Depending on your age, you’ll either know Bill Hicks (and have probably watched every routine he’s ever done) or you’ll have no idea who he is. If that’s you, now is a good time to get to know a truly heroic American who (along with legend George Carlin) was probably one of the greatest stand up comedians who has ever lived.
Like Carlin, Hicks’s routines dealt with religion, politics, spirituality, and social issues (including drugs). He blended hilarious satirical swipes at the system with moving and profound nuggets of wisdom, such as his famous ‘Life is just a ride’ speech.
The great thing about Hicks’s stand-up material is it never seems to get old. Here is Bill back in his glory days, talking about positive aspects to taking drugs. Marijuana may have been legalized in much of the USA, but it continues to be highly illegal worldwide, with smokers facing jail time just for personal possession in many countries. So as the War on Drugs continues and new debates about the legalization of psychedelics spring up, this archive footage still has a lot to offer any free-thinking person. In fact, most Hicks fans would probably say his material is more relevant now than it was at the time. Sadly, Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer in 1994, but his words live on. Do you agree with him? Let us know in the comments.
Warning: Bill Hicks liked to be controversial, and the video contains explicit content and swearing which some readers may find offensive.
Image Credit: Flickr, CC Ryan Brunsvold
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