One of the greatest writers of a generation died this week, and I’ve yet to see a meaningful report on CNN. Maybe I missed them, but I watch CNN a lot. I can only think back (using Las Vegas as the template) to when a vaguely successful TV actor named David Strickland killed himself in 1999 in a Las Vegas hotel room. This “star” of the show Suddenly Susan was all over the news for two days. Very few actors claim to have been influenced by Strickland. Yet he was a major story, they discussed it for days, because TV COUNTS!

It is undeniable that Hunter S. Thompson was one of the most important writers in American literature during the latter third of the 20th century. His influence on journalism was also immeasurable. Yet barely a blip on CNN. Because writers aren’t considered important.

I mean no disrespect to Mr. Strickland. His death was a tragedy. But it’s obvious where writers fall on the pop-culture hierarchy, and it’s sad. TV is important. Books are not!