Bill Hicks Montreal 1991 Just For Laughs Funny

[themooddisorders]

Bill Hicks > Denis Leary anyday

[mikeisapro]

@JackEverton1878 Yeah I saw a few videos of Leary and that was enough for me. Fuck em.

Several comedians ripped bill off. But I don't think he would have minded. Often it's the ripoff of an idea. That's actually a good thing because it raises awareness of the idea/perception.

But ripping off a joke itself or a punchline is lame. At least take the idea and make your own joke out of it.

[mikeisapro]

It would be completely against his ideals.

I think he was very interested in buddhism especially towards the end of his life (and after the philosophical and metaphysical viewpoints which derived from his psychedelic experiences which were the seeds that , as he matured, bore fruit in the form of a sort of "enlightenment")

[mikeisapro]

@JackEverton1878 Yeah and you know what, just today I saw a commercial of Lewis Black hawking some product thats slipped my mind..and I recently have been watching some of his stuff because I saw an interview in which Carlin said he thought lewis black was funny (maybe he didnt say funny, but the point is he likes him)

I don't know, seems like everybody sells out if you get known enough. That's the great thing about Bill. Pure nonmainstream and non commcercial and never would, had he lived

[mikeisapro]

@JackEverton1878 What products did Carlin sell? I cant believe he would do that, considering his hatred of business in general. I agree Hicks was on "another level", is you mean spiritually. He was much more spiritual and "idealistic" (some see it as cynical, Carlin calls a cynic a "disappointed Idealist") They were both philosophers in a way. Both were artists, but Bill was more of an artistic type than Carlin. Carlin was much more productive-type person, with a dash of art/spirital/philosophic

[13flicto]

THEE Master!!!

[soulseeker300]

nope bill's better. sorry buddy.

[vcanucks22]

steven wright wish's he came up with the moth joke.

[SilentBud420]

lol how bout you pretend im workin.

[FifiDebord]

I have been watching Bill Hicks videos on Youtube all day because I wanted to learn more about him. I find it very sad. Because he died quite a long time ago many of his jokes about Pop Music and stuff (Debbie Gibson and Rick Astley) are not too relevant because I can't remember who they are very well. However when he makes jokes about the horrors of Iraq War and George Bush it is terrible. These things were beyond dreadful in the 90s AND THEN THEY HAPPENED AGAIN! Terrible Times!

[paydirt78]

@FifiDebord Just replace Debbie Gibson with Lady Gaga and Rick Astley with Justin Beiber

[goatman257]

" the unenviable position of being for the war but against the troops "

quality, observing how the media attempts to build support for the war by increasing sympathy for goon squads.

[vegaspoet]

for some great bill hicks stories told by ron shock, type in "the bill hicks chronicles" here on you tube.

[MrDuffy81]

He re uses a lot of material if u listen to much of his stuff.

[SoapClawtooth]

@MrDuffy81 I think when he was travelling from city to city playing to people who hadn't heard his stuff before he hadn't envisioned some dumb fuck sat on youtube watching all his videos and so guarded himself not to appear as though he was saying the same things over and over again.

[spudshaw64]

you look out on your/the world world and the birds are still singing

[Revanlation]

I gotta say, what a horrible fucking audience. No appreciation for the genius standing before them.

[MartinJWillett]

Oh be reasonable, he wasn't a comedy martyr then, just an act they had paid to see entertain them.

[2242bzo]

You fucking suck. Kill yourself.

[MartinJWillett]

What is your problem? Bill Hicks at this time was not a prematurely dead much missed "legend" who everybody has to pretend could do no wrong. He was a comedian doing his job and obviously in this case at least partially failing - he did not entertain his audience. His job description was not comedy god and teller of inconvenient truths, he earned his living entertaining people for money - whoring his intellect for filthy lucre. Get over yourself.

[2242bzo]

Does this mean you don't love me, anymore?

[lofty49]

failing depends on what you consider important, if you think putting across an opinion and having someone disagree with you is failing then i guess you're right.

