Book · recommended on 3 episodes
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Hunter S. Thompson ISBN 9781417665884
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Hunter S. Thompson ISBN 9781417665884
Find it on AmazonAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This book by Hunter S. Thompson has come up 3 times across 2 different shows: Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman. 3 of those mentions were genuine on-air recommendations, not just passing references. The people who brought it up: Dan Houser, Guy Fieri, Joe Rogan. The earliest mention we indexed is from 2025-05-16 and the most recent from 2026-01-16. Every occurrence below links to the episode page and to the exact second it was said on YouTube.
Maverick author Hunter S. Thompson introduced the world to "gonzo journalism" with this cult classic that shot back up the best seller lists after Thompson's suicide in 2005. No book ever written has more perfectly captured the spirit of the 1960s counterculture. In Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, Raoul Duke (Thompson) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (inspired by a friend of Thompson) are quickly diverted to search for the American dream. Their quest is fueled by nearly every drug imaginable and quickly becomes a surreal experience that blurs the line between reality and fantasy.
“Fear and Loathing changed my life. Like reading that book was like, "What the fuck?" Like, "What is this guy doing?"”— Joe Rogan
The guest here is Matt Damon & Ben Affleck: Oscar-winning actors, longtime friends and creative partners since Good Will Hunting, and co-founders of the production company Artists Equity. They were promoting their Netflix film The RIP, directed by Joe Carnahan. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck join Joe Rogan to dissect the streaming era, the craft of acting, AI in film, and the brutal cost of greatness in sports.
“I love the book so much. I was obsessed by it when I was about 17, 18. And I enjoyed the film, but I preferred the book.”— Dan Houser
The guest here is Dan Houser: Legendary video game creator, co-founder of Rockstar Games, and lead writer behind the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series. He has since founded a new company, Absurdventures, building new worlds across books, comics, audio, and games. Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser on creating GTA and Red Dead Redemption, the craft of storytelling in games, and his new studio Absurdventures.
“I read Fear and Loathing Las Vegas. I don't read a lot, but I read that book probably five times. It's a great book.”— Guy Fieri
The guest here is Guy Fieri: Spiky-haired Food Network superstar behind Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy's Big Bite, and Tournament of Champions. A self-taught chef turned restaurateur, brand-builder (Knuckle Sandwich, Flavor Town), and major philanthropist for first responders, veterans, and the disabled. Guy Fieri tells Joe Rogan how a joke audition tape launched Triple D, then they riff on food, AI, evil, and the afterlife.
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