P. J. O'Rourke

P. J. O'Rourke - Political Satirist, Family and Life

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P. J. O'Rourke's Personal Details

P

InformationDetail
BirthdayNovember 14, 1947
NationalityAmerican
FamousMiami University, Media Personalities, Journalists, Newspaper Columnists, Writers, Author, Political Satirist
City/StateOhio
SpousesAmy Lumet, Tina
Known asPatrick Jake O'Rourke
ChildrensClifford, Elizabeth, Olivia
Universities
  • Miami University
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Miami University
Notable Alumnis
  • Miami University
Birth PlaceToledo, Ohio
GenderMale
FatherD
MotherDelphine
Sun SignScorpio
Born inToledo, Ohio
Famous asPolitical Satirist & Author

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P. J. O'Rourke's photo

Who is P. J. O'Rourke?

Patrick Jake ‘P. J.’ O'Rourke is an American political satirist, journalist and author. He is well-known for his books, of which the latest ones are, ‘Don't Vote! - It Just Encourages the Bastards’, ‘Holidays in Heck’ 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 books released in the 1990s were listed on the New York Times Best Seller List—‘Parliament of Whores’ and ‘Give War a Chance’. He was brought up in a middle-class family and was a leftist in his views about politics when he was growing up but he went through a major change in his political outlook and emerged as a political observer and a satirist with libertarian ideas. He is known for his upfront and dark-satirical take on the political and cultural scenario of America and started out his career with the National Lampoon, which was an underground, satirical magazine. O’Rourke currently is the H. L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute and is 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!’

Childhood & Early Life

P. J. O’Rourke was born in Toledo, Ohio, in a middle-class family to a car dealer and a housewife.

He did his under-graduation from Miami University in Ohio and pursued M.A. in English from John Hopkins University and was a part of the Alpha Delta Phi Literary Society.

O’Rourke was a leftist in his political views when he was growing up but he went through a major change in his political outlook and emerged as a political observer and a satirist with libertarian ideas.

Career

O’Rourke started his career by writing articles for various American publications, like, The Rip Off Review of Western Culture, which was an underground magazine and comic book, in 1972.

He joined National Lampoon in 1973, after working for publications like Harry (a Baltimore underground newspaper) and the New York Ace. At the National Lampoon, he worked as managing editor.

He wrote articles such as ‘Foreigners Around the World’ and ‘How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink’ for the National Lampoon.

He earned a writing acknowledgment for National Lampoon's Lemmings, a spinoff of the National Lampoon humor magazine in 1973. It was a stage show, which kick started the careers of John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Christopher Guest.

O’Rourke also co-authored National Lampoon's 1964 High School Yearbook with writer Douglas Kenney. The book was a bestseller of the year and many of its themes were adapted into the movie ‘Animal House’.

He left the National Lampoon in 1981 and started freelancing thereafter. He contributed his work to publications like, Playboy, Vanity Fair, Car and Driver, and Rolling Stone. He soon became the foreign-affairs desk chief at the Rolling Stone.

In 1996, O’Rourke was the conservative commentator in the point-counterpoint segment of “60 Minutes”, an American television newsmagazine program on the CBS television network.

He has published 17 books, including three New York Times bestsellers. Parliament of Whores (1991) and ‘Give War a Chance (1992)’ reached No.1 on the New York Times Best Seller List.

O'Rourke was a ‘Real Time Real Reporter’ for Real Time with Bill Maher covering the 2008 Presidential Election. He also published books like, ‘On the Wealth of Nations: Books That Changed the World (2007)’ and ‘Driving Like Crazy (2009)’.

His latest publications are, ‘Don’t Vote! –It Just Encourages the Bastards (2010)’, ‘Holidays in Heck (2011)’ and ‘The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again) (2014)’.

Major Works

The most prominent work of O’Rourke’s career is considered to be his 16 satirical and politically incorrect books on politics and culture. His ‘Parliament of Whores (1991)’ and ‘Give War a Chance (1992)’ were No.1 on New York Times Best Seller List.

Personal Life & Legacy

O'Rourke was married to Amy Lumet, a daughter of movie director Sidney Lumet and a granddaughter of Lena Horne, from 1990 to 1993.

He got married to his second wife, Tina, in 1995 and the couple has two daughters and a son together: Elizabeth, Olivia and Clifford. He splits his time between the small town of Sharon, New Hampshire, and Washington, D.C.

In 2008, he was diagnosed with treatable anal cancer; he had a 95% chance of survival with that. He announced it publicly in his typical humorous and satirical style.

Trivia

He described the Presidency of Barack Obama as "the Carter administration in better sweaters" in 2008.