[MartinJWillett]

He was a performer performing. His mission, for which he was paid, presumably quite well, was to entertain the audience in front of him who had paid to see him perform. I don't see what is so hard to analyse here. If I go to be entertained I expect to be entertained, I don't actually care whether or not I'm in the presence of a tortured misunderstood genius (I get that at home for free). What matters is the level of entertainment and the audience is the best judge of what it finds entertaining.

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett some cold piece a s~~t, entertain me baby?!

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire No, I prefer to suffer silently. The point of artists is not to suffer, that's easy, it is to create. A person who creates without suffering is better than one who suffers without creating. People who suffer without creating are not in short supply and are not much missed when they've gone. We remember Bill Hicks for what he created, not for how much he suffered, bled, pissed and moaned.

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett I brought up Vincent and Jesus as extreme examples of my point and in no way meant to set some kind of standard of suffering that "an artist must reach!!". As you say, that is a false ideal. What I am trying to show is that in your view vincent was a terrible failure. Which is simply not true, the only point in which he failed is, as you describe, he led a tragic life. However, happiness does not depend on any given dependant phenomenon.

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire Happiness comes by attaining goals. Some people manage it through great effort and a refusal to compromise, others manage it by believing that whatever happens is achieving their goals. Most people who refuse to compromise end up unsuccessful and unhappy. Van Gogh failed against his personal goals. As did Bill Hicks on that occasion. Neither of them is aware of your appreciation.

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett Happiness has nothing to do with goals, and is in fact all too often destroyed by the very thing you are preaching... the achevement of so called goals. This concept of compromise and so forth being aplied to other peoples lives is so dangerously generalising a deeply sublte topic that it only goes to expose what seems to be your own personal un-happiness

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire You're happy are you?

You understand what happiness is and what it's for?

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett Dear Sira, not being an artist, you wouldnt understand that an artist's raison d'etre, is entirely their own. These words, success/failure, they can only be implicated by the artist's self and the nature of their goal.

Any other relative judgement therefore amounts to nothing and is a representation of ignorance. ie the concept of entertainment, on the whole this idea is abhorent to an artist

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire The job of an impresario is to book entertaining acts who will entertain the audience that actually exists and pays for admission, not the ideal audience The Artist would like to exist or entertain. Booking a great suffering artist when the audience wanted an entertaining comedian is fucking up, the kind of fuck up that puts theatres out of business and sends great artists back to their garrets unfed and unfulfilled.

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett . Both impresario-ship and artistry are only to a small degree as you describe. Naturally everyone wants to have a sense of acceptance amongst their peers. But it remains evidentially clear, that the nature of an artistic spirit is not in line with generally accepted rationality. And that the raison d'etre of the artist, often is transcendental of common expectation and conformity to predictable standards.This is proven with respect to historical truths. Vincent Van, Jesus...

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire Jesus was not an artist.

Van Gogh was obviously trying to be a successful artist, that is why he painted on canvas he could not afford. It is now Conventional Wisdom that he was great. At the time it was general knowledge that he produced paintings people didn't want. He is the perfect marketable artist: he can't paint any more, he can't sell out or go off and he can't offend rich customers who know what other people say they like.

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett You completely wrong about Van Gogh, and have not done any reading into the topic. One point you are wrong about is his success, if he has not killed himself, he would have lived to see his own fame in the following few years of his life

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire Do you really think people would have reacted the same to tragic flaky semi-crazy living artist painting away like there's no tomorrow as they did to tragic flaky but safely dead artist? Riiiight.

“It's funny how most people love the dead. Once you're dead you're made for life.”

- Jimi Hendrix

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett Art work goes up in price after death because, most works have been sold, so the price goes up in order for the owner to make profit. Re: greater interest, people love a story don't they? Seeing as you haven't read anything about Van Gogh, I am offended on his behalf that you should call him crazy which he wasn't (Re: the letters & look at the paintings) & secondly his first brilliant review was written while he was alive and active.Please leave out presumptions and assumptions.

