stand back!
Ma'am, stand back!
We'll take care of you.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Right in the corner there.
A 36-year-old male, gunshot
wound to the left shoulder.
Patient doesn't appear to have
any moving sensation.
I want him alive! I don't care
if his head's in a fishbowl.
Mrs. Flynt, now you listen to me.
There's something you have to know
before you go in that room.
Hey.
Larry, they say that you're paralysed.
They say you're paralysed
from the waist down.
They say that you ain't
gonna walk again.
From the waist down?
I fucking love you.
I'm so sorry, Althea.
Larry?
My dearest, how are you?
The pain. It's
I feel like I'm in hell.
No. No, you're not in hell.
You belong to God.
I wish he'd have killed me.
I do.
I can't ever walk again.
I can't make love to my wife.
I can't
I can't have a child with her.
But don't give in to the bitterness.
You'll be so much stronger
if you keep your faith.
God will see you through this.
Ruth
there is no God.
Take this thing down. I want all this
Christian stuff out of here now.
Ladies, gentlemen
The reign of Christian terror
at this magazine is now over.
We're smut peddlers again.
We're going back to our roots.
- We are "porn again."
- When's Larry coming back?
Larry's coming back soon.
So, what do we know?
The FBI ain't got nothing.
That's what we know.
- Who would want to shoot you, Larry?
- Who wouldn't want to shoot me?
- I'd say it was the CIA.
- Why?
Because of the million dollars
that was offered for J.F.K.'s killers.
No. I think it was the interracial
photo spreads. The KKK.
The KKK? It wasn't the KKK.
It was the Mob.
The extreme religious right
controls all of the fanatics.
That's every American psycho.
Let's try to narrow the field a little.
- Larry
- Yeah?
you're always, always gonna have
to watch your ass. Forever.
I ought to move somewhere
where perverts are welcome.
Where you going, baby?
I'm gonna get some ice cream.
You want some?
I want some more.
Larry, I just gave you twice your dose.
- Please, please, please.
- Larry, you're gonna overdose.
I'm not gonna overdose.
I'm in pain.
- You're just doing this to get off.
- More!
I'm only giving you half
of what I just gave you.
Don't ask for any more for a while.
Tight.
Okay.
Okay, let go. Let go.
You all right?
I love you, baby.
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
- Hi, Dr. Bob.
- Hello, Althea.
- How's Larry today?
- Shitty.
Pretty shitty.
- How are you today, Larry?
- Terrible. I'm in pain.
He can hardly talk.
Larry, we're running
out of options here.
The drugs, your pain,
it's gonna kill you.
Something stronger.
This is 30 grand.
Can we just have our medicine,
please, Dr. Bob? In peace?
Larry, there is an operation.
Apparently it's been very successful
for this kind of pain.
- Ready for the laser.
- Laser ready. Five watts.
Okay, let's go.
Hey, baby.
- Hi, cutie.
- What's that?
Some lady died down the hall,
and I got her flowers.
- How do you feel?
- I feel good.
- You feel good?
- Yeah, I feel I feel great.
For the first time since those bullets
I don't feel any pain.
- No, I don't want it, baby.
- What do you mean? What do you?
I feel good.
And you're not on nothing?
You're crooking me,
or you're a fucking liar.
You've been on drugs
for four or five years, Larry.
I have a hard time believing that you
feel really great on nothing right now.
Is it that hard to believe
that I don't want any?
Yes, it's that hard to believe.
I was taking the drugs
because I was in pain.
I'm not in pain now, so I don't want it.
Why would I want it?
- I don't know.
- I don't know why you want it.
Well, if I don't take it,
I'll go into seizures
and get really sick. And it makes
me feel good. Here.
- I don't want it!
- In two hours, you'll want it!
I'm done with it!
I'm done with it, okay?
- You've said this before.
- Stop it!
That's because you're fucking on
Here take all
Come on, Larry.
Stop. Stop it.
- Get away! I don't want it!
- Stop. You're gonna hurt
You're gonna hurt yourself.
Stop it, please. Stop it, stop it, stop it.
I don't know.
We've been through a lot together.
We can make it through this.
