Rewind the videoÂtape to 1968. Jack KerÂouac, author of On the Road, appears (seemÂingÂly drunk) on William F. BuckÂley’s “FirÂing Line.” As you’ll see, this meetÂing of the Beat and the father of modÂern AmerÂiÂcan conÂserÂvatism is not exactÂly filled with subÂstance. But the clip has some hisÂtorÂiÂcal curiosÂiÂty. You can find more KerÂouac video and audio on the DigÂiÂtal Beat web site.
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The KerÂouac tape is difÂfiÂcult to watch. By that time, KerÂouac’s alcoÂholism was epic and in his addled attempt to defend his vision against the younger genÂerÂaÂtion’s transÂmoÂgriÂfiÂcaÂtion of it his politÂiÂcal views, such as they were, astonÂishÂingÂly resemÂbled BuckÂley’s much more than Vidal’s.
That is fanÂtasÂtic. KerÂouac looks far more conÂserÂvÂaÂtive in appearÂance than I expectÂed. And I can’t realÂly tell that he’s drunk. But getÂting William F. BuckÂley to threatÂen you with vioÂlence — that’s someÂthing.
Woops, that’s a young Gore Vidal in the youtube video. I just looked at the link, and KerÂouac is drunk and much closÂer to what I expectÂed!
This is NOT the Jack KerÂouac tape–this is Gore Vidal. Where is the KerÂouac tape???????????????????
Very nice!