The surf shop owner whom radio psychologist Dr. Laura Schlessinger accused of allowing pornography to be read easily enough by children has hit back where it might hurt - he's countersuing Schlessinger for at least $4 million.
The Orange County Register says Beach Access owner Tom Moore filed suit Oct. 22. "There's a duty that comes with the privilege of speaking to 18 million people," Moore's attorney, Andrew Guilford, tells the Register. "That duty is to be very careful with your words, especially when you're accusing someone of intentionally harming children."
The flap occurred when Schlessinger, shopping in Beach Access with her son and her husband in July, spotted Big Brother Skateboarding, a magazine published by her longtime nemesis Larry Flynt, which she considers "stealth pornography".
What almost no one disputes is that a) Schlessinger and Flynt haven't exactly been buddies since Hustler published old photographs of the radio psychologist in the nude taken by an old boyfriend; and, b) that she was jarred by the skateboarding magazine being in Beach Access.
Schlessinger argues she confronted Moore, who gloated, and said Beach Access knew the magazine's nature and wanted it. Moore argues Beach Access didn't order or buy the magazine, but know only it had articles about skateboarding.
Schlessinger zapped Moore on the air the next day, accusing Beach Access of pushing porn on children intentionally. After she mentioned the store by name several times, it was hit with outraged phone calls. Moore demanded a retraction after withdrawing the magazine, but Schlessinger refused and sued him for calling her statements lies.
