Gonzo journalism

[bennie]

What are your thoughts on this?

From what I understand, it's just about the writer being as much a part of the story as the story?

When I write reviews I always try to write in third person. But, I'm thinking now that it's quite restricting.

I always thought that writing journalistic pieces in first person was quite clumsy and actually a bit arrogant too.

Have I got the right grasp of gonzo journalism? What do you think of this style of writing informative pieces?

[lescaret]

I've been under the impression that Hunter S. Thompson is/was Gonzo journalism, that it's not really a "school" of journalism.

Maybe you're right, though. Maybe, if you had to define it, it would be when the writer is part of the story. In that case, perhaps you'd include Redmond O'Hanlon and P.J. O'Rourke in this category.

The problem with it is similar to the problem (as I heard Lawrence Ferlinghetti explain it) of writing in the Ginsberg style of "what-my-mind-notices-and-observes" style of poetry. Ginsberg had an amazingly brilliant & interesting mind so he could write in his style. However, if someone trying to write in that style has a dull, unobservant mind then the poetry is going to be dreck.

Not to mention that quirky conundrum called Originality.

So, with the Gonzo style of journalism - not everyone who tries to practice it has the PERSONA of Hunter S. For the average mortal trying their hand at this style, not only does he/she run the risk of being (as you aptly note) "quite clumsy and actually a bit arrogant", the work produced might come out banal & blatantly derivative. In other words, bland and unoriginal. And if the writer is also a jerk with the personality of a drunk neocon or a mediocre rock star, then the written product truly suffers.

Maybe Gonzo journalism should be retired, consigned to a shelf in the Hall of Fame of the more all-encompassing category of New Journalism.

I think, in the New Journalism school, you'd have, in addition to Hunter S and the aforementioned O'Hanlon & O'Rourke (what is it with the Irish handles?), Tom Wolfe, maybe George Plimpton (though he, too, could have his own shelf - Participatory Journalism), Norman Mailer .......... who else?

[YABYUM]

read "Generation of Swine"? Hunters journal entries throughout the eighties. You get a real sense of his mind and his style of thinking. For a real look at the writer being in the story, read 'Hells Angels' that book kicks ass.