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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

Bill Hicks

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15:46 / 11.12.06

To be fair, I think that Hicks adds (to the 'you know what causes sexual thoughts? Having a dick'), a slightly more muted comment about 'or, if you're a woman, having a... y'know', which would (if memory serves, and he does indeed say that) suggest it's slightly less one-sided gender-wise.

Hicks fans can, like the fans of Star Trek, Rocky Horror, and so many other things, be so vehement as to be irritating, and put one off; but I think one has to remain focussed on the source material, which has a lot of interest. Granted, there's the whole veneration-because-he's-in-a-box problem, but that's arguably the case for Plath, Cobain, Lennon, and many other creative types, isn't it ?

16:22 / 11.12.06

Okay, I realize that my particular pull-quote ("Having a dick") led us down a slightly wrong path (not an example of egregious sexism, and can be explained/apologized away as the thread has proven). I've seen that line delivered twice--once on the One Night Stand special in Chicago (where he adds no caveat) and once on Relentless in Montreal when he sort of goes "and women have, y'know, whatever...but I can only speak for myself. AND I SPEAK FOR EVERY GUY IN THE ROOM WHEN I SAY blah blah..." And obviously that little extra bit in the name of Fairness ruins the rhythm of the joke. Which, I suggest (based on the viewing of these two shows and no more information about Bill Hicks whatsoever) was sort of the point. Okay, I'm Bill Hicks and I'll cave and admit that sexuality is not the sole purview of men, but I'll do it in such a way that it RUINS THE JOKE, so even those who could previously identify with it can't even enjoy it anymore! SO THERE!

Just...well, it's off-putting. This man, who is clearly deeply motivated to speak truth as he sees it and is rightly distrustful of establishment thought, of advertising, of the status quo, has alarmingly un-examined attitudes towards women and sex. 'Unexamined' being the aspect that distresses me. He's willing to reevaluate his understanding of life and the universe based on a drug trip/abduction experience. But that reevaluation does not include his attitudes towards women and sex. Well...why not, Bill? Did the aliens not tell you that patriarchy is a structure created by men out of our fear of women's power, and that through patriarchy we've been systematically subjugating and abusing women for centuries to keep them separated from their birthright? No? But they did tell you that time is an illusion and all are one? Oh, okay.

00:25 / 12.12.06

Well...why not, Bill? Did the aliens not tell you that patriarchy is a structure created by men out of our fear of women's power, and that through patriarchy we've been systematically subjugating and abusing women for centuries to keep them separated from their birthright? No? But they did tell you that time is an illusion and all are one?

Somehow, I imagine he'd say, "I'm just a fucking comedian."

Among the good and bad that came from the man's mouth, the one thing he encouraged was the ability to think and speak for oneself. He'd probably agree with you that his dick-jokes were patriarchal. Listen to his stuff, especially the latter stuff, and you'll hear his satire about "big purple veined dick" jokes. (Or something like that. It's been a while since I heard the bit.)

I never heard him claim to be perfect. And I doubt he'd deny his own faults. In fact, I know he wouldn't.

He was no genius. He was a funny man, a smart man. But not a genius. He'd be the first to laugh at that assertion.

Nor was he some prophet. Nor did he ever have much to say that hadn't been said, a hundred times before, and much more eloquently. Again, he'd tell you the same thing himself. (He'd also tell you, "Get up on the stage - that last sentence of yours was awesome.")

Not everybody has to say everything. Bill said what he wanted to say, what he needed to say, what some people want or need to hear. That's a damn sight better than most. Signal-to-noise in the world is much worse than signal-to-noise in Bill's act.

ONLY NICE THINGS

00:49 / 12.12.06

And then, later, Bill would hold me in his arms. He would be so strong. So deceptively strong.

Damn, he's strong.

We've entered the realms of Bill Hicks fanfiction now. Bill Hicks furry slash can only follow.

Those strong, beautiful ocelot arms.

01:38 / 12.12.06

OHMIGDD bill would NEVR let you tuoch his ocelut!!!!1

Signal-to-noise in the world is much worse than signal-to-noise in Bill's act.

i think this is true, but i wonder if the same could not be said of... well, almost anything.
the world is a confusing and noisy place much of the time, and often much of the signal overlaps, burying itself in creating more noise.

perhaps you mean to compare him to a particular artist(or perhaps several?), but i'm not sure from what you say who that might be.

