I just learned of the passing of Larry Flynt. My mind reflects back to the day I was in his gilded corporate offices at 8484 Wilshire Boulevard. I was there to explore the Hustler archives so that I could design and curate a permanent exhibit, Heroes and Icons of the Sexual Revolution, about his creative enterprises and political activism.
Prior to my visit, I researched everything about him. Of course, I watched “The People vs. Larry Flynt” whereby Woody Harrelson memorializes his infamous Supreme Court victory. I read “Sex, Lies & Politics: The Naked Truth” to understand his background and psychology.
Flynt was best known for his Hustler publication, which became a household name in the early ’70s when he published paparazzi photos of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sunbathing in the nude on her private Greek island, Skorpios. The photos caused a global media storm and became the catalyst for Flynt’s future media and entertainment empire. Despite his controversial brand of sex and provocation, Hustler was the alternative to Playboy and Penthouse—hardcore, lowbrow, and offensive to many. Yet, what many people don’t know is that Flynt published a variety of magazines in different genres for explicit audiences, including LGBTQ communities. Flynt was an equal opportunist, capitalizing on every proclivity.
hen I arrived at his 10-story building in Beverly Hills, his empire spanned nightclubs, publishing, retail boutiques, a film studio, a film company, distribution, and so much more. I had the good fortune of meeting his daughter, Teresa, who gave me a tour of the archives. I truly felt like I had died and gone to heaven—everything was in pristine condition, meticulously inventoried and accessible. The records documenting the production of all projects were incredibly detailed, including dates, and the names of his film crews, illustrators, photographers, and writers. The archives were so impeccably managed that my white gloves didn’t pick up a single speck of dust.
So, how does one curate an exhibition about a man who championed the First Amendment while also being a flamboyant, unabashed agitator of social decorum? You gather information and visuals that invite audiences to connect more deeply with the subject. It was tempting to exhibit the Jackie O photographs, along with other sensational imagery. That kind of exhibit would have been easy to curate for someone like Flynt, but I wanted to go beyond the obvious and appeal to the intellect of the viewer. It was important to me that people saw Flynt as a multi-dimensional human being rather than just an esoteric personality. I wanted them to see his courageous spirit and be inspired by his evolution from humble beginnings, as well as his ability to overcome disability. Whether by intention or being at the right place at the right time, Flynt pushed the boundaries to become the unequivocal protector of free speech—despite the platform from which he did it. The deeper I delved into his archives, the more profound my responsibility became to design an exhibition that honored and elevated his civic accomplishments.
The exhibit offered patrons the chance to connect with Larry Flynt through well-written narratives of his pivotal legal cases, a film biography, and related ephemera for hands-on interaction. I designed a sitting area within the exhibit to invite patrons to linger, converse, and engage with the material. To add levity, I included several illustrations from his comic book series, Hustler Humor. To my surprise and delight, Flynt donated a gold-plated wheelchair as a last-minute addition to the project. A base was immediately constructed, and the iconic object was placed within the exhibit as a dramatic and powerful centerpiece. No words were necessary to describe the object or its bedazzled owner. Audiences were instinctively drawn to it, as though it called to them. I cannot begin to count the number of people who attempted to sit in that chair for a photo op. To me, his wheelchair symbolized resilience—neither the circumstances that confined him to that apparatus nor the resulting disability wavered his convictions. In fact, it seemed to embolden him.
Reflecting on that donation, it was such a baller move. Rest in peace, Mr. Flynt. Thank you for your activism and trailblazing spirit.
“He was an unpopular hero to civil libertarians, the Devil incarnate to an unlikely alliance of feminists and morality preachers, and a purveyor of guilty secrets to legions of men.”
~ Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 02/10/2021
Featured Images: Larry Flynt (1996) by Evan Hund, Getty Images | Illustration: Sperm Bank by Dwaine Tinsley, Hustler Humor (1980)
