Bill Hicks Discussion Thread

[Nathan]

Warning: this thread is NSFW.

I figured we could have this discussion. I've been watching/listening to him a lot, lately. Thought it was time to talk about him on a site with very diverse view-points and philosophies.

I am praying this thread gets some traffic, because I am very curious to see what people think.

The rules are simple: I post the clips, y'all watch and/or listen to them and then discuss.

What we'll start with, however, is not a clip of Bill, but an introduction to Bill. And I start this way because not everybody here truly knows Bill Hicks. So, we'll start with this documentary called "It's Just a Ride" on YouTube. It's in 4 parts. Enjoy:

It's Just a Ride Part 1

It's Just a Ride Part 2

It's Just a Ride Part 3

It's Just a Ride Part 4

[Mountain Hopper]

I've always liked Bill Hicks. Great comedian with some great points. He left us far too soon.

[Evster2012]

I stole his (Denis Leary's) act. I camouflaged it with punchlines, and to really throw people off, I did it before he did.

Bill Hicks

[59LesPaul]

*Groans*

I have a copy of Playboy magazine where Denis is the subject of the interview,and he was asked about Bill.

If anyone really gives a shit,I'll try to dig it out and post his comment.

...if it's just going to turn into a bash Leary thread,I'll just leave now.

[Evster2012]

*Groans*

I have a copy of Playboy magazine where Denis is the subject of the interview,and he was asked about Bill.

If anyone really gives a shit,I'll try to dig it out and post his comment.

...if it's just going to turn into a bash Leary thread,I'll just leave now.

Nah man! Not at all! You know I love Leary! I just think Leary was inspired by Hicks (they were buds) and ran with it. No bashing intended my friend.

I think the Playboy quote was "It wouldn’t have been an issue, I think, if Bill had lived. It’s just that people look at a tragedy and they look at that circumstance and they go, oh, this must be how we can explain this."

I have the issue. I could look it up to be sure.

[59LesPaul]

I have the issue. I could look it up to be sure.

I would appreciate that.....I can't find it,and it's really starting to annoy me.

[Nathan]

*Groans*

I have a copy of Playboy magazine where Denis is the subject of the interview,and he was asked about Bill.

If anyone really gives a shit,I'll try to dig it out and post his comment.

...if it's just going to turn into a bash Leary thread,I'll just leave now.

I promise you right now that I will NOT allow this thread to become a Leary-bashing thread. You have my word. I'm still not 100% convinced myself that Leary ever really stole anything from Hicks. Influenced by him? Yes. Stole from him? The evidence as presented just isn't convincing enough, IMO (for starters, I've yet to hear a comedian who doesn't have something to say about smoking, drugs, and/or religion). I have "No Cure for Cancer" and I actually think it's a damn good set. Definitely influenced by Hicks without a doubt, but I do think it's original and funny.

This thread is about Bill Hicks. Not about Hicks and Leary. So don't worry. I promise you that I will not allow it happen. I posted what I did in the Pet Peeves thread as a joke more then anything else. And those videos will not be posted in this thread, at least not by me.

I started this thread for one purpose (besides the one stated in the title, lol). I want to discuss Bill's thoughts and philosophies on a forum that has so many diverse thoughts and opinions. I thought this thread could turn into a hell of a nice discourse on life in general, and little things in it, such as the War on Drugs, politics, religion, etc, etc, etc. Bill talked about profound things and some not-so profound things. And I want us to discuss it here.

And mainly it's because every place that discusses Bill Hicks is a place full of people who think like Bill Hicks. And that's great for a discussion where everybody agrees with everybody. But those types of discussions get boring really quick. The advantage of having a thread like this on a forum like this is that this forum is a melting pot of views (ranging form the extreme conservative to the extreme liberal, from the extreme pessimist to the extreme optimist), and so discussion can be long and fun. And sure, it'll get heated, but as long as we're smart, discussion can be interesting and may even serve to teach people things.

And that is my goal in starting this thread. I have no ulterior motives (other then to maybe give Bill Hicks a new audience).

[59LesPaul]

I promise you right now that I will NOT allow this thread to become a Leary-bashing thread. You have my word.

Cool...I really do appreciate that.

So,when can I start the Denis Leary Discussion Thread?

[Evster2012]

I would appreciate that.....I can't find it,and it's really starting to annoy me.

Ask and you shall receive brother!

Playboy: Much has been written about you and comedian Bill Hicks, who died in 1994. People have accused you of appropriating his persona and material.

