P.J. O'Rourke RIP

[princeplanet]

I imagine that P.J was a hero for many here who grew up reading his uncompromising and irreverent books and articles. Along with Hunter S and Tom Wolfe, he represented the vanguard of the emerging Gonzo wave of journalism where intelligent dissent was served up with outrageous satire and humor, back in the day when Rolling Stone or National Lampoon was your only chance to be made aware of any possible (then current) alternative ideology.

I think he was more important than he will be made out to have been, but myself not being a US native, I was wondering what our American members thought about him?

[Doctor Jeff]

I read his articles quite a lot and enjoyed his interviews and TV appearances.

Back then there were actually “intellectuals” who approached issues with thought and wit.

Hunter and Tom and PJ are gone with no one around to replace them.

RIP.

[citizenk74]

I liked his earlier, funny stuff (bad W. A. joke).

Seriously, his work with the Lampoon and Rolling Stone had grit and wit and grace. I'll leave it at that. R.I.P., Mr. O'Rourke!

[Spook410]

A favorite quote: "Giving money and power to members of Congress is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenagers".

[princeplanet]

I liked his earlier, funny stuff (bad W. A. joke).

Seriously, his work with the Lampoon and Rolling Stone had grit and wit and grace. I'll leave it at that. R.I.P., Mr. O'Rourke!

So, would you say you went off him at a certain point? Care to offer when and why? Just curious to know if his move to "Libertarian Conservatism" lost him a few fans....?

[princeplanet]

A favorite quote: "Giving money and power to members of Congress is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenagers".

Haha! Possibly more true now than ever....

[Doctor Jeff]

I forgot that he wrote for National Lampoon--worked on the infamous Yearbook parody among others. He was also a regular on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me.

I found out via the internet that he was married to the daughter of Sidney Lumet and granddaughter of Lena Horne.

Smart and funny guy...he actually did what I wanted to do when I started college, i.e., say and write clever things and get paid for it, but sadly my career took another turn.

[citizenk74]

So, would you say you went off him at a certain point? Care to offer when and why? Just curious to know if his move to "Libertarian Conservatism" lost him a few fans....?

As I said, I'll leave it at that.* "But I repeat myself...."

* Sleeping dogs, etc....

[princeplanet]

Wow, whaddya gotta do to be remembered these days? Seems if you're a ball player and you die in a 'copter crash or something, you get talked and written about by everyone for years...

But our worldliest social commentators who understand, comment upon and even dare to satirise the zeitgeist of our era, these icons that truly have altered the course of ideological thought and leave an enduring legacy, even for those too young (or too ignorant) to understand or appreciate despite enjoying the fruits of said icon's industry.... to be so quickly forgotten and relegated to the margins ... hmmm, I think P.J would see the irony in that.

[sgcim]

I always enjoyed him every week on the NPR radio show "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me".
The guy had a razor sharp mind and wit. He will be missed by the many people who listened to that show, besides the people that read "How the Hell Did This Happen? The Election of 2016"

They will probably have a memorial for him tomorrow on WWDTM on NPR.
RIP, PJ