|
American The Bill Hicks Story
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| 00:00:01 |
Everyone comfy? |
| 00:00:02 |
Get comfy! |
| 00:00:04 |
Get comfy! |
| 00:00:06 |
Cos the show's about to start! |
| 00:00:23 |
(Dwight Slade) |
| 00:00:26 |
Maybe a preacher. |
| 00:00:31 |
But even those rarely. |
| 00:00:34 |
Comedians are the only ones |
| 00:00:37 |
Talk to me, make me listen. |
| 00:00:43 |
News is supposed to be objective. |
| 00:00:46 |
The news! |
| 00:00:48 |
But every drug story is negative. |
| 00:00:53 |
Oh, well, hold it! |
| 00:00:55 |
I've had some killer fucking times on drugs. |
| 00:01:02 |
(Mary Hicks) What Bill said will never change, |
| 00:01:05 |
because it is the basic truths |
| 00:01:10 |
(John Humphrys) Plenty of people say |
| 00:01:11 |
he is the best American comedian |
| 00:01:15 |
and he was only 32 when he died. |
| 00:01:17 |
- His influence lives on. |
| 00:01:20 |
(Cheering) |
| 00:01:21 |
Get out. You're everything that America |
| 00:01:25 |
You turd. Get out! |
| 00:01:27 |
(Southern accent) "Hey, buddy, we're |
| 00:01:32 |
I said, "Then forgive me." |
| 00:01:39 |
# The sergeant sent me |
| 00:01:47 |
# He wanted us to go out |
| 00:01:57 |
# We were to find |
| 00:02:00 |
# Any people who might be |
| 00:02:06 |
# The enemies of man... |
| 00:02:15 |
Free yourself, folks. You're right. |
| 00:02:18 |
You're right. Not those fuckers |
| 00:02:21 |
You're fucking right! |
| 00:02:26 |
Sorry, wrong meeting. Again. |
| 00:02:29 |
I keep getting my days mixed up. |
| 00:02:38 |
From the moment I met Bill, |
| 00:02:45 |
Cos I think our parents were just happy |
| 00:02:50 |
"And can we just go to church and be |
| 00:02:55 |
Growing up in that environment |
| 00:02:59 |
because clearly |
| 00:03:02 |
Lyndon Johnson talked |
| 00:03:06 |
and I think he was keying into something |
| 00:03:08 |
and that was |
| 00:03:12 |
that we have to do |
| 00:03:15 |
We're gonna defeat poverty, |
| 00:03:16 |
we're gonna do the Peace Corps |
| 00:03:20 |
And then I think that Vietnam stalled that. |
| 00:03:23 |
So the generation that Bill and I came out of |
| 00:03:27 |
"Well, there's got to be something else |
| 00:03:32 |
Bill was, uh... |
| 00:03:34 |
I don't know, I just... He was interesting. |
| 00:03:39 |
All of my children were special. |
| 00:03:42 |
I had a girl. I had only a girl. |
| 00:03:45 |
Then I had a boy. |
| 00:03:47 |
And then I had a baby. |
| 00:03:52 |
There was definitely something there that was |
| 00:03:57 |
But Bill... You should have known him, |
| 00:04:04 |
They were so much older. |
| 00:04:05 |
Five and seven years' difference |
| 00:04:09 |
(Steve Hicks chuckles) |
| 00:04:12 |
He was too little at that point. |
| 00:04:15 |
(Lynn Hicks) Bill was seven |
| 00:04:19 |
(Steve) Then we stayed there 12, 13 years. |
| 00:04:22 |
(Steve) He was just another kid |
| 00:04:25 |
It wasn't evident yet |
| 00:04:31 |
(Mary) And, of course, |
| 00:04:34 |
(Dwight Slade) What I noticed about him is |
| 00:04:39 |
He could do things better and longer |
| 00:04:42 |
An unbelievable scrambler. |
| 00:04:44 |
I was fast but I wasn't a very good scrambler |
| 00:04:47 |
but I watched him and I just picked him apart |
| 00:04:50 |
then I was scrambling all the way |
| 00:04:54 |
After we'd played a few times, |