- You gonna go cold turkey?
- I am, and so are you. Okay?
- No.
- Yes.
- Okay.
- Okay?
- Okay.
- Okay.
No.
I can't, Larry.
What am I gonna do?
What the hell do I need that shit for?
I want my mind back.
Yes, Ms. Bacardi, hi.
The pervert is back!
What's your name?
Sophie.
Tell everybody the pervert is back.
The pervert is back.
The pervert is back.
- The pervert is back.
- Circulation is down by a third.
Colour reproduction is horrible.
The models look like they're
3-dollar whores.
The writing is by some moronic idiots.
Mr. Flynt, I don't want
to step on your toes
but things have changed since you
were actively running the company.
I mean, I look back at the stuff
you did in the '70s, and it was
sort of racy and crazy.
But the country's different now.
Reagan has rebuilt America, and
the Moral Majority is gaining power.
You're fired.
Excuse me?
You, get the fuck out of my building!
Doug, get him out of here!
Get that blow-dried jerk motherfucker
and throw him in the incinerator!
Cut him into pieces and feed him
to the animals! Get out of here!
Larry, Larry, you can't do that!
I mean, he's our vice president!
He's the VP of marketing!
Hey, Jimbo, are you trying
to challenge my authority?
You see that on the wall? "LFP."
That's Larry Flynt Publications.
Not JFP!
Okay, I'm the big kahuna here!
Do you have a problem with that?
No, Larry. You're the boss.
So, Larry, what's the plan?
Plan. The plan is simple.
The establishment took
my manhood from me
but they left half of me.
The half with the brain.
And I'm gonna use it to get back.
- Hello?
- Wake up.
Who is this?
It's Larry Flynt. Is CBS interested in
seeing videotape of the FBI
selling John DeLorean
50 kilos of cocaine?
- Are you Mr. Waverly?
- Yeah, yeah. Who are you?
I'm Mrs. Flynt.
Do you want some coffee
or tea or sandwiches
or Ho Hos or Pringles
or something?
No, that's all right.
Can I just see the tape, please?
- John DeLorean.
- It's DeLorean.
These are the drug dealers.
And guess what this is.
That's the coke?
That whole suitcase?
Yeah, watch this. DeLorean, he
The first time to touch it. That's it.
That's all the contact he had
with that cocaine.
This is my favourite part.
They can't get this damn
They can't get the suitcase
closed, right?
There's a lot of cocaine
in this motherfucker.
How do you get the damn thing closed?
They're all pushing down on it.
- This is amazing.
- Now they do a toast.
Now watch this.
This is weird.
There's a knock at the door.
Tubby gets up and goes
to the door. Look.
Four million dollars' worth of cocaine,
nobody's even nervous.
Now watch.
FBI. FBI, right?
This guy's got a good camera sense.
Watch him clear camera.
"Let me get out of your way."
Now watch this guy.
Grabs his champagne,
and he walks away.
These guys aren't concerned
about him, because they're FBI.
Your Honour, the tapes are genuine,
and we have a right to broadcast them.
- This is stolen government evidence.
- This will make a fair trial impossible.
My client, Mr. DeLorean, will
never find an impartial jury.
- We're talking constitutional rights
- Judge, you do not condone
Gentlemen, gentlemen, please.
stolen tapes.
- Gentlemen, that's enough.
- It's stolen, judge. It's stolen.
Here is the Campari
ad-campaign parody.
"Jerry Falwell talks about
his first time."
You guys are stupid.
Do you ever say anything
positive, Jimmy?
- Larry.
- Yeah?
I got a subpoena for you to appear
in federal court tomorrow
to reveal the source
of the DeLorean tape.
The FBI got very pissed off. They want
you in front of the judge tomorrow.
Well, you tell that judge I'm wiping
my ass with his subpoena.
Why is your client doing this?
Your Honour, my client
is a very complicated man.
He's heavily medicated,
among other things.
I believe him to be an undiagnosed
manic-depressive.
Well, I'll give him something
to be depressed about, all right.
I'm issuing a bench warrant
for his arrest.
a warrant for the arrest
of Mr. Flynt
"If anyone tries coming after me,
I'll shoot him between the eyes."