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire Van Gogh WAS crazy. Have YOU actually read anything about his life that wasn't written by people who thought the light of the world shone out of his bottom? Do you know what "le fou roux" did? An ability to paint does not prove that is a person is not depressed, bipolar, schizophrenic, suffering lead poising (from his unusual habit of eating his paints), temporal lobe epilepsy, tertiary syphilis or porphyria.

[rolandofherfordshire]

@MartinJWillett I see you are quite a debater, but again your sources are based on presumtions and are incorrect. I have personaly studied the life of Van Gogh, and also read his letters. On top of this I have an understanding of art, Knowing and dealing the work of many artists, of all kinds, as well as practicing art myself. Your concept of Crazy is also both offensive and delusional. I also take offence at your presumtious method of imagining any old thing about myself and arguing over it.

[MartinJWillett]

@rolandofherfordshire I take offence when people say I am ignorant just because I have a different opinion. My concept of crazy involves somebody who is acknowledged by themselves, their relatives, their friends and their acquaintances as mentally disturbed and needing help with their mental health. Crazy is a shorter word and most (other) people know what it means.

[2242bzo]

You're right. Let's make you a martyr. Go die for something.

[newguy90]

@Revanlation

Well of course. Racism, poverty, crime, consumerism, political corruption, hypocrisy, religious fundamentalism - these things don't exist in Canada. It's like describing the color red to a group of people blind since birth. All Bill can do is talk about the weather.

[n15M0]

are you serious?

[klinger2828]

yes they do exist in canada. canada is not some magical fairy tail land, there are more than enough racists, poor people, and criminals. plus almost all of the channles we get come from the u.s. so we get fox, we get cnn we get almost every thing you get. we know about religious fundamentalis idiots, most people do hate our govornment for one reason or another.

the location is not the problem, the crowd just sucks

[MartinJWillett]

Professional comedian fails to entertain his audience. It's not the audience which has failed. That's like saying the target failed to be where the bullet passed through.

[lofty49]

No one's failing here though, Bills performing his act, if the audience likes it then great but if they don't then too fucking bad? The world isn't a cushy little bubble where you'll never get offended or disappointed.

[MartinJWillett]

Have you ever heard of the concept that the customer is never wrong?

You complain in a restaurant, do you really care if the chef thinks he's the best cook in the entire world? And if he tells you that when he's been dead for a decade or so people will still praise his food will you think that justifies you paying a fortune for a meal you did not enjoy?

It must be very easy to be a great performer if you are not required to entertain the people who pay to be entertained by you.

[lofty49]

To me buddy, it sounds like you have a problem with the fact that he's considered 'before his time'.

I don't think Bill thought he was the greatest comedian in the world, in fact I believe (as neutral speculation) he considered us all equal.

I also think you're getting confused, I didn't realise you could serve comedy up on a plate. We don't all find the same shit funny sometimes, so occasionally you're not going to have a fun time at a comedy show.

[MartinJWillett]

What the hard-of-thinking types on here are having trouble with is the simple concept that if an audience isn't enjoying a performer's act it isn't the audience's problem.

I get the idea that you all think he's fantastic, that doesn't change the fact that if a performer fails to entertain the owner of the venue isn't going to sack the fucking audience, is he?

There's no point in telling jokes before they're funny, is there?

[lofty49]

I'm merely suggesting that comedy could be a bit more complicated what you're saying, I don't think it's as simple as just getting up on a stage and being funny. People like different things, half the crowd could love him and half the crowd could hate him, it's not a succeed/fail situation in my opinion.

He still got paid after all.

[MartinJWillett]

He's not been booked recently has he?

[serenityangel1995]

bill hicks died a long time ago, so no he hasnt been booked recently xD

[MartinJWillett]

Oh you mean he was already a member of the legion of the great and the dead before most of these people who think he was really good ever came to hear his act? That would explain a lot, wouldn't it?

There's no garment more flattering for a young man with a creative bent than a shroud.

"It's funny how most people love the dead. Once you're dead you're made for life."

- Jimi Hendrix

[lofty49]

You are the only one here talking about stuff like ''the legion of the dead'', i haven't put him upon a pedestal and nor have I said he's great (you seem a bit focused on this.).

The only thing i'm saying here is that I disagree with your synopsis of what makes a performer good or bad.

