A celebration of Christopher Hitchens by Richard Dawkins, Stephen Fry, Douglas Murray, and Lawrence Krauss

Christopher Hitchens, whom many of us admire despite occasional differences of opinion, died at only 62 on December 14, 2011.  Lawrence Krauss organized an event with four of Hitchens’s friends, all reminiscing about the Great Lion of Rhetoric. The panel was filmed in London on December 13, 2024—just 19 days ago—and I’ve put the video below.

The intro to the original audio on Krauss’s site Critical Mass:

A year ago, John Richards the head of the Atheist UK approached me about the idea of celebrating Christopher Hitchens with a Hitchmas event, near Christmas, and on or about the anniversary of Christopher’s death, on Dec 15, 2011. I realized that to do it right would require time and organization, and the proper panelists. I was thrilled that Christopher’s friends and mine, Stephen Fry, Richard Dawkins, and Douglas Murray agreed to be part of the event, and that the HowTo Academy, which organizes wonderful events in London, several of which I had done before, agreed to coordinate the logistics with The Origins Project Foundation. A year later, the sold-out event happened, and we decided in advance to record it appropriately, with 5 cameras, and to have Gus and Luke Holwerda, who directed and filmed The Unbelievers, and with whom I began The Origins Podcast, edit the final product.

The YouTube notes:

Join us for Hitchmas, a special event celebrating the life, legacy, and ideas of the legendary Christopher Hitchens. Recorded at the Royal Geographical Society in London, this thought-provoking evening features a stellar panel of friends and intellectuals: Lawrence Krauss, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Fry, and Douglas Murray. Together, they share personal reminiscences, engage in lively discussion, and tackle modern issues with the wit and courage that Christopher Hitchens epitomized.

The evening opens with tributes from each panelist, exploring Hitchens’ enduring impact as a writer, orator, and fearless defender of reason. From heartfelt anecdotes to reflections on his literary heroes like George Orwell and P.G. Wodehouse, the panel paints a vivid picture of Hitchens’ intellect, humor, and humanity. The conversation transitions into a dynamic roundtable addressing contemporary cultural and political challenges, including religion, free speech, and the rise of “woke fundamentalism.” Audience questions add another layer, sparking debates about morality, truth, and the timeless relevance of Hitchens’ insights.

This unique celebration of Hitch’s life blends humor, deep thought, and passion, culminating in a poignant reflection on friendship, courage, and the pursuit of truth. Whether you’re a longtime admirer of Christopher Hitchens or discovering his work for the first time, this event offers a powerful tribute to a remarkable man who continues to inspire millions.

Just click here to see the video, or click on the screenshot below (YouTube won’t let me directly embed the video).

Richard and Lawrence read their pieces, which are both lively, but Murray and Fry speak of Hitch extemporaneously, or at least without notes.  I won’t summarize the reminiscences as you need to hear them yourself.

The four in memoriam pieces end at 35:16 and it’s on to discussion, with Lawrence asking each person to react to a statement by Hitchens. Fry waxes eloquent on the question we all have: “What would Hitchens would say about wokeness?” Douglas Murray, a defender of Israel, is asked to respond to some quotes from Hitchens attacking Zionism.

At 1 hour 4 minutes in, the panel answers questions submitted on social media.

In the end, this is one of the few discussion videos I’d recommend watching in toto. 

I met Hitchens only once, on November 6, 2009, at a meeting in Puebla, Mexico.  My bus was heading back to Mexico City, but when I saw him grabbing a ciggie outside the venue, complete with poppy and what I”m told is a pro-Kurd lapel pin, I leapt off the bus to introduce myself.  I never do stuff like that, but this was Hitchens!  He remembered me from something I’d written, but the bus was leaving and our discourse was very brief. Here’s a photo I took from the bus: