Falwell died yesterday at 73 of an apparent heart attack.
Flynt was famously embroiled in free speech lawsuit with Falwell in 1983, after Hustler ran a satirical ad that skewered the televangelist with the headline "Jerry Talks About His First Time." The fake Campari ad described an incestuous sexual encounter an intoxicated Falwell had with his mother in an outhouse.
Falwell sued Flynt for libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court in 1988, which ruled that public figures could not recover damages for distress based on a parody because it's constitutionally protected speech.
Upon learning of his nemesis' death, Flynt issued a statement to "Access Hollywood" in which he called his suit with Falwell "my most important battle." Flynt also said that in the years since the trial he and Falwell became friends and even arrived at a mutual respect for each other.
Here is the full text of Flynt's statement:
"The Rev. Jerry Falwell and I were arch enemies for 15 years. We became involved in a lawsuit concerning First Amendment rights and Hustler magazine. Without question, this was my most important battle – the l988 Hustler Magazine, Inc., vs. Jerry Falwell case, where after millions of dollars and much deliberation, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in my favor.
My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face-to-face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. He would visit me in California and we would debate together on college campuses. I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling.
The most important result of our relationship was the landmark decision from the Supreme Court that made parody protected speech, and the fact that much of what we see on television and hear on the radio today is a direct result of my having won that now famous case which Falwell played such an important role in."