Larry Flynt: Ultimate Recognition
Larry Flynt was awestruck after seeing his name on the American National Tree for the first time during a recent visit to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. As a courageous defender of the First Amendment, Flynt has been honored with a plaque on the monument, which pays tribute to 100 Americans—both famous and obscure—whose actions have helped safeguard the U.S. Constitution. We sat down with Larry to discuss his thoughts on being part of such select company and why freedom of speech is so important.
HUSTLER: How did it feel to see your name on the American National Tree?
LARRY FLYNT: It was pretty exciting. I had heard that it was there, but I didn’t realize what a big deal it was, so I never gave it that much thought. Sidney Poitier, the actor who’s a friend of mine, had told me four or five years ago that it was there. I was in Philadelphia on my [One Nation Under Sex ] book tour, so I thought I’d go to the Constitution Center and take a look. It was really kind of a strange experience because the curator didn’t charge us the cover charge, and everyone was fussing over us the whole time. I couldn’t quite understand what this was about until the curator took me to the very middle of the Constitution Center, where they had this exhibit called the American National Tree.
Tell us about the exhibit.
It was an electronic monument with the inscription “This monument is dedicated to 100 people who advanced and protected the Constitution of the United States of America.” And if you press a button where your name is, a big video explodes— one foot by two foot wide—and it has pictures of you. It also has a bio spelling out the different reasons why you were selected to be on the tree. Well, selected is really not the process because I asked the curator, “Who decides who the 100 names are?”
He said, “It’s done by scholars and several universities around the country. You can only put one name on once a year, and consequently one name gets taken off. But you don’t ever have to worry about your name coming off.”
Were you included in the first 100 honorees when the Constitution Center opened in 2003?
Yes, and I was really overwhelmed about it because it’s such a significant part of history. You’re right in the center of where it all happened. I said to the curator, “Why are you guys making such a big deal of me being here?” He said, “Well, Mr. Flynt, most of those people up there are dead. So they’re not gonna come. But you’re alive.” It was a very moving experience. I would have gone there and visited much sooner if I’d known the extent of the display.
Who are you next to on the tree?
Katharine Graham, who was the owner of the Washington Post , for her role in Watergate. And Frederick Douglass, the first black man invited to the White House, who was an author and advocate for civil rights. I’m right between those two.
Is the tree part of a larger exhibit?
Yes. There’s a room where the Constitution was drafted. The center has life-size bronzes of George Washington, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, three of our Founding Fathers. These bronzes are just so realistic, it’s unbelievable. You get this humbling feeling as you go through the center and realize all the history that took place there. It’s overwhelming.
The tree is located right in the heart of Constitution Center. It is the main display. You would have thought the Founding Fathers— the drafters of the Constitution—would have been front and center in the exhibit, but they aren’t. They’re in a side room. I’m not questioning why the Constitution Center did it, but the tree was right there, a living, breathing, interactive piece of history.
Why is protecting the First Amendment so important to you?
Without the First Amendment, nothing else is of any importance at all. If the First Amendment goes, we lose everything. Not just freedom of speech but freedom of religion. It’s the cornerstone of our whole democracy, and it’s withstood the test of time in many court cases down through the years. That’s why I’ve been proud to be a part of upholding the First Amendment. Many people don’t understand that freedom of speech is not the freedom for the thought you love. It’s the freedom for the thought you hate the most. We pay a price to live in a free society, and that price is toleration. We have to tolerate things that we don’t necessarily like so we can be free. And that’s what most Americans don’t understand.
If you go out and take a poll and ask people, “Do you believe in free speech,” 98% of them will say they do. Then ask them, “How about pornography? How about flag burning? How about hate speech?” All of a sudden your almost 100% support falls to below 50% because everybody has their own vision of what the First Amendment is supposed to be, what kind of speech it’s supposed to protect. That’s why it really needs to be protected because the courts and individuals throughout history and even today are attempting to compromise the First Amendment every chance they get.
Are these limitations to the First Amendment the most pressing free speech issue in America right now?
We had a former Supreme Court justice who said the First Amendment is not absolute. You can’t scream “Fire!” in a crowded theater. Well, I happen to think he’s wrong. I think you can scream “Fire!” in a crowded theater. If anyone is hurt as a result of your doing that, then that’s the crime you should be prosecuted for. I’m an absolutist. I’m a purist when it comes to the First Amendment. I just don’t think we should compromise it in any way.
But compromise is just part of it. There’s also outright abuse. If certain political leaders had their way about it, there wouldn’t be a First Amendment. You would just shut up and do things their way. That’s the way they play the game.
You’re known for pushing the envelope and taking risks. Are there aspects of free speech even you wouldn’t touch?
