P.J. O'ROURKE

P.J. O'Rourke, a brilliant writer, a wonderfully funny man and a good friend, died today. I've been a fan of his work since his National Lampoon days, and was thrilled when, a few decades ago, I got to know him, and found him to be as entertaining in person as he was in print. We hung out many times at conventions and other Serious Events populated by Serious Journalists; he was always excellent company at those things, because he refused to take them seriously. P.J. never took anything too seriously. He mainly just wanted to have a good time, which made him a joy to be around. I'll miss him, and I'll miss his voice.

Comments

[Peter M.]

RIP. He was fantastically funny in his writing. Holidays in Hell was a masterpiece. It caused huge belly laughs. I gave it to my brother, a world traveler who has been in the same places and he said besides being funny it was accurate. There are too few great humor writers and now there is one less.

[Marcopohlo]

He was the best. RIP.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Yup, just saw that.

RIP

[Static Joeage]

He was just 74. Sigh...

I am sorry for your loss, Dave.

[Mad Hatter]

I'm sorry to hear you've lost a dear friend.

[MOTW]

Condolences.

[pogo]

Damn! I have a handful of his books around here. I'll miss him.

[Le Petomane]

We are losing so many of the great authors we grew to love. P.J. O'Rourke was, sadly, the latest to fall. We are all lessened by his passing. Condolences is a rather vapid word in times like now, but words are all we have.

[Bo]

A nice tribute Dave. Thanks for sharing.

[Steve (The 24 Guy)]

Very sorry to hear this. Rest in Peace, P.J.

[Evil Mr M (Tony Muscarella)]

PJ O'Rourke was in a class by himself; a great political humorist, "terror traveler" (as he called himself), and car geek, and always an enjoyable read, whatever he wrote.

I will miss his essays greatly.

[nursecindy]

He was also one of my favorites. He will be missed.

[cfjk]

They say that time waits for no man, it's just so sad the same can't be said about death & taxes. May Mr. O'Rouke continue fighting the good fignt from the otherside.

[coscolo]

RIP, P.J.

[JerrySTL]

I've read many of his books and just finished Driving Like Crazy last month. His death is a great loss as I'm sure he had much more to say.

[LeDud]

He was involved with the HIGH SCHOOL PARODY yearbook done with National Lampoon. I still laugh at the Esperanto club who promised world peace and their club picture had only the sponsor in it. FUNNY. RIP

[Dr. Pangloss]

Sad news. I never saw him in person, but I did get to hear several Nat Lamp writers and cartoonists speak at a college humor magazine get-together at Columbia University in 1981 shortly after he left as Editor in Chief. Several of them remarked how he ran the Lampoon with an iron fist. But considering how those years his name was on the top of the masthead were by far the best, and how swiftly and precipitously the Lampoon went into decline afterwards, it seems PJ O’Rourke was exactly the kick in the pants it needed. A huge loss to writing in general and journalism in particular.

[ripleysparrow]

Condolences. He was one of of a kind. One of my favorite quotes is attributed to P.J. O'Rourke, and I hope he was able to arrange these circumstances for himself: "Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."

[Sue]

I'm very sorry for your loss. 😥

[Doug in Sacramento]

National Lampoon's High School Year Book and Sunday Newspaper were classics! His last work was as editior of American Consequences online magazine. There was no issue in December or January which was apparently an omen.

Thanks, PJ. Waiting for a travelogue from the hereafter.

[Alan B. West]

This was a fine tribute, Dave. I share your feelings about P. J., and have also been a long-time fan. After getting out of the Army in 1977, some of my friends and I were sitting around drinking beer and we started talking about National Lampoon. I gave P.J. all the credit for its quality, but one of my friends disagreed so I called P.J. -- and the switchboard put me right through to him. We briefly discussed the magazine but the main thing I came away with was here was a man who answered his phone and took the time to talk to me during the middle of the week when I know he must have been busy with humor-stuff and he didn't know me from Adam. My friend was also impressed. Like yours, I've read all his books and I'll miss him a lot.

[Joe in Japan]

Very sad! PJ did a lot to make politics less horrid to think about and his Holidays in Hell was just Brilliant. He will be missed.