Always liked Bill Hicks I remember how controversial his stuff was 20 yrs ago
Everyone with a TV read this (Bill Hicks) Page 3
Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 27 2011, 5:04 PM BSTNah, other stuff too, about creationists, drugs, rednecks, airplanes, all sorts. There's one famous gag about Christians wearing a cross, comparing it to JFK:
"A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a cross? It's like going up to Jackie Onassis wearing a rifle pendant."
Quote: Dave Wax @ August 28 2011, 1:51 AM BSTLiked Bill Hicks back when he was around & have taped the shows tonight.
But I can see why people wouldn't understand the all the hype nowadays.
He always had something to say, which is great to see, but when I listen back to some of his routines now, I don't really laugh very much, if at all.
It's clever & passionate & confrontational but not always that funny.
If I hadn't seen him & he was recommended to me now I don't think I'd understand what all the fuss was about.
The same as this. Thought he was pretty mesmerising, what I saw of him on TV at the time, but, not hugely funny, tbh. He was I'd say, the extreme type of stand up you'd CALL a stand up, not a comedian. I saw him as more of a performer, a theatrical one man show. A tragedy he died so young because I could see him being in some very hard hitting movies, not just MM style documovies but thrillers as well, had he wanted to, that is.
Didn't see the show, but hopefully it gets repeated again soonish. BBC4 are pretty good on repeats.
Quote: Jack Daniels @ August 27 2011, 5:03 PM BSTThere's a special place in Heaven reserved for people like Stott.
Sootyj, I figured as much.I thought you'd dig him Lee, really, I believe, this link; www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytnujFxBotw
is the funniest two minutes in the history of stand up.Give him another whirl Lee, now you're a bit older some things may resonate. One Night Stand isn't the best (That would be Relentless or Rant In E-Minor) but still, it's pretty funny for a fluffed up, edited TV piece.
Even his sets from when he was 21 are pretty edgy, like Stott says not outwardly political, but definitely social/religous satire - Not actual religon itself, more of peoples role-play attitude towards it.
What always set him apart for me personally, in my teens when you're at that phase where you're not yet jaded, and you're finding your voice and you become inspired by artists. Like Bukowski's novels, or The Doors' L.A Woman or Scorcese, or whatever, and you realise that somebody is so great at what they do, it gives you an adrelalin rush. That's why I have so much respect for his work.
The man wore his heart on his sleeve, no commercial agenda, no compromise or crowdpleasing hack middle-of-the-road observations to keep the 'wholesome' pretend-to-be-sensitive and pretend-to-be-offended majority happy. Just pure mastery of an artform. Put credibillity before financial gain. Truly gained critical appreciation post-humously, which is a shame, but kind of bittersweet in keeping with his worldview.
It can be a truly brilliant experience when you find a single artist/person who really moves you, engages you and even changes the way you look at the world.
Isn't almost everyone 'edgy' or 'iconoclastic' or a 'nonconformist' today? We're getting to the point, perhaps we got there a while ago, where even the mainstream considers itself rebellious and we get stuck with the likes of Russell Brand.
Quote: Jack Daniels @ August 28 2011, 3:09 AM BSTYou assume wrong Vader. He is funny, although, laughter isn't the obvious equation for stand up. Someone who doesn't give a shit may think funny = laughter, but not really, people laugh at You've Been Framed. People laugh at a fart in a school exam.
I've had many a time in a comedy club where I'm watching someone and thinking 'I'm really enjoying this' but I'm not actually laughing. But I'm entertained.
The Basic Instinct joke isn't about Basic Instinct, it's the subtext of test audiences determining the edit of a film being ridiculous, and the fact phoney debates and hysteria are whipped up over the flimsiest of non-issues.
I never said his fans overlooked the fact he isn't that funny on a conscious level. But if you didn't agree with what he was saying then you wouldn't find him anywhere near as funny, whereas with someone like Stewart Lee, I might not agree with what he's saying, but I do find him funny.
The other factor is of course the way famous people are deified if they die young, and people build them up into something they're not.
