Page 59 - AVN JULY 2021

BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF LFP INC./HUSTLER AS IT ADJUSTS TO BUSINESS (AND LIFE) WITHOUT LARRY
When Larry Flynt died suddenly this February, he did not leave behind a once iconic adult brand on
the decline, but a tightly run galaxy of wildly successful businesses staffed with skilled executives and
overseen by a handpicked successor, Liz Flynt, his wife of many years and a close confidant.
A private company, LFP Inc. is under no obligation to divulge numbers related to business dealings,
and in keeping with that right to privacy, Mr. Flynt cultivated a no-numbers philosophy within the company
that exists to this day. But, in response to a query from AVN extended not long after Mr. Flynt’s passing,
the company not only permitted me to speak with several top executives (and a longtime, irreplaceable
advisor) over the course of a few weeks, it even set aside time for me to come to the Wilshire offices to
interview Mrs. Flynt in person about what it has been like taking over a growing, multifaceted company
after such a sudden and incalculable loss.
“It’s a struggle for me every day,” said Liz Flynt as we began our interview in her small office, which is
located immediately next to the expansive one her husband occupied for so many years, and which she
has kept untouched. She was trying to find the perfect way to explain what she faces every day. “I always
look at it like my husband is a larger-than-life figure, and I miss him every day. Some days I struggle,
and some days… You know, I have an agenda. He left me with an enormous amount of responsibility,
and as trustee, I’m in charge.”
The shock still seemed palpable even as we sat speaking. I expressed my sympathies and asked how
involved she had been in decision-making at the company over the years.
“I was always behind the scenes, and although I knew what was going on, it was Larry›s voice always
because he was the boss, the founder, the chairman of the board,” she said. “Larry was in charge, and
I think everyone here at corporate and at all the entities knew that. When we would have meetings,
everyone would show up with their papers, P&L statements, notes, and Larry would just show up. He
had everything up here in his head and knew all the figures and numbers.”
I asked if he was a business genius? “He was,” she said. “My husband was the guiding light, the
creative engine in this company, and this company is continuing to grow. My husband said, ‘If anything
should happen, Liz, remember, the company will continue to go on as if I was here and continue that
growth.’ He was very, very specific, using those words, and I’m quoting.
“My husband built his management team himself over the years, and the one thing we were always
strong in was upper management,” she continued. “He was never in fear that if something should
happen [to him] the company could not go on. Oh, no. It is so strong, and we are moving forward. So,
because of my responsibilities, I have come back to work but in different shoes.”
Married to Flynt for 23 years, together for much longer than that, Mrs. Flynt may be a mystery to the
wider world, but within the company she is the keeper of the flame. “I have a focus, and I have to stick
to the plan of what my husband asked me to do,” she said.
When our one-hour interview was over, I remained struck by the soft dignity of the woman before me
who now carried the weight of this corporation on her shoulders.
For the extended version of this article, plus interviews with the LFP executive team and general counsel
Paul Cambria, please visit AVN.com.
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