One of his brilliant pieces ‘How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink’, a National Lampoon article was republished in two of his books, ‘Republican Party Reptile (1987)’ and ‘Driving Like Crazy (2009)’.

His bestselling book, ‘Parliament of Whores’, subtitled ‘A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government’ talks about how politics is boring for the general public.

He types his manuscripts on an IBM Selectric typewriter and says that he finds it tricky to write on a computer because of his short attention span difficulties.

He is the H. L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute and is 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 the face of a long-running series of television advertisements for British Airways in England in the 1990s.

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P. J. O'Rourke biography timelines

  • // 14th Nov 1947
    P. J. O’Rourke was born in Toledo, Ohio, in a middle-class family to a car dealer and a housewife.
  • // 1964
    O’Rourke also co-authored National Lampoon's 1964 High School Yearbook with writer Douglas Kenney. The book was a bestseller of the year and many of its themes were adapted into the movie ‘Animal House’.
  • // 1972
    O’Rourke started his career by writing articles for various American publications, like, The Rip Off Review of Western Culture, which was an underground magazine and comic book, in 1972.
  • // 1973
    He joined National Lampoon in 1973, after working for publications like Harry (a Baltimore underground newspaper) and the New York Ace. At the National Lampoon, he worked as managing editor.
  • // 1973
    He earned a writing acknowledgment for National Lampoon's Lemmings, a spinoff of the National Lampoon humor magazine in 1973. It was a stage show, which kick started the careers of John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Christopher Guest.
  • // 1981
    He left the National Lampoon in 1981 and started freelancing thereafter. He contributed his work to publications like, Playboy, Vanity Fair, Car and Driver, and Rolling Stone. He soon became the foreign-affairs desk chief at the Rolling Stone.
  • // 1987 To 2009
    One of his brilliant pieces ‘How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink’, a National Lampoon article was republished in two of his books, ‘Republican Party Reptile (1987)’ and ‘Driving Like Crazy (2009)’.
  • // 1990 To 1993
    O'Rourke was married to Amy Lumet, a daughter of movie director Sidney Lumet and a granddaughter of Lena Horne, from 1990 to 1993.
  • // 1991
    He has published 17 books, including three New York Times bestsellers. Parliament of Whores (1991) and ‘Give War a Chance (1992)’ reached No.1 on the New York Times Best Seller List.
  • // 1995
    He got married to his second wife, Tina, in 1995 and the couple has two daughters and a son together: Elizabeth, Olivia and Clifford. He splits his time between the small town of Sharon, New Hampshire, and Washington, D.C.
  • // 1996
    In 1996, O’Rourke was the conservative commentator in the point-counterpoint segment of “60 Minutes”, an American television newsmagazine program on the CBS television network.
  • // 2008 To 2009
    O'Rourke was a ‘Real Time Real Reporter’ for Real Time with Bill Maher covering the 2008 Presidential Election. He also published books like, ‘On the Wealth of Nations: Books That Changed the World (2007)’ and ‘Driving Like Crazy (2009)’.
  • // 2008
    In 2008, he was diagnosed with treatable anal cancer; he had a 95% chance of survival with that. He announced it publicly in his typical humorous and satirical style.
  • // 2008
    He described the Presidency of Barack Obama as "the Carter administration in better sweaters" in 2008.
  • // 2010 To 2014
    His latest publications are, ‘Don’t Vote! –It Just Encourages the Bastards (2010)’, ‘Holidays in Heck (2011)’ and ‘The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again) (2014)’.

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P. J. O'Rourke's FAQ

  • What is P. J. O'Rourke birthday?

    P. J. O'Rourke was born at 1947-11-14

  • Where is P. J. O'Rourke's birth place?

    P. J. O'Rourke was born in Toledo, Ohio

  • What is P. J. O'Rourke nationalities?

    P. J. O'Rourke's nationalities is American

  • Who is P. J. O'Rourke spouses?

    P. J. O'Rourke's spouses is Amy Lumet, Tina

  • Who is P. J. O'Rourke childrens?

    P. J. O'Rourke's childrens is Clifford, Elizabeth, Olivia

  • What was P. J. O'Rourke universities?

    P. J. O'Rourke studied at Miami University, Johns Hopkins University, Miami University

  • What was P. J. O'Rourke notable alumnis?

    P. J. O'Rourke's notable alumnis is Miami University

  • Who is P. J. O'Rourke's father?

    P. J. O'Rourke's father is D

  • Who is P. J. O'Rourke's mother?

    P. J. O'Rourke's mother is Delphine

  • What is P. J. O'Rourke's sun sign?

    P. J. O'Rourke is Scorpio

  • How famous is P. J. O'Rourke?

    P. J. O'Rourke is famouse as Political Satirist & Author