BILL HICKS ON LETTERMAN 01/30/09

It's rare for most media folks to admit they've made a mistake, especially an old one, unless they are literally shamed into doing it. Back in 1993, just 5 months before his death a hero of mine, Bill Hicks, did a routine (his 11th and by far his most dangerous)on Late Night with David Letterman that was so edgy that Dave and his producers notoriously yanked the spot from being aired at the last minute. Last night Letterman admitted his mistake, apologized a number of times, even though the decision was 15 years old, and even had Hick's mom on and ran the spot, which though Dave warned it would be dated, is just as edgy as when first performed back in 1993.

Here via YouTube and CBS' Late Night With David Letterman is the set up for that appearance:



After a commercial break Dave brought out Bill Hicks' mom and well...see for yourself:



The "heartache" Dave mentions early on is the fact that yanking that spot from airing changed (again) Bill Hicks' career making him even more edgier and bitter, most times incorporating the performed routine as part of his act and pointing out the hypocracy inherent in the broadcast media. In 1993 Hicks was breaking wide and performing to packed houses in most every place he performed OUTSIDE of the US, doing a kind of ranting performance against corporate society and thinking. A large number of his nightclub performances from this point on were recorded or filmed and Bill became one of the most notorious comics of his time with a huge reputation in the underground circuits. Here, again from last night's Late Night via YouTube, is Bill's routine that he did in 1993 on Letterman:



This routine was refined and ran past the censors before Bill even walked on stage, still watching it, and knowing the fickle state of the media it's not too hard to imagine why Dave pulled the spot.

Bill Hicks is one of my heroes and an example of a true genius pioneer. Looking at his routine now it might be hard to see why. Just know that the number of political satirists like Dennis Miller and Bill Mahr (the intelligent and secure ones anyway) will all attribute their career on Bill Hick's trailblazing, while other "comedians" like Dennis Leary might not admit it so quickly but made careers by ripping off entire segments of Bill Hick's act and claimed it as their own (Bill was talking about how great it was to smoke years before Leary's "No Cure For Cancer" performance that made him famous- in fact much (if not all) of Leary's static, manic, hyper performance is straight from Hick's nightclub act). Here, on Letterman he is obviously stiff and almost sedated compared to his uncensored expletive ridden riffs, especially the ones after this debacle.

It is a great statement to Letterman's character to have has last night's program and to humbly admit his fault and mistake on the matter. I hope it gives him the kudos he deserves for doing it, as well as some sort of closure to a decision that has obviously haunted him sine he did it. Surprisingly there was no mention of Bill's recordings and the memorials and biopix that are in the planning stages to commemorate his life, and it's also a testament to Dave and his producers for allowing this footage out, playing it in it's crisp and original form, and to have the balls to have his mother out to apologize to her on air for the emotional stress and anxiety that pulling Bill's appearance caused him in his last days of his life. In his routine, where Bill admits that he started smoking again, he was already diagnosed as past the point of treatment on his cancer, and in true Bill Hicks style he decided that he was going to enjoy as much of his life in his last days that he could, and that included his nicotine addiction.

I was introduced to Bill Hicks a few years ago by a friend of mine who said that Spank reminded him of Bill, I can certainly see why. For more information on Bill and his career I recommend the biography AMERICAN SCREAM by Cynthia True. It is available on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/American-Scream-Bill-Hicks-Story/dp/0330438069/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233411566&sr=1-1 and is well worth the price. Though Amazon is only offering the book as used at present I'm sure that a new printing will be done shortly.

For more video on Bill Hicks, including a number of rants about being pulled from Late Night check out YouTube under Bill Hicks and see some of his genius for yourself.

WAKE UP.

My Hero: Bill Hicks- Outlaw Comedian

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!