I was a bit surprised when I searched Families and found no blogs about the passing of Reverend Jerry Falwell this past week. I know I must tread lightly as a blog about him seems more appropriate in a religion or even the education category as he was the founder of Liberty University. But, Reverend Falwell was certainly often in the public eye and I think he has a place in pop culture. He had two fairly public battles – one with a magazine publisher and a children’s televison character.
The first public battle I remember was with publisher Larry Flynt. Flynt is the publisher of a pornographic magazine who decided to take on the moral majority leader by posting a parody ad featuring a fake interview with Falwell. I won’t go into the exact details of the ad, but you can assume it was less than flattering and actually quite tasteless. Jerry Falwell decided to sue Flynt for $45 million for invasion of privacy, libel, and intention to infliction emotional distress.
What made this case so important was it went all the way to the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, for Reverend Falwell, the Supreme Court decided in Flynt’s favor. They said public figures could not evade First Amendment protections and sue for damages of emotional distress suffered from a parody about them. From a legal viewpoint, I can see how the court sided with Flynt, but just from a personal viewpoint, I can see how the ad may have caused distress. But Flynt’s lawyer did point out how absurd it would be for anyone to seriously think the ad was true and not a joke. Given Flynt’s history as a bit of a nutcase, some were amaze that the Supreme Court even decided to review the case at all.
The second battle I remember was against the Teletubbies. Yes, I am talking about the little round alien looking things on the kids show. In 1999, Falwell’s National Liberty Journal suggested in an article that Teletubbie Tinky Winky could be a homosexual symbol, since he (she?) was purple, had an upside down triangle on his head, and carried a handbag. Reverend Falwell denied any direct involvement in this scandal as it was merely something printed in his National Liberty Journal that he himself did not right, but he is still remembered, even if incorrectly, for talking trash about a Teletubbie. Reverend Falwell took the flak about the Teletubbie controversy in stride. When he received Tinky Winky dolls in the mail, it was said he gave them to his grandchildren.