Gonzo, Hunter S. Thompson, etc.

[Brosa Luxemburg]

I watched a documentary about Hunter S. Thompson and read a little about him. He seems like a complete badass, for starters, and his politics are interesting. I mean, I don't like that he supported bourgeois liberal politicians like Carter but after hearing the reasons why I can see why he would through his lot there (even if I disagree, which I totally do and can't stress enough). From what i've read, he's said he finds much common ground with Marxists and others from the radical left. He ran for Sheriff of Aspen on some very interesting, to say the least, platforms (such as publicly shaming all unhonest dope dealers but leaving alone those that deal honestly, etc.) What do you guys think of him? What do you think about "Gonzo Journalism"? His writing on 9/11 was pretty spot on.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Politically I don't think he has much value. An entertaining writer and personality, but not much in the way of political value. He was basically a hedonist who liked guns, drugs & excoriating political figures, he ran for mayor as a complete joke, once he was informed that perversely he may actually have a chance at winning, he tried to think of some actual political positions other than forcing politicians to dress like clowns or whatever. He was also extremely homophobic. Not sure if that attitude changed later in life or not.

[Brosa Luxemburg]

Politically I don't think he has much value. An entertaining writer and personality, but not much in the way of political value. He was basically a hedonist who liked guns, drugs & excoriating political figures, he ran for mayor as a complete joke, once he was informed that perversely he may actually have a chance at winning, he tried to think of some actual political positions other than forcing politicians to dress like clowns or whatever. He was also extremely homophobic. Not sure if that attitude changed later in life or not.

I'm not saying you're wrong or I don't believe you, but do you have evidence for that?

[Quail]

I really like his writing, but I read it more for entertainment than anything else.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I'm not saying you're wrong or I don't believe you, but do you have evidence for that?He is in some of his counter-culture era writing. I've only read shorter things of his past the 70s, I think, so I don't know if that changed. From what I remember, his homophobic (and sexist and racist) lines in his fiction was not unusual for new-left/counter-culture stuff from that time period and I wouldn't say that I have an impression that he is more homophobic or sexist than his contemporaries - and a lot less extreeme than some of the ungerground cartoonists who are pretty similar in their outrageousness as Hunter was.

Often the comments are sort of mocking the whole concept of stereotypes - or can be read that way. In "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" for example, there's a few scenes where he sort of gets off on the idea that people think that he and Dr. Gonzo are lovers and are freaked out by it; the movie does that scene where the gay receptionist mentally tells off the southern sheriff which is gratifying to watch as a receptionist.

His treatment of Dr. Gonzo and his charaterization of some of the Latino politics (I think he's filipino in the book, but the real guy was a chicano activist-lawyer) is much more crude and racist outright IMO though.

At any rate, I think these problems existed with all counter-culture production - especially in regards to sexism. It was before the liberals got all PC, so part of the free-expression of the underground press and rock culture was being able to be lewed and shocking and to put it all out there, racist attitudes and all.

I kinda give it a pass like I do with sexism in hip hop or punk. I love underground comix and crazy 60s films and outrageousness even if it offends me or is just wrong sometimes. It's refreshing because generations since the early 90s have been so devoid of a general rebelliousness. When Miley Cirus is the shocking youth performer... when right-wing creators of South Park get to have the mantle of cultural provocotures... something went terribly wrong somewhere. Go read some Hunter, go watch an early John Waters movie... that's fun.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I'm not saying you're wrong or I don't believe you, but do you have evidence for that?

It's been a while since I read one of his biographies, but in his younger days he (and a friend of his, IIRC) went to a place where homosexuals were known to frequent, in rural California I believe, and basically chased them away at gunpoint.

[Jimmie Higgins]

It's been a while since I read one of his biographies, but in his younger days he (and a friend of his, IIRC) went to a place where homosexuals were known to frequent, in rural California I believe, and basically chased them away at gunpoint.Wow, never heard that -- don't doubt it, just shocked.:blink:

[Art Vandelay]

I own and have read most HST books, including a lot of his correspondence, so if you have any questions about particular works I could maybe answer them. Also gonzo journalism is the only interesting type of journalism, this whole obsessions with being non-biased is absurd. If you don't have an opinion don't write. That time he was on a talk show an admitted to starting a rumor about a politician being a drug addict was hilarious.