making VHS sound CLYDE HABERMAN like code for AARP. Given his youth, peifc he probably had no idea what a storm "Deep Throat" cre- ated when it was re- Deep Throat leased in 1972. Local and federal authori- ties tried to ban it. Uncovered? Many feminists, too, were appalled by this tale of a Linda Lovelace woman who — sor- Redundant ry, but there's no delicate way to say ciD EEP THROAT"? What a silly it — had a clitoris in the back of her throat. question. Of course he knows Those were some battles, said Herald "Deep Throat," said the clerk at Show World Center, on Eighth Avenue. Price Fahringer, a Manhattan lawyer who "Over in the classics section," he said, has long represented sex shops against at- flicking his head toward a rack of DVD's. tempts to shut them down. In 1973, he went Then he decided to look for it himself. He to Buffalo to defend the owners of a small rummaged through cinematic icons like theater that was "packing them in" with "Behind the Green Door," "The Devil in "Deep Throat." Miss Jones" and "Alice in Wonderland," "We had a local police guy there, he was definitely not the Lewis Carroll version. a zealot, and so he went after the film," Mr. Alas, no "Deep Throat." Fah said. "I had to see it. You can't "It's a very fast-moving DVD," the clerk argue a case where the content is impor- said apologetically. That was comforting, tant without seeing it. in its own way. It was nice to hear that "When I went to the theater, they were there are certain eternals. lined around the block. He took me in, the Don't get carried away, another Show owner, and he goes to the edge of the aisle World clerk cautioned. "Deep Throat," the and says to this guy, 'Hey, you're going to X-rated film that gave Linda Lovelace a have to find another seat.' He empties out fame she later renounced, is not as popular that seat, and puts me in it. That's how I as it once was. It's so 1970's. saw the film." What's hot now? "Paris Hilton is selling "Eventually, the judge found it not to be a lot," he said, pointing to a poster for "One obscene," he said. The case was thrown out, Night in Paris." Also "Island Fever 3," he something to do with an item called the said. First Amendment. Nah, we prefer to stick with the classics. "Deep Throat" was not any old dirty That is true now more than ever, what with movie, Mr. Fahringer said. "I find most of hubbub over the unmasking of Deep Throat the material that I defend distasteful from this week. a personal standpoint," he said. "But this HAT, as you surely know unless • film had some clever ideas in it." you've been away on Neptune, was Tthe name that The Washington Post T is certainly durable. Made for under borrowed from the film and gave to its se- $25,000 by its director, Gerard Damiano, cret source in the Watergate scandal three I it has earned, by some estimates, more decades ago. Its Deep Throat turns out to than $600 million in rentals and sales over be W. Mark Felt, No. 2 at the F.B.I. back the years. then. Case closed. Now the only abiding "It's an icon," said Fenton Bailey, who mystery left in the universe is what was has directed, with Randy Barbato, a docu- the greatest thing before sliced bread. mentary film called "Inside Deep Throat" Somehow, it seemed wrong to let this his- "It's an outlaw voice speaking out with a toric moment pass without asking about message about sex and sexuality — that the film "Deep Throat" What better way there's no such thing as normal," Mr. Bai- than to visit X-rated shops on Eighth Ave- ley said by phone from Los Angeles. "Ev- nue In the 40's, which have resisted city erybody has a unique sexual DNA, and Lin- crackdowns and even thrived. (Tough da Lovelace represents that. She goes on work, this column-writing business.) this quest to find her sexual identity but The blogorrhea over The Post's Deep also, by extension, her social and political Throat has not ignited a sudden passion for identity." the movie. Still, it holds its own. He may be right. That seems to be the consensus along Frankly, we never gave the matter that Eighth Avenue. "People like the classics," much thought. We do wonder, though, a cashier at the Playpen explained. about the possibilities were another Water- But not everyone does, said a young gate to occur today. clerk at Gotham City. At the mention of "Deep Throat," he wrinkled his nose. "The Would a newspaper call its mystery people who come looking for it are the source Paris Hilton? We're not that desper- VHS's," he said, ate yet. Are we?