Sunday, January 10, 2010

America's Last Living Gonzo Journalist: Robert Stacy McCain

"But what was the story....Free Enterprise. The American Dream...Do it now: pure Gonzo Journalism," -- Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, pg. 12.

Or you can watch this scene from Where the Buffalo Roam (NSFW):



RS McCain stayed over and wrote about the BCS game (ROLL TIDE!) here, here and here. And yes, he did experience Fear and Loathing in Burbank.

When it comes to friends and family, Martin Luther King, Jr's quote comes to mind:

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

He came out to Los Angeles and Orange County on a wing and a Prayer and met many Bloggers and activists. Even while he was away, he was attacked by a lesser Blogger. No one can ever ask the Gonzo Journalist if he was dedicated to the cause, he was. But he also respects and loves the Jews (in the Diaspora and in Israel) unlike some writers at The Atlantic magazine I can mention. And his protege, who has yet to chastise his mentor for the Anti-Jew remarks.

That is why RS stands miles above Conor or Frum.

Like a typical journalist, he smokes heavily and was always connected to the doings in the Right Blogosphere. He is, what is known as a "Connector," Mock him at your peril. Driving from Costa Mesa to Griffith Park by way of the Sepulveda pass, I saw Smitty and RS write a post on the road. That is dedication.

He saw my fundraising proposal and is helping with it. (meeting on Monday @11:00 AM -- wish me luck). Underneath the good ol'boy exterior is a dedicated journalist looking to write about the American Dream. Something Andrew Sullivan knows nothing about.

Why hasn't he been picked up by the Washington Post Editorial Page? Because they don't understand RS' mission:

"You found the American Dream?" he said, "In this town?
I nodded. "we're sitting on the main nerve right now," You remember that story the manager told us about the owner of this place [Circus-Circus]?How he always wanted to run away and join the Circus when he was a kid?"
Bruce ordered two more beers. he looked over the casino for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, I see what you mean," he said. "Now the bastard has his own circus...."
...
"Absolutely," I said. "It's pure Horatio Alger..."
-- Hunter S. Thompson, Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas, pg. 191.

When RS is coming your way, he is looking for the American Dream. R.S. McCain, America's last Living Gonzo Journalist.

My question: What is The American Dream? And was Hunter S. Thompson right?




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1 comment:

  1. You should become a lawyer. And a Samoan. Not necessarily in that order.

    ReplyDelete

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