What are you talking about? Beginning? Letterman aired that routine a year and a half ago. Tool put him on the inside of one of their albums in 1996. There’s been something of a cult around him almost since he died, which was back in 1993. I was also wrong about that Letterman appearance - it wouldn’t have been the high point of his career. He’d been on Letterman a bunch of times, so people knew who he was. It would’ve been his last TV appearance, though, since he was dying of cancer.
I only knew about this guy from listening to Tool. He’s not very funny.
He was a comedic philosopher, and, to many fans, including me, a genius.
I saw him live and have heard pretty much all his (recorded) routines, and I don’t think he’s very funny. I agreed with a lot of what he said, but I didn’t laugh. He was more a ranter than a comedian, IMO.
I agree with this.
Why? What’s so admirable about being bitter?
Not very profound and potentially very damaging to the country. I’ve always hated this attitude. While both sides may be seriously fucked up, one side is far more fucked up than the other. And promoting the attitude that both sides are equally bad turns people off when it comes to participating.
Currently, the far right feels one side is significantly worse than the other. Much of the left in this country is currently feeling that one entity if controlling both “puppets”. What will be the outcome? The more I think about it, the less I like Hicks.
I hate the nested quote feature.
I think people paid too much attention to his “philosophy”, which could be a little sophomoric. I mostly ignored that stuff and just enjoyed his glorious way with words. I think he was at his best when he wan’t trying to make any particular point. The stuff about how the System is keeping us all down… meh.
I would think your attitude is damaging with this idea that “my side” must be better.
Explain then, for example, new financial reform bill that Volcker is disappointed with, or Congress and Senate letter of more than 80% signatories both yours and theirs to the White House not to mistreat Israel despite public provocations, or largest ever military program in history with new order of more than 2000 F35 jets. And on and on…
On a second thought, don’t bother.
His routines seemed OK enough for me, but he’s no Gallagher.
If you want to talk politics, start a thread in GD or the Pit. Cafe Society isn’t the appropriate place for it.
twickster, Cafe Society moderator
Sigh, I shouldn’t try to multitask.
From a link provided by yojimbo above, re gays in the military: “Anyone dumb enough to want to be in the military should be let in.”
Re military commenting on the issue: “AREN’T YOU ALL FUCKING HIRED KILLERS? SHUT UP! You’re thugs, and when we need you blow the fuck out of a nation of little brown people, we’ll let you know.”
Philosopher? Genius? Glorious way with words? Do you really expect me to take any of those descriptions seriously?
Reading through that Wikiquotes page, he seems like the type of person I leave the room to avoid.
“A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a fucking cross? It’s like going up to Jackie Onassis wearing a rifle pendant.”
“I don’t mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that’s how it comes out.”
“The worst kind of non-smokers are the ones that come up to you and cough. That’s pretty fucking cruel isn’t it? Do you go up to cripples and dance too?”
Not for a stand-up philosopher!
I just have.
He’s not.
Really – is that the best he could do? It’s just warmed over George Carlin at best with “insights” that date from before he was born. I was especially unimpressed with “All governments are lying cocksuckers.” How witty! :rolleyes:
Good comedians go off about ‘us’ rather than ‘them’.
Good rant comedians - like Carlin, Bruce, and Lewis - hold the unspoken premise that we are better than this.
I do think Bill Hicks had an outstanding comedic timing and was a smart person. There was more to him and his material besides the actual topics, which, as noted, can be pretty sophomoric or superficial. When he goes on a rant on how marijuana should be legalized because it’s less threatening than alcohol, I just have to roll my eyes, because it’s such a weak argument. Nevertheless, he keeps me interested, especially since he kept pouring from himself regardless of what the audience felt. He had integrity.
I got a chance to see Hicks a few times in person, back in the '80s. To be honest I don’t recall a lot of his material, but I remember his presence. It was impossible not to hang on his every word. He simply owned the room, and that was a big part of what made him special. Half the battle in stand-up is keeping the audience’s attention, and boy, could he do that.
As his reputation grew, he was one of the most talked-about and respected comedians among other comedians that I ever heard of. That’s saying something.
But, by most accounts he was not an easy guy to be around. He definitely had emotional issues, and toward the end he let his personal demons take over his act. I think most of the video clips you can find online are from this period and don’t necessarily reflect his best work. Even at his best, though, he wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea. And if you didn’t enjoy what he did, I bet he’d be the first to tell you he didn’t give a fuck.
If he did, then you could tell him he’s full of shit. It was obvious that he cared a great deal what other people thought.
Other comics think very highly of him, and I respect their opinions on the matter. Otherwise, he doesn’t do much for me.
Seems to me he could be pretty juvenile, but was at least angry at the injustice of the world, and the thick veneer of bullshit which disguises this. There are a fair few smug people in this thread who have left behind these cares for a homely self-interest. I don’t find that very funny, either.