Early this afternoon, I interviewed at ABC’s Washington, D.C., studio for its Nightline segment on exotic cabarets — also known as strip clubs — in the light of Missouri’s recent silliness in passing a law banning full nudity, liquor, and tipping while topless at such establishments.

Since a decade ago, I have been representing the First Amendment and other rights of exotic cabarets, adult video stores, online adult businesses, fetishists and others involved in consensual adult entertainment. While my law practice for many years has primarily involved criminal defense, sometimes there is overlap between criminal defense and adult entertainment, including the Missouri law, which criminalizes violations of that law, and I eternally worship at the altar of the First Amendment.

Perhaps seeing that stories on such topics as war and oil spills tend to nudge out stories on strip clubs, the Nightline segment will air between tonight and early next week, but with no more specific a timeframe than that. I understand the segment will appear on Nightline’s website for at least a period of time. Not having cable television — to avoid wasting time watching it — and without a fancy broadcast television antenna, I will not be able to tape it. If any of you do so, I will be delighted if you shoot me a copy (of course within the laws allowing fair use with taping a television program for personal use).

By Jon Katz, a criminal defense and DWI defense lawyer practicing in Fairfax County, Virginia, and beyond. 301-495-7755. https://katzjustice.com.