History Creator / HunterSThompson

Thompson, as a journalist and a reporter, was different because he put so much of himself into the work, both mentally and physically. His research for ''Hell's Angels'', for example, began with him riding with a chapter of the infamous bike gang for a full year and concluded with him getting the shit kicked out of him by the same.[[note]]Accounts as to the cause of the beating differ. Thompson maintained it was revenge for the contents of the book, while the leader of the gang's chapter detailed in the book claimed in Thompson's oral biography that it was [[DisproportionateRetribution because Thompson reneged on a promised keg of beer.]] TheOtherWiki claims it was over him reprimanding a member for beating his (the member's, not Thompson's) wife.[[/note]]

Thompson, as a journalist and a reporter, was different because he put so much of himself into the work, both mentally and physically. His research for ''Hell's Angels'', for example, began with him riding with a chapter of the infamous bike gang for a full year and concluded with him getting the shit kicked out of him by the same.[[note]]Accounts as to the cause of the beating differ. Thompson maintained it was revenge for the contents of the book, while the leader of the gang's chapter detailed in the book claimed in Thompson's oral biography that it was [[DisproportionateRetribution because Thompson reneged on a promised keg of beer.]][[/note]]

As mentioned above, Thompson was a close friend of actor Creator/JohnnyDepp. Said friendship was forged during the year before filming on ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' began, where Depp lived with Thompson for a year to study the writer and his mannerisms for his performance in the film. The friendship was so close that according to Thompson's oral biography ''Gonzo'', Thompson referred to the guest room Depp stayed in as "Johnny's Room" up to the day he died, and one of Depp's greatest regrets is losing a final voicemail message from Thompson just before he died that Depp never got to listen to.

As mentioned above, Thompson was a close friend of actor Johnny Depp. Said friendship was forged during the year before filming on ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' began, where Depp lived with Thompson for a year to study the writer and his mannerisms for his performance in the film. The friendship was so close that according to Thompson's oral biography ''Gonzo'', Thompson referred to the guest room Depp stayed in as "Johnny's Room" up to the day he died, and one of Depp's greatest regrets is losing a final voicemail message from Thompson just before he died that Depp never got to listen to.

* ''The Mutineer: Rants, Ravings, and Missives from the Mountaintop 1977-2005'' (Still unpublished as of 2022 thanks in part to the [[AmoralAttorney bastard lawyers]], though Johnny Depp has his name attached.)

* ''The Mutineer: Rants, Ravings, and Missives from the Mountaintop 1977-2005'' (Still unpublished as of 2014 thanks in part to the [[AmoralAttorney bastard lawyers]], though Johnny Depp has his name attached.)

Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was the [[AbstractApotheosis living embodiment]] of [[TheSixties the Sixties]], as well as an American journalist and novelist. He is credited with creating GonzoJournalism, being one of the main reasons ''Magazine/RollingStone'' Magazine lasted long enough to become an institution instead of folding early like many other such mags (there's a reason he's ''still'' on the masthead), and being one of the most scathing, conniving, and vicious political writers in recent history.

[[caption-width-right:256:The author in one of his calmer moments.]]

Thompson, as a journalist and a reporter, was different because he put so much of himself into the work, both mentally and physically. His research for ''Hell's Angels'', for example, began with him riding with a chapter of the infamous bike gang for a full year and concluded with him getting the shit kicked out of him by the same.

Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was the [[AbstractApotheosis living embodiment]] of [[TheSixties the Sixties]], as well as an American journalist and novelist. He is credited with creating GonzoJournalism, being one of the main reasons ''Magazine/RollingStone'' Magazine lasted long enough to become an institution instead of folding early like many other such mags (there's a reason he's ''still'' on the masthead), and being one of the most scathing, conniving, and vicious political writers in recent history. Though he started out in sports writing and remained well-rooted in it up to his death, his political journalism is what he will be remembered for. Of course, he was quite able to meld the two, frequently including references to sports in his political writing, and vice versa; [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball pro football]], a passion he shared with [[UnknownRival self-declared]] ArchEnemy UsefulNotes/RichardNixon, provided particularly fertile ground. (Thompson scored a rare one-on-one interview with Nixon with the sole constraint that football would be the only topic of discussion.)

Thompson's infamous "Gonzo journalism" was created after he wrote a 1970 article on the Kentucky Derby, "The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved", and is notable for large amounts of stream-of-consciousness writing and also for being, as a rule, almost completely unedited. This is one of the reasons, according to Thompson, that his much-vaunted ''Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'' novel is in fact one of the worst examples of Gonzo journalism he ever wrote (importance as a novel notwithstanding), because it was not published raw, although he himself said in the case of ''Fear and Loathing'', editing was a necessary evil, since parts of the original, unedited novel were for all intents and purposes, un-publishable. Even the edited version has a chapter in it that is nearly incomprehensible gibberish.

[[caption-width-right:256:And this is one of his ''least'' insane moments.]]

