Wheat, chaff, stalks, seeds

[Robin Landseadel]

Total conjecture, but based in reality. If Pynchon was aware in 1970  
of Bonzo Dog Band, Cheech & Chong and L.A. radio—and everything in  
Inherent Vice indicates he was—than he must have been aware of the  
Firesign Theater's "Nick Danger, Third Eye," a recording that just  
celebrated its 40th anniversary this month, along with Monty Python.  
It's such an obvious point of reference for Inherent Vice and it's  
also stooooopid—quintessential stoner humor, many examples of which  
can be found in Inherent Vice. Really a great jumping off point and as  
it turns out a principle bone of contention in the reviews of IV I've  
read—like "who's gonna take this shit seriously?" But it's precisely  
this vein of humor that's Pynchon's bailiwick.

On Oct 25, 2009, at 3:34 PM, kelber at mindspring.com wrote:

> I'll toss in my own completely unsupported pet theory:  Back in the  
> early 70s, when Pynchon was working on GR he thought it would be fun  
> to write a Chandler-type novel with his hippies and stoner friends  
> as a cast of characters.  Maybe even took a couple of plot notes.   
> Never got around to writing it, but after finishing his major opus,  
> ATD, gave himself permission to have a little fun.  I'm sure he had  
> a blast writing it.
>
> Laura