I don't know how I missed this and never saw news or info about this event but February 26th marked the 20 year anniversary of the passing of comedian Bill Hicks. I don't know many comedians because I do not find many of these funny men funny so I generally stay away. As has been said many times before, Bill Hicks was ahead of his time and changed comedy for better or worse. He existing in a time before the Internet, his criticism of government, religion, marketing, corporatism, war and misinformation was a lone voice. His rants were well informed and backed by little known facts (at the time) and delivered with rage to an unaccepting American audience. While he only played to small audiences, especially in his home country of the United States (he had a much larger and accepting following (of his anti-US government/military views) in the UK and Australia), his voice was never heard by the masses. His opinions were not in line with the views that are needed for broadcast airtime to receive a larger audience and as I said above, before the Internet, a tool that has since help spread his comedy and message. As time goes on he becomes more relevant as his warnings come true and leaked government documents continue to reveal the corporatocracy in which we live in today. It is tragic that we lost his voice years prior the fall of the towers and the ensuing endless War of Terrorism, NSA and government spying, and the deception and slow crumbling of international democracy. But we still have his words. Even though he spoke of a different time, they are very much about today.
Below is a fantastic documentary American: The Bill Hicks Story on the life and comedy of Bill Hicks as well as a HBO Special, an interview on Austin Public Access, and a send off from one of his shows (at the end of his act he would often leave the audience with a message or a statement to take home and think about).
WILLIAM MELVIN "BILL" HICKS
December 16, 1961 - February 26, 1994
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