Bill Hicks is not that funny. [Archive] - Movie Fan Central Discussion Forums

jackson13

11-20-2006, 10:21 PM

I cant wait for the shit storm to rain down on me for this one.

I love stand-up comedy. I collect it. I have countless cd's, vhs tapes, dvd's, shows taped off of tv.....I'm a literal fanatic.

For so long I've heard from so many people "so and so is funny, but he/she's no Bill Hicks." I heard "Denis Leary would be no one without Bill Hicks." I've heard "Bill Hicks is the best ever."

I disagree with all of that. I've seen Bill perform, and while he is funny, hes not THAT funny.

And dont anyone dare throw around the term "oh, you just dont get him." I hate that term. I get him 100%, he's just not that funny to me. If given a choice of watching Richard Pryor, or George Carlin, or Eddie Murphy, or countless others, I'd choose them over Bill anytime.

And dont anyone say "oh, hes not your type then." Cause that isnt true either. I like all types. I can watch Steven Wright, laugh my ass off at his dry humor, and then pop in a Ron White DVD and laugh my ass off at his type of humor as well. But Bill just seems like a random, typical, comedian to me. But one who just isnt that funny. Sure, I've gotten some laughs out of him, but nothing major.

He's just not that funny.

I had to get that off my chest. I feel better now.

bob

11-20-2006, 10:50 PM

I had a friend who would literally do entire Bill Hicks gags verbatim all the time. It got to the point where now I hate Bill Hicks, too. Give me Eddie Izzard any day.

notchreturns

11-20-2006, 11:56 PM

Comedy is pretty subjective. To me, though. There's Pryor, then Hicks... then everyone else.

Both of them just had an edge and were just full of an insane amount of energy and honesty.

Derek237

11-21-2006, 01:28 AM

I thought Bill Hicks was some kind of Allan Smithee.

Who's Bill Hicks?

Cronos

11-21-2006, 09:18 AM

i checked out quite a bit of his stuff after most of my friends kept going on and on and on and on about how funny he was

i didnt laugh once

Atlas1982

11-21-2006, 01:55 PM

I think his humour is for the jaded types who just want to yell at the world but keep quiet cuz they want to hear the next worse thing that is going on. I love Bill Hicks.

LordSimen

11-21-2006, 02:57 PM

Give me Dane Cook or Lewis Black any day. Only two stand up comedians who consistantly have me on the floor laughing.

someguy

11-21-2006, 03:11 PM

WRONG

jackson13

11-21-2006, 04:41 PM

Originally posted by LordSimen
Give me Dane Cook or Lewis Black any day. Only two stand up comedians who consistantly have me on the floor laughing.

Out of those 2, give me Lewis Black. Both were recently on Comic Relief 2006, and Cook basically bombed his set. The crowd wasnt full of drunk college students, and during the first half of his set they were practically dead silent. I thought THAT was hilarious and not Cook.

And someguy, which one of us is WRONG? Specify boy!

someguy

11-21-2006, 04:51 PM

Oh you're completely wrong, especially on the Leary part. The dude's a hack.

LedZeppelin1114

11-21-2006, 06:08 PM

Hicks is by far my favorite comic, because he was one of the comedians that worked hardest to use comedy as a tool to incite social change. Lewis Black does the same type of thing today, honestly, and is also brilliant. Dane is great for his energy, and honesty, and honestly gets too much flack because of his popularity.

jackson13

11-21-2006, 06:18 PM

Originally posted by someguy
Oh you're completely wrong, especially on the Leary part. The dude's a hack.

My own opinion is wrong?

Alrighty.

outsyder

11-21-2006, 06:29 PM

Lewis Black kicks ass. I could listen to him go on all day.

NuclearMisfit

11-21-2006, 06:44 PM

I think all comedians are hacks, they just rehash the same comedy bits for every show till its just not funny anymore.

someguy

11-21-2006, 06:55 PM

Originally posted by jackson13
My own opinion is wrong?

Yes

jackson13

11-21-2006, 06:58 PM

Alright, whatever.

You're not gonna get me all riled up.

someguy

11-21-2006, 07:01 PM

HIM sucks

LordSimen

11-21-2006, 07:06 PM

Originally posted by jackson13
Out of those 2, give me Lewis Black. Both were recently on Comic Relief 2006, and Cook basically bombed his set. The crowd wasnt full of drunk college students, and during the first half of his set they were practically dead silent. I thought THAT was hilarious and not Cook.

