David Letterman righted a wrong – over 15 years too late.
On Friday night’s The Late Show With David Letterman, a long standing controversy was finally put to rest. Letterman invited Mary Hicks, the mother of late comedian Bill Hicks, to be a guest on the program. He aired a routine Bill did back on October 1, 1993, which at the time ended up being cut from the broadcast and never shown to the public.
I’m sure many out there are asking “What controversy?” or “Who’s Bill Hicks?” Allow me to fill in some blanks.
Bill Hicks was a brilliant and an ahead-of-this-time comedian from the 1980s and early 1990s. Originally from Houston, Texas, his style involved enlightenment with a sledgehammer (figuratively of course). He challenged Americans, who were embroiled in a pointless war in Iraq (the first one) and who embraced mindless things like shallow pop-culture icons and automatic religious beliefs to think for themselves. He did so by delivering controversial comedy routines that under no uncertain terms pointed out how ridiculous society was. I like his personal description of his comedy best though, "Chomsky with dick jokes."
Nothing was sacred to this man. Religion, politics, sex, drug use, smoking, society, his parents, he said things that made even the most open-minded blush. He was also funny as hell. Through his gifts of timing, strange faces, making very weird noises with the microphone, and introspective material that not only make you laugh but made you think, he was a mastermind of a genre that at the time was dominated by Gallagher and Carrot Top. Needless to say, he didn't get Radio City Music Hall gigs.
He was a celebrity in England and Australia, who openly embraced his forward-thinking. In the U.S. though, he was often shunned, censored, and once two Vietnam veterans broke his leg once after a gig. Bill Hicks was never pleased with how he couldn't get through to his own country and the oppression he faced for expressing his beliefs.
In 1984, Bill Hicks' long history with David Letterman started. Hicks made a strong impression after his first appearance on what was then Late Night With David Letterman on NBC, which aired at 12:30. Letterman became a big fan. Hicks appeared on the NBC version of the show 11 times and his 12th appearance came on Letterman’s new show, The Late Show With David Letterman, which had premiered few months earlier on CBS in an 11:30 timeslot.
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Article comments
1 - El Bicho
While I enjoyed the routine, it seems rather obvious why a network, who wants their shows to appeal to the widest audience possible is going to cut this material.
Hicks makes fun of both religious and gay people, two groups sure to protest and make noise. He also joked about killing popular celebrities, who the network would like to have on their programs because they obviously outdrew Hicks in terms of audience.
I totally understand why Hicks was mad, but boo hoo. Be able to fill more than a comedy club and you may have some pull. That's the way show business works.
2 - abby
it wasn't that he was boohooing. it was that they lied to him - they approved the script for his performance TWICE and then robert morton called him an hour after taping to say the network didn't want it aired.
have a heart. they lied. the network denied it was their decision. morty covered for letterman, whom i love and have watched for 20 years. it wasn't sour grapes on hicks' part at all; it was the principle of the thing and david agrees which is why he is rectifying an injustice 15 years too late.
i read part of hicks' 39-page letter here.
3 - abby
my comment above is directed at the first commenter, not the blogger.
4 - abby
one more thing that adds context to this topic. found this following; it's a video of an interview bill hicks gave to a local cable access station shortly after the whole late show censoring matter. scroll down a little bit on page.
5 - Alice Jester
Thanks abby for the links!
6 - samarama
you know what,
he could fill a fucking arena in england.
so quiet the fuck down
it's the fact the networks think you americans are too fucking stupid to hear what he had to say.
long live bill hicks.
7 - El Bicho
"he could fill a fucking arena in england."
you know what, so could a soccer match and that gets poor ratings here as well.
"so quiet the fuck down"
Ah yes, shut up because I disagree with you. Way to be epitomize what Hicks stood against. He wouldn't want a fan as ignorant and close-minded as you.