Hustler Magazine Founder Larry Flynt Dies At 78

LOS ANGELES, CA — Larry Flynt, the founder of porn magazine Hustler who fought several legal battles over the First Amendment, has died at 78, according to several news outlets. Flynt's brother, Jimmy Flynt, confirmed the news of his death to The Washington Post.

A high school dropout who joined the Army at 15 years old with the help of a fake birth certificate, Flynt began his career running multiple Ohio bars. He opened his first Hustler Club in the late 1960s, expanding to multiple locations in the state.

After starting a newsletter, Flynt launched Hustler magazine in 1974, which skyrocketed to fame in 1975 after posting nude photos of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The brand would later grow to include strip clubs, television, videos and private nightclubs.

The founder was also known for his legal battles and pushback from religious groups over his magazine. In 1978, he was shot outside of a Georgia courthouse while fighting a misdemeanor obscenity charge, which left him partially paralyzed and relegated him to a wheelchair.

Years later in 1983, he was wheeled out of the Supreme Court and arrested after unleashing a profanity-riddled tirade against the justices.

"F--- this court. You denied me the counsel of my choice," Flynt shouted in court, according to the Washington Post.

Flynt was convicted of obscenity charges in 1977 and sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in prison. However, the founder only served six days of his sentence after filing an appeal, which he won in 1979.

Flynt's numerous legal and religious contests were chronicled in the movie "The People Vs. Larry Flynt" in 1996. The movie earned lead actor Woody Harrelson an Oscar nomination for best actor.

In later years, Flynt turned some of his focus toward politics, often offering lofty rewards for people with incriminating or embarrassing information on Republicans. During the impeachment proceedings against former President Bill Clinton, Flynt offered $1 million for anyone with proof that a member of Congress was guilty of adultery.

In 2017, Flynt took out a full-page ad in the Washington Post offering a $10 million reward for information leading to Donald Trump's removal from office.

Many took to social media to pay their respects after hearing the news of Flynt's death.

RIP Larry Flynt one of the only true Free Speech Absolutists https://t.co/6NRWmDkySz
— Super Bowl Ref (@lib_crusher) February 10, 2021

Flynt gave jobs to a lot of unemployable weirdos over the years, this weirdo included. RIP https://t.co/jqhtegIDyO
— Art Of Coop (@ARTofCOOP) February 10, 2021

RIP Larry Flynt, pervert and activist, a self-described "smut peddler who cares"
— Marie Bardi (@mariebardi) February 10, 2021

A cause of death was not revealed.