Hunter S. Thompson & GonzoFest

April 16, 2016 will mark the 6^th anniversary of GonzoFest, the unique literary and music festival honoring and celebrating the life and times of Louisville’s own native son, Hunter S. Thompson. The event features live panels, literary readings, book signings, and live bands. This year’s special guests include Thompson’s son, Juan Thompson (whose new book Stories I Tell Myself: Growing Up with Hunter S. Thompson has recently been released) and grandson, Will Thompson. Among festival planners and Thompson fans there is also some hope that Bill Murray (who played Thompson in the movie “Where the Buffalo Roam” in 1980) will make an appearance.

Hunter Thompson’s father died when the writer was a teenager leaving his mother, a Louisville Free Public Library employee, to raise him and his two brothers alone. The Thompson’s were poor and as a result Hunter Thompson reportedly felt like an outsider in Louisville compared to his rich friends. Just before his high school graduation, Thompson and said friends were arrested for vandalism and underage drinking. Thompson spent his graduation day in jail, while his wealthier friends were sent home.

In 1966, The Nation gave Thompson his first legitimate writing job which would gain him public notoriety. For the assignment, he embedded himself into the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang in the bay area of California for almost a year. His falling out with the gang came when he confronted a member who was violently beating up his wife and dog at the same time. The man beat Thompson severely, causing broken ribs and multiple contusions to the head and face. When he recovered from his injuries, he wrote the article for The Nation which was later expanded into the book, Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. Although a best-seller, Thompson was not satisfied with the work.

Thompson was a controversial figure who could be loving one minute and vicious the next. He was infamous for his extensive alcohol and drug use and vast collection of firearms. He challenged the establishment every chance he got. The countercultural mindset of San Francisco in the 1960’s was utopia to Thompson. He had been a fan of the Kennedy’s and was devastated when the brothers, John and Robert were assassinated. During this time he became very politically minded and attended the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968. After witnessing the riots he concluded that the “American Dream” was dead. In an effort to change the system at the local level he ran for Sheriff of the city of Aspen in 1970 on the “Freak Ticket.” His main campaign promise was to legalize marijuana (little did he know that Colorado would be the first state to legalize marijuana for recreational use roughly 40 years later.) He lost the election, but not by much.

His next major project was covering the Kentucky Derby for Rolling Stone. He took artist, Ralph Steadman, with him to the Derby and together they documented the excesses of the wealthy stumbling drunk spectators, with no mention of the actual race. Despite wide popularity, he was again dissatisfied with the work. In turn, he coined the term “Gonzo” to define his particular brand of New Journalism (a writing style in which the journalist involves themselves in the events thus becoming a central figure in the story and blending fiction with nonfiction.) From then on he wrote from this perspective, including in his next work Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72, which involved his unique coverage of the McGovern campaign and disdain for Nixon.

Thompson was a prolific writer whose famous cult classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, was made into a movie in 1998 starring Johnny Depp as Thompson. The story is that of a crazy drug ridden long weekend road trip with friend Oscar Acosta. Additionally, his book The Rum Diary, which was written in the 1950’s and based on his experiences in Puerto Rico at the time, wasn’t published until 1998. The movie version came out in 2011 again starring Johnny Depp.

Thompson continued to write from the 1970’s -2000’s, most notably publishing the Gonzo Papers (a four volume compilation of his previous journal articles), but was criticized by fans and critics for what they thought was a regurgitation of past works. In 2003 he wrote Kingdom of Fear which was an angry rant on the state of the century before, during, and after 9/11.

On February 20, 2005, Thompson took his own life by gunshot wound to the head. His son, daughter-in-law and grandson were visiting him at his home in Colorado at the time. His wife was on the phone with him when he shot himself. A single sheet of paper was found in his typewriter with the word “counselor” on it. He left a suicide note for his wife entitled, “Football Season is Over.” As per Thompson’s wishes, his ashes were shot out of a cannon accompanied by fireworks and music. The arrangements were paid for by his close friend and actor, Johnny Depp.

Hunter S. Thompson, though a deeply troubled and flawed man, has developed a cult following since his death. His books and articles continue to be read by a new generation of people who question the status quo. He is so loved by the people of Louisville that they are currently raising funds to create a statue of the man to be displayed to the public. There is no doubt that his fans will have a blast honoring the man at GonzoFest this year and for as many years as it continues.

Bonus: Juan Thompson will be doing a book reading and signing at 7pm on April 12 at Carmichael’s. Don’t worry if you can't make it to the talk, I will attend and report back.