Flynt has been barricaded in his
Beverly Hills compound for three days.
Holy shit!
Freeze! Federal marshals!
You, drop the gun. Now!
Hands in front! Hands!
You, hands on your head. Now!
On your knees!
NBC, ABC. What the hell's
wrong with you, CBS?
- We're federal marshals! Come out!
- Shut up!
Where are your fucking priorities?
We interrupt this programme
for a special report.
I turned the whole world
into a tabloid!
Here I come.
- Larry, are you going somewhere?
- Yeah!
- Larry
- Roll on out of there, Flynt, now!
Will you get me some bananas?
Yes, I'll get you bananas
Thank you, honey.
Please raise your right hand and
place your left hand on the Bible.
Larry.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth
- so help you God?
- No.
No?
Your Honour, I'm an atheist.
I can't very well
swear to a God
I don't believe exists.
- Mr. Flynt, you are a handful.
- I know, Your Honour.
We'll allow you to affirm if that's
satisfactory with you, sir.
That would satisfy me.
I need for you to answer one question,
and then you're able to go back home.
Shoot.
What was the source of this videotape?
Your Honour, Vicki Morgan was
Alfred Bloomingdale's mistress.
- Excuse me, Your Honour.
- Excuse It's okay, Alan.
And Alfred introduced her
to all Reagan's Cabinet buddies.
And she was a real party girl.
And they really liked her.
If you know what I mean,
Your Honour.
So the thing about Vicki is,
she was a bit naive
and she started writing a book about
all these orgies that they were having.
And next thing you know, bam,
she's murdered.
But what these White House
killers don't realise
is that Vicki kept some videotapes
of their sexcapades.
And these tapes, Your Honour,
are pure carnality.
Filthy. I've never seen anything
Well, I have, but most people haven't
seen anything like this. Your Honour
What has this got to do
with the DeLorean trial?
That's a good question.
Well, technically, nothing,
Your Honour.
But, you know, I have those tapes and
this tape, and it just made me think of it.
Mr. Flynt, I'd appreciate it, sir,
if you would stick to the subject.
Now, I'll ask you again, what was
the source of this videotape?
Your Honour, with all due respect,
you don't have the right to ask!
That's it.
You're in contempt of court.
And as of tomorrow, I'm fining you
$10,000 a day
until you reveal the source
of your videotape!
Look, there's Larry. Look.
All right, folks, make way.
Let us through.
Mr. Flynt, is this a conspiracy?
Do you have the tapes?
Are you just trying to sell
more magazines, Larry?
Larry, where did you get the tapes?
What have you done with the
Vicki Morgan tapes. Do we get to see?
Do you really have
the Vicki Morgan sex tapes?
No. I told them I had the DeLorean
tapes. Now they believe anything I say.
Sir, take that helmet off.
We don't wear hats in the courtroom.
There's no war going on here.
You can never be too careful,
Your Honour.
Don't worry, the government
will take care of you.
We brought some
extra marshals today.
I'd appreciate your taking off
that helmet.
Are you going to obey the court and
reveal the source of that videotape
or are you gonna pay
the $10,000 that I ordered?
- I'd like a moment with my client.
- I don't need it. It is my right
under the freedom of the First
Amendment, to protect my sources!
Listen, don't go any further.
Shut up! Relax, Alan, relax!
Mr. Flynt, is that
an American flag you have on?
I have fashioned
this American flag 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 flag.
Take him into custody.
- Your Honour, we'd like to post bond.
- Get the hell away from me!
- Take it easy.
- Just a minute, marshal.
Very well. The court will set a bond
on Mr. Larry Flynt for $50,000.
- This time I'd prefer a cashier's cheque.
- Understood. Understood.
Furthermore
I'm gonna keep
Mr. Flynt under a tight leash.
So as a condition of his bond,
he cannot leave the state of California.
Larry! Hey, Larry! Hey!
- Larry, you're not getting on that plane.
- Yes, I am.
No, you're not!
- You think this is some kind of a game?
- You're right. It's a fucking joke!
Five and a half years since they
shot me, and the government
I was there too, all right? Remember?