He was no genius. He was a funny man, a smart man. But not a genius. He'd be the first to laugh at that assertion.

i think you might be right.
his fans, on the other hand... well, a whole bunch of them seem to be convinced he was.
i'm not sure he wasnt slightly convinced he was pretty damn awesome too, though. while he might profess to be just some guy, nobody special, i get the feeling he felt pretty darn clever some of the time.

i think a little of that probably comes with the territory when you are a stand up comedian. you'd have to feel clever enough to be on a stage, for one thing.

01:45 / 12.12.06

Somehow, I imagine he'd say, "I'm just a fucking comedian."

much as i love the man's work, and much as i spent a few hours watching it, i think i would slap his face good and hard if he said that to me.

(it'd probably be an idea to be ready to blow his head off with a shotgun too. you gotta get the head. it's the only way to be sure with zombies.)

04:25 / 12.12.06

yeah, but what about Dennis Leary?

07:41 / 12.12.06

He'd probably agree with you that his dick-jokes were patriarchal. Listen to his stuff, especially the latter stuff, and you'll hear his satire about "big purple veined dick" jokes. (Or something like that. It's been a while since I heard the bit.)

A lot of it came from a certain frustration that he wasn't getting anywhere with his own brand of humour and yet the comedians who just did toilet humour and didn't mix anything else into it seemed to be runaway successes.

He certainly wasn't perfect, but he's one of my favourite stand-up comics. He may not have been the crusader for women's right that maybe he should have been. But what he did he did well. He still gives me a chuckle on the occasions I've chucked one of his CDs into the player.

I agree that he probably didn't want to be a prophet. I think perhaps he would have just liked to have been more famous whilst he was alive.

It is a bit annoying that his name has, perhaps, become one of those things that people namecheck to show how kewl they are. But I don't think that takes anything away from his skill as a performer.

07:42 / 12.12.06

yeah, but what about Dennis Leary?

He re-invented comedy with the legendary underground movie Operation: Dumbo Drop.

17:39 / 12.12.06

We've entered the realms of Bill Hicks fanfiction now.

Hilarious. You have inspired me.

Bill look across the table at me. The sweat on his forehead was a thick as the sheet of water on a Slip-n-Slide. "You're a genius," I said to him. He took my hand. "No, you are." He ran his other hand through his thinning hair. The sweat from his forehead slicked the hair back and pasted it to his skull. In the dim smoky light of the club, he looked like Brando.

17:41 / 12.12.06

BTW: Saturday is Bill Hicks' birthday.

18:57 / 12.12.06

"Holy Shit! You're a Preacher!"

"Well I guess that makes two of us."

21:01 / 12.12.06

In the dim smoky light of the club, he looked like Brando.

"No..." he said, "No. I'm just a guy; just..." He looked away, taking a drag on his cigarette. The lights were shining behind him and at that moment, wreathed in smoke, he resembled nothing so much as a panther in an open-necked caual shirt. When he spoke again his voice was rich, choked, almost as if he was in pain. "But I could be... so much more... to you..."

Jack The Bodiless

10:25 / 13.12.06

Bill hicks was a fucking narcissist (probably most stand-up comics are - it's not exactly an occupation that attracts well-adjusted people). He would have 'strenuously denied' until the spittle was running down your face that he was any kind of genius, prophet, whatever, but deep inside - maybe not even that deep - he would have loved the fact that you called him that. What's that apposite quote from Grosse Pointe Blank... "Lone wolf! You get it? I like the lifestyle! Why do you think I dress this way?" or words to that effect.

Whatever. I think he's fucking funny. Perfect timing, some excellent material, and an idiosyncratic voice you can't forget. That's all you can ask from a stand-up. Saving the world is a little outside the job description.

10:33 / 13.12.06

He'd be a lot funnier if he didn't scream and bark into the mic for forty seconds of every joke.

05:23 / 03.04.07

Bill Hicks/Dennis Leary on youtube

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