THE FINAL ISSUE of the Realist, grandfather of the underground press in America, is out. Forty-two years have intervened since its first issue. The difference between editor Paul Krassner and more sanctioned alternatives to the corporate media is that when the Nation had its 135th anniversary at the posh University Club in New York, Krassner went in jeans, a red Bread & Roses T-shirt and a tuxedo jacket - and was told that he didn't meet the dress code. Krassner replied that he was part of the entertainment and he was wearing his costume. He was dispatched through the employee's entrance. A couple of FBI agents went to one of his shows and reported to their leaders, "he purported to be humorous about government policies." After Life magazine published a favorable profile of him, the FBI wrote the editor, complaining: "To classify Krassner as a social rebel is far too cute. Hes a nut, a raving, unconfined nut." Krassner influenced scores of us on the outskirts of journalism by his guerrilla war against what he called in the last issue "trickle-down fascism." Krassner came out of that era that the present one is attempting to emulate: the 1950s. Unlike today, however, the 1950s were already busy getting ready for the next decade - with the help of beats, existentialism, Mad Magazine, Lenny Bruce, and modern jazz. Today, the spirit of non-compliance is weak, save for the overtly political and a few refuges such as the punk movement. That's not good, for change can't occur without incubation and that requires autonomous zones of contempt, culture, literature and laughter. Krassner provided a crash pad for the dispossessed. In his last issue, Krassner, typically, interviews himself. One question: "What exactly is your own spiritual path?" He replied in part: "Marveling at the process of coincidence. Playing with my ego instead of trying to get rid of it. Developing an intimate relationship with the deity I don't believe in . . . I believe that existence has no meaning, and I love every minute of it. The only thing to do is enjoy the mystery. I mean, if life is not a mystery, what the fuck is it?" [Krassner's latest book "Psychedelic Trips for the Soul" is due out this month] ====== UNDERNEWS Jan 5, 2001 THE PROGRESSIVE REVIEW Editor: Sam Smith Since 1964, Washington's most unofficial source 1312 18th St. NW #502, Washington DC 20036 202-835-0770 Fax: 835-0779 E-MAIL: news@prorev.com WEB SITE: http://prorev.com READERS FORUM: http://prorev.com/bb.htm
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