I am not running around
- pissing off everyone who can help us.
- Well, you can walk
and you can fuck,
and I'm in this chair!
And I got money.
And that gives me the power
to shake up this system.
Dougie.
Find somebody else to help you, then.
This is not what I signed on for.
I don't even know what
we're engaged in anymore, Larry.
- If you get on that plane, I quit.
- Alan, don't be so melodramatic.
You don't want to quit me.
I'm your dream client.
I'm the most fun,
I'm rich and I'm always in trouble.
Hey, go to hell, Larry. Go to hell.
Bye.
Why did you disobey this court's order?
You were not to leave California.
- We had an honest misunderstanding.
- Counsellor, he's right.
Some rules are made to help us,
not hurt us, and I
I do apologise, Your Honour, and
I wanna fess up and reveal my source.
Now tell me who was
the source of this videotape?
- The samurai.
- Excuse me?
The samurai gave me the tape.
And who is this man,
and where is he?
Unfortunately, he had
a critical groin injury on the way
to give me the tape,
and he's undergoing
acupuncture treatment
in Beijing, China right now.
- It's okay, Alan.
- Mr. Flynt.
This court fears
that you're seriously mentally ill.
Opinions are like assholes:
Everybody's got one.
- Cut it out.
- Shut up, Alan!
- Shut up.
- You shut up!
Mr. Flynt, let your lawyer
do the talking.
No, I know the rules, okay?
- You're fired. I'm representing myself
- I am so tired of you. You're fired.
- You can't fucking fire me!
- No cursing in this courtroom!
What?
- Larry Flynt
- How about spitting?
Marshal, put a gag on that man.
- Sit down, sir.
- You bastard!
Sit down, lady!
Be seated there in the back!
- Get off me!
- Everybody down in this courtroom!
All right, Mr. Flynt, are you willing
to calm down now, sir?
If I take that gag off of you
are you gonna show me and my staff
the respect that we deserve?
All right, marshal.
- Fuck you, you son of a bitch!
- I've had enough of this.
You leave me no choice
but to sentence you to 9 months.
- Nine months? Is that all you got?
- Three more months.
- Fuck you, Your Honour!
- Want more?
- Larry, stop it.
- Sit down, lady!
Larry Flynt
you are sentenced to 15 months
in a federal psychiatric prison.
Hey, don't look at me.
Ask for bail, counsellor.
Can I post bail, Your Honour?
No!
- Now get him out of my courtroom!
- Fucking bastard!
You can say all of those foul words
behind four padded walls. Get him out!
- Gentlemen.
- Something we'd like to show you, sir.
I don't understand.
The reverend would never
endorse a liquor company.
- There's a larger problem.
- Substantially larger.
You see, sir, it says right there
that the reverend
It says, sir
that he fornicated with his mother
in an outhouse.
Give me a second.
Now, what do you boys
have for me today?
Reverend, I think you need to read this.
Give me your jacket, please.
Jesus Christ.
Stand up, please.
Raise your foot.
- Arms up.
- Arms what?
Arms up.
Larry
you look so good.
You look like shit.
- What?
- Larry
I don't want to work
at the magazine anymore.
People there don't listen to me
and they don't talk to me.
They're afraid of me
and they don't shake my hand.
Larry, I went to Dr. Robert and
He told me that I was sick.
I mean, sick-sick.
I mean, I got AIDS, Larry.
They won't shake your hand?
Yes, sir. Yes.
Code pink. Code pink.
Code pink. Code pink.
Larry, it's Jimmy here.
You there?
Larry? Larry, you there?
I have some important
announcements to make.
- How's the hospital treating you?
- Never mind that.
- Is everybody there?
- We're here, Larry.
Good. You're all fired.
You can't just fire these people.
We need these people.
Shut up! It's my business,
and I'll run it into the ground if I want to.
Okay, that's all. I gotta go.
What the fuck was that?
Just calm down, Arlo.
Don't panic on me.
None of you guys are fired.
- But Larry just said that
- What did he say? He's in a nut house.
You're not fired. Is that a problem?
Thank you. Thanks.
Jesus, Althea.