| 00:04:56 |
I just remember everyone leaving |
| 00:05:00 |
and me thinking to myself, |
| 00:05:08 |
The first time I ever met his parents, |
| 00:05:11 |
He just wanted me to go straight up the stairs. |
| 00:05:16 |
He would look at me and just go, "Look, |
| 00:05:20 |
But of course, you know, an adult says, |
| 00:05:24 |
You stop and you say, "I'm Dwight." |
| 00:05:27 |
You're stuck on the landing |
| 00:05:29 |
between Bill at the top of the stairs |
| 00:05:32 |
And, "Well, just hold on. Where are you from?" |
| 00:05:36 |
"What does your father do?" |
| 00:05:39 |
'Just leave him alonel" Bill's screaming at you |
| 00:05:45 |
"Bill, would you just hold on? |
| 00:05:48 |
"Aaahl What does it matter? |
| 00:05:51 |
"Well, we're just curious. |
| 00:05:57 |
When you reached his room, the door would |
| 00:06:02 |
I had told him that I wanted to be an actor |
| 00:06:05 |
and he goes, "I'll show you |
| 00:06:08 |
Because we were joking around so much, he |
| 00:06:14 |
It was completely alien to me. |
| 00:06:18 |
He told me that he'd seen Woody Allen |
| 00:06:22 |
This guy made his living being a comic, |
| 00:06:24 |
and it really, really fired him up, |
| 00:06:29 |
that society cherished its funny people. |
| 00:06:32 |
And for Bill, he knew it. He knew that he was |
| 00:06:39 |
His mom figured out how to pick the lock. |
| 00:06:41 |
The door would open |
| 00:06:44 |
"What are you doing?" |
| 00:06:48 |
"but I am leaving |
| 00:06:51 |
"Well, don't ever unlock my door againl" Ppkkl |
| 00:06:55 |
I'd never met anyone |
| 00:06:57 |
The Hicks family |
| 00:07:01 |
yet there was this suspension of reason |
| 00:07:05 |
(Lynn Hicks) We were raised Southern Baptist |
| 00:07:11 |
It was just a strict household. |
| 00:07:15 |
(Steve Hicks) The one thing |
| 00:07:17 |
cos a lot of times it talks about, "The Hickses |
| 00:07:23 |
"No, we were raised Southern Baptist |
| 00:07:25 |
(Mary laughs) |
| 00:07:28 |
(Mary) And he's right, really. |
| 00:07:32 |
But hopefully what you're taught there |
| 00:07:38 |
and I don't mean religion. |
| 00:07:40 |
I mean the basics of how to live a life. |
| 00:07:45 |
(Lynn) So when I was 17, he was 10. |
| 00:07:48 |
I was like, "Get me out of this house. |
| 00:07:51 |
And off I went to college. |
| 00:07:53 |
I rebelled. Steve, in his fashion, rebelled. |
| 00:08:00 |
(Dwight) Stand-up comedy was not on |
| 00:08:06 |
But we were very determined |
| 00:08:07 |
and so we started to do |
| 00:08:10 |
this very much guerilla-theatre type |
| 00:08:14 |
This group of people's just standing around, |
| 00:08:18 |
and you do an outrageous sketch |
| 00:08:26 |
What the hell was that? |
| 00:08:28 |
And, of course, once they got wind of it, |
| 00:08:32 |
"Are you guys gonna do your thing?" |
| 00:08:34 |
After school we would go over to his house |
| 00:08:37 |
and they were like gigs to us. |
| 00:08:40 |
And it wasn't lost upon us, the fact |
| 00:08:44 |
This was what we were going to do. |
| 00:08:47 |
You had to sacrifice your family, |
| 00:08:50 |
your popularity at school. |
| 00:08:52 |
We were sacrificing everything for this. |
| 00:08:57 |
There was no open mics. |
| 00:09:04 |
As a backdrop to all this |
| 00:09:06 |
Bill and I just thought |
| 00:09:09 |
just cos he was this technical genius |
| 00:09:14 |
