John Deamond / Sources

The first journey into Gonzo Journalism began with a joint on the Nixon press bus with Bill Cardosa and ended with a last-minute article covering the Kentucky Derby. Thompson had a severe case of writer’s block, and as the print date came closer and closer, the editors became desperate. Hunter, in a foul mood, finally began ripping pages out of his field notebook and faxing them to the magazine. He felt sure this would be the last article he would ever write, but they loved it. Cardosa read the article when the magazine came out, called Hunter, and said, “this is pure Gonzo journalism” (Lukas 183). When asked, Hunter Thompson replies, “What is Gonzo journalism? It’s what I do” (Perry 143).

Gonzo Journalism is first and foremost outlaw journalism (Lukas 179). A Gonzo journalist must be a put-on artist, an expert, but never worry too much about getting held down by the facts (Lukas 185). The theory is that one can say anything because people believe the written word (Perry 184), and that journalism can be more truthful without the strict observance of factual reportage and its rules. The reporter and his quest for information are central, not the information itself (Wikipedia 1). The story is usually conveyed humorously, though the meaning is generally very serious (Village 1).

It involves not only becoming as personally involved in the news as possible, but also creating the news and being a central player (Perry 159). This is exemplified by Thompson’s coverage of the McGovern campaign for president, where he became close with the McGovern staff as well as the man himself (Lukas 182). The events depicted are usually real, but would not necessarily have happened without the author’s provocation (Perry 161). There is a sort of intense, demented involvement with no pretenses to objectivity. The writer must get involved, even to the point of being beaten down by police in a Denver demonstration (Lukas 185). Gonzo often consists more of autobiography than journalism (Borse 1).

Being Gonzo involves being countercultural and engaging in outlandish social activities. An example of this would be when Hunter Thompson ran for Sheriff of Pitkin County, CO under the “freak power” ticket, and almost won. He ran to help out a friend but also because he just felt like it. Unexpectedly, a huge counter-cultural rally occurred which almost seated him in the Sheriff’s Department. Gonzo involves real social commentary, in this case a question of whether American electoral politics is a legitimate system, but goes about it in a totally over the top, barely sane manner. The madness of this endeavor was extended by Hunter’s apparently random jump into national political coverage, but it was really a well planned attack, where he tried to learn about big-time politics to see if his “politics of madness” could really work (Lukas 180). Gonzo is like method acting, where you try to become your character or your story. It is a hands on experience where you live what you write and write what you live (What? 1).

At times, it seems that a Gonzo journalist’s first and foremost responsibility is to create chaos. This could be seen When Hunter gave his reporter’s credentials to a troublemaker looking to hop a ride to Miami on the Sunshine Special with Ed Muskie. This man, Sheridan, boarded the train (which Hunter missed) and proceeded to get raving drunk and belligerent. At Muskie’s Miami speech, he took a front row spot, yelling the whole time, and even grabbing Muskie and making him fall backward (Perry 177). In the same vein, the Gonzo journalist has a responsibility to pick up the action when it slows, such as his false rumor that Ed Muskie was an Ibogaine addict (Perry 179).

Pure Gonzo consists of straight notes, the most personal of journalism (Perry 142-3). It is equated with being a photographer, a sort of instant capture where the notes capture the scene directly. Gonzo happens at the moment of action, not later as with most journalism (Perry 160-1). The notes are supposed to reproduce the mood of the moment rather than conveying the facts (Perry 180). The idea is to have as little filter as possible between the writer and the audience (Village 1). This makes the reader feel as if he is really experiencing the action (What? 1).

Gonzo is not about drugs and alcohol. They were just one man’s way to access what he was looking for, the way he could really become involved in the story (Wikipedia 1). Thompson figured that the world had gone mad, so he had to join it. His story is about how the individual gets swallowed by the machine, how the connection between the self and the world gets lost (Borse 1). It is, rather, a razor-sharp clarity that defines Gonzo. In the words of David Halberstam, “Hunter’s truths seem like laser beams cutting through the fog” (Village 1).

As exemplified by the National Gonzo Press Club, Gonzo journalism has its merits. There are nearly 3,000 active members, fourteen of whom hold Pulitzer prizes for their work. Despite this, Gonzo receives quite a bit of cultural backlash from editors and publishers as well as the public. Most editors will not publish Gonzo because they are afraid to surprise or offend. Members of the NGPC claim the cause of this is that editors do not want to publish an original voice (Gonzo 1). The press club might be outmoded, however. Gonzo is not about following in a master’s footsteps, but thrashing your way through the bushes on your own terms. The real innovations occur on the frontier. Some think that the new Gonzo is appearing in the world of blogging (Village 1).

Gonzo journalism appeals to me through its pure, raw energy. Sometimes it feels like Gonzo only exists through sheer momentum, hurling itself through the sky, insisting loudly that it cannot fall. I would like to apply that same sort of energy to my work, creating a cataclysmal something that will sweep people along with it. If I have to work in a context that I disagree with, I might as well turn it into a circus. Additionally, I like the idea of creating news, reporting on an event that only exists because of a group of people with whom I am affiliated. I have never been a proponent of straight facts or believed in the existence of objectivity. Gonzo can be applied to anything, one needs only break the rules and work from pure, raw energy. It is about capturing the moment and making the viewer believe it.