Hi, hi.
Come on, sit down. Sit down.
You all right, Mrs. Flynt?
Fine, thanks.
You look different. I don't know.
Did you change your hair?
- Yeah, I changed my hair.
- Yeah, I like it.
Yeah, my hair's different.
So, what's up?
I got this the other day,
and I brought it by
to see if you would look at it, please.
Wow, that is
- I mean, this is
- It's intense.
Yes, it is.
What are we gonna do?
- You're gonna give it to Larry's lawyers.
- Alan, you are our lawyers.
You've always been our lawyers. You're
part of the family. Don't listen to Larry.
- You know how he is.
- I don't know, Althea.
We really need your help.
Please, please help us.
Please, please
Alan.
Boy, this is great, Larry. This is
really great. I hope it was worth it.
Didn't I fire you?
Well, I've always ignored
most of what you've said, right?
Listen, I know the timing is lousy
but you remember
your little Campari ad?
The Jerry Falwell in the outhouse
with his mother and ?
He saw it.
And I guess it's safe to say he
He didn't find it all that funny.
He is suing you
for libel and intentional infliction
of emotional distress.
And he is asking for 40 million dollars.
This is Jerry Falwell in his home state.
So if you're up to it
we really ought to figure out
how you want to deal with this.
Countersue.
- What?
- Yeah, Jerry. He's suing you.
He's suing me?
For heaven's sakes, on what grounds?
Well, you xeroxed his ad
and you sent it out
in a million fundraising letters.
Yeah, so?
But you didn't get his permission.
And that's copyright infringement.
The depth of his depravity sickens me.
They'll put you on the stand,
and your testimony
will make or break us, as always.
So downplay how much
you hate Falwell.
You've got to make them understand
that it was just a joke.
I'm just a clown
Take this seriously, Larry.
This is gonna be the most
expensive case you've ever had
- if you lose.
- Okay!
Reverend Falwell, you're a preacher,
is that right?
Yes, I am.
And as a preacher, you speak
to a fairly broad audience.
You preach on television and on your
"Old-Time Gospel Radio Hour"?
I do.
So you've achieved
a certain notoriety.
One might say a national reputation
for your sermons and your opinions
and ideas and your leadership
of the Moral Majority.
Yes, our membership
is now over 5 million.
But even beyond your membership,
really, you've been recognised
and awarded for your efforts
all over America.
I have a number
of honorary degrees.
In a recent poll
of Good Housekeeping magazine
I was voted Second
Most-Admired American
behind President Reagan.
Good Housekeeping? That's
I mean, hey, you're famous, right?
Well, I suppose you could say that.
Reverend Falwell, have you ever
had sex with your mother?
- Absolutely not.
- Never? I mean, you never ?
Never in the outhouse
as Hustler magazine suggested?
That is an absurd question.
My mother was
a very godly woman
and as close to a saint
as anyone I have ever known.
I'm sure she was.
Reverend, have you ever preached
while you were drunk?
Drunk? Never.
Never?
You never even had a few too many
and then went back on the radio?
That is a totally
outrageous suggestion.
- Totally outrageous?
- Totally.
You don't think that
some people, Reverend Falwell
despite your reputation, might have
reason to believe you could do that?
I would find that
very difficult to believe.
So really, what you're telling me
is that nobody could reasonably
think these statements were true?
Yes, that's what I've been saying.
Okay.
Reverend Falwell,
at the beginning of this trial
Judge Kirk gave very specific
instructions to this jury, okay?
She said, quote, "If a reasonable
person could not believe
that Hustler magazine describes
actual facts about Jerry Falwell
then you must dismiss
the libel claim."
Do you remember
these instructions?
Obviously not. So I'm gonna
ask you one more thing.
Why are you suing
my client for libel?
I am not a lawyer, Mr. Isaacman.
I am a lawyer, okay,
and I can't figure it out either.
Would you state your full name
for the record, please, Mr. Flynt?
Yes, sir. Christopher Columbus
Cornwallis IPQ
Harvey HN Pagey Piu.
That's very interesting, but are you
also known as Larry Flynt?
A.k.a. Jesus H. Flynt, Esquire.