His published bibliography, both pre-and-posthumous, consists of nearly twenty books (a number of which are collections of his journalism work and personal letters), the most famous being his first three: in order, ''Hell's Angels: A Strange And Terrible Saga'', ''[[Literature/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream]]'', and ''Fear And Loathing On The Campaign Trail '72''. He was a larger-than-life figure given to shocking society into awareness of his points and who was convinced that the American Dream was dying around him. He was also one of the heaviest opponents of President UsefulNotes/RichardNixon and the founding author of Magazine/RollingStone's National Affairs Desk. He [[AteHisGun fatally shot]] [[SuicideIsPainless himself]] in 2005, writing in his suicide note that he had grown weary with his ailing physical health in his old age. He was cremated and -- per his wishes -- his ashes were shot out of a cannon of his own design, built on his property in Woody Creek, Colorado and paid for by his close friend Creator/JohnnyDepp.

Possibly better-known than Thompson himself is his thinly-veiled alter-ego, "Raoul Duke", who, in addition to "starring" in ''Las Vegas'' occasionally made appearances in Magazine/RollingStone heading the magazine's fictional Sports Desk. (Incidentally, Duke is also still listed on the ''Rolling Stone'' masthead, along with Thompson's longtime illustrator Ralph Steadman -- who is in turn credited as Gardening correspondent.)

A little public service announcement that we at Wiki/TVTropes would be very remiss not to make here: If you're feeling suicidal, ''please'' [[UsefulNotes/SuicidePrevention get help immediately.]] Talk to a loved one at the very least and let them know how you're feeling. [[YouAreNotAlone There]] ''[[YouAreNotAlone is]]'' [[YouAreNotAlone help out there]], no matter what you might believe.

His published bibliography, both pre-and-posthumous, consists of nearly twenty books (a number of which are collections of his journalism work and personal letters), the most famous being his first three: in order, ''Hell's Angels: A Strange And Terrible Saga'', ''[[Literature/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream]]'', and ''Fear And Loathing On The Campaign Trail '72''. He was a larger-than-life figure given to shocking society into awareness of his points and who was convinced that the American Dream was dying around him. He was also one of the heaviest opponents of President UsefulNotes/RichardNixon and the founding author of Magazine/RollingStone's National Affairs Desk. He [[AteHisGun shot]] [[SuicideIsPainless himself]] in 2005. He was cremated and -- per his wishes -- his ashes were shot out of a cannon of his own design, built on his property in Woody Creek, Colorado and paid for by his close friend Creator/JohnnyDepp.

His published bibliography, both pre-and-posthumous, consists of nearly twenty books (a number of which are collections of his journalism work and personal letters), the most famous being his first three: in order, ''Hell's Angels: A Strange And Terrible Saga'', ''[[Literature/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream]]'', and ''Fear And Loathing On The Campaign Trail '72''. He was a larger-than-life figure given to shocking society into awareness of his points and who was convinced that the American Dream was dying around him. He was also one of the heaviest opponents of President UsefulNotes/RichardNixon, and the founding author of Magazine/RollingStone's National Affairs Desk. He [[AteHisGun shot]] [[SuicideIsPainless himself]] in 2005. He was cremated and -- per his wishes -- his ashes were shot out of a cannon of his own design, built on his property in Woody Creek, Colorado and paid for by his close friend Creator/JohnnyDepp.

'''The Eulogy of the American Dream'''

* ''The Mutineer: Rants, Ravings, and Missives from the Mountaintop 1977-2005'' (Now published as of 2014 thanks in part to Johnny Depp and no thanks in part to the [[AmoralAttorney bastard lawyers]].)

* ''The Mutineer: Rants, Ravings, and Missives from the Mountaintop 1977-2005'' (Now published as of 2014 thanks in part to Johnny Depp and no thanks in part to the [[AmoralAttorney bastard lawyers]].

* ''The Mutineer: Rants, Ravings, and Missives from the Mountaintop 1977-2005'' (Still unpublished because of the [[ScrewedByTheLawyers bastard lawyers]])

Being one f the most influential people in American media, he is remembered through various characters parodying him: Spider Jerusalem from ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'', Uncle Duke from ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}'', Col. Hunter Gathers on ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' and Dale Gribble from ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.

He is remembered through two expies: Spider Jerusalem from ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'' and Uncle Duke from ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}''. He is also parodied by the character Col. Hunter Gathers on ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''.

->''"Some may never live, but the crazy never die."''

[[caption-width-right:256:[[SarcasmMode And to think this is one of Hunter's]] ''[[SarcasmMode least]]'' [[SarcasmMode insane moments...]]]]

Thompson's infamous "Gonzo journalism" was created after he wrote a 1970 article on the Kentucky Derby, "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved", and is notable for large amounts of stream-of-consciousness writing and also for being, as a rule, almost completely unedited. This is one of the reasons, according to Thompson, that his much-vaunted ''Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'' novel is in fact one of the worst examples of Gonzo journalism he ever wrote (importance as a novel notwithstanding), because it was not published raw, although he himself said in the case of ''Fear and Loathing'', editing was a necessary evil, since parts of the original, unedited novel were for all sakes and purposes, unpublishable. Even the edited version has a chapter in it that is nearly incomprehensible gibberish.

[[caption-width-right:256:[[SarcasmMode One of Hunter's most sane moments...]]]]