William Melvin "Bill" Hicks
(Dec. 16, 1961 - Feb. 26, 1994)
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We
had the opportunity to meet Bill Hicks years before he became nationally
known. One week in Chicago, sometime back in the mid eighties, Bill
was working the Funny Firm and we were at the Improv. The clubs were a
couple of blocks away from each other but since we went on at about the
same time we wouldn't be able to catch his act. But the Funny Firm did
three shows on Saturday and we only did two so maybe we'd get a chance
to catch his show. But as the week went on, we became reluctant. Let
us explain.
Many local comics
went to catch Bill's act throughout the week. Chicago was our hometown
so a lot of those comics popped over to the Improv to commiserate. Across the board,
without exception, their reviews of his act were less than stellar.
"Dirty, condescending, not funny." We heard that the Funny Firm's
customers were demanding their money back and or walking out on his
act. It didn't sound like a pretty sight.
We had just
finished our last set on Saturday when the doorman told us that Bill
had come to check us out. Apparently, he walked off stage at the Funny
Firm around ten minutes into his set. The doorman told us that Bill
thought we were fucking hilarious. We were tired and really just
wanted to go home but now we felt that, out of respect and common
courtesy we should at least pop in to catch, at least, a couple of
minutes of his third set.
The Funny Firm was half filled. There
was tension in the air from the audience, the wait staff; all because
their headliner just bailed on the previous show and who knew if he was
even going to go on for this one. Finally, Bill Hicks was announced.
He took the stage and did his act to virtual silence, save for the two
of us. We laughed and at times just sat there, our mouths agape at his
brilliance. What we saw that night was the closest any comic came to
genius. It was one of the best live shows either one of us ever saw.
After the show, we apologized profusely about the Chicago audiences he
got, as if we were somehow spokesmen for the city. We gushed our
praises, telling him to put his show up on Broadway, some venue more
suited to his act. Bill's act was more like a theater piece, one of
those one-man shows that sticks with you the rest of you life. And yes,
he was funny. Very funny.
Though Bill
Hicks' act was very different than the kind of act we did, he was a big
influence on us. After seeing his incredible set, we started worrying
less about getting laughs and more about trying to say something. For
that, we remain eternally grateful. We believe that he wanted to
transcend the role of the comic. We think he succeeded.
Steve and Leo
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