Leary: That's a great story that people like to latch onto. When I came to New York from Boston, Bill was part of the Sam Kinison group, and I was part of the Lenny Clarke group. Kinison and Lenny exchanged the notion that Bill and I should see each other because we were going to love each other's act. Very quickly we got New York club owners saying, "You guys are too alike," while Bill and I were saying, "What are they fucking talking about?" It's the same approach to the subject maybe, but it's not the same act. Caroline Hirsch of Carolines comedy club in New York started booking us to co-headline, so one guy would open one show and the other guy would close, then vice versa for the next show. We had audiences laughing at both acts, as a lot of witnesses at those big New Year's Eve gigs we did can tell you. But as I've said many times, a fable is sometimes better than the truth.

[Nathan]

Cool...I really do appreciate that.

So,when can I start the Denis Leary Discussion Thread?

Go ahead! I'd gladly post on that thread, as well.

Evster, that's a great quote. Sometimes I wonder, if Bill were still alive, he would agree with Leary. I think when Bill made his statement it was a joke, and people took it too seriously. Sometimes I wish that interview where he said that was recorded so I could see his face and hear the context.

[59LesPaul]

Ask and you shall receive brother!....

There it is......warts and all.

Can I quote that to start my Leary thread?

I mean honestly,that's no worse than Led Zeppelin (allegedly) stealing anything.

Go ahead! I'd gladly post on that thread, as well.

Evster, that's a great quote. Sometimes I wonder, if Bill were still alive, he would agree with Leary. I think when Bill made his statement it was a joke, and people took it too seriously. Sometimes I wish that interview where he said that was recorded so I could see his face and hear the context.

Apparently;they were buddies,at least in a sense.

I think that since they ran in the same circles;the same things became subjects for their acts.

Didn't Denis also say in that interview that they (him and Bill) used to laugh about it?

[Evster2012]

Go ahead! I'd gladly post on that thread, as well.

Evster, that's a great quote. Sometimes I wonder, if Bill were still alive, he would agree with Leary. I think when Bill made his statement it was a joke, and people took it too seriously. Sometimes I wish that interview where he said that was recorded so I could see his face and hear the context.

Watch the interview at the end of this clip:

[Nathan]

Today's Bill Hicks revelation:

"Play From Your Fucking Heart!!!!!!!!!!!!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRkA6zugNMQ

Discuss.

[59LesPaul]

Time to come clean:I've never actually heard Bill Hicks...

Where do I start?

[Nathan]

Time to come clean:I've never actually heard Bill Hicks...

Where do I start?

You can start with "Play From your Fucking Heart".

Or, may I recommend this other documentary about Bill... Outlaw Comic: The Censoring of Bill Hicks (7 parts on YouTube):

Outlaw Comic: the Censoring of Bill Hicks Part 1

Outlaw Comic: the Censoring of Bill Hicks Part 2

Outlaw Comic: the Censoring of Bill Hicks Part 3

Outlaw Comic: the Censoring of Bill Hicks Part 4

Outlaw Comic: the Censoring of Bill Hicks Part 5

Outlaw Comic: the Censoring of Bill Hicks Part 6

Outlaw Comic: the Censoring of Bill Hicks Part 7

[kirchzep27]

I thought bill hicks was a great comedian, bought a few of his cds. i had not seen the documentary footage, thanks for posting that. the -play from your heart thought, was great. i hadnt even really realized how his comedy was based around a thought, he would make fun of it, rant about it, make you laugh and think about it.

[Broken Levee]

I actually first heard a small part of his act on a Tool album. My boyfriend knew who he was and showed me some clips on youtube. I was laughing my ass off. Not only is he funny, but intelligent too.

BTW I also love Denis Leary. I have No Cure for Cancer on DVD.

[kirchzep27]

i found the cd i have where the audience is not responding, an example of people not seeing/listening to his comedy. its -bill hicks, flying saucer tour vol. 1

even though there is not much response and some lulls...it still is a great show.

[Nathan]

i found the cd i have where the audience is not responding, an example of people not seeing/listening to his comedy. its -bill hicks, flying saucer tour vol. 1

even though there is not much response and some lulls...it still is a great show.

I just finished listening to this, actually. I don't think the audience is that bad at all. Maybe all the ones responding are really close to the mic, but I think more people are responding then even Hicks admits. At one point he gets the whole crowd not only to laugh, but to cheer, and then he goes right in to complaining about them. I also think many on the audience are really nice. I don't think they understand why Bill is angry at them.