I'm not sure I understand what him being dead has to do with mine and yours discussion apart from using his act as an example.

[pilatech]

You're whole the customer is always right is demonstrably false, for instance is a customer goes to a restaurant and orders a filet mignon, the chef puts his full effort into cooking it in a manner that has previously awarded him acclaim and gives it to the server, upon receiving it she is disgusted says she is a a vegan and refuses to eat her meal and has a terrible dinning experience and complains the rest of the night about it, regardless this is her fault, not knowing what she was getting

[pilatech]

Likewise if someone gets tickets to a famous country musician say and then proceeds to condemn it as awful because they only played country music which they don't like, same principle applies, the customer has failed and is thus responsible for her own disappointment.

Similarly a scientist could come up with a grand unified theory of physics, be in proper accordance to truth and reality and by circumstance be surrounded by only monkeys and thus fail in all attempts to explain it...

[pilatech]

This does not entail that she has failed, though in some sense she does own some part of the failure, we generally consider such situations to be a failure of comprehension not a failure of instruction. You're definition of success and failure seems to revolve entirely around marketability, which to me and I presume many hicks fans is just plain silly.

That aside the audience seems relatively entertained to me, and the production value here is too poor to read too much into anything.

[theTOOLshed1]

@pilatech

I assume you're talking about Nassim Haramein? :) I Love his energy when he explains his theories!

Plus, you've taken the words right outta my mouth... :D Most eloquently worded and respectfully delivered comments I've seen on youtube in a while! I would say it was a pleasure reading them.

[MartinJWillett]

The entertainer's task is to entertain the audience he has, not a hypothetical audience who would enjoy his act. Any fucker can do that.

When was the last time you admitted to yourself that you were a terrible, ungrateful customer unworthy of the excellent service you were being given?

I have not suggested that Bill Hicks was a bad performer just that if his audience didn't like his act it should not be seen as a failure of an audience - that is absurd. He was a niche act out of his niche.

[pilatech]

@MartinJWillett I'm generally a very grateful customer

[theTOOLshed1]

@MartinJWillett

Expect in this case, the audience is just fucking dumb and the material goes above their heads! Sorry buddy, but it's what it is.

Also, I don't think Bill Hicks was "preforming" at all. He took his honest, candid self and made it into a comedy routine. He didn't NEED to please his audience cause he didn't give a fuck what they thought anyways XD ahaha.

[0olon]

@theTOOLshed1 That argument can be used about members of an audience, but when the entire audience is not entertained by the act the problem lies with act, or with the idiot who booked the wrong act for the audience.

[theTOOLshed1]

@0olon

You're talking about "mob rule".

Sorry man, but it's been shown time and time again that just because it's the popular reponse/opinion, it does NOT make it right.

Basically what you said is: "If some of the audience members are dumb then sure, but if the whole audience is dumb then there's obviously something wrong with the act."

Huh? That's flawed reasoning.

[0olon]

@theTOOLshed1 If one person thinks he's gone to the wrong restaurant or club or play that's one thing, when most people think they've made that mistake they haven't. Whoever booked the wrong act made the mistake. The audience isn't at fault if they find the act not to their taste.

[Lateralus8808]

@0olon Call me insane because I think thats what the minority is these days, but if you don't like anything about bill hicks then you're an idiot. That's why i'll go ahead and classify myself as insane. The majority of people today like music like Lady Gaga and the Jonas Brothers; if thats being sane, then I would much rather be insane. Fuck what the audience thinks. I'm not saying this personally to you, but it is the audiences' fault for buying something they're not interested in.

[0olon]

@Lateralus8808 Who said I didn't like Bill Hicks? I am simply arguing that when an audience doesn't like a comedian it isn't the audience which has made a mistake unless it is a one-man show, which this wasn't.

[Lateralus8808]

@0olon If you read my whole post, you'd read I said I wasn't saying it personally to you.

