The King of Porn arrived on Baltimore Street this week, diamond watch sparkling, to promote his new Hustler Club.

His entrance into the loud club was less than grand, as an attendant wheeled his gold-plated wheelchair through a back door and to one of the red crushed velvet chairs. Most of the clubgoers hardly noticed — their attention was turned to the women on the club’s three stages.

But the throng of reporters waiting to talk to the magazine publisher pounced, circling the expressionless man in the blue suede jacket.

As Flynt held court, he answered questions about why he chose to put his newest club on The Block, and why he decided not to publish nude photographs he claims to have about celebrated former Army supply clerk and prisoner of war Jessica Lynch.

Flynt said he picked Baltimore because it has the traveling businessmen his clubs need for profits.

“Baltimore is much more of a transient city than the average person realizes,” he said.

He reiterated his position that the Hustler Club will be an upscale venue that will help improve the seedy Block.

Outside the club, a handful of protesters held signs that disputed that contention. “Upscale Sexism,” they read.

Flynt told reporters he decided not to publish the Lynch photos, which he said show her in a military setting, because he does not want to promote what he called the government-created myth of her heroism.

“She’s really a victim,” he said. “She’s never claimed to be more than that.”

Flynt said he had to struggle over his decision to keep the pictures private because he knew he could make huge profits.