How many comedians have received personal invitations to contribute their one-liners to the massive Comedy Central Jokes.com database? I don't know the answer to that. But I do know that when Dan Bialek got his invite, he clicked over to the site and saw this (actually, Bialek was kind enough to omit the Harland Williams helmet strap joke out of this screengrab, which appeared below Carlos Mencia). I know, right? Right?!
Let's put aside the Mencia/Shaffir/Rogan incident for a moment. Because we all know that's a super-hack joke they put next to Mencia. And sandwiching Hicks between Mencia and The Amazing Johnathan...well...that is amazing. I can only suspect that the person in charge of swapping in and out the bits thought this would be really hilarious as an inside jokey joke. In fact, the Jokes.com lineup below today's featured video and "spotlight" now has Bill Hicks on top, followed by Patton Oswalt, Demetri Martin and Zach Galifianakis. Happy now, everybody?! (This is where I LOL on my insides)
Today is the 15th anniversary of the day stand-up comedian Bill Hicks died. Over in the U.K., comedy club Jongleurs in Camden held a tribute show last night. Tonight, his childhood friend Dwight Slade performs at Cap City Comedy Club in Austin, Texas, with a special screening of the 2007 tribute film, "Squeegee Your Third Eye," and a Q&A session. And as trends go, it's not surprising to see people have a dedicated Twitter hashtag for #billhicksday.
Will have more to say on this later, but here is a link to edited footage of David Letterman acting very gracious with Mary Hicks, mother of the late comedian Bill Hicks, before airing the Oct. 1, 1993 set Hicks performed that got cut from the initial broadcast. Click here, or watch here:
Mary Hicks, mother of the late Bill Hicks, is taping an appearance this afternoon onLate Show with David Letterman that will air Friday and include the twelfth and final performance by Hicks that the show had censored back in 1993. Why the change of heart now? We'll find out soon enough. Next month is the 15th anniversary of his early death, with events planned in England (the Brits always loved Hicks) and in Portland, Ore. (where childhood friend/comedian Dwight Slade lives). And later this year, the British-produced documentary American: The Bill Hicks Story should make it to the big screen.
In this segment from an earlier documentary about "Outlaw Comic" Hicks that I recall seeing at the HBO Aspen festival in 2002, Janeane Garofalo says in a voiceover how Mary Hicks received the only existing tape of the set from CBS and the show, but they couldn't use it at the time. Instead, they show part of the final performance ever from Hicks in 1994. Were he alive today, you can imagine how he'd feel about Miley Cyrus...
And in this public access TV appearance, Bill Hicks himself talks at length about his disputed appearance on Letterman:
HBO Comedy features an early-morning treat at 5:25 a.m. Tuesday with the rebroadcast of Rodney Dangerfield's 1987 young comedians' special, "Nothin' Goes Right." What makes this special special? How about an early look at what would become Andrew "Dice" Clay, on the same lineup with Bill Hicks, Carol Leifer, Dom Irrera, Robert Schimmel and Lenny Clarke. Haven't seen this show in a year or so, but I can tell you already that Clarke's bit about terrorist hijackers might not wear its age so well. Let's give the whole episode a new look-see and reconvene here tomorrow.