For chrissakes.
Are you the publisher and the
editor in chief of Hustler magazine?
I am the publisher of the most
tasteless, sleaziest
most disgusting, greatest porn
magazine on the face of the earth.
Thank you.
I have in my hand Exhibit B
which is a typewritten script
of the Campari ad.
When you approved this ad, did you
have any specific knowledge
that the Reverend Falwell
had ever engaged
in sexual intercourse
with his mother?
No. But
I have a photograph of Falwell
having fellatio with a sheep.
Now, I don't think
Your Honour, my client is in a heavily
medicated, mentally agitated state.
We will stipulate
that no such document exists.
I have it, and Mr. Fartwell
is a liar, a glutton
and a sheep-ophile.
My client's name is Jerry Falwell!
- Jerry Falwell!
- That's what I said, Jerry Fartwell!
Are you trying to hold
the Reverend Falwell up to ridicule?
- No, contempt.
- Scorn?
- Truculent.
- Obloquy?
God, my French is so rusty.
I love her.
- Quiet in the courtroom.
- I love you, baby.
Jesus loves me.
Mr. Flynt
Do you have an aversion
to organised religion?
- A virgin?
- No, aversion. You heard me.
An aversion to organised religion.
I
You bet your sweet ass I do.
Does that give you licence to mock
the leaders of religious movements?
Well, goddamn right.
- Objection! This is totally irrelevant!
- Overruled.
- Free expression is absolute.
- Thank you, Your Honour.
Do you agree?
Order. Ma'am, if you can't
control yourself
you're going to have to leave
the courtroom.
So then, it was your intention
to hold Reverend Falwell
out to be a hypocrite?
Wasn't it?
Well, that's what he is.
But didn't it occur to you
that Falwell must have an integrity
that people can believe in
if he is to practise his profession?
Yeah.
And it was your intent
to destroy that integrity
and his livelihood if you could?
To assassinate it.
Hey, it's me.
It's a weird decision.
- Well, get me Bill, quick.
- No, he's not guilty of libel.
But he is guilty
of "inflicting emotional distress."
Now Flynt has to pay him
200 grand!
This ruling shows that nobody
can prostitute the First Amendment.
Pornography has thrust its
ugly head into our everyday lives.
The billion-dollar sex industry,
of which Larry Flynt
is a self-described leader
lust and greed have replaced
decency and morality.
We must make a solemn
commitment to God Almighty
to turn this nation
around immediately.
Fucking AIDS junkie.
You crazy cripple.
Listen, it's just not that funny.
And I'm afraid it wasn't funny
the first time we printed it.
Well, guys, I'm certainly
open to suggestions.
I would suggest
that if we're going to recycle it
that we replace the noun
I thought I fired all of you.
Jimmy
come here.
Larry
I'm sorry if I tried to run things
but
you know, I was just
trying to protect you.
Come here.
Closer.
Come on.
Don't sweat it, bro. I love you.
I love you too, man.
Larry, you look great, man.
Chester, you remember Althea?
Shake her hand.
Hey, Althea, you
- Hi, Chester.
- Hi.
Don't sneak up on us.
Give us a heart attack.
Yeah, what the hell.
Shake Althea's hand.
Althea, good to see you.
- Welcome back.
- Hello, Faith.
- Hi, Althea.
- What do you do?
I'm a secretary.
- Good to see you, Althea.
- Arlo, hi.
Water.
- I got it.
- No. I wanna take my bath.
I wanna take my bath.
Okay. Why don't you hop on?
I'll give you a ride.
Go ahead.
Buckle up.
Daddy.
Yes.
You're crushing my legs!
You're shivering, baby.
Sorry.
You're shivering.
Detour! Oh, no.
What are you doing?
You're gonna kill us.
It's okay. They'll freeze us
and thaw us out in the year 3000.
Kerbside service.
That'll be $8.50, lady.
Dr. Kipper, please.
Larry Flynt.
Dr. Kipper?
She doesn't look good.
Well, I know, but there's gotta be
something more we can do.
Some new technology or drug.
What are they doing in Europe?
You know money's no object.
Althea?
Althea!
Althea!
