Peak Underground: Adam Gorightly on Kerry Thornley

Before Discordianism took shape during a series of bowling alley conversations between Kerry Thornley and Greg Hill, before Principia Discordia became one of the strangest underground books ever written, and long before internet culture embraced irony, chaos, and reality-bending narratives, there was Kerry Thornley himself. In this engaging interview, writer and historian Adam Gorightly examines the extraordinary life of the man known by many names—Kerry Thornley, Lord Omar, Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst, Jesse Sump, Ho Chi Zen, and others. From his role in founding Discordianism to his writings on Zenarchy, philosophy, pranks, and the cultural aftershocks of the Kennedy assassination, Thornley's story continues to challenge conventional ideas about belief, identity, and the nature of reality. Gorightly has spent decades exploring the outer edges of American counterculture, making him an ideal guide through Thornley's complex legacy. Whether you're discovering Discordianism for the first time or revisiting one of its central figures, this conversation offers a thoughtful introduction to one of the most inventive minds ever to emerge from the Peak Underground. Here's an essential list of Hilaritas Press library publications. Home to Robert Anton Wilson's legacy, they've published some remarkable works: Prometheus Rising — Wilson's most influential exploration of consciousness. Cosmic Trigger I — RAW memoir. Quantum Psychology — model agnosticism and perception. The New Inquisition — skepticism, pseudoscience, and scientific dogma. The Starseed Signals — a rediscovered Wilson manuscript with strong appeal for readers interested in UFOs, consciousness, and speculative ideas. Mavericks of the Mind — interviews with visionary thinkers across science, psychology, and consciousness.