(Kevin Booth) I was known |
| 00:09:17 |
You know, if you had an idea for something, |
| 00:09:22 |
(Dwight) You know, the fact that he was able |
| 00:09:26 |
and then set up speakers and play rock'n'roll |
| 00:09:29 |
to the Spartanaires |
| 00:09:32 |
That just was like classic Kevin. |
| 00:09:35 |
(Kevin) Because of this ranch, |
| 00:09:36 |
I was able to get what's called |
| 00:09:40 |
without even like taking any lessons. |
| 00:09:43 |
I just thought the two of them were hilarious. |
| 00:09:47 |
They did all this weird stuff, |
| 00:09:48 |
and I guess we just started talking |
| 00:09:54 |
We wanted to be rock stars, |
| 00:09:55 |
thinking like this was gonna be our way |
| 00:10:03 |
Bill was like, "Let's go look |
| 00:10:06 |
I'd never driven downtown before, |
| 00:10:08 |
I was like, "OK, I guess I'm game for this, |
| 00:10:13 |
(Dwight) He goes, |
| 00:10:15 |
He goes, "A comedy workshop has opened up |
| 00:10:18 |
"Open mic stand-up?" "Yes." |
| 00:10:21 |
Oh, my God. Finally. |
| 00:10:24 |
(Kevin) So we drove to downtown. |
| 00:10:26 |
On our way back we passed this place |
| 00:10:31 |
Bill and Dwight were like, |
| 00:10:34 |
(Dwight) We couldn't believe it, |
| 00:10:35 |
that something like this |
| 00:10:39 |
And we realised that now we had |
| 00:10:46 |
Most entertainers have to deal with the fact, |
| 00:10:49 |
"I got to take acting lessons, |
| 00:10:52 |
What's our problem? |
| 00:10:55 |
I remember my father sitting me down |
| 00:10:57 |
and going, "Look, you're not going down |
| 00:11:01 |
Man. |
| 00:11:03 |
(Mary) We were strict. |
| 00:11:06 |
And we wanted to know |
| 00:11:08 |
And if they didn't give us the answer |
| 00:11:13 |
(Dwight) Bill and I talked about it |
| 00:11:16 |
and I was like, "Absolutely." |
| 00:11:18 |
The question was, "How are you gonna |
| 00:11:27 |
When you're in Bill's bedroom looking out, |
| 00:11:29 |
if you hop that fence, you are |
| 00:11:32 |
You could open the window, |
| 00:11:35 |
and he became just very efficient at getting |
| 00:11:40 |
(Kevin) You had to be quiet cos the roof |
| 00:11:46 |
The evil Catholic boy |
| 00:11:50 |
was sitting there |
| 00:11:53 |
ready to take the Baptist boy |
| 00:12:02 |
(Dwight) We'd never been in a nightclub, |
| 00:12:04 |
but when we walked in it was like, "Whoal |
| 00:12:10 |
And there was chairs |
| 00:12:14 |
and this was what it was all about. |
| 00:12:19 |
We did the first few jokes |
| 00:12:22 |
(Kevin) I think everybody |
| 00:12:25 |
because they were like these little kids |
| 00:12:29 |
(James Ladmirault) When Bill first started, |
| 00:12:32 |
He actually had the Woody Allen mannerisms |
| 00:12:36 |
If you keep doing it and |
| 00:12:39 |
but you can tell when a comic first starts |
| 00:12:42 |
(Dwight) Bill and I got off stage |
| 00:12:49 |
It was beyond... |
| 00:12:52 |
It was just, here we go, we're real comics. |
| 00:12:56 |
And then the shit hit the fan. |
| 00:12:59 |
Cos Mrs Hicks calls Scott's mom, |
| 00:13:02 |
"No, they went |
| 00:13:06 |
So when Bill gets home, he gets nailed. |
| 00:13:11 |
It went from being thrilled |
| 00:13:15 |
to, "Now what do we do?" |
| 00:13:17 |
We're comics, we have to work on this career. |
| 00:13:21 |
And just as I thought that, |
| 00:13:23 |
my father came home and said, "I've bought |
