The beatniks were a very heady group at a very heady time. They broke with 1950s uptight values in the most extraordinary ways. Yes they were elitists. Yes they were very talented. Yes they came from the upper-middle-class for the most part. Yes they were outrageous and in my personal opinion, went far too far. Maybe it was necessary at that time. I have done a documentary with the daughter of Neal Cassidy, the star of Jack Kerouac’s classic novel, On The Road. Here is the link to that interview -   • Daughter Reveals The Real 1950s Icon ...  .

In this video, conservative columnist William Buckley attempts to understand the hippies by interviewing Jack Kerouac, completely drunk while on the air. The hippies were, and if you look at the comments on my videos, still are very controversial. The worst elements of their culture seemed disgusting too many – staying clean – overuse of drugs – coming from rich families where they did not need to make a living, etc. But the philosophical ideas some hippies expressed as expressed in this program, were and are appealing to many and most people don't realize the hippies stood behind any values at all.

The relationship between famed 1950s icon Neal Cassidy and author and icon Jack Kerouac is strange. Everyone who knew Cassidy describes him as an unbelievable character with enormous power and some lunacy. If you view the link above, you will hear David Crosby describing being on the bus – THE bus with Cassidy driving.

Jack Kerouac was a heavy drug user and a severe alcoholic. I am certain it damaged his brain as this video clip when he appears on the 1969 William Buckley television program shows. Some of what Kerouac says on this program, is in my opinion, brilliant in spite of his inebriated state. But in that state, he doesn't hear, he is extraordinarily arrogant and at the end of the day as this video shows, sad and bitter and lonely.

In this program, he does not appear alone. Other speakers include Ed Sanders–poet and musician who led the band FUGS and Ed Yablonsky and intellectual professor.

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Thank you
David Hoffman filmmaker