Gonzo

For the Muppet, see Gonzo (muppet).

Gonzo is a style of reportage or film making where the reporter or filmmaker is intrinsically enmeshed with the action (rather than being a passive observer).

The term was coined by Rolling Stone writer Hunter S. Thompson to describe his (often extreme) reporting. Thompson himself would instigate events, often in a prankish or belligerent manner, and then document both his actions and those of others. The term has also come into (sometimes pejorative) use to describe journalism (or generally any writing) that is broadly in the vein of Thompson's writing, where fact and fiction were liberally mixed and his prolific intake of drugs and alcohol led to a febrile, run-on style.

Similarly, in pornographic movies, gonzo refers to productions where the camera operator or director takes an overt part the action, either by talking to the actors or by themselves being performers. Such movies often eschew narrative and plot, opting (as Thompson did) to present a roughly contemporaneous account of "actual" events. The intention of this is partly to involve the audience in the action, in a manner similar to the theater technique of breaking the fourth wall, but it is also economical as no one has to remember any lines.