Paul Krassner (April 9, 1932 – July 21, 2019) was an American author, journalist and comedian. He was the founder, editor and a contributor to the freethought magazine "The Realist". Krassner became an important figure in the counterculture of the 1960s as a member of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters. He was a founding member of the Yippies. 