Hunter S Thompson: podcast appearances and interviews

Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American journalist and author recognized as a pioneer of New Journalism alongside figures such as Gay Talese, Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, Joan Didion, and Tom Wolfe. He gained prominence with the publication of Hell's Angels in 1967, a firsthand account of his year living among the Hells Angels motorcycle club. In 1970, he wrote an unconventional article titled The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved for Scanlan's Monthly. This work contributed to his establishment of the Gonzo journalism style, which is characterized by the writer's central and participatory role in the narrative. Thompson is perhaps best known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, published in 1972 and serialized in Rolling Stone. The book examines the perceived failures of the 1960s counterculture and has been adapted into film twice, once loosely in 1980 and explicitly in 1998. His political activity included an unsuccessful bid for sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado, in 1970 on the Freak Power ticket. Thompson was known for his strong opposition to Richard Nixon, whom he accused of representing the darker aspects of the American character. He covered George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign and compiled his coverage into the book Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72. Over time, his output declined due to struggles with fame and substance abuse, though he continued writing for various publications until his death. Thompson led a tumultuous life marked by a lifelong use of alcohol and illegal drugs, a love of firearms, and an anti-authoritarian attitude. He died by suicide at age 67 after experiencing health issues.