In oral arguments for a First Amendment case before the Supreme Court Wednesday, Justice Samuel Alito pursued an odd line of questioning regarding free speech and pornography.

During arguments for a case over a Texas law requiring age verification for pornographic websites, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito asked the lawyer for the adult industry whether Pornhub, a major porn site,

The justice asked if Pornhub was "like the old Playboy magazine" with "essays by the modern-day equivalent of Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr.?”

The high court held a hearing about a Texas law that requires age verification to access sexual content online, in a legal challenge from the adult industry.

You have essays there by the modern-day equivalent of Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr.?” the jurist asked to laughter from spectators.