Confessions of a Raving, Unconfined Nut: Misadventures in the Counter-Culture, by Paul Krassner
Paul Krassner: Lenny Bruce’s wingman, founder of the Yippie Party, Merry Prankster, Chicago 7 Witness On Acid, founder of The Realist, pioneer of the underground abortion network when such operations were illegal... writes his story.
Paul is also a dear friend of mine, a hero, a mentor. I'm honored to bring his memoir to Audible, to celebrate his 80th year!
Krassner could be called the “Waldo” of the American Left— he's in every picture, every snapshot of history— as well as the radical light of the American comedy scene. His misadventures in counter-culture include encounters with Larry Flynt, Scientology, and Charlie Manson.
Comedy is Paul's indomitable method of coping with the absurd and the tragic. His memoir is laugh-out-loud funny and philosophically deep.
Paul wouldn't remember me from the 70s, but I first met him when I was part of an underground high school newspaper, The Red Tide, in Los Angeles. One of my 14-year-old comrades at the time was David Letwin. We thought Paul was the BOMB, an inspiration to our teenage revolutionary aspirations.
All these decades later... I became good friends with Paul and his partner Nancy, and suggested we bring his story to audio. Yes! Then I contacted my old pal, David, who'd become a adored actor and theater professor back in New York-- "Hey, how'd you like to play Paul Krassner?"
Can you believe the serendiptity of this? All three of us came full circle! Paul told me that when he heard David's narration, it brought him and Nancy to tears.
You may wonder where Krassner's title comes from; it's a good story. After Life magazine published a favorable article of Paul, the FBI shot off a letter to the editor, complaining: “To classify Krassner as a social rebel is far too cute. He is a nut, a raving, unconfined nut.”
Anything J. Edgar Hoover condemns has gotta be on your reading list!
A+ Narration by my dear tuna, David Letwin.
