31. BILL HICKS: A positive LSD story
Bill Hicks (1961-1994) was an American stand-up comedian known for his intense performances that criticised religion, politics, entertainment, commercialism and society. While I think he and George Carlin had similar points of view, Hicks had a much darker and angrier delivery. He didn’t enjoy the same success as Carlin and was bitter after spending years on the road, playing in shitty clubs to unappreciative and ignorant crowds. Only when Hicks went abroad to the UK and Canada did he find a receptive audience who agreed with and celebrated his material. Since his death, he has gained almost mythic status as one of the greatest comedians ever … which I totally agree with. I think he’s brilliant – a true comedy prophet.
– I’m not sure if this comic makes sense for those not familiar with Hicks. Here’s the full routine in the proper context.
– Just stumbled upon this during my Hicks YouTube surfing which I hadn’t seen: David letterman pays tribute to and apologises to Hicks mother for cutting her son’s final performance from his show.
– A lot of you wanted me to adapt It’s Just a Ride, and don’t worry, I plan to one day! I had this piece done a few months ago.
– What’s your favourite Hicks routine?
Discussion (89) ¬
I like pretty much all of his material, but I really like the one about dinosaurs and the bible.
Love it Gav. Can you illustrate his rant about Michael Bolton next?
and his TV show idea where he hunts and kills Billy Ray Cyrus
wahahhaha I would love to see both- these 2 men drives me nuts!
“A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. Do you think when Jesus comes back he’s gonna want to see a fucking cross?”
or
“[about three rednecks who met him after a show where he made a joke about Christians]
Bill Hicks: [imitating them] “Hey buddy, we’re Christians, we don’t like what you said.”
Bill Hicks: [in his own voice] I said “Then forgive me”.”
The man was a genius – and yeah, I can definitely see him in the same category as George Carlin.
Though I think Doug Stanhope is the new Bill Hicks. If you guys don’t know him – you should.
Thanks Yoni, I will look into this Doug Stanhope fella
He is actually darker than Hicks. I loved him in his cameo in Louie (Louis CK’s show).
This is my favorite bit of his: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAVyiJ1SINE
Oh, and Gav – Keep up the good work – I love your stuff 🙂 way to go!
I must have seen him cos I’ve watched every episode of Louie – love it
Hell yeah! Louis CK is the best thing out there nowadays IMO. Brilliant Television.
Doug Stanhope plays the friend that wants to commit suicide. So befitting him…
Ever since I heard it, I use one of Stanhope’s Jokes to see if a potential girlfriend has a sense of humor compatible with mine (warped).
Q: “What do anal sex and spinach have in common?”
A: “If either one is forced on you as a child, you probably won’t like it as an adult”
TREASURE!
I encountered (and fell in love with) this idea through Douglas Hofstadter’s book “I Am a Strange Loop”. So if you like this, and want to see it with more philosophy, more math, and (a little) less comedy, I recommend that book.
This is also a recurring theme in Carl Sagan’s famous documentary series “Cosmos” (soon to be re-made with Neil Tyson! So excited!)
…in retrospect, all three men had/have (Hofstader is still alive) probably been on LSD.
Sounds interesting thanks Dale
I would just ad – a strange Feedback loop. Feedback loops is one of the mechanism Nature Balances itself. But many human societies completely miss this point. Democracy without people directly influencing each and every important decision is a joke.
Interesting, as I adored Hicks and loved this whole bit (even though I didn’t relate much knowing to his positive lsd story) and it was a pleasant surprise to see this illustrated today, at a time when the message makes more sense.
Inspired by so much dialog on the Web about the stories we tell, what led me to search Google for bits on this bit was Korten’s essay on Religion, Science, and Spirit: A Sacred Story for Our Time http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/religion-science-and-spirit-a-sacred-story-for-our-time and this also led me to Neal Walsch’s essay on the Holy experience http://www.nealedonaldwalsch.com/ Together, they have something in common with this feedback loop, but I’m not entirely sure what yet. LSD may have been a small part, but I suspect it’s something integral to all of us. Thanks for yet another microcosm to explore.
