The Daily Beast's Aurora Snow interviewed Larry Flynt, the infamous founder of Hustler magazine and First Amendment crusader. Flynt, who is the inspiration behind the filmThe People v. Larry Flynt, wrote an open letter to Trump in March challenging the presidential candidate to reveal his penis size. Trump refused to expose himself.
In Snow’s interview, Flynt expands on his Trump opinions as well as other issues. Here are some excerpts.
Snow: Speaking of Trump, were you surprised that he’s turned it into such a media circus, making the size of his fingers in relation to the size of his penis actual talking points?
Flynt: No, I’m not surprised. There’ve been other people in history that have been a lot like Trump. I just watched a documentary about Mussolini and it’s uncanny the resemblance they have, not only in their speech but their whole persona. Trump controls what I call the low-information voters, the low-hanging fruit. I think very few intelligent people are going to be voting for Donald Trump.
(Bold emphasis is mine.)
Snow: Considering how familiar you are with politics, what are your thoughts on America’s circus-like 2016 presidential election?
Flynt: It is a circus. I see a different outcome in this than most people. Despite Hilary’s problems I think she’ll beat Trump or Cruz, either one. I think the Republican Party can’t recover from this. Trump has offended about every group he can except white men. The only difference between Trump and Cruz is Trump just says all this crap but Cruz believes it—and that’s what makes him so dangerous.
Free speech comes up during the interview. Isn’t Trump allowed the same right as everyone else? Snow presses Flynt on the subject.
Snow: You also speak in a very raw, direct manner that some take offense to. As you’ve said before, that’s when the right to free speech matters most: when it offends someone.
Flynt: It’s one thing to speak frankly and clear and have your position understood and it’s another thing to unnecessarily demean people for their race or religion or their culture, and that’s where Trump went too far. Everybody says, “It doesn’t seem to hurt him, he keeps getting more voters.” It looks like he’s getting more voters but he’s really not. When this is all over, people are going to say why did I pick that guy? I assure you that a lot of Republican women will vote for Hillary. They will hold their nose and vote because they can’t stand Trump.
Snow also asks Flynt about his views on women.
Snow: According to polls, Trump isn’t doing well with women voters overall. Some think he’s a misogynist, which you’ve also been accused of being. Back when I was in the adult business, I recall Hustler was one of the more gentle companies making porn. That said, do you think your company’s treatment of women is contrary to your reputation?
Flynt: I worship women. Always have and always will. Gloria Steinem tells the world they don’t want to be sex symbols, well I got news for Gloria and her cohorts: women have always been sexy and always will be. I’m a feminist at heart but I think women will always enjoy having car doors opened for them.
Okay. Three out of four comments above are not bad. When it comes to respecting women and understanding feminism, it seems Larry Flynt will always remain a hustler. Love him or hate him, on the issue of Donald Trump, he makes a lot of sense.