Baby!
Baby!
Baby!
Baby!
Baby!
No! No!
Baby! Help!
Help!
Baby!
No! No.
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Jesus said, "I am the way,
the truth and the life.
No man comes to the Father
but by me.
He that liveth
and believeth in me
shall never die.
In my Father's house
are many rooms.
And if I go and prepare
a place for you
I will come again
and receive you unto myself.
That where I am,
there you may be also
and you will live with me forever
and ever."
You cannot mock God.
You cannot fool God.
If you violate his laws
God Almighty will judge you.
AIDS is a plague.
These perverted lifestyles
have to stop.
If you break moral laws
you reap the whirlwind.
Alan, it's Larry.
I wanna appeal the Falwell case.
This is over. Over.
- No, it's not over. We can go higher.
- Higher?
The Supreme Court.
- Yeah.
- Give them a call.
It's not that simple, Larry.
It's not that simple.
Thousands of people every year
petition the Supreme Court, okay?
Now, our case is as good as any.
Our case is better than most.
You're missing my point.
My point is, they will never pick you
because you're a nightmare!
They're afraid if they let you in court,
you'll wear a diaper or throw oranges.
And they should be! In all the times
you've gone to court asking for help
you've never demonstrated respect
for its institutions and procedures.
As far as they're concerned,
you're just a pig.
Yeah, well You always said,
and it's the principle
"A pig has the same rights
as a president."
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's
- You know, people get tired of a pig.
- Bullshit! You're scared, Alan.
You're scared. You're letting
these guys steamroll
Look, it's not just them, Larry!
Okay? It's me!
It's me! I am not taking you.
Lawyers dream about a case like
this in front of the Supreme Court.
They would probably hear us,
if you want the truth.
But I am not going with you!
I have been giving you my best since
back when people were laughing at you.
And every time I come in there,
you fuck me with this circus act!
I won't do it again. I can't.
I'm not gonna do it in front of the
Supreme Court of the United States.
Your sentimental speeches
and your cornball patriotism
they don't work on me anymore,
Lar, because I don't believe you.
I don't believe you.
You're my
My friend, Alan.
We're friends.
You know, I just
I would love to be remembered
for something
meaningful.
Any research problems,
I encourage you to use my archives.
And
tell the reverend that I've dealt
with this filth monger myself
and I wish to offer my support.
Is that the Tin Man?
Yes
that's the Tin Man.
God versus the devil. America's
minister versus America's pimp.
Today is the showdown.
Many were surprised by the high court's
decision to hear Flynt's case
but he had some unlikely
supporters filing briefs on his behalf:
The New York Times, the American
Newspaper Publishers Association
- and the Association of
- All rise.
The honourable, the chief justice
and the associate justices
of the Supreme Court
of the United States.
Oyez, oyez, oyez.
All persons having business before
the honourable U.S. Supreme Court
are admonished to draw
near and give their attention.
For this court is now sitting.
God save the United States
and the Supreme Court.
We'll hear the argument first
this morning in number 86-1278.
Hustler magazine and Larry C. Flynt
v. Jerry Falwell.
Mr. Isaacman, you may proceed
whenever you're ready.
Mr. Chief Justice,
and may it please the court.
One of the most cherished ideas
that we hold in this country
is that there should be
uninhibited public debate
and freedom of speech.
Now, the question you have
before you today is whether
a public figure's right to protection
from emotional distress
should outweigh
the public interest
in allowing every citizen
of this country
to freely express his views.
But what was
the view expressed in Exhibit A?
Well, to begin with, this is a parody
of a known Campari ad.
- I understand. Go ahead.
- Okay.
Also, and more importantly,
it was a satire of a public figure
of Jerry Falwell, who was really
a prime candidate for such a satire
because he's such an unlikely
person to appear in a liquor ad.
This is a person that we are used
to seeing at the pulpit, Bible in hand
preaching with a famously
beatific smile on his face.
But what is the public interest
you're describing?
That there is some interest
in making him look ludicrous?
Yes. There is a public interest
in making Falwell look ludicrous.
Insofar as there is a public interest
in having Hustler magazine
express the point of view
that Jerry Falwell is full of B.S.