I haven’t read “I am s Strange Loop” but judging by the reviews on goodreads.com, I’m guessing that Hofstadter’s premise and Hick’s “Positive LSD story” are not the same idea. Again, this will require further examination.
A Bill Hicks comic strip on my birthday. Best fucking present ever.
Sweet happy bday
So he is to Canada and the UK as Jerry Lewis is to France?
Actually, I think Jesus would appreciate seeing his people wearing crosses. “Good, you remembered.”
As much as holocaust victims would love to see Zyklon B container?
Not love, appreciate.
Embarassed to say i had not heard of him until I saw your comic. now have just spent the whole morning googling him alternating between laughing and shaking my head that so many people were blind to his message. Thanks for educating me Gav!
My work here is done
I have to say this is my favorite comedian/person ever. This guy has inspired me in so many ways. He brings thought to the forefront of our minds instead of letting us walk around in a dreary mind numbed state of the bullshit that has been fed to us. This guy was the true American. The problem with Bill Hicks is that America wasn’t ready for him and they never will be. As long as people are still praising mediocrity and banality like Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers, Skrillex, or just anyone who has a lack of talent.
Yep it’s prob gotten worse if anything – imagine what Bill would have thought about reality TV???
Hi, I’ve had you on my ‘toolbar favourites’ since Phil Plait helped you go viral. I say ‘helped’ because I’m pretty sure your webcomic would have gotten popular under its own steam soon enough. Excellent work.
I have one suggestion regarding comments; could you please give us a button allowing us to show ‘oldest comments first’ or some such.
Keep up the good work.
jj
You’re right – i just changed comments so that they read from oldest to newest – thanks for the suggestion.
I love this so much! Bill Hicks is one of my favorite people ever!
Your hosntey is like a beacon
I remember listening to this bit on the last track of Tool’s album: Aenima. As a young child I grappled with it and it challenged me to expand my definition of existence, and my role in that existence. Not role where I’m a passive observer where things happened /to me/ but instead I happened /to existence/.
I had no idea who this was originally from, but I also remember hearing it on the Aenima album, which was my life’s anthem during the years of 1999-2001. I instantly recognized this from that after reading half of the first sentence.
Cant go past the rant about his EX and him on tv being the last thing she see’s before she dies. haha smiling like an idiot just thinking about it.
Whatchoo readin’ for? That’s my favorite Hicks routine.
HAHA looks we got ourselves a reader
Nice one, that’s the specific quote that got me into Bill Hicks, thanks to Tool. My favorite one is Dinosaurs in the Bible though 😛
Love that bit too!
We need to keep reminding ourselves of this great man!
A truly great man and skeptic, who’s opinion is just as valid today as it was back then. A man years ahead of his time and will always be relevant.
I’m also sure he’d be right behind my relentless campaign against homeopathy and the capitalist peddlers of pseudoscience who pray on the sick and vulnerable – although he did believe in some fairly out-there stuff, just not using it for financial gain.
Feel free to have a look yourselves and opinions will be gratefully received. Would love to know if fans of Bill Hicks agree with me or not:
http://londonskeptic.org.uk/homeopath-london
The man was a legend and will never be forgotten.
Cheers,
London Skeptic
This quote was sampled in the Tool song “Third Eye”, which is what introduced me to Hicks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zV78IgXzB0
Same here!
Hicks indeed has some darker visions of life,i dunno maybe too much depressing. First encounter of quote was in one of the songs from 1200 micrograms and later in Third Eye from Tool
Have you seen the Bill Hicks page in Garth Ennis’
Preacher 31?
In the video you linked he had an interesting viewpoint, but only the very very end was kinda funny. The rest of it was just an honest-to-God rant about drugs in the news. It wasn’t a quirky story with a funny punchline, it was just a rant. I can see why he wouldn’t be successful with a small audience.
