Is Bill Hicks responsible for Margaret Cho?

[Drake Tungsten]

Until tonight, I'd never really watched Bill Hicks perform. He died when I was 15 and wasn't really that popular while he was alive, so it's understandable that I missed out on him. As I had no way of judging, I just kind of took it on faith when people said he was funny, that he was one of the greats. And now I've found out just how wrong that perception was...

One of the boring Canadians (can't remember which one) posted a YouTube link to a Bill Hicks bit in the Conservapedia thread. I watched it and didn't think it was funny. I figured maybe it was just a lame bit, the kind only a Canuck could find humorous, so I decided to give him another chance. Thanks to the glory of YouTube, it's easy to watch old Bill Hicks bits, which I've been doing for the last few hours. And I still don't see why people think he's funny.

From everything I've seen, Hicks is one of those leftwing comics that people of a similar political stripe enjoy because they say the right things and hate the right people, not because they're actually funny. Today, the leading practioners of that kind of "comedy" are people like Margaret Cho and Janeane Garofalo. You know, comics your average English professor adores but no one else really thinks is funny.

I always figured these kinds of acts were a symptom of our polarized modern society, but seeing Hicks say the same kind of crap about George H.W. Bush that comics say about George W. Bush today makes me wonder just how early this subgenre of comedy started to develop. How far back does it go? Was Hicks the prototype? Can the sins of Margaret Cho be laid at this feet? Or do I have to go even farther back to find the person who's to blame? The input of all you elderly posters is requested...

[Drake Tungsten]

This documentary about Bill Hicks (narrated by Janeane Garofalo) is what really convinced that Hicks and his fans must of been douches. That might be mostly the fault of Garofalo's commentary, though. Judge for yourself...

[Dis]

Jeanine Garafolo isn't so bad. At least she was decent in the 90's. She's gotten more left wing, but I'm not sure if she uses that in her standup. I'm only going by a HBO special.

As for Margaret Cho, I can't remember anything by her. But I seem to remember being kind of funny. Just not realy funny.

[Fake Boris]

So people don't like comics when their political satire don't fit their views? You've really taught us something today.

[Drake Tungsten]

Thank you for putting your philosophy-honed mind to full use in crafting that erudite and thought-provoking response...

[Fake Boris]

Glad to be of help.

[Bkeela]

I admire Bill Hicks for articulating ideas I had only thought about. Like when you have a strong opinion about something, but you have yet to refine it into a form whereby you could explain it to another person.

In some areas I very much disagree with him - as with his pro-smoking stance.

Although I find Bill Hicks clever, he doesn't make me laugh. No comedians make me laugh. Stuff like Scare Tactics makes me laugh.

[Pekka]

Drake, Umm let me take out the chart and prove you Bill Hicks is not funny *droool* look at this chart I tell you the index at point 2 shows us his performance in 1993 was a bit off and only 15% of audience found his points relevant and funny, where as an overwhelming 60% didn't get it. The people who didn't get it includ nobel prize winners and other jackasses who are important to me *drool* but look at how the high point of his career is after his death, now, I can show that......

In other words, cry me a river.

[Arrian]

I'm not familiar with Bill Hicks. I've never thought Margaret Cho was funny... she's distinctly unfunny, and I've never really understood how she makes money as a comedian. Janeane Garofalo was decent in some movies, but I don't recall if I've ever seen her doing standup.

-Arrian

[CrONoS]

Re: Is Bill Hicks responsible for Margaret Cho?

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

One of the boring Canadians (can't remember which one) posted a YouTube link to a Bill Hicks bit in the Conservapedia thread.

Hi! My name is CrONoS, how can I help?

btw, I got to knew Bill Hicks when I was really much younger, (around 19y old) in 1999.
In Quebec; they were no other humorist who was able to be so mean, funny and politically engaged. It was really a revelation for me. Also at 19y old, I was a leftist...

Even this day; one of his best jokes (the stunt man sketch) is always giving me smile. And in 2007, I don't know in your country, but there is no other french quebeckers humorist who were so mean spirited, and at the same times funny. (we have some left leaning humorist, but they are unfunny, predictable, and not mean)

Another thing; I'm a conservative; who would surely voted for republicans if he were an americans. But even with my political opinions, I really loves B. Hicks.

[CrONoS]

I suggest that for many americans, he was saying loudly what many people thought quietly, about your early "90 political debates". And he was very funny.

I remember one of his another sketch about the L.A. Riot!

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I don't remember Bill Hicks in fact my first thought was of Bill Paxton of Aliens fame.

I suppose one could draw parallels of Cho and the Alien creatures, equally funny and cute.

Strike that slight edge Aliens.

[padillah]

I listen to Yahoo radio and have a special station just for spoken comedy. I've heard most of Bill Hicks stuff and have no idea why people paid him. Even the audience isn't laughing for the most part.

Margret Cho was funny because she could make fun of Asian people when no one else could (cause she's Asian, so it's OK). Now that it's become more acceptable to take a joke, she's gone bye-bye in the face of people like Carlos Mencia and others.

Tom P.

[Pekka]

So it is decided, Bill Hicks was not funny. By majority vote, the debate is OVERrrrrr...

bye bye Bill, you sucked... your jokes sucked, your opinions sucked, your life sucked, your personality sucked. Jeesh, I wonder why people still talk about him? Let's talk about Jesus instead of Bill, at least Jesus had some dignity.

[Ninot]

I find it amusing that Drake claims to have watched hours of someone he found unfunny.

That's dedication.