Last Friday XBIZ reported that Larry Flynt’s two nephews — Dustin and Jimmy Flynt II, sons of Larry’s brother Jimmy Sr. — formed an adult production company called Flynt Media Corp and plan to launch a video line titled “Flynt.”
Larry Flynt, who has no business interest in the new company, feels Flynt Media Corp's name is intentionally misleading and his nephews “are trying to free ride on their uncle’s famous name, at his expense,” according to a memo received by XBIZ from LFP President Michael Klein.
The memo states that LFP has consulted a lawyer and that the nephews would be free to use the surname Flynt for a venture outside the adult entertainment industry, or to include their first names along with their surname, but launching a competing company would cause marketplace confusion with their famous uncle’s Hustler empire among the public.
“Larry has been in the field for so long, and so famously, that the name “FLYNT” brings to mind only one person,” Klein’s memo states. “We are really troubled that the brothers would make this very obvious attempt to cash in on a famous trademark.”
Klein said that Dustin and Jimmy Flynt II were denied trademark status of their name “as to anybody without Larry’s fame, “Flynt” is merely a surname.”
Flynt is demanding his nephews change the name of their company saying they can’t use the surname “Flynt” alone.