SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Infamous adult publisher and political pundit Larry Flynt is many things to many people, but to the Bay Area’s 26th Annual Exotic Erotic Ball (www.exoticeroticball.com), he will the recipient of its latest Lifetime Achievement award, to be presented this Friday at the Cow Palace. The ball begins at 7:00pm, but a press conference will be held prior to that, at 6:00pm.Originally a huge, sex-positive party, the Ball has grown since its relatively humble origins and now includes an Expo with panel discussions concerning free speech and First Amendment issues.

Perry Mann, founder of the Exotic Erotic Ball believes that the Ball has selected the perfect man for this year’s award. “Larry Flynt is a man of conviction who has never shied away from controversy,” he explains. “His contribution to free speech and First Amendment issues is both substantial and unquestionable.”

Although famous for having been paralyzed due to white supremacist John Paul Franklin’s March 6, 1978 gun attack, the controversial publisher created the Flynt Foundation for Human Development during the same year. The Foundation helps adult business employees and owners dealing with legislative issues or legal prosecution on the city, state, or federal levels.

Flynt’s now multi-million dollar publishing kingdom has grown considerably since its founder faced the Supreme Court in 1988 and becoming a much-reviled free speech figure in a battle with the Reverend Jerry Falwell. A frequent political dabbler, Flynt helped unseat Senator Bob Livingston in 1999 and earned more than 15,000 votes during California’s recall gubernatorial race. In spite of his increasing power and, some might say, mainstream appeal, just last month a $2,500 campaign donation from Flynt to Senator Charles Schumer of New York was returned.

The charitable beneficiary of this year’s Exotic Erotic Ball will be the First Amendment Project (www.thefirstamendment.org), which has been integral to the creation of the Lifetime Achievement Award.