The words of the great, dearly departed godfather of gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson, come to mind recalling the crazy year that was 2013 in this city. And it seems all the “batshit” craziness, to quote the great man, comes from our crack-smoking, apology-faking, gangsta-lovin’, senior-citizen-shoving, murder-threatening, lying mayor-in-name-only Rob Ford.
Seeking a cover image that would capture this wild year, we have turned to Thompson’s right-hand man, his graphic collaborator in all of the Fear And Loathing madness and one of the greatest illustrators of his time: Ralph Steadman.
As iconic as Andy Warhol or Banksy, Steadman’s take on the batshit craziness that is Rob Ford seemed meant to be – and clearly it was.
“As I drew him, Rob Ford began to look more and more like a pig – quite naturally,” Steadman says about the image. “I was thinking big – and what rhymes with big? I wasn’t trying to be rude. And I did put in the CN Tower.”
I got to spend some quality time with Steadman and his family during TIFF this year. The mega-talented British artist was in Toronto to support an excellent documentary about him, For No Good Reason, narrated by super-fan Johnny Depp.
A delightful, solid family man now in his late 70s, Steadman has lost none of the fire and frenzy that has fuelled his magnificent work for decades. And he made it clear he was up for collaborating with NOW. Little did I know a perfect assignment for him was creating itself as our mayor madly self-destructed in front of the world, his absurd antics car-wreck-compelling to a horrified planet too fascinated to look away.
Ford has all the Thompson/Steadman gonzo elements: drugs, violence, lies and lunacy. And we think Steadman nailed it. Enjoy.
michaelh@nowtoronto.com | @m_hollett
