Hey Dent, I know Dr. Thompson is your hero so I wanted to post this here. I just saw this great documentary about him this weekend.
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (//http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080703/REVIEWS/305058413)
I learned alot about the man that I had not known previously and the rich intoxicating depth of his life experiences. For example I had not known the following...
He ran for Sherrif of Aspen with a platform including the renaming of Pitkin County to "Fat City", and lost by only 31 votes (8.2% of the total 377 votes).
He suggested the (false) rumor that Presidential candidate Ed Muskie was administered ibogaine by a Brazilian doctor, which more than a few journalists reported as fact.
He would type the novel "The Great Gatsby" repeatedly on his typewriter in an effort to improve his own writing.
There really was alot about the man I did not know aside from all the Fear, all the Loathing, the drugs, the journalism, and the insane writing. I can see why you worship the guy. He stands just outside the joke, but he isn't laughing, the dude seems dead serious... Listening to him speak makes me feel like I am in a Marx Bros flick, except Groucho is on acid and armed with automatic firearms.
My step father partied with HST in Colorado, and he says Hunter was a degree removed from the character he created in his books. He would dissapear to write often, and was not nearly crazy as his creation.
BTW, Groucho did take acid, read Paul Krasner's report on it.
If I remember right Groucho said: "Everyone wants a miracle, but the human body is a fucking miracle"
NPR had a long segment last evening on the new film GONZO... Hunter has always been one of the 'really cool ones' imho... I can clearly remember the first time I walked into a bookstore and began reading Fear n Loathing... I bought the book and read in several times before it was passed around and discussed gleefully by lots of folks in my crowd... Hunter had mentioned that upon his death, he wanted a party thrown and for his ashes to be shot out of a cannon mixed with dried peyote buttons.. Johnny Depp made that wish a reality... He put up the money, hired the bands and payed for everything to make it happen.... Guess Johnny found The Doktor of Journalism well worthy of a great send off. I miss his high octane writings... One of my favorite writers.......
Quote from: "JRL"BTW, Groucho did take acid, read Paul Krasner's report on it.
If I remember right Groucho said: "Everyone wants a miracle, but the human body is a fucking miracle"
I am familiar with the Krassner article and love Groucho all the more for it. It definitely lent some perspective to my all time favorite Marx Bros film, Duck Soup (which I always recommend to prospective aficionados). The Groucho character is actually one of my personal idols for possessing the audacious sensibility to swim through the insanity of human existence forever encased within the sanctuary of a lukewarm martini daydream.
Regarding the documentary, I am saddened that I was delievered into a world where Thompson was no longer at the top of his game. Watching documentaries and biopics about figures like Edward Murrow, Lenny Bruce, and Doc Thompson I feel devastated that my lifetime cheated this generation out of any semblance of true heroism. We have to be satisfied with the likes of Michael Moore...
Yeah, the guy was a lot more disciplined and hardworking than most give him credit for. Honestly, I think his family murdered him both for his money and the fact that he was a crotchety old prick.
Oh yeah, where are my manners...thanks a ton for posting this, Caulfield. Glad to hear from you again.