American: The Bill Hicks Story

We need Bill Hicks again. I had a discussion with our own Franco about how some comedians after 20 years or so, now looking back at their comedy just does not connect today. Look at Pee Wee Herman or Andrew Dice Clay for those examples. On the other hand I have now seen this new DVD which is a retelling of Bill Hick's life told from friends and family of the dead comedian. While Andy Kaufman died too young he was a performance Artist...Bill Hicks died of cancer at the young age of 33. The documentary is weird...it has way too much production and animation...I guess an old friend of his is into graphics...because you see animations and pictures move but you never see the people that are talking, talk...I like seeing people talk and actual lips moving...we are limited to seeing some great clips of Bill Hicks stand up...he started at age 13 and stand-up in adult comedy clubs at 15...his story is a great rise, a sad addiction to drugs, a great sober rise again and then a sudden death.

But go back to his comedy especially his last 8 years or so and you see a genius at work...he held up a mirror to the American Dream..he was a great patriot but never trusted to sale of goods that governments and companies have tried to sell us. In one scene he goes to Waco during the FBI take over of the Koresh Compound to be able to use it in his routine...Go to you tube and see some of his comedy...there is no one close to the commentary he describes...maybe Louie CK...but Louie doesn't do a lot of political commentary. Hicks discusses drugs, war, celebrity, music, advertisement, religion...and does it as if fire and truth are permeating through his every pore...he is more philosopher then comic...we at SMC miss him.