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P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:20 pm
by M_a_x_Archive
Alright, the Limbaugh thread made me think of a right (Republican flirt/libertarian) media figure I actually enjoy and respect, and that's P.J. O'Rourke. Yes, he's been wrong before, and sure I've read some of his stuff and flat out disagreed with him. But he can be very, very funny. And he's enough of an honest conservative to break with the party when they're pissing him off - "President Bush said that if illegal immigrants want citizenship they'd have to do three things: pay taxes, hold meaningful jobs, and learn English. Bush doesn't meet those qualifications", "Social Security privatization was presented to the electorate with a public relations and marketing flair not seen since New Coke", "Actually, the Republicans should be grateful for their lying, thieving scum. It distracts the public from the things the Republicans have done that are honestly bad. Our postwar policy is creating Weimar Iraq. And when the Islamofascist Beer Hall Putsch comes there won't even be beer."

Whatever your politics, everyone's got to enjoy "Holidays In Hell" where he visits Lebanon, Seoul, and Heritage USA. Good reading.

Anyway, I'm going for not crap.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:27 pm
by NerblyBear_Archive
Arrogant, yuppie cock. Of no intellectual value whatsoever.

Total throbbing phallus.

Crap.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:33 pm
by 242sumner
I have only read Modern Manners: An Etiquette Book for Rude People.It is clever,well written and very funny.
However,I don't know much about him.When did he become a political activist?

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:26 pm
by steve_Archive
His National Lampoon stuff was great. When he went right-wing it was still lacking the rabid dogmatism of all the entrenched right wing, and he was down with getting high and fucking. It took me a long time to really hate him.

When he gloated over Daniel Ortega's electorial loss, that was the last straw. Hooray, the Mightiest Nation on Earth and its foreign venture capitalists rigged another jungle election, defeating the idealist they recently failed to murder. Hooray.

Fuck off.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:29 pm
by burun_Archive
steve wrote:His National Lampoon stuff was great.


I miss the old, good NatLamp.

I think I am of the last generation that can remember when it was good.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:58 pm
by clocker bob_Archive
PJ O'Rourke is way too proud of himself for 'evolving' into the consummate douche. He's like Dennis Miller fused with Christopher Hitchens. I sometimes find myself reading him by accident in the Atlantic, before I get to the point where I ask myself, "Why does this article seem so predictable?"

To think I carried a box of O'Rourke -era Lampoons from residence to residence to residence years ago.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 12:05 am
by rocker654_Archive
He's good. Changing viewpoints aside, a good writer usually remains a good writer, even if you don't agree with him/her.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:26 am
by Earwicker_Archive
I enjoy reading him but I don't get why any 'journalist' would stamp themselves firmly in any particular political camp.

Any journalist that does that on either side - crap

Though I agree more with Al Franken and think he's funnier.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 6:37 am
by Linus Van Pelt_Archive
If I had to pick a right-wing humorist/pundit, I'd probably pick O'Rourke.

I don't, though.

Crap.

P.J. O Rourke

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:50 am
by Josef K_Archive
His book Republican Party Reptile is pretty funny.