Hunter S. Thompson Lives Up To Legend At Book Soup

Last night's Book Soup signing with unregenerate Gonzo godfather Hunter S. Thompson seems to have lived up to the hype, as 300 people lined up to get HST's scrawled inscription on their copies of his new book. An attendee sends us this report of the proceedings, which featured Benicio del Toro holding Thompson's hair back (he has hair?) as he vomited behind the store, and a "semi-coherent" Thompson signing books on the floor. Hopefully, this chronicle of Thompson's vintage Fear and Loathing antics isn't just an attempt at Gonzo-flavored reportage by our operative. The report follows after the jump.

I headed out to the Hunter S. Thompson book signing yesterday at Book Soup. It was slated to be a "reading and signing" with Hunter starting at 7pm. HAAHAHAHAHHA. First you buy his new book Hey Rube, which is fine, b/c he is a favorite and I'd like signage. Upon purchasing a book you are given a number and a list of rules that apply to the event: He will ONLY sign this particular book and there is to be no "funky" stuff. No posed shots, only candids, so on and so forth.

I was #241 in a line of 300. They were supposed to cap it off at 200, but I guess the chi-ching of the register changed all that. At 7:30 pm, a black sedan pulled up along the outside line of patient fans and HST hangs out the window yelling profanities. No one caught on to it that it was him, but I did! I also knew that they would be pulling into the back of the store to let him in, so I jumped off line and headed to the back. He exited the truck with an entourage of very contrived press handlers. You know its only when they're with the good doctor that they drink beer on the job and flick cigarettes into the parking lot. He seemed to be semi-coherent at this point. Benicio Del Toro was with him. Benicio was in a suit with an orange baseball hat. He was smoking and talking on his cell. They go inside. 75 people into the line, HST is FUKKED UP! They bring him back outside to throw up as Benicio the Bitch held his hair back. What a scene maaaaaan.

They had to file people out to the back staircase where he was as the PR girl would put the book down on the floor and he would bend over and sign it! He was drinking a straight glass of something all night and had his signature cigarette dangling from his mouth. It was about 10 pm by this time and I wasn’t about to wait any longer knowing that I wouldn’t get in before this guy passes out, so I passed on my book to a guy at the front of the line and got my $25 book signed, thank you very much. Then I took off, as much as I love this guy and as much as I'm glad his legacy is true, it was sorta sad and pathetic.

If anyone else wants to share their experiences at Thompson's book signing, send them along to tips@defamer.com.

• To Do: Hunter S. Thompson, Sally Field, Panic [Defamer]

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