This thread is a tribute to my favorite comedian/social commentator.
Like Lenny Bruce, Sam Kinison and Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks spoke his truth. He didn't just do jokes that the audience wanted to hear. He didn't hide behind evasions or excuses -- if he thought something was wrong (the War on Drugs, the Persian Gulf War), he said so and he meant it. He had the courage during the 1980's to come on stage and say things like, "I do drugs and I smoke. I am the Surgeon General's worst f****n' nightmare." He wasn't afraid to be unliked. He had confidence in his thoughts and opinions and the self-confidence to express them in a way that got people laughing and thinking.
As with Jimi Hendrix, Bill Hicks is more popular in death than in life. Rykodisc sold 750,000 copies of his CD's last year. There is a movie in the works about his life. His DVD, Sane Man came out late last year to critical raves. Two books have been written about him: American Scream by Cynthia True and Agent of Evolution by his friend, Kevin Booth.
Despite his bouts of cynicism, Bill believed in evolution. He believed that we could feed the hungry, clothe and shelter the naked, and progress to the point of "exploring space in peace, forever." He believed that psychedelic drugs opened windows not only to the soul but the cosmos as well.
For all those reasons--and so many more--Bill Hicks is one of my heroes.