Duke’s rich friend from Big Sur who won big at a casino in Reno three weekends in a row. On the fourth weekend, Lionel was invited back to the casino by the General Manager—all expenses paid—but by the end of the weekend, Lionel was $30,000 down. Lionel was forced to sell his business and was savagely beaten by “the world’s heaviest collection agency,” but still couldn’t cover his debt. “Gambling,” Duke says, “is a very heavy business—and Las Vegas makes Reno seem like your friendly neighborhood grocery store.” As Duke considers a casino in Vegas an example of the American Dream, Thompson implies that the American Dream is likewise rigged and largely unobtainable.
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Lionel Olay Character Timeline in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The timeline below shows where the character Lionel Olay appears in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part One, Chapter 6: A Night on the Town…Confrontation at the Desert Inn…Drug Frenzy at the Circus-Circus
Many years ago, Duke lived in Big Sur near Lionel Olay, a rich friend who frequently gambled in Reno. One time, Lionel drove his Mercedes...
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Lionel took the offer and flew to Reno the following weekend. By Monday morning, he was...
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