Quote: Vader @ August 28 2011, 2:36 PM BSTBut if you didn't agree with what he was saying then you wouldn't find him anywhere near as funny,
Yeah, I see what you mean with that, his bits held potential to alienate, or simply piss off, quite a lot of people.
No his strucutre and timing is good enough to still work even without sympathy.
He's good but I find his delivery a little slow and he seems to overwork his gags. Plus his banging on about fundamnetalist Christians lost me a bit.
(nb no one seriously thought Dubya Snr was a proper born again or even his son, more sharp witted advantage takers).
Quote: Westcountryman @ August 28 2011, 1:54 PM BST
You seriously don't get that?
Quote: Vader @ August 28 2011, 1:57 AM BSTand overlook the fact he's not that funny.
People who find him funny find him funny; end of story.
I tried watching this live but fell asleep.
During attempt #2 today, my mind must have wandered. I found myself doing the dishes barely 10 minutes into it.
I'll try again tomorrow. The bath needs cleaning.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 28 2011, 5:16 PM BSTYou seriously don't get that?
It didn't seem to show much insight to me; lets say it isn't the sort of thing that would get a Christian really thinking about his faith. Not a terrible joke I suppose though.
I had the almost opposite view to Vader. I found Bill Hicks to be funny enough for a stand up comedian, though I don't much enjoy stand up comedy, from the YouTube videos posted. I wouldn't say I was bowled over by his intellectual and satirical insight though.
You are my enemy!
You completely miss the point of the subjects you talk about.
You know why I don't offer my opinion on Tennis? It's because I know nothing about it. If I watched a few YouTube clips of tennis matches and said 'seems to me like they're just playing ping-pong on a 5-a-side football pitch' it would show two things:
1.) I am an idiot.
2.) I shouldn't comment on things I don't have a full grasp on.
Quote: Jack Daniels @ August 29 2011, 1:28 AM BSTYou are my enemy!
You completely miss the point of the subjects you talk about.
You know why I don't offer my opinion on Tennis? It's because I know nothing about it. If I watched a few YouTube clips of tennis matches and said 'seems to me like they're just playing ping-pong on a 5-a-side football pitch' it would show two things:1.) I am an idiot.
2.) I shouldn't comment on things I don't have a full grasp on.
Tell me, are you an Orthodox or Revisionist Hicksian? If you look at what I posted I only actually offered an opinion of what I had watched, which were offered as highlights and then I only said I wasn't bowled over. Does this make me an enemy of the Drolletariat?
If you thought ping-pong was boring I'd say you might well find tennis boring. If you find ping-pong exciting...well you need help.
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To be be fair to Bill though, he seemed to be more interesting than most of the comedians you get these days.
I'm still not sure what it is I didn't grasp? If I said I was very familiar with Hicks, would it have made a difference?
Quote: Jack Daniels @ August 29 2011, 1:28 AM BST'seems to me like they're just playing ping-pong on a 5-a-side football pitch'
Seems about right though
Haha, almost too accurate for the point JD was making!
Quote: Westcountryman @ August 29 2011, 1:40 AM BST
Tell me, are you an Orthodox or Revisionist Hicksian?
I'll tell you what I am. I'm someone who recognises that you're a pseudo intellectual who likes to quote books and authors and concepts you've probably only half-digested in the last few years and now regurgitate in online discussion.
I read the original reply you left, and I've since read your witty revision made an hour and half later when the word "Drolletariat" popped into your head.
I'm not going to defend Bill Hicks' back catalogue because people a thousand times smarter than me or you have already done so over the last twenty years, it doesn't need me cheerleading it as the merit of his work speaks for itself.
Lots of people may or may not see his appeal and that's fine but to say things like "I guess he's funny, for a stand up comedian" is pompous, naive and really doesn't dignify a reply.
I read and replied to the absolute puerile nonsense you wrote about the moon landings so I'm not getting drawn into this one.
I made the thread because the documentary was on TV and people familiar, or not, with him may have enjoyed it.
You say the clips you saw displayed no insight or satire, fair enough, had he lived for longer maybe one day he'd have reached high enough to impress people on your plane of existence. I guess we'll never know.