Thursday, May 13, 1999
Video porn fans will get over it
BY EARNEST WINSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The only people who appear to be losers in the Larry Flynt obscenity case Wednesday are the customers of his downtown store.
Under the terms of the surprise plea bargain struck between Mr. Flynt and Hamilton County prosecutors, the store will no longer be able to sell pornographic videos. Hustler magazine is still available. But say goodbye to videos like Strange Curves and All Grown Up.
“What is the difference between the videos and magazines?” asked 28-year-old Tamara Wilcox of Westwood, who Wednesday afternoon was shopping at the Hustler store for a postcard for a male friend in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Just a couple of hours later, manager Jimmy Flynt and store employees began removing hundreds of pornographic videos from the store. Once again, X-rated videos would no longer be available in Hamilton County. One employee said, while handing Jimmy Flynt a box to load the videos, “I never thought we'd be doing this today.”
Through the afternoon, customers came and went from the Hustler store. Most said removing videos, but nothing else, did not make much sense.
Craig and Brenda Ashcraft, both 32, said they were disappointed the Flynts decided not to fight the charges of selling obscene videotapes at their store. But the Melbourne, Ky., couple, who left the store with sex toys, said they won't stop buying videos.
“We'll just go somewhere else. You can order them through the mail,” Mrs. Ashcraft said. “It'll be more of a hassle now trying to get the films because now you have to travel farther to get them.”
Deshawna Pruett was walking by the store — where she occasionally shops — when she learned about the news. “Let people pick and choose what they want. (No one's) making you go in there and buy that stuff,” the 26-year-old Westwood woman said.
Some people, like 23-year-old Julie Jump, said they don't care whether the store is allowed to sell pornographic videos. The Alexandria woman, accompanied by a friend, said they were only concerned with the edible underwear they purchased for a friend's party.
Matthias Fabry and his girlfriend Klaudia Evers, tourists from Germany, took a brief peek at the store's window display of books, magazines, a Larry Flynt doll and American flags. Unaware of the trial, they said they were simply thinking about buying a souvenir before returning home.
In the end, customers said the removal of the videos shows Cincinnati's conservative na ture.
“This city is very uptight. Hustler is the prune juice that Cincinnati needs,” said William Johnson, 21, of Avondale.
At one point, a man rode by and screamed, “Close it down.” Another man, walking by the store, noticed a group of reporters and said, “Lock up that scumbag.”
Flynt, county proclaim 'total victory'
ENQUIRER EDITORIAL: Flynt loses; Cincinnati wins
Flynt: 'I haven't changed my position one bit'
Video porn fans will get over it
Videos still readily available
Councilman fights store relocation costs
Fountain fix-up to take fast track
Ugly fence just another sleazy threat
I-275 repaving project grows
Star Wars fans can't wait for Wednesday
Ticket buyers bond in 'Star Wars' line
Fernald getting rid of uranium wastes
Laptops give police more time for patrolling
Patton clarifies casinos stance
Tristate ready for Kosovars
Warren, Butler are invited to Olympics
XU arena plan upsets neighbors
Angels, in another light
Lebanon B&Bs to show off charm
Opera's about life in OTR
GET TO IT
Alexandria moving on sewer plan
Ashland honors 2 N.Ky. teachers
Captain waives appearance after arrest
Cold Spring chooses chief; Florence in its search process
Council concedes racial bias in sewer district
Ex-hospital CEO to lead care agency
Fairfield Schools to add teachers, expand alternative program
Fingers pointed over school levy failure
Griffin's successor likely to be named today
Insurer sues to get tax breaks
Newport's bell in New Orleans
Race car's message: No drugs
Railroad crossing deaths decrease
Reporter not off hook yet
Science teacher to aid NASA
Teacher won't be charged over nude photos
TRISTATE DIGEST
Trustee questions airport benefits
Warren Co. to kill firms' tax breaks
Water Works' good deed confuses some
Kenton GOP finds governing tough
