In this memorable mentors episode, Ed and Ron provided tribute to one of the greatest satirist and humor writers, P.J. O'Rourke. We explored P.J.'s books, and other stories from all the tributes that have been written about him recently. P.J. was one of a kind. Would it be possible to have another P.J. in today's woke society?

A Bit About P. J. O’Rourke
Patrick Jake O'Rourke (November 14, 1947 – February 15, 2022) was an American libertarian political satirist and journalist. O'Rourke was the H. L. Mencken Research Fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute and a regular correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, The American Spectator, and The Weekly Standard, and frequent panelist on National Public Radio's game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He was a columnist at The Daily Beast from 2011 to 2016.

He authored 16 books, including three that made The New York Times Best Seller list. The Forbes Media Guide Five Hundred, 1994 states, "O'Rourke's original reporting, irreverent humor, and crackerjack writing makes for delectable reading. He never minces words or pulls his punches, whatever the subject."

Below are the show notes. Use them to follow along while listening to the podcast:

His Wikipedia page says PJ O'Rourke published sixteen books but Ron knows that's not right. It's closer to 20.
“Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” —PJ O’Rourke
“Barbarian leaders did not grab land in order to become rich. They were rich. Shopping is easy and convenient when you do it with a large band of armed men.” PJ O’Rourke
Written by PJ O’Rourke in 1994 and still relevant today! “Modern Manners: An Etiquette Book for Rude People” https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Manners-Etiquette-Book-People/dp/087113375X
The book “Republican Party Reptile” by PJ O’Rourke contains his famous story about taking a Russian cruise https://www.amazon.com/Republican-Party-Reptile-Confessions-Adventures/dp/0871136228
“Politicians are always interested in people. Not that this is always a virtue. Fleas are interested in dogs.” —PJ O'Rourke
“The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop.” —PJ O'Rourke
From the PJ O’Rourke book, “Parliament of Whores” (a profound book), here’s a great quote, “Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work and then they get elected and prove it.” https://www.amazon.com/Parliament-Whores-Humorist-Attempts-Government/dp/0802139701
“A politician who commends himself as ‘caring’ and ‘sensitive’ because he wants to expand the government’s charitable programs is merely saying that he’s willing to do good with other peoples’ money.” —PJ O'Rourke
“It’s impossible to get decent Chinese takeout in China. Cuban cigars are rationed in Cuba. And that’s all you need to know about Communism.” —PJ O'Rourke
“All The Trouble In The World” is a book by PJ O’Rourke that Ron spent a part of the day reviewing. It’s a great hodgepodge of world and economic topics that are still relevant today. https://www.amazon.com/All-Trouble-World-Overpopulation-Ecological/dp/0871136112
“The collegiate idealists who fill the ranks of the environmental movement seem willing to do absolutely anything to save the biosphere, except take science courses and learn something about it.” —PJ O'Rourke
“My Grandmother wouldn't even speak the word Democrat if there were children in the room, she'd say Bastards instead.” —PJ O'Rourke
Have you read “On the Wealth of Nations” by PJ O’Rourke which is his (probably obvious) take on Adam Smith’s “Wealth of Nations”? https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Books-Changed-World/dp/0802143423
“Don't Vote It Just Encourages the Bastards” is another great book from PJ O’Rourke and was published in 2011 https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Vote-Just-Encourages-Bastards/dp/0802145434
“Imports are good. Exports are bad. Imports are an income. Exports are an expense. Imports are Christmas morning. Exports are January’s Visa bill.” —PJ O'Rourke
“When a government controls both the economic power of individuals and the coercive power of the state ... this violates a fundamental rule of happy living: Never let the people with all the money and the people with all the guns be the same people.” —PJ O'Rourke
RateThisPodcast.com/TSOE is where you can……rate this podcast! It only takes 15 seconds and we read all written reviews on the air - good, bad, or indifferent.
“Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut” is a great book by PJ O’Rourke written during the Clinton administration https://www.amazon.com/Guile-Youth-Innocence-Haircut-ORourke/dp/0871136538
“Your money does not cause my poverty. Refusal to believe this is at the bottom of most bad economic thinking.” —PJ O'Rourke
“Good writers make you want to read, but great writers make you want to write.” This is a great tribute to PJ O’Rourke from Matt Labash https://mattlabash.substack.com/p/p-j-orourke-1947-2022
That’s a wrap! A big THANK YOU to PJ O’Rourke for giving us such a great body of work. Here is a tribute to him from the Cato Institute https://www.cato.org/blog/p-j-orourke-rip

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

This week was bonus episode 379 - “MMT Nonsense” — Here are some of the links discussed: