"Fear and Loathing" at 50

I was interviewed by Jason Bracelin for a piece about "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," whose 50th anniversary was November 11. I thought his article, which ran in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, came out well. My remarks focused mostly on the almost accidental nature of Thompson's signature work. Also the fact that, well after he created Gonzo journalism, Thompson didn't realize that it was his most valuable literary asset.

As it happened, I also had a chance to visit with Glen Ellen physician and novelist Bob Geiger this week. He and his wife Donna saw a piece about Savage Journey in the Kenwood Press and invited me over to the house. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, of course, is dedicated to Bob (and Bob Dylan). Bob showed me Thompson's inscription to his copy of the book as well as his signed copy of Oscar Acosta's The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo. I felt very lucky to meet Bob, who is now 91 years old, and am grateful to Donna for setting it up.

I thought it was odd that Rolling Stone magazine didn't mention the article's anniversary. Perhaps more than any other single article, it defines the magazine's niche in the media ecology. Moreover, the current editors claim to have been influenced by Gonzo journalism. But hey, the beat goes on.