| 00:13:27 |
"and we're moving in July." |
| 00:13:37 |
I was devastated, and I go, |
| 00:13:39 |
"In July I'm gonna be moving |
| 00:13:43 |
And there was just this silence. |
| 00:13:46 |
Bill didn't exhibit any emotion about it. |
| 00:13:49 |
It was just one more fucking thing |
| 00:13:52 |
and in typical fashion |
| 00:13:56 |
"When you get up there to Calamity Falls..." |
| 00:13:58 |
"It's Klamath Falls. " "Whatever. |
| 00:14:00 |
"You're gonna meet a little girlfriend, you're |
| 00:14:04 |
"Yeah, but I'm missing my friend." |
| 00:14:08 |
You know, so we joked a lot about it |
| 00:14:12 |
What were we gonna do? |
| 00:14:15 |
He never focused on doing solo stand-up. |
| 00:14:18 |
All our stuff was about characters. |
| 00:14:21 |
So I think when I left, |
| 00:14:25 |
(Kevin) I couldn't imagine |
| 00:14:28 |
or Dwight performing without Bill, |
| 00:14:30 |
and I thought the three of us |
| 00:14:33 |
Dwight took off. And poof, he was gone. |
| 00:14:38 |
And at the time, too, I had actually seen |
| 00:14:44 |
but I hadn't seen |
| 00:14:47 |
And so I wasn't sure how it was gonna go. |
| 00:14:49 |
A big hand for the very funny Mr Bill Hicks. |
| 00:14:53 |
- Yeah! |
| 00:14:55 |
Whoa! |
| 00:14:58 |
(Chatter) |
| 00:15:05 |
Thank you. |
| 00:15:06 |
You guys remember. |
| 00:15:10 |
- Remember this thing called flinching? |
| 00:15:13 |
You know what this is, you guys? Some guy |
| 00:15:18 |
You'd go, "God! Watch out, man!" |
| 00:15:23 |
The guy would go, "Oh, shit, I flinched. |
| 00:15:27 |
You remember that? First time it happened |
| 00:15:31 |
I went, "God! Get away from me." |
| 00:15:35 |
I said, "Get away from me, you jerk." |
| 00:15:38 |
Principal's walking by. |
| 00:15:41 |
And that guy goes, "He flinched. |
| 00:15:44 |
And I said, "This guy's trying to hit me." |
| 00:15:46 |
And the principal went, "Did you flinch?" |
| 00:15:56 |
(David Johndrow) I remember Kevin telling me |
| 00:16:00 |
and he writes comedy, |
| 00:16:02 |
and I thought that was really strange, because |
| 00:16:07 |
and finally I just said, "Kevin, |
| 00:16:11 |
Bill and I had the same sense of humour |
| 00:16:14 |
and we just got each other instantly. |
| 00:16:16 |
It was, "Really? You got a camera? |
| 00:16:19 |
"Well, yeah, you're my photographer. |
| 00:16:22 |
"I need pictures for a newspaper." |
| 00:16:24 |
Just immediately, without question, I was the |
| 00:16:29 |
I just saw it as that I found a kindred spirit. |
| 00:16:32 |
He was the guy that was out in front, |
| 00:16:35 |
Cos it was a very adult world |
| 00:16:36 |
and he was like the high schooler |
| 00:16:38 |
that was telling them what fools they were |
| 00:16:42 |
and giving them this clear mirror, |
| 00:16:45 |
and you could tell |
| 00:16:47 |
(James) The good sign for a comic |
| 00:16:48 |
is not just when audiences |
| 00:16:51 |
It's when other comics stop what they're doing |
| 00:16:55 |
There has never been anybody funnier |
| 00:16:59 |
Maybe the only other guy that touched him |
| 00:17:02 |
The stuff about his family and his parents |
| 00:17:07 |
Bill should have been famous right away. |
| 00:17:11 |
Open house night, open house night, |
| 00:17:15 |
find out you've been lying through your teeth. |
| 00:17:18 |
"His name is Bill?" |
| 00:17:24 |
"I thought it was Moltvic." |