[Solidusaka]

@Revanlation Id agree, but its important to keep in mind that Hicks was widely regarded as far ahead of his time. We all love Bill Hicks but few people actually had the chance to see him in his era and his specific political and cultural environment. The majority of people now find Hicks through his posthumous reputation and we often overlook that we are an audience that is evolved nearly 20 years from the audiences back then. We come prepared for Bill Hicks, these people didnt have the luxury.

[ReDRuM868]

@Solidusaka well said

[Archiewhynot]

I know this is cheeky, but Bill was my inspiration and now I am a stand up myself (of sorts) if any of you would take the time to watch my two gigs and rate/leave feedback I would be really grateful. I realise it's grovelling abit but I really want to know what people think. Thanks in advance. Rob.

[Hashishin13]

Theres some serious static in the second gig and it gets going a little slow but your pretty funny. Definitely worth watching, especially if you can fix the audio. Didn't really see much connection with Bill Hicks though,,,

[danielcastro3669]

carlin is fine, hicks is great. dont go on putting good comedians down you wipe.

[thisizhegznogz]

only rednecks wouldnt likebill.hes the fukin man.

[beerstudd76]

I'm a redneck. I think he's hilarious.

[504pro]

carlin is just a commercial version of bill.....bill did not make it as big as carlin cuz he told a lot of truth!

[boondock8312]

agreed.

[TEAMCANADA1]

please, try again

[earthborg]

The best comedian ever. Better than Carlin or Williams. The rest aren't even worth comparing to him. He's so good the second class comedians have to rip him off to even have anything funny. He is timeless and will always be relevant.

[Greig1424]

he doesn't get many laughs here

[praecinctum]

Its Canada

[504pro]

that happens when unintelligent people watch him....dont feel bad!

[deathroll88]

who wiliams?

[pamlawrence1]

@earthborg why don't you broaden your american horizons beyond hicks and wildly over-rated bloody carlin. the idea that carlin and williams are the 2nd and 3rd best comedians ever is frightening.

[NoofGoof]

@pamlawrence1 can you give me a list of comedians to check out that are at the very least on george carlins level? since you seem to imply theres plenty

[Tzadeck]

@NoofGoof I'm not pamlawrence, but I think the best living American comedian is Louis CK pretty hands-down. I think he's a lot better than Hicks was.

[kenroy916]

@earthborg whoa whoa whoa now he is not by any stretch of the imagination better than Carlin he does however come in a close second. Carlin was one of the smartest and funniest human beings to ever live 

[mikeisapro]

@earthborg Better than Carlin? Whoa, it's true that Bill was trying to wake people up and did wake people up, but as a comedian how can you say he's better than George Carlin? Bills material is very limited, he used the same jokes over and over. Carlin was constantly putting stuff out, constantly thinking and creating, and he remained fresh and original the whole time. He was definitely sharper than Bill, a brilliant mind. They both thought outside the box but Carlin had a lot more thoughts imo

[mikkamon]

@mikeisapro yep i totally agree with you. both incredible comedians and true thinkers, but carlin was way ahead of the game.

[LeaBruggen]

@mikeisapro Carling was live for over 30 yers more than hicks, He even repeted same jokes for longe, remember the joke about the words you can not say in television, first show is live in 70's. I love both, but for me, Hicks is the best.

[jmharris13]

@earthborg maybe not better than Carlin, more meaningful or insightful, but not funnier other than that, yeah

[grifsplif]

we need bill back

[knoshy]

get to work Dr. Frankenstein

[dbboomer]

we just need a comic with enuff balls to dedicate their show to Bill Hicks and then to emulate him thereafter, we can pay respects to Bill by following thru on his lead.

[seestickglue232]

nah, unless you are using the word emulate loosely...we just need a comic who understands the message and can do the same sort of comedy but with their own style and act

[llevivell]

Perfect.

[earthborg]

and he'd get ont the corporate media how?

[stupidtreehugger]

The shepherds know the sheep need to roam or they will revold so they extend the cage to a pasture.

But how does this have 1 star instead of 5? Pretty wierd.

[gatsby121]

RIP Bill, 15 years later brother..wish you were here!

[3kztadag]

yea pathetic audience sure he had experienced worse though :)

rip hicks u fuckin champion

[phi358]

The audience is fucking horrible.