Of course there are. I would never exploit children because you’re violating the rights of someone not old enough to speak for themselves. But I think that’s a crime totally separate from the First Amendment.
A lot of people try to put everybody on a guilt trip about the First Amendment by saying, for example, hate speech violates the rights of others. Well, there are laws to protect the rights of others. The First Amendment should not be caught in a web because it’s purely free speech.
You’ve obviously accomplished much in your life. Is there anything you haven’t done and want to do?
Accomplishing what I did in Philadelphia—it’s difficult to outdo that. It’s almost the equivalent to being honored on Mount Rushmore.
What do you want your legacy to be?
Being remembered as someone who fought to expand the parameters of free speech in a good way. I think that would be a great legacy.
January 2nd, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Dear Mr Flynt,
Over a year ago, I pleaded for you to once again run for Governor of California because quite frankly, I knew Brown was not a good fit and Whitman was a threat to what little liberties the state already conceded.
Now that the Presidential race is coming around, I originally was supporting Ron Paul (I voted for Obama last election) but after much thought, I feel that you and Jesse Ventura would be a ticket that’d give a run to both the Democratic and Republican ticket.
You and Ventura have the notoriety and name recognition as well as the love for the Constitution. Yet I know the two of you do not see things eye to eye on different issues, which makes your ticket diverse.
Please consider the possibility. We’re at a point where we feel that the Constitution is currently in jeopardy equally whether Democrat or Republican wins.
January 5th, 2012 at 5:58 am
Larry, I have no time for those who complaign and do nothing about it. I have a daughter with Muscular Dystrophy in Minnesota. I would appreciate some help. She is an awesome 7y/od, whom I love very much. I am also a Veteran, who has owned two companies and workes for a 100 billion dollar company. Do you want to want to make a diffirence. I have been to Cincinatti a few times and had great german food across the river at the German reastaurant. Not a big fan of the Chilie. Take care. My persanal email is rcloud1@aol.com, which is propably older than both of us.
January 6th, 2012 at 10:42 am
THANK YOU; FOR USING YOUR MONEY AND POWER FOR FREDOM.THE 99% NEED TO GET OFF THEIR ASSES AND VOTE!
January 7th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Dear Larry, I’d like to know your views on the current collective Attorney Generals statements on combating child sex trafficking and advertisements on backpage/village voice media.
Is this a “First Amendment” issue in your opinion?
This ones really a sticky topic.
January 14th, 2012 at 7:51 pm
“WHERE HYPOCRACY BEGINS” I want Larry to know where hypocracy and constitutional violations begin and how I learned about hypocricy. I’ve been floating round entertainment biz for very long time. David Lee Roth had the hots for me & wrote a Number of albums for me including the Yankee Rose. David Lee at the same time was raping kids, that is children aged 14 or so came foward claiming he raped them for instance a girl named Pearla Carbahal cried to me about how Roth raped her in the bathroom stall of the Troubadore. It went on and on with stuff like that cause I knew so many people. I know this also cause Roth tried to rape me when I was 15 but ok long time ago. While adult I had to dance in a few clubs to survive and love dancing. Some of them were strip clubs. I danced in costumes, did erotic sexy dances, and made a little change here and there. I lived off of tips. Roth was fuming jealous. Although he wouldn’t take care of me financially and was earning upteen millions singing his lousy songs about me (not sharing the profits) he was complaining about me working as a stripper. He hated my freedom and my sexy ways. He was so jealous he had me beat up, & then beat up again. It was my idea for him to make a film and he tried. He lined up 1500 girls to audition for him. I was there and my friends were there like some people from LA Times who interviewed me standing in my silver sequin bikini. I went in front of him on the stage and revealed my breasts. He had me kicked out off the stage and hit by a huge gorilla type of guard named Big Ed. You see 1500 other girls could walk around naked or barely wearing anything but when it came to me, Roth was a monster, a psychotic jealous fascist maniac. He went as far as did a court case against me claiming I was behaving lewd from some sexy music videos I did. He was trying to starve me to death, wouldn’t help me with my music career, wouldn’t help me financially but trying to ruin every ounce of work I did have. He had me assaulted by police who drew shotguns on me one day. He made false allegations against me in court. He was visiting all the strip joints, mind you at the same time screwing various girls, etc… I know because girls would see him there and told me. He was the most hypocritical unethical piece of slimy snake balls I’ve ever known. Here he was raping and pedophiling, doing young boys he’d pick up, forcing stripper to watch him get his dick sucked, and trying to destroy any chances I had to take care of myself. NOW THAT ARE CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS. Roth stalked me, stalked me also by