November 1, 1983social movementcivil libertiesfirst amendmentmedia lawfirst amendmentfree speechparody
Hustler magazine publishes Campari ad parody depicting Reverend Jerry Falwell describing his 'first time' as a drunken sexual encounter with his mother in an outhouse
Hustler magazine, published by Larry Flynt, ran a parody advertisement in its November 1983 issue modeled on a real Campari liquor ad campaign in which celebrities described their 'first time' tasting the beverage. Hustler's parody depicted Reverend Jerry Falwell — founder of the Moral Majority and one of the most prominent public voices in American conservative politics — describing his 'first time' as a drunken sexual encounter with his mother in an outhouse. The ad was labeled 'Ad Parody — Not to Be Taken Seriously,' but Falwell sued Flynt and Hustler in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia for libel, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.