[binloved]

I agree! He should have come to the west coast!!

We would have laughed our asses off!

p.s. I was sitting here, pondering the moth joke (any moth experts out there, correct and fill me in) and I was wondering if maybe the moth's slept at night...before the light bulb?

[binloved]

(lol)

[annatheaustrian]

the reason why moths are so attracted by artificial light is that they use the sun and the moon (=BIG lightbulbs) for orientation. another really bright light near them screws that up.

[binloved]

Thank you for the explanation, very interesting. The (=BIG light bulbs) was a bit unnecessary...(lol) but hey, that's OK and thanks again!

~peace

[dirtyfuckinmexican]

the camera filming this is filming a television set laying the set...this ishorrible. good set though.

[mackler]

This video has terrible quality.

[carvinxb08]

id love a bill hicks dvd collection cause everything on youtube is poor quality.a dvd would be dissrespectful to him tho,them rants about the evils of corporations were not products of a facade

[likeacidonthebrain]

get bill hicks live on amazon..its like 12 bucks including shipping..3 specials...its worth it

[charliechristeff]

RockabillyPunkette. So right. So right on.

[RockabillyPunkette]

you poor individual, i feel sorry for you displaying that loserly-what seems to be an attempt at- a sense of humour. you really ought to keep observing bills work buddy-try to take in some of his strength, unless of course you're mall spawn, which i sincerely reckon you are. . .ther's probably little hope for a case like yyyyou. you wouldn't even be able to comprehend him. slan mall spawn.

[emouch1]

what are you going on about???? I am great Hicks fun, and i think even himself up in heaven (going through 3 lighters per day smoking) laughs how his life has ended by his big vice that he so extensively talked about in his sets. Get a life idiot.

[kaleidoscopious]

pancreatic cancer

not exactly.

[b6gm6n]

check my BH video dude

[Shroctopus]

Lol i have that same face bill hicks...... people say that to me everyday.

"why don't you get out of my face, and watch me start smiling"

Haha i gotta say that next time

[littlteapot]

He has a nice radio voice in this one.

[1flesh1prop]

He was great.

[zehelig]

just turned into a fan. nice work!

[Choikesta]

"in 94"

[Choikesta]

ahhaha "hey it's a lightbulb chill out!" He's great, too bad he had to pass away 94, i would have love to seen what he would say today about today's world...

[otherkind0]

how did he die? sickness or something?

[maddogmik]

Cancer

[monekyboyplay]

Please tell me your getting help for the amount of crack you smoke because that was possible the stupidest way to tape a video to be put on youtube

[sireggplant]

Yes, damn whoever was filming this. If I were filming in 1991, I'd have been prepared for youtube.

[jessomglol]

lol you tool.

[rdlmuffin]

lmao, are your serious???

[xboxizdope]

There are way better clips of this show that are far better in quality. Buy the DVDs though, these clips don't do him justice

[JamesBeam420]

I tried to comment on this and gay shit won't let me. Fuck that shit motherfucker slut ass cunt licking transexual cock whore bitches!!!!!!!

[kautzman]

added on meh b day

[nativeops]

yeah, bush's buddies call him Magog. look it up

[LothairApoclyane]

I'm pretty sure thats bush senior.

[nativeops]

exactly

[samfisha]

yes it is, it runs in the family.

[dgurevich1]

does anyone know where I could find Bill Hicks

shows for download?

[nativeops]

torrents

[siukong]

crowd seems pretty dead, actually

[JamesBeam420]

I tried to call her to tell her that God loves her. I couldn't get through ... Verizon said, "call cannot be completed as dialed

[bsief]

I know what bustin' a gut means now.

[m203mother]

love yamn love hicks clips

[oglablueblueblue]

really funny

[corypollard]

Lame dude...the video doesn't look or sound good.

good example on how not to show a legend like bill hicks.

[pickypocky123]

congrats on the honors. It's really great that so many people are identifying with bill these days. it's a siggggnnn methinks, hopefully at least. a good sign?

[andrewpyrah]

"be the change you want to see in the world"

Ghandi