radio and with consistent chanting hen pecking songs complaining and whining about everything I did and feeling sorry for himself, he made very very ill. He did more too! Now besides this is the Schwartzenegger’s inauguration I went to with a friend. She talked me into it. I’ll tell u about more hypocracy. At Schwartzenegger’s inaug on the stage was a huge huge picture of him standing in his tiny white bikini with nothing else on. It was gigantic allover the stage where everyone focused. No problem from my end. Every news casting this or that was there. When he was all done with his hoopla and jargon and near the end I saw everyone was bored. I got up on that same stage and revealed my little white bikini and tried t make people laugh a bit. I did a strip tease sort of ditty but not real intense or anything. I made muscles with my skinnier arms to make people laugh. It was all Improv. I was wearing all white underneith. When their secret service shitholes saw this they assaulted me and took me in the back room as if I was some sort of criminal. They hurt me too. They shoved me in a corner and this asshole with this ugly scar on his face had me in the corner in my bra as if I was a criminal. Lol. He was a psycho! Every m fucking newcaster got my photo of me having a fun time right on front of Schwartzenegger standing huge in his white tiny bikini bottom. I was manhandled and felt physically harmed by their shitters. They threw me out finally into a dark alley as if I was dangerous! Lol. That IS HYPOCRACY! The American people choose hypocracy because that is what they believe in at times! What else is constitutional hypocracy is this: ROTH he goes and makes a titty video even after he had me beat up by his thugs, falsely arrested, attacked by police, and conemned me in court and almost killed me with it all for just dancing or prancing around on a stage wearing a bikini or going naked at times. You’d think a rock star was liberal and freedom loving for the sake of his own image but not ASSHOLE ROTH! That shithead is the biggest lying sack of shit in the music business and he’s worse than many politicians. He’s like fascist Islamics in Iran and Yemen. He’s got no ethics and has god danged scruples. You should know the truth about these famous shitheads because you should. This is a good blog and I’m glad you are voicing good things for the people cause America does not need a bunch of uptight Islamic types running our country and ruining the freedoms America contains. I didn’t sue Roth and was really scared, sick and had to go to numbe of hospitals after his assaults. I didn’t know my rights either. I just didn’t have the legal background or training to know that I needed to knock him down in court and punish him monetarily. I wish I had the smarts then that I have now! I didn’t have the money to obtain a lawyer and he walked allover me because of this. THIS WAS HYPOCRACY. Unfair people are just that! You should know cause you probably think that rock stars are all in support of what you say, create, or do.
January 14th, 2012 at 8:44 pm
Wow! What a rant…………no wonder he never answers comments.
WTF is that shit about David Lee Roth. Someone is off their meds
January 18th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR SOMETHING MEANINGFUL….
January 22nd, 2012 at 10:32 pm
I just read this story and thought that if someone on the far right could use election law to show graphic images on network television, perhaps someone like Larry could use the same law to put something less vile and more exciting on television.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/22/us/super-bowl-abortion-ads/index.html
Seems like there is a great opportunity there, for now. I’m sure one of the current starlets could collect enough signatures to get on the ballot somewhere. What’s Mary Carey up to these days?
January 24th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Larry and all others,
Please speak out against this sopa bill. They are clearly violating our first amendment rights!
February 1st, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Hi Larry, i have been trying to get in contact with you for a while now, however your staff screens all your calls and emails. I am very surprised that you allow this, seeing as you truly believe in free speech. I am being deprived of my free speech in which i would like you to hear. As we all know it seems that computers are taking over the publishing of magazines, due to the ability to interact, even newspapers are also becoming extinct. I would love to partner with you in the rebirth of the magazine. I have developed such creativity in this field, that would make magazines surpass the popularity of the computer through advanced technologies. Even though it would take a computer to download data to new improved magazine (at the factory),once this is established, program would run instigated by viewer. Very portable and to the naked eye appears to look like a ordinary magazine, no batteries or electrical charging is required to run program,the interactive feature is able to run and obtain its energy from the paper itself. One more thing Larry,did you know that if a medical device i designed before 1978 was in place and used at time of your injury , i believe you could have been walking today. I will continue trying to contact you Larry,and show you all the emails that i have been trying to get to you despite all your employees screening protocols, thanks sincerely, David.