Sometimes I think Bill was the reason the audience didn't respond. I think, sometimes, he pushed them away. I honestly believe Bill was the issue on the bootleg "I'm Sorry Folks". Sure, there were a few drunk assholes at the show, but I think Bill took his anger at them a little over the top. Other times, of course, the entire audience was full of religious, "patriotic", Conservative assholes and Bill was just being Bill, doing the same schtick punk fans, Canadians, and Europeans loved, but the audience just couldn't dig it.

[kirchzep27]

I just finished listening to this, actually. I don't think the audience is that bad at all. Maybe all the ones responding are really close to the mic, but I think more people are responding then even Hicks admits. At one point he gets the whole crowd not only to laugh, but to cheer, and then he goes right in to complaining about them. I also think many on the audience are really nice. I don't think they understand why Bill is angry at them.

Sometimes I think Bill was the reason the audience didn't respond. I think, sometimes, he pushed them away. I honestly believe Bill was the issue on the bootleg "I'm Sorry Folks". Sure, there were a few drunk assholes at the show, but I think Bill took his anger at them a little over the top. Other times, of course, the entire audience was full of religious, "patriotic", Conservative assholes and Bill was just being Bill, doing the same schtick punk fans, Canadians, and Europeans loved, but the audience just couldn't dig it.

I think your right there with your view of that cd. from what i remember, havent listened in awhile, but the crowd wasnt that bad. yeah he kinda used the audience for some ad lib comedy there, like the bit with the cell phone. jeez, how have times changed since 91 in regards to cell phones.

I dont know the bootleg your talking about, but have heard much more intense stuff online, all on tape, no video. i really dont know if he pushed the audiences away, or if it was his tone and talking about the material. in a live situation, he must have gotten used to that shocked response to the stuff he was talking about and kind of fed off that, in regards to getting his point of views through more and more.

on his -anger...i think on a live level of comedy, it wasnt personal, it was because he was up there in his comedy trance and just going....i'm sure after the show he could talk to anyone and be fine, just like in that interview with the opposing views. even if it was all encompassing anger, it was as if he was a satellite sending a message, although he was a person and had this image one could get defensive about it. its up to the individual to realize it is comedy. he wanted people to go home and be talking about his comedy on the way home, just like a good movie.

[Nathan]

middlezep, this is the boot I'm talking about, called "I'm Sorry Folks." It has Hicks most infamous quote:

"Hitler had the right idea; he was just an underachiever!" At which point he went on to call for an unbiased extermination of the entire human race (and to be totally honest... there a days where I couldn't agree more).

Here is the entire set, called "I'm Sorry, Folks" in 6 parts:

"I'm Sorry, Folks" Part 1

"I'm Sorry, Folks" Part 2 (at 45 secs in, Bill talks quite graphically about proudly killing the same female heckler he yelled at in the first clip. Just a warning for you sensitive types.)

(At about 5 mins in he improvs a song called "[i've Got] Hours of Dick Jokes")

(The infamous quote is here, starting at 7 mins and 50 secs in to the clip... it's a reaction to a heckler constantly yelling "Freebird!")

"I'm Sorry, Folks" Part 5

[kirchzep27]

Hey -nathan, yeah thats much worse than the pa. show. once he lost the audience, he lost them for the most part and just went off. with the pa. show i think he had atleast a third of the audience getting it. that was definately a weird space and time thing cause i think the biggest laugh was the take on the red light joke, the wheel chairs bumping into each other headed toward the exit sign, and that was it.

again, its comedy, its an art form. i'm sure -bill hicks had alot of respect from his fellow comedians at the time...with the whole struggle and money aspect of it. he certainly is a legend in the comedy world now, like with so many in other art forms, its sad when it comes too late.

[TypeO]

I actually first heard a small part of his act on a Tool album.

Third Eye on Aenima

You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years?

RRRRRRRRRRRR-EAL fuckin' high on drugs.

Cracks me tha fuck up every time.

[Nathan]

Third Eye on Aenima

You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years?

RRRRRRRRRRRR-EAL fuckin' high on drugs.

Cracks me tha fuck up every time.

(Warning: NSFW)

Bill Hicks - "Drugs and Music" - Revelations

[Broken Levee]

Third Eye on Aenima

You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years?

RRRRRRRRRRRR-EAL fuckin' high on drugs.

Cracks me tha fuck up every time.

Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration. That we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the weather.