# What deceased comedian are we most lost without? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489 "2003-11-16T01:52:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/21 "2003-11-16T15:31:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Really? Or whoosh…? \*\* Nope, never heard of the fella. When was he popular? Maybe it was when I was TV-less in college, or in the shower washing my hair or something . . . ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/22 "2003-11-16T15:36:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*Nope, never heard of the fella. When was he popular? Maybe it was when I was TV-less in college, or in the shower washing my hair or something . . . \*\* In that case, you’re in for a treat. Rent a DVD of him or something. He was a bastard, raw, vitriolic, cynical, truthful, and a genius. It’s the ultimate humor of anti-establishment anger, taking the baton directly from Lenny Bruce. All IMO, of course - some people hated him for the same reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/23 "2003-11-16T16:30:28Z")
For the proverbial record I never heard of Bill Hicks either. I’m 38. It’s funny, I too miss John Candy but I never really think of him as a comedian, but as an actor who did comedy, if you would allow me to make that distinction. I would describe Phil Hartman the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/24 "2003-11-16T16:35:29Z")
Eric Morecambe. Tony Hancock. Bill Hicks. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/25 "2003-11-16T16:41:10Z")
Those who have never heard of him, may find [www.billhicks.com](http://www.billhicks.com) to be of interest. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/26 "2003-11-16T16:42:42Z")
Bill Hicks’ IMDB entry seems to suggest he was more famous in the UK than the US: > **[Bill Hicks - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0382805/bio)** > > Born in Georgia but raised in Houston since the age of 7, this self-described "Prince of Darkness" was compelled to use the comedy stage as his ... I already like him because of his apparent disdain for the alleged “comedian” Gallagher. ---
**Author:** ![Ave\_Minerva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@Ave\_Minerva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ave_Minerva)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/27 "2003-11-16T16:48:22Z")
Another vote for Bill Hicks and Phil Hartman. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/28 "2003-11-16T17:11:29Z")
We really, really need Bill Hicks right now. Of course, Bush would have probably declared him and enemy combatant and locked him away underneath Guantanamo Bay. If anybody gets Trio, I highly recommend **The Censoring of Bill Hicks** , their original documentary. I watched it again late last night in a fit of insomnia. It’s very sad, but there’s lot of great footage of him throughout his career, including his last performance before he died of pancreatic cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/29 "2003-11-16T17:12:39Z")
. . . So I’m the only one who misses Gilda Radner? How about Danitra Vance, Madeline Kahn . . . There were some funny ladies, too! ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/30 "2003-11-16T17:17:48Z")
Phil Hartman and Madeline Kahn. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/31 "2003-11-16T18:42:16Z")
Andy Kaufman ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/32 "2003-11-16T20:04:08Z")
Phil Hartman Chris Farley ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/33 "2003-11-16T20:35:12Z")
I really miss Phil Hartman. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/34 "2003-11-16T20:35:32Z")
As usual, I’m showing my age, but I thought Ernie Kovacs’ stuff was _brilliant_. Letterman, Monty Python, Satuday Night Live and Andy Kaufman all owe a debt to Ernie Kovacs in one way or another. His medium was television, and in 1962 when Kovacs died in a car crash at the age of 42, television was still in its technical infancy. It’s conceivable he could still be alive today at the age of 83, and who knows what he could have graced us with over the last 40 years? ---
**Author:** ![Blassie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@Blassie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blassie)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/35 "2003-11-16T20:42:15Z")
1. Andy Kaufman 2. Phil Hartman 3. Sam Kinison 4. John Belushi 5. Chevy Chase (_yeah, I know, but it **feels** like he left us years ago_) ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/36 "2003-11-16T20:45:10Z")
On that note, I would have to mention Graham Chapman. But for “most lost without” it’s a toss up between Bill Hicks and Lenny Bruce. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/37 "2003-11-16T20:49:03Z")
Though he was much more than a comedian, my vote goes to **Douglas Adams**. Hey, nobody said he or she had to be a _stand-up_ comic… ---
**Author:** ![SJSB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SJSB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SJSB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/38 "2003-11-16T21:54:48Z")
Definitely Bill Hicks and I’m with **Mr. Blue Sky** on the “Denis Leary” thing. I’d also say Peter Cook and Graham Chapman. ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/39 "2003-11-16T22:49:24Z")
Another Bill Hicks fan over here. Also miss Phil Hartman. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-deceased-comedian-are-we-most-lost-without/213489/40 "2003-11-16T22:52:40Z")
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