NEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- New Bedford and Fall River residents are getting an apology from the publisher of a pornographic magazine that parodied an alleged rape by depicting a woman reclining nude on a pool table.
Hustler Magazine has formally apologized with full-page advertisements in three newspapers -- The New Bedford Standard-Times, the Portuguese Times -- New Bedford's ethnic newspaper -- and the O Jornal, a similar Fall River paper.
The ads are expected to run this week.
The August issue of Hustler Magazine pictured a nude woman on a pool table -- a direct takeoff on an alleged March 6 rape at the now-defunct Big Dan's Tavern. The rape created a furor in the fishing port city when it was reported several people stood by and cheered while the attack was in progress.
Six men have been charged in the incident and a trial date has been set for this fall.
The Hustler item said 'Greetings from New Bedford -- the Portuguese Gang Rape Capital of the Country.'
'It is an apology to the people of New Bedford and to the Portuguese community,' said Hustler spokesman Richard David Thursday. New Bedford and Fall River are staunchly Catholic and predominantly Portuguese.
'Gov. Dukakis had sent a letter to (Hustler publisher) Larry Flynt and this is a direct response. Hustler is criticized a lot but they do extensive satire and they generally do offend somebody,' David said.
Ray Castro, publisher of the Fall River ethnic newspaper, says he is grateful for the apology, but it does not mitigate the offense.
The Portuguese-American Defense League was still expected to meet Thursday night to discuss filing a class action suit against Hustler.