Hunter S. Thompson

Thompson, originally a sports journalist, worked for Rolling Stone magazine during the late 1960s and 1970s, and has published several books, is noted for the creation of gonzo journalism, his extravagant life style, including the use of practically any recreational drug known to man, and his eclectic personality.

Thompson's style of reportage meshes fact with drug-sotted fantasy, the most typical example of which being Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, published in 1971, in which Thompson and his Samoan attorney trek to Nevada to cover "the fabulous Mint 400", a biker's race in the Nevada desert, but end up looking for the American dream in Las Vegas instead, with the aid of heroic amounts of LSD, ether, adrenochrome, and numerous other drugs.

Some of Thompson's other books include "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72", an collection of articles he wrote while covering President Nixon's re-election campaign for Rolling Stone magazine, and "Hell's Angels," an account of his travels with the infamous motorcycle gang. Thompson is currently back to sports journalism, writing for ESPN's website; he has at times also toured on the lecture circuit, once with John Belushi.

Cartoonist Garry Trudeau based his Doonesbury character "Uncle Duke" on Thompson, to loud protests from Thompson himself.