THE HST NET DEATH HOAX
Amazingly, this is a rumor that refuses to die (June 23, 1999)
For the past few days (Sep 12-21, 1997), a wild rumour had been
circulating through alt.journalism.gonzo that HST
had died. This is not true. The fake AP story, reprinted as follows, was a total hoax by Fat City News.
This sort of thing exposes the vulneribility of net users and abuse of Usenet (other than spamming). While I am not angry at those who perpetrated the hoax, this stunt reminds us all of just how much we believe what
we see, hear and read.
As webmistress, I strive to bring accurate gonzo news to the net. Rumours will always be stated as such and you can rest assured that any and all material presented is truthful to the best of my
knowledge. True gonzophiles may recognize the spelling and factual errors in the hoax transcript.
I found this on a website a few minutes ago. I think RS is waiting to make a
formal announcment or something. What do you guys hear out there?
---------------
AP (ASPEN) - Doctors today announced the passing of famed and
revered outlaw journalist Hunter S. Thompson at his Woody Creek
estate.
Aspen Police received a call this morning from a visiting relative,
saying that they had discovered that Thompson had stopped breathing,
and that recessitation attempts had failed
"He'd been sick for the last couple of days. Coughing horribly, and
too weak to move, really, except for the coughing," said Linda
Hastings, Thompson's neice, who had found him unconscious in his
basement den.
Paramedics arrived soon after Hastings called the police, but
failed to save Thompson, despite applying cardiopulminary
resuscitation for more than an hour and a half.
Thompson, as notorious for his use of drugs and alcohol as he was
famous for his writing, had recently become the object of controversy
in his home town. His legal battles over a drunk driving arrest, and
his personal beefs with the Aspen chief of police had put him at odds
with law enforcement and community members alike.
"Hunter had been acquiring enemies like warts," said Emmanuel
Alvarez, one of Thompson's many attorneys.
Thompson was most famous for his book "Fear and Loathing in Las
Vegas," a book about himself and a Samoan attorney on a drug and
violence binge in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He was also the author of several other books, many
magazine articles, a much demanded college lecturer and a some-time
activist for such political causes as fourth amendment rights and
drug legalization.
He is survived by two children and an ex-wife.