And Hustler magazine
has every right to express this view.
They have the right to say
that somebody, who has
campaigned against our magazine
who has told people not to buy it
who has publicly said it poisons
the minds of Americans
who, in addition, has told people
that sex out of wedlock
is immoral,
that they shouldn't drink
Hustler magazine
has a First Amendment right
to publicly respond
to these comments
by saying that Jerry Falwell
is full of B.S.
It says, "Let's deflate this stuffed shirt
and bring him down to our level."
Our level in this case
being admittedly
a lower level than most people
would like to be brought to.
I apologise. I know I'm not supposed
to joke, but that's sort of the point.
Mr. Isaacman, the First
Amendment is not everything.
It's a very important value, but it's
not the only value in our society.
What about a value which says
good people can enter public life
and public service?
The rule you give us says
that if you stand for public office
or become a public figure
you cannot protect yourself
or indeed your mother
against a parody of your committing
incest with her in an outhouse.
Do you think
George Washington would've stood
for office if that was the consequence?
It's interesting you mention
Washington, Justice Scalia
because very recently,
I saw a political cartoon
that's over 200 years old.
It depicts George Washington
riding on a donkey,
being led by a man
and the caption suggests this man
is leading an ass to Washington.
I can handle that.
I think George can handle that.
But that's a far cry from committing
incest with your mother in an outhouse.
I mean, there's no line
between the two?
No, Justice Scalia.
There is no line between the two.
Because what you're talking about
is a matter of taste, not law.
As you yourself said, I believe,
in Pope v. Illinois:
"It's useless to argue about taste
and even more useless to litigate it."
And that is the case here. The jury
has already determined for us
that this is a matter of taste
and not a matter of law
because they've said there's no
libellous speech. Nobody could
believe Hustler was suggesting
that Falwell had sex with his mother.
So why did Hustler have him
and his mother together?
Hustler puts him and his mother
together
in an example
of literary travesty, if you will.
And what public purpose
does this serve?
It serves the same
public purpose as having
Gary Trudeau say Reagan has no
brain or that George Bush is a wimp.
It lets us look at public figures
a little differently.
We have a long tradition
in this country of satiric commentary.
Now, if Jerry Falwell can sue
when there's been no libellous speech
purely on emotional distress,
then so can other public figures.
Imagine suits against people like
Gary Trudeau and Johnny Carson
for what he says
on The Tonight Show tonight.
Obviously, when people
criticise public figures
they're going to experience
emotional distress. We know that.
It's the easiest thing to claim
and impossible to refute.
That's what makes it
a meaningless standard.
Really, all it does is allow us
to punish unpopular speech.
And this country is founded,
at least in part
on the firm belief
that unpopular speech
is absolutely vital
to the health of our nation.
Thank you, Mr. Isaacman.
Reverend, are you confident
you will win this case?
Absolutely.
There's no way the Supreme
Court will come down on the side
of a sleaze merchant like Larry Flynt.
Mr. Keating, why are you here today?
To support people who believe
pornography should be outlawed.
because if the First Amendment
will protect a
- What did Grutman call me?
- Scumbag.
scumbag like me,
well, then it will protect all of you.
Because I'm the worst.
Larry, do you have any regrets?
Only one.
Larry.
Larry.
Larry.
- Hello?
- It's Alan.
- They just brought the decision in.
- Well, is it good or bad?
Well, it's a unanimous decision.
And Rehnquist wrote it himself.
- Is it good or bad?
- I want you to hear this.
"At the heart
of the First Amendment
is the recognition of the
importance of the free flow of ideas.
Freedom to speak one's mind is not
only an aspect of individual liberty
but essential
to the quest for truth
and the vitality of society
as a whole.
In the debate about
public affairs
many things done with
less than admirable motives
are nonetheless protected
by the First Amendment."
So we won.
Yes, we did. We won.
Thank you, Alan.
- Thank you.
- Don't mention it.
We won, baby.
Strip for me, baby.
Why?
So when you're old and ugly,
you can look back at this.
I'm never gonna be
old and ugly, Larry.
You're gonna be old and ugly.