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When the media reported last week that Hustler publisher and icon of pornography Larry Flynt had officially cast himself as a candidate for governor in California’s chaotic and unprecedented recall election, they acted as if it was a joke. Flynt assured them that it was not, and that he was taking his candidacy very seriously. As with many things in life, the truth lies somewhere in between, containing elements of both. While in a way the media is right (Flynt’s campaign is something of a joke), the context of California’s already tragic/comic recall almost neutralizes the punch of the joke. That’s because the real joke is the recall, and the punchline is Gov. Gray Davis, whose shifty-eyed ineptitude has so alienated California voters that they’ve been easily manipulated by Rep. Darrell Issa’s well-funded attempts to both remove him from office and place himself there.  Of course, Flynt is an easy target for mainstream media, and makes for great headlines. But why should his campaign be viewed as any more ridiculous than that of, say, Bill Simon, who just last November managed to lose to the already unpopular Davis, and whose own intention to run has been met with nary the derisive snicker it well deserves?And though I admit he’s not got a snowball’s chance in hell of winning, Flynt sure has some great ideas, by the sound of it. It’s no great shock that the Sultan of Sin would love to legally unleash the full fiscal ferocity of various vice industries ranging from gambling to drugs to prostitution. Hell, Davis has been PG&E’s whore since he was first sworn in, and when push came to shove during California energy crisis two years ago, he wasn’t even given the courtesy of a reach-around. There’s no doubting that the man whose publishing moxie has resulted in such ‘zine epics as Barely Legal and Leg Show knows a thing or two about making money. The gold-plated wheelchair in which the victim of gun violence made his campaign announcement is proof enough of that. Media pundits chuckle as they dismiss Flynt’s proposal to expand the right of casinos to operate slot machines, something that he says would net the state a sorely needed $3 billion a year. At a press conference announcing his candidacy, Flynt said he would finance a multibillion dollar bond issue with this revenue, tightening up California’s disastrous budget deficit and maintaining the integrity of state services. If that makes ‘em laugh, wait’ll they get a load of the Hustler tycoon’s plans to beef up state coffers with revenue derived from taxes on legalized forms of prostitution and drug sales, which he stated would have the added benefit of reducing crime associated with those black market industries.  Sure, I live in one of the most liberal places in the world (and maybe the most progressive city in the US), but does this idea still sound so ridiculous to anyone but the most bible-thumping of conservatives? Two of our closest allies Britain and Canada, certainly don’t find these concepts so overwhelmingly ludicrous—does that render them godless, morally bankrupt Huns hell-bent on a fresh destruction of decent civilization?There’s no doubt that Flynt’s proposals are far more controversial than that of Republican hopeful Arnold Schwarzenegger. But the media’s treatment of the actor as a more “serious” candidate puzzles me. What the hell has Ahnuld done for this country besides provide occasional distraction through entertainment? (Not that this has no value, but Total Recall [ironic, eh?] didn’t exactly further the culture… ) Flynt, however, served in this country’s armed forces… twice! (He first enlisted using a false age, then again later using his proper birth date.) Also, he has been a tireless advocate for the very First Amendment rights that allow The Terminator to wreak fictitiously murderous havoc on an entire police squad without fear of censorship. Unlike Davis, whom Flynt says he doesn’t even consider competition ("Davis has never had an original idea in his life," Flynt said. "He's the least of my concerns."), the Hustler publisher and multimillionaire should at least be more immune from the sway of special interest groups. "I'm prepared to go the distance," Flynt told reporters, reminding them that his status as a man of wealth guaranteed, "there's one thing for sure, I can't be bought." Run, Larry, run! Or, erm, maybe more appropriately: Ride, Larry, ride!
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