And someguy, which one of us is WRONG? Specify boy! Been to 3 Dane Cook shows and the crowd has been wild every time, it's great. Love Dane. Su-Fi!

Brando @$$ Fat

11-21-2006, 07:14 PM

Originally posted by jackson13
I cant wait for the shit storm to rain down on me for this one.

I love stand-up comedy. I collect it. I have countless cd's, vhs tapes, dvd's, shows taped off of tv.....I'm a literal fanatic.

For so long I've heard from so many people "so and so is funny, but he/she's no Bill Hicks." I heard "Denis Leary would be no one without Bill Hicks." I've heard "Bill Hicks is the best ever."

I disagree with all of that. I've seen Bill perform, and while he is funny, hes not THAT funny.

And dont anyone dare throw around the term "oh, you just dont get him." I hate that term. I get him 100%, he's just not that funny to me. If given a choice of watching Richard Pryor, or George Carlin, or Eddie Murphy, or countless others, I'd choose them over Bill anytime.

And dont anyone say "oh, hes not your type then." Cause that isnt true either. I like all types. I can watch Steven Wright, laugh my ass off at his dry humor, and then pop in a Ron White DVD and laugh my ass off at his type of humor as well. But Bill just seems like a random, typical, comedian to me. But one who just isnt that funny. Sure, I've gotten some laughs out of him, but nothing major.

He's just not that funny.

I had to get that off my chest. I feel better now.

Wait, let me get this straight....because you like other comedians, that means Bill Hicks sucks because you say so? Well, as logical as that sounds, I'm just going to have to go with the good 'ol theory that all comedy is subjective.

someguy

11-21-2006, 07:23 PM

By the way jackson I'm just dicking around and hopefully you get the reference.

Simen, have you heard any Bill Hicks albums? Just curious.

jackson13

11-21-2006, 08:01 PM

Originally posted by someguy
By the way jackson I'm just dicking around and hopefully you get the reference.

Simen, have you heard any Bill Hicks albums? Just curious.

I know. Thats why I'm not getting worked up over it. And I agree HIM sucks. I cant tell you the last time I listened to them. That was a phase I grew out of. They are nowhere near as good as they used to be.

"Wait, let me get this straight....because you like other comedians, that means Bill Hicks sucks because you say so? Well, as logical as that sounds, I'm just going to have to go with the good 'ol theory that all comedy is subjective."

No, I mean Bill Hicks is unfunny. It has nothing to do with liking other comedians or not. I just dont find him funny. I also dont find Paul Rodriguez, Paula Poundstone and countless others unfunny as well.

LordSimen

11-21-2006, 09:00 PM

I've heard Rant in E-Minor, Love, Laughter and Truth, and a majority of Dangerous. My friend loves stand up and I tend to hear many different comedians anytime I'm in his car. XD

Brando @$$ Fat

11-21-2006, 09:25 PM

Originally posted by jackson13
No, I mean Bill Hicks is unfunny. It has nothing to do with liking other comedians or not. I just dont find him funny. I also dont find Paul Rodriguez, Paula Poundstone and countless others unfunny as well.

Ok, I'll just ignore that and agree with the rest you said. I don't find Paul Rodriguez or Paula Poundstone funny either.

God, it sucks having to restrain yourself when someone targets one of your idols! Thank God if anyone did an anti-Scorsese rant they'd be ostracized forever.

Johnny Moreno

11-21-2006, 09:30 PM

I'm still on the fence with Bill Hicks, only because I haven't seen enough of his stuff. I seen his HBO special he did in Chicago and the one at the Montreal thing, some big fest they have for comedians (the name escapes me.) When I laughed I REALLY laughed, but then there were times I just didn't laugh at all. So I'll wait to listen to some more stuff to have a bottom line opinion on it.

I think he gets most of his respect because SOOOO many great comics were influenced by him.

Wow, all this talk of Dane Cook and no one mentions or posts the link for him ripping off of Louie CK?

When I first got into Dane, just this year, I loved him and listened to his shit a lot. I think I grew out of his style real quick though cuz his new stuff is just "eh" to me now.

The Insomniac Tour special was "mega" though.

My favorite stand up comic working right now has to be Dave Attell. Love that guy. Followed closely by Louie CK.