February 2nd, 2012 at 3:08 pm
I feel my rights of free speech is violated when lawmakers say i cant freely talk about, or advertise innovations i have created forcing me to have to hire a patent lawyer. Well back in 1968 when i was 10 i went to a patent lawyer and wanted to patent a few ideas” believe it or not” a pet rock in a little cage,also at the same time Velcro. The cost back then was close to a thousand dollars to start the process. The only thing i had for a prototype for the Velcro was a little burr, i found in the field that stuck to my pant leg. Well the lawyer more or less informed me that your are wasting your time and that his partners would feel that he was taking my money, and said to me “i cant accept your money for these completely useless ideas”. Well as you know the pet rock became a hit and look what happened to Velcro. I am not suggesting that i invented it first because there was never a patent search done at that time, due to the opinion of the patent lawyer. But nevertheless it was before these two items were known to the general public as far as i know. If only there was someone out there that would believe in free speech as much as i do. We need to have the laws changed so innovators can just mail their ideas back to themselves in sealed envelope “registered post”, used as proof of ownership unless a search proves otherwise. But no society had to invent patent lawyers so they can make free money whether idea is a success or not ):
February 3rd, 2012 at 4:51 pm
hmmm the topic of free speech..WHAT GOOD IS FREE SPEECH IF YOUR NOT HEARD?? Well let me start by saying, Obama set up a website asking for ideas of what we can do to save the economy. So i sent a solution, and i can guarantee that 99% of the American people would agree. But of course i got no reply, they would sooner hire a super committee to do there work for them. Why should the American people pay for that? should it not come out off congresses pay? seeing as they are hiring someone else. If i owned a business and hire someone to help save it, well don’t i have to pay for that?? Secondly if my business is losing money then its me that does not get paid….hmm well why is congress getting paid if there not doing there jobs? Thirdly if i was getting paid whether i was doing my job or not “like congress”i would soon be more interested on how i am going to spend my money,and not worry to much about my job, wouldn’t you? But however if i was paid flat rate” that means if the company “USofA” does not make money then i, as a fellow congressman also would not. Then you would see me working very hard and not putting a golf ball around in my office. Did you know the reason why the credit rating organisation dropped the US rating to a double A ? it was because congress is to busy fighting like little children an not doing there jobs. And it does not stop there, i cant believe that someone bought Elizabeth’s Taylor’s portrait for $8,000,000.00 rather then investing in innovation to get America back to work sheesh. The reason China is doing very good is because they are very hard workers,perhaps America should take lessons.
thanks for listening, best regards. David… FREELANCE ENGINEER…
February 3rd, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Thankyou Larry i like your website because you believe in free speech and do not screen what should be said and what should not. Thanks again, peace. (: best regard David, FREELANCE ENGINEER…
February 5th, 2012 at 6:18 pm
why do they wait til a accident to happen first, prior to install of safe anti dui car starting device in all vehicles? oh no i forgot it would not be good for lawyer sales hmmmm,,bad idea lol..that was just me expressing my Free Speech ty. David…FREELANCE ENGINEER…
February 6th, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Hmmm freedom of religion, well in my opinion there is only one god and there is only one rule. That rule is “do on to others as you would expect them to do on to you”. Well if everyone would follow that rule then and only then we would have world peace. The economy would then improve,and we all could live in paradise, it could be that easy. I love everyone in the world (: now you do the same, love takes less energy and money to perform. best regards David. FREELANCE ENGINEER…
February 7th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
You’ve obviously accomplished much in your life. Is there anything you haven’t done and want to do?
Accomplishing what I did in Philadelphia—it’s difficult to outdo that. It’s almost the equivalent to being honored on Mount Rushmore.
hey larry what about being the first to exploit how magazines will be presented in the future. if you would allow me to pitch my new creativity in magazine improvement, i guarantee you will believe it would be your greatest accomplishment,due to the fact it will surpass the popularity of even the PC. Your printing presses will not be able to keep up. best regards, David FREELANCE ENGINEER… PS. honored?? is that how u spell it? look at your interview. don’t be mad i was expressing free speech lol peaceout larry have a good day dude
February 25th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Dear Larry
Thank you for all that you have done. I believe that You are a very special man and person to have done the things you have done. Thank you for fighting for those that do not have the means to fight. You have made a difference in things and have made people aware of things that they probably would have never thought of. Thank you for taking up the fight to stop those that would censor us and that would try and think for us. There are some that might not agree with what you do or how you live but no one can deny the fact that you have fought those that want to control our very thoughts and actions. Maybe I’m not saying this right. I guess I just want to say Thank you.for going to jail to protect my free speech and my children’s free speech. Thank you for protecting our freedom and our 1st amendment rights. Americans owe a lot to you. Even if most don’t want to admit it. I was glad to see that you were honored on that tree. It’s pretty cool and I think your legacy is still being written. I was taught and my children also to to always remember you as the man that stood up to bullies and won. Even though it came at great personal sacrifice. My dad is a huge fan of yours. And he passed that on to me and my kids.
So Larry…thank you. It seems like such a small thing to say considering you have done so much. But from the bottom of my heart and from my family, thank you.