This is one of my favorite Bill Hicks quotes. He had a peculiar view of the world and a greater wisdom for life. Thanks for spreading his word and legacy.
I appreciated the venom Hicks approached life with. His rant about marketers comes to mind every time I see an advert on a milk carton label or shoved in front of an internet video or included in a firmware upgrade.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2QXBd1i4KI
Hey. I appreciate what your trying to do here, but don’t water down Bill Hicks.
Bill was not so much a comedian, he was a true visionary. Carlin was ok, but Lenny Bruce was Bill’s only real peer.
You just gave me an insight into how devout Moslems must feel when infidels start cartooning Mohammed.
As for darker & angrier… I felt more loved by Bill Hicks than anyone else I never met. Leave Bill’s material to Bill. This pale, diluted pastiche of it is an insult to his memory.
I thought his “Life is a Joy Ride” bit was pretty good
I don’t like his delivery on the excerpt you linked.
this one is much funnier imo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX1CvW38cHA
Bill Hicks… underrated genius!!
Bill Hicks was a true american hero and his wisdom will live forever, so its hard to pinpoint a favorite! But for sure one if my favorite part is about playing mini golf while tripping , or billy the giat boy, but just thinking about favorites makes me remember so much of his amazing routines, and the one thing that stands out for me personally is his everlasting presence whenever I feel the need for a dose if reality
Do goat boy?
Regarding Bill Hicks, what I feel bad about is how Denis Leary essentially STOLE Bill’s act and ran with it. When I first saw Denis Leary on something other than an MTV show, I thought he was a genius. Then, I saw Bill Hicks, and saw that it was older than Denis’ show, and got PISSED at Mr. Leary for stealing someone else’s act/style.
This post speaks to me on a different level, perhaps not as was intended. It makes me think how the most extraordinary experiences in life are clouded by the regular and the mundane that we begin to forget the reality of such experiences. Must be a fake, we think, a T.V that talks about weather could not have possibly realized the greater truth of life. What’s more, we do it to ourselves daily. Diminish our worth because we are a part of the ordinary, forgetting that we still have the power to stand out.
Just discovered your site. I love it. Huge Bill Hicks fan. Looking forward to navigating through more of your stuff. Thanks!
BTW, my favorite Bill Hicks routine is a tie between this and the other one you illustrated – “Fear and love.”
I need to urge you to eventually proceed with your extraordinary posts, have a pleasant weekend!
I had no idea who this was originally from, but I also remember hearing it on the Aenima album, which was my life’s anthem during the years of 1999-2001. I instantly recognized this from that after reading half of the first sentence.
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I’ve long had an appreciation for Bill Hicks’ stand-up, especially his takes on religion. I’m an Episcopalian. I love my church and I hold fast to my faith, but when someone as thoughtful as Hicks takes it to task, you’re almost forced to take notice and listen. Hicks’ spiritual/metaphysical views have a lot of the Christian Gospel in them and he always referred to Jesus as one of the “good guys.” It makes me sad that he, like so many others, had this faith obscured by half-baked theology and unreasonable, suppressing dogma as he grew up.
These ideas that we’re all one, that the trappings of the world are just that – traps- and we’re t live in common peace and goodwill are not exclusive to Jesus, but He had them and expressed them. Hicks knew it and he knew Christians were supposed to know and live that life. Yet, we often do the complete opposite in the name of our faith. Day by day I try to be a better Christian, to live deeper in the core tenants of “The Way” and folks like Hicks help me immensely.
I just wish I could thank him face to face.
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A truly great man and skeptic, who’s opinion is just as valid today as it was back then. A man years ahead of his time and will always be relevant.
http://worthreview.com
Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair.
If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of heaven for kindling the first fire upon earth, how ought all the gods honor the men who make it their professional business to put it out?
Thank you Gavin for your “BILL HICKS: A positive LSD story” comic post
http://vuelosdelalma.blogspot.com/2013/11/kampung-inggris-pare-kediri.html