Criminal Rock

11-21-2006, 10:11 PM

It's all about Pablo Francisco, and Sarah Silverman... Though I understand why people don't like Sarah too much. Her jokes are dry, and slow... besides the fact that all her subject matter is either racist, or prejudice against some type of ethnic group.

But still. Pablo is the man.

jackson13

11-21-2006, 10:14 PM

Originally posted by Tai Mai Jew
It's all about Pablo Francisco, and Sarah Silverman... Though I understand why people don't like Sarah too much. Her jokes are dry, and slow... besides the fact that all her subject matter is either racist, or prejudice against some type of ethnic group.

But still. Pablo is the man.

I just watched his 'Ouch' special again that was on Comedy Central a couple weeks ago. He is hilarious. Glad to know other people know of him.

Criminal Rock

11-21-2006, 10:45 PM

Originally posted by jackson13
I just watched his 'Ouch' special again that was on Comedy Central a couple weeks ago. He is hilarious. Glad to know other people know of him.

well, he is an Arizonian like me... so I’ve known about him for a LONG time now. There aren’t many famous faces to come out of this state.

Psychocandy

11-23-2006, 02:46 PM

Is this what we've come to? The point we as a species have arrived at? Debating whether Bill Hicks is genius or hack. Oh..my...god.

stickmangrit

11-23-2006, 03:06 PM

Bill Hicks was stu-fucking-pendous. i'm honestly not seeing how you can love Lewis Black and not like Hicks, they basically have the same slant. Bill did have a tendency to carry the jokes a little too far(Goat Boy and self-fellatio being two glaring examples), but Smokers vs. Alcoholics is still one of the single most brilliant bits i've ever heard, to say nothing of Jesus and the Dinosaurs and anything he did on Iraq. and whilst Leary's No Cure for Cancer was a straight rip-off of Hicks, Rescue Me is still a kickass show.

HerbertWestPwns

11-24-2006, 12:28 AM

There's no love for David Cross in this topic. I fucking love him, grade A comedian IMO.

thedamnwolfman

11-24-2006, 09:06 AM

i would love David Cross with a baseball bat. Well at least push him really hard into something. That guy is a cock sucker. Jim Gaffigan is pretty consistant, but Lewis Black, Richard Pryor, and Mitch Hedberg are the only comedians i listen to over and over. Eddie Murphy's old shit is always good. Ron White is funnier then he should be. I hate myself for loving him.

Oh, Dane Cook is for White Capped Date Rapists, no thank you please.

The Heart Collector

11-24-2006, 11:27 AM

I heard a Bill Hicks album. It was like 60% funny, and then the rest was a bunch of hippie shit and a bunch of rock n' roll riffs for no apparent reason.

HerbertWestPwns

11-24-2006, 02:15 PM

Wolfman: Why the Cross hate, what is it you don't like about him?

thedamnwolfman

11-24-2006, 03:41 PM

I don't know, he is totally that guy. The guy who hangs around your friends and trys to fit in by joking with everyone the same way everyone else is joking, but you're like, hey dude i don't know you so shut the fuck up and he looks like he doesn't clean his ass very well.

He makes me understand why jocks beat up nerds. I have listened to him and preform and i have though to myself, "that nerd needs his ass kicked" and i'm a nerd!

therealjohng

11-25-2006, 03:57 PM

Bill Hicks ruled. Still listen to his stuff to this day.

jeo4

11-26-2006, 11:52 PM

Lewis Black fucking rocks. Bill Hicks would have laughed at him.

Bill Hicks isn't all that bad. But to say Denis Leary would be nobody without him smacks of a comment made by anyone who hasn't seen Leary's later standup and/or "Rescue Me".

someguy

11-27-2006, 07:05 AM

Basically Leary got his major success doing No Cure for Cancer which was a direct rip off of Hicks stuff. So yes, due to Hicks he has gotten somewhere.

Brando @$$ Fat

11-28-2006, 06:32 PM

Originally posted by someguy
Basically Leary got his major success doing No Cure for Cancer which was a direct rip off of Hicks stuff. So yes, due to Hicks he has gotten somewhere.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Why the hell is everyone mentioning Lewis Black? I like him too, but come on people....we're talking about a completely different comedian here. They're both angry, but Hicks was MUCH angrier and sarcastic than Lewis Black will ever be.

jackson13

11-28-2006, 08:04 PM

Speaking of Dane Cook earlier I was cracking up over a little quote of his in Entertainment Weekly this week. It goes like this:

"My jokes are inspired by things I see and go through in life or my friends go through. It can be something as mundance as wall writings in a stall or funny MySpace stuff."

