hunter-thompson

Is Boston Really Gonzo?

Hamilton Nolan · 11/22/10 03:23PM

Where did Hunter S. Thompson get the word "gonzo?" The accepted story's always been that it was a bit of Boston slang that a Boston newspaper editor first hung on Thompson. But—suck it Boston—that may be a myth!

Dude

Hamilton Nolan · 07/07/08 03:56PM

I went to see the new Hunter Thompson documentary Gonzo on Saturday. At 4:20. Heh.

Graydon Carter: "I'm Such A Pussy."

Hamilton Nolan · 06/25/08 02:53PM

The last time Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter ever met with Gonzo god Hunter S. Thompson, the drug-vacuuming writer was sitting in a hotel one morning with "a tumbler of scotch, a bowl of cocaine, and some cereal." He asked Graydon what he would like. So did the patrician editor hoover up some massive lines or what? Well, he prefaces his answer by telling Charlie Rose, "I'm such a pussy." Sigh. Click to watch the tale of Gonzo vs. Non-Gonzo in action

Please Keep Our Dead Heroes Out Of Your Freaking Ads

Hamilton Nolan · 02/26/08 02:03PM

There's nothing that will tear your heart out quicker than seeing one of your immortal heroes decide to sell out. Hearing the "conscious" rapper KRS-ONE declaring "The revolution is basketball" in a Nike ad back in the 90's was a particularly dark day for me. But at least living people havethe free will to decide to sell out. An even more despicable practice is waiting until an icon is dead, then pimping their image out to the highest bidder. Some responsibility falls on whoever licensed their image for commercial use. Some of it falls on us, the consumers, for making these campaigns financially worthwhile. But most of it falls on the damn ad people who co-opt someone's cool without their attendant philosophy. And now that Gonzo extraordinaire Hunter Thompson has popped up in a Converse ad, it's time for some serious boycott action. Some things just aren't right. Right?