I was never aware of Bill Hicks until long after he was dead. Once I was "On the Road" with my comix I had a few folks at Comic conventions ask if I was a fan and I had no idea what they were talking about. Then a friend in my own hometown (DVD Scott) showed me some of his work, downloaded a large number of his performances to listen to, and even lent me his copy of Hick's biography (which I need to replace because it is not only twice as dogeared as when he lent it to me, but it also carries a nice coffee stain (I am a coffee fiend if you didn't already know).
Bill Hicks decided, somewhere around the first Bush's presidency, that his time on stage was too important to spend repeating the same lame jokes he had written over and over and decided to try to make his audiences THINK and laugh at the same time.
A genius idea way ahead of his time Bill Hicks literally paved the way for such acts as Dennis Miller (who was just cutting his teeth on SNL when Bill was running the nightclub trenches), Bill Mahr (who freely admits that ho would not be nearly as popular if Hicks had not paved the way) Denis Leary (whose entire shtick on cancer is practically a direct lift for Hicks, who had done it just as vicious but not quite as hyper many years before), and a number of other comedians who cover more political content. Bill Hicks was the bridge between Lenny Bruce and modern political comedy. Hicks was practically ignored here in the states through much of his life, but was a HUGE hit in Canada and England. He was just "breaking" here in the states when he died of cancer, having barely a half dozen of his performances on film.
His comedy and thoughts are just as viable today as when he first spoke them. His thinking was sensible, his opinions so well thought out as to easily point out the absurdities in them. Bill was a rare genius, quick witted, as "hardcore" as comedians can get, perhaps too rough for his time, yet SO poignant for today.
You Tube has a number of his spots online, and if you've a lazy afternoon you should watch them all. Though he had a set routine most of the time it was usually his off the cuff rants that were more amazing (if you're fortunate enough to catch his appearance late in his career in Chicago he rips up a few hecklers and non-thinkers to classic proportions- just amazing). Take it from this monkey, you won't be sorry you went.
His biography is entitled American Scream, written by Cynthia True, and I'm sure it's available from Amazon (probably where I'll be getting that replacement book for Scott-bet he forgot he even gave it to me- ha!
For those too lazy, but still curious, I leave you today with his closing for a One Night Stand show recorded in London pretty far along in his career. Comedy Central still shows this one or two times a year (much to their credit- but then again I think they should take at least one weekend out once a year and play nothing but old stand up routines from comedians like Hicks and Bruce who were way too important to be forgotten), and again You Tube has a number of clips from this amazing comedian who thought it was important to try to wake people up.
Enjoy, and WAKE UP!
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