| Gonzo Journalism |
Article Index for Gonzo |
Website Links For Journalism |
Information AboutGonzo Journalism |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT GONZO JOURNALISM | |
| newswriting | |
| journalism by genre | |
| journalism ethics | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
|
Gonzo journalism is a Journalist ic style, most famously used by Hunter S. Thompson . The term Gonzo was first applied to Thompson's writing in 1970 by Bill Cardoso , a '' Boston Globe '' reporter who claimed the word had originated with the Irish in South Boston to describe the last man standing at the end of an all-night drinking marathon. Central to gonzo journalism is the notion that journalism can be more truthful without strict observance of Traditional Rules Of Factual Reportage . The best work in the genre is characterized by a Novel istic twist added to reportage, with usual standards of accuracy subordinated to catching the Mood of a place or event. The reporter and the quest for information are central, with other considerations taking a back seat. Gonzo journalism is an extension of the New Journalism championed by Tom Wolfe , Lester Bangs , and George Pimpton . "I don't get any satisfaction out of the old traditional journalist's view—'I just covered the story. I just gave it a balanced view,'" Thompson said in an interview for the online edition of '' The Atlantic ''. "Objective journalism is one of the main reasons American Politics has been allowed to be so corrupt for so long. You can't be objective about Nixon ." In Thompson's work, the author's viewpoint is frequently distorted by consumption of Drugs and Alcohol (often noted in the article), but gonzo journalism is not about using drugs and alcohol. It has been said that it can and may have been used to support drug and alcohol usage with the premise of writing about an experience. In literary terms, "gonzo" has been described by Douglas Brinkley as requiring virtually no re-writing, frequently employing scribbled notes, transcribed interviews, and verbatim telephone conversations. Other writers who have worked in "gonzo" mode include P. J. O'Rourke and Caleb Williams . SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL LINKS |