PJ O’Rourke, an American comedian and journalist, died following a lung cancer battle on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. He was 74 years old when he died. Deb Seager, Vice President and Spokesperson for his publisher Grove Atlantic, announced his death, saying:
“Our beloved friend and valued Grove Atlantic author P. J. O’Rourke died this morning from lung cancer complications.”
The representative also recalled his accomplishments, saying:
“As a journalist and political satirist, O’Rourke penned over twenty books on topics ranging from politics to automobiles, etiquette, and economics, including his two #1 New York Times Bestsellers, Parliament of Wh*res and Give War a Chance.”
In a 2008 Los Angeles Times op-ed headlined “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” the political analyst revealed his cancer diagnosis for the first time.
“I stared death in the eyes. Okay, so I didn’t. I caught a glimpse of him in the midst of a throng. I’ve been diagnosed with a relatively treatable kind of cancer. I’ve been informed that I have a 95% probability of surviving. Cancer, in fact, has increased my chances of survival as a drinking, smoking, saturated-fat hound.”
PJ O’Rourke was diagnosed with malignant hemorrhoid at the time and wrote about his mortality in his piece. He penned:
“The next time I see death, I’m not walking over to introduce myself.” I’m not shaking the grim reaper’s fist. But I’ll remember myself to thank God for dying at the very least. And then I’ll thank God from the bottom of my heart for whiskey.”
It is unknown when the author’s malignant hemorrhoids went into remission and when he was diagnosed with lung cancer. It has been stated, however, that he was unwell in the months following his death.
A look back at PJ O’Rourke’s life.
Patrick Jake PJ O’Rourke was a political satirist, journalist, author, and pundit from the United States. He was born on November 14, 1947, in Toledo, Ohio, to a middle-class family. He graduated from the University of Miami and received a master’s degree in English from John Hopkins University. The 74-year-old was an Alpha Delta Phi Literary Society member and started his writing career for American periodicals such as The Rip Off Review of Western Culture, Harry, and the New York Ace. In 1973, he became a member of the National Lampoon.
O’Rourke grew born with Marxist values but rose to prominence as a humorist with libertarian principles. In the 1970s, he rose to prominence as the editor-in-chief of National Lampoon, and he contributed to notable works such as the National Lampoon stage production Lemmings. In addition, the author co-edited the humor book National Lampoon’s 1964 High School Yearbook, which became the year’s best seller. Several ideas from the book were eventually used in the 1978 picture Animal House.
O’Rourke began his freelance career in 1981, contributing to magazines such as Vanity Fair, Car and Driver, Playboy, and Rolling Stone before becoming the latter’s foreign-affairs bureau head. The journalist maintained the role until 2005 when he joined the newspaper as a contributing editor. He has also written for Atlantic Monthly, Automobile Magazine, Esquire, The Daily Beast, and The Weekly Standard. The native of Ohio went on to work as a conservative pundit on programs like 60 Minutes and Real Time With Bill Maher. He also became a frequent commentator on NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!
PJ O’Rourke even became the face of the long-running British Airways campaign in the United Kingdom in the 1990s. During his lifetime, he also wrote over 20 novels, including Republican Party Reptile, Driving Like Crazy, Eat the Rich, Holidays in Hell, and The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again). Two of his most notable books, Parliament of Wh*res and Give War a Chance, were New York Times best-sellers. The satirist was also a Cato Institute H. L. Mencken Research Fellow. Between 1990 to 1993, PJ O’Rourke was married to Amy Lumet. In 1995, he married his second wife, Tina, after their divorce. In addition, the couple has three children together.
Twitter is mourning the death of PJ O’Rourke.
PJ O’Rourke was a well-known humorist, novelist, and journalist in America. The satirist was named “one of the most cited authors in America” by The Guardian, and his “gonzo journalism” popularized concepts espoused by writers such as Hunter S Thompson in the past. O’Rourke’s solid political opinions transcended the political split in the United States, as seen by his humor, objective reporting, and irreverent writing style.
RIP PJ O’Rourke. 🙏
“A U.S. dollar is an IOU from the Federal Reserve Bank. It’s a promissory note that doesn’t actually promise anything. It’s not backed by gold or silver.”
– P. J. O’Rourke pic.twitter.com/1AH5A38L63
— Gold Telegraph ⚡ (@GoldTelegraph_) February 16, 2022
His death shocked countless journalists, columnists, and authors, with many turning to Twitter to pay sincere respects to the author. PJ O’Rourke will be missed by his family, friends, coworkers, and contemporaries, but his legacy will live on. His wife Tina, daughters Elizabeth and Olivia, and son Clifford survive him.