I have a feeling EW cut the rest of the quote off and that it goes on to say "....and things Louis C.K. does in his act first."

Brando @$$ Fat

11-28-2006, 09:23 PM

Originally posted by jackson13
Speaking of Dane Cook earlier I was cracking up over a little quote of his in Entertainment Weekly this week. It goes like this:

"My jokes are inspired by things I see and go through in life or my friends go through. It can be something as mundance as wall writings in a stall or funny MySpace stuff."

I have a feeling EW cut the rest of the quote off and that it goes on to say "....and things Louis C.K. does in his act first."

That must suck for Lewis C.K. to know that Dane Cook, of all people, is stealing his shit. At least BIll Hicks died knowing that someone who was at least partially funny like Denis Leary was plagarizing his work.

ZenDude

11-29-2006, 11:12 AM

Thanks to YouTube, I got see many of Hicks' performances FREE - and even that wasnt worth it. He was merely "ok" and I wouldnt go out of my to see his stuff again.

LordSimen

11-29-2006, 07:05 PM

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
That must suck for Lewis C.K. to know that Dane Cook, of all people, is stealing his shit. At least BIll Hicks died knowing that someone who was at least partially funny like Denis Leary was plagarizing his work.

Dane Cook stole nothing form Lewis C.K.

someguy

11-29-2006, 07:12 PM

Your argument on that was weaker than a 2 year old, he stole from Louis C.K.

LordSimen

11-29-2006, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by someguy
Your argument on that was weaker than a 2 year old, he stole from Louis C.K.

The argument that he stole from Louis C.K. was far weaker than mine. They were different jokes. Different premise's (aside from the itchy asshole one) and different punchlines. The jokes also lead into totally different directions of one another. Dane Cook stole nothing from Louis C.K.

someguy

11-29-2006, 07:20 PM

Brief summary of both acts

Louis CK - I saw a guy going to get hit by a car, but I had no time to say anything that would make him know a car was coming

Dane Cook - I saw a guy going to get hit by a car, but I had no time to say anything that would make him know a car was coming

LordSimen

11-29-2006, 07:25 PM

Originally posted by someguy
Brief summary of both acts

Louis CK - I saw a guy going to get hit by a car, but I had no time to say anything that would make him know a car was coming

Dane Cook - I saw a guy going to get hit by a car, but I had no time to say anything that would make him know a car was coming

Dane Cook's joke is about wanting to see someone get hit by a car. Louis CK's joke is about a bicyclist going to hit a car door.

Dane Cook's joke talks about letting out a concerned moan, and the excitment he recieves from watching this guy get hit by a car.

Louis CK's joke is essentialyl all about wanting to say "stop" but not being able to.

Dane Cook's joke is more about wanting to see a guy get hit by a car. Louis CK's is about wanting to yell out something to help. TWO DIFFERENT JOKES.

Dane Cook did not steal anything from Louis C.K. Different premise', different focus, different punchline, different deliveries.

jackson13

11-29-2006, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by LordSimen
Dane Cook did steal from Louis C.K.

Thats more like it.

LordSimen

11-29-2006, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by jackson13
Dane Cook stole nothing from Louis C.K.

The truth.

someguy

11-29-2006, 07:48 PM

Simen you're so wrong here.

If you'll listen HERE (http://www.redban.com/audio/danesteals.mp3) again you can see how blatant Cook rips him off, especially in the kid names segment.

By the way what the hell kind of argument is that the delivery is different therefore it all is? Just because Dane Cook jumped around and CK didn't means they're black and white? The set ups to the jokes are pretty much 100% equal, just because one of them acted differently or used a different line doesn't excuse that fact.

LordSimen

11-29-2006, 07:52 PM

Originally posted by someguy
Simen you're so wrong here.

If you'll listen HERE (http://www.redban.com/audio/danesteals.mp3) again you can see how blatant Cook rips him off, especially in the kid names segment.

I've heard the jokes multiple times and they are still very different jokes. Dane Cook never says anything about wanting to fart out his itchy asshole and Louis C.K. never made a Star Wars reference in his naming kids joke nor did he ever say anything about the Transformers. THEY. ARE. DIFFERENT. JOKES.

