Jan 20, 200610:03 AMThe Life

Krassner keeps 'em (and himself) in stitches

Desert Hot Springs resident Paul Krassner co-founded the Yippies, along with Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin. From 1958 to 1974 (and 1985-2001), he published The Realist, which led People magazine to call him the "father of the underground press." He immediately demanded a paternity test.

After Krassner edited How to Talk Dirty and Influence People, author/comedian Lenny Bruce encouraged him to become a stand-up comic; he opened at NYC's Village Gate in 1961. He dropped acid with Timothy Leary and Ken Kesey, and later accompanied Groucho Marx on his first LSD trip. Krassner was inducted into the Counterculture Hall of Fame at the 14th annual Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam. He claims it was "my ambition since I was three years old."

For the past decade, he's been cranking out books and CDs at an amazing clip. His latest volume is One Hand Jerking: Reports From an Investigative Satirist.

Krassner's blog is currently featured at Arianna Huffington's site. According to one recent posting (complete w/photo), he's the proud owner of seven new forehead stitches, due to an accident.

It looks like book-signing events are more dangerous than previously believed.