Well, I do agree with her on this one. I thought Tom Wolfe went "over the top" with his praise for Hunter Thompson, too.
Thompson was a freak show - which is fine, every age probably needs its freak show - but he somehow convinced the gullible that journalism was really nothing but the journalist's personal freak show. In other words, it was all about the journalist, his powers to shock and disgust, and manipulate what he saw; and nothing about reporting.
When I read that Hunter Thompson killed himself by sticking a pistol in his mouth while on the phone with his ex-wife and son, I knew that all we were dealing with was a massive out-of-control ego that could have eaten Manhattan. I hope he repented between the saddle and the ground.
But Thompson was at least honest. He knew he was at the center of his little journalistic universe and did not try to hide behind false objectivity like the Old Media does.
He was a brilliant man. I wish he had won the struggle with his demons. But he did not. RIP.
The gonzocalypse had actually ended some time ago. If there is a lesson to be learned, perhaps it is that if you open the doors to the unconscious too widely you can encounter unfortunate and tragic things. Whatever inner demons were haunting the guy, they caught ip with him.
He could be pretty funny sometimes. A sad ending.