I am not wrong about this, I've heard the jokes. They are different. I don't see how you can find them to be rip offs. Other than the basic idea about having a joke involving itchy assholes, a ar and naming your kids funny names (which arn't that uncommon ideas to begin with) I do not see how Dane stole ANYTHING from Louis C.K. A joke is not simply idea. It's a premise, a set up, a dellivery, a punchline. Dane Cook and Louis C.K.'s are all different.

someguy

11-29-2006, 08:01 PM

so essentially you are saying that

'Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side'

and

'Why did the chicken cross the road? To avoid being walked on'

are totally different as long as one is delivered with a little more pizazz than the other?

LordSimen

11-29-2006, 08:04 PM

Originally posted by someguy
so essentially you are saying that

'Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side'

and

'Why did the chicken cross the road? To avoid being walked on'

are totally different as long as one is delivered with a little more pizazz than the other?

Your example is a weak one, but yes, those are essentially different jokes to begin with. Same idea behind the joke, but the joke itself is different.

Brando @$$ Fat

11-29-2006, 10:51 PM

It's funny.....Denis Leary and Dane Cook are way more famous than Bill Hicks and Louis C.K.

Interesting how the world works.........

eljefe15

11-30-2006, 12:10 AM

I don't give a shit who stole from who. When Dane Cook comes on I change the channel. But Louis CK killed the Comic Relief show!

And for those that don't like it...

...go suck a bag of dicks!! :D

LordSimen

11-30-2006, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
It's funny.....Denis Leary and Dane Cook are way more famous than Bill Hicks and Louis C.K.

Interesting how the world works.........

Well, I can't comment on the Denis Leary/Bill Hicks thing because I havn't researched it, but as far as the Dane Cook Louis C.K. thing goes... Dane Cook is simply funnier. Louis C.K. is a funny guy, I like his stand up and his show Lucky Louie should never have been canceled, it's hillarious, but overall... Louis' jokes are hit and miss for me, while Dane is consistant. He always manages to have me on the floor in a consistant manner laughing.

BadCoverVersion

12-01-2006, 02:49 PM

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
]It's funny.....Denis Leary and Dane Cook are way more famous than Bill Hicks and Louis C.K.

Interesting how the world works.........

Bill Hicks is more successful/popular than Leary over here in the UK.

Hicks was commisioned for a Channel 4 series shortly before he died.

Brando @$$ Fat

12-01-2006, 04:34 PM

Originally posted by BadCoverVersion
Bill Hicks is more successful/popular than Leary over here in the UK.

Hicks was commisioned for a Channel 4 series shortly before he died.

I'm moving to England....

Jim H

12-13-2006, 01:03 PM

I think Bill Hicks delivery is poor, even though his material isn't bad. I can agree that Leary took a lot of stuff from him, but his delivery and timing is so much better he's a lot funnier.

The Heart Collector

12-13-2006, 10:26 PM

electriclite

12-14-2006, 10:52 PM

Eddie Murphy said that when he was a kid he would just use Richard Pryor jokes but subsitute stuff from his life into them.

A LOT of creative work practically plagarizes the people artists idolize, but what separates a straight up thief from someone whose just being inspired is that they take that work just to get their bearings and then cultivate an act all their own.

Why are some acts like Leary and Cook more famous than the guys they've "ripped off"? Well for one thing they look better for TV.

http://www.orlandoimprov.com/comics/cookd.jpg

http://www.louisck.com/LCK.jpg

http://img.timeinc.net/people/i/2005/features/magstories/051128/dleary.jpg

http://flakmag.com/opinion/images/billhicks.jpg

Who would you rather fuck?

Cause that's basically a lot of what TV comes down to. And if you can't get your face on the boob tube in people's home you aren't gonna get known real quick.

Hicks couldn't get on Letterman because he couldn't get past the censors for jokes that wouldn't make you blink. Meanwhile Leary was doing his 30 second shtick on those MTV bumpers and BOOM he's got the coveted 18-34 demographic in his pocket making him a star.

Dane Cook started in his 20's and built up from there, he's still young and so are his fans. Once again he has that profitable 18-34 demographic. His act mentions all those things they remember growing up and they like it.

Most people only knew of Louis CK cause of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and a lotta people STILL don't know that's him cause you don't see him

Just because 2 of those guys are more famous than the other two is not an indication of talent just the magic of television.

I like Dane more than Louis CK and I think Leary is funny, but I thought Hicks was brilliant. I also like to put cheetos in my tuna sandwiches, put pineapples on my pizza. But that's just my opinion and that's all that matters to me.