John McAfee was a computer programmer and businessman who created the first commercial anti-virus software in the 1980’s. A few years later, he stepped down from his own company, a multi-millionaire. In the decades that followed, his adventures — and misadventures — grabbed headlines around the world, and he was eventually found dead in a Spanish jail cell on June 23rd, 2021.
In one of the more colorful moments of his life, McAfee fled his home in Belize ahead of local authorities, and landed in Portland, Oregon, in January of 2013. He stayed in town for the better part of a year, attracting attention wherever he went. The same week he arrived in Portland, S.W. Conser was invited to a downtown hotel for a radio interview. John was accompanied by local cartoonist and animator Chad Essley, who had been commissioned to create a graphic novel about John’s adventures — a project that remains uncompleted.
This episode was originally recorded on January 17th, 2013.
- KBOO