| 00:17:29 |
Come home the next night and my father's |
| 00:17:43 |
"Went out to the school last night and I talked |
| 00:17:47 |
"and she said you called her a frothing slut. |
| 00:17:54 |
"What is that all about?" |
| 00:17:56 |
"Well, Dad, she's a loser." |
| 00:17:59 |
"Everyone's a loser, everyone's a jerk? |
| 00:18:08 |
"Promise you won't get mad, Dad." |
| 00:18:15 |
(Steve Hicks) Where it really hit me was |
| 00:18:21 |
and he said, "Come down to this comedy club |
| 00:18:24 |
and here was Bill performing |
| 00:18:27 |
and I remember going and telling all my |
| 00:18:31 |
And it hit me pretty powerfully. It really did. |
| 00:18:34 |
What Bill's comedy was, |
| 00:18:40 |
He had been able to turn that |
| 00:18:46 |
(Chuckles) "Oh, that's what you been doing |
| 00:18:49 |
Both of my parents are college graduates. |
| 00:18:51 |
My older sister's a college graduate. |
| 00:18:54 |
Here came Bill and he said, |
| 00:18:57 |
What does that mean, you know? |
| 00:19:01 |
(Kevin) When Bill basically said, "I'm moving |
| 00:19:05 |
I was really taken back, |
| 00:19:08 |
(James) LA was something that had to be |
| 00:19:12 |
(Mary) I cried, of course, and I said, "Bill... |
| 00:19:15 |
(Cries) "nobody will say |
| 00:19:18 |
And he said, "Mom, this is hard for me |
| 00:19:23 |
"If I don't make it, I'll come back. |
| 00:19:30 |
(Steve Hicks) |
| 00:19:32 |
I mean, he had girlfriends and relationships. |
| 00:19:34 |
But certainly life on the road as a comedian, |
| 00:19:56 |
(Andy Huggins) I was working at the Comedy |
| 00:20:00 |
Pale, bad haircut, had a suitcase with him. |
| 00:20:03 |
He said, "I'm here to be a comic", |
| 00:20:07 |
I got lucky, and was passed |
| 00:20:11 |
The difficult part was stage time |
| 00:20:15 |
Bill was in a hurry too. |
| 00:20:18 |
But you went there to be on stage, |
| 00:20:23 |
and, you know, to showcase for producers. |
| 00:20:30 |
(Steve Hicks) I remember |
| 00:20:35 |
Being on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles |
| 00:20:39 |
where people like Robin Williams and Richard |
| 00:20:44 |
and then Bill Hicks. |
| 00:20:45 |
That was the Mecca for comedy |
| 00:20:49 |
OK, there's one for the books |
| 00:20:52 |
He was where he wanted to be, |
| 00:21:01 |
(Dwight) You know, he would call me up |
| 00:21:04 |
and go, "You have to get down here, we got |
| 00:21:09 |
I'd already decided |
| 00:21:11 |
so I left the University of Oregon |
| 00:21:18 |
I remember knocking at the door |
| 00:21:21 |
I had the map out |
| 00:21:26 |
And, "Sir, you can't come in here." |
| 00:21:28 |
"Where... dónde ésta the olives? They |
| 00:21:32 |
And he goes, "Come on in," |
| 00:21:36 |
and we would wind up |
| 00:21:39 |
I'd driven 11 hours because Steve wanted to go |
| 00:21:43 |
We got in his car, and drove down to |
| 00:21:47 |
This is it, you know, |
| 00:21:52 |
He always went up really early in the show |
| 00:21:56 |
He never swore. He was the clean-cut comic. |
| 00:22:05 |
It was a nice way to restart |
| 00:22:09 |
I think we both knew that we weren't |
| 00:22:12 |
cos he had already |
| 00:22:14 |
The whole focus was |
| 00:22:17 |
If we could sell a script, well, then, |
| 00:22:21 |
We started to come up with an idea |
| 00:22:26 |
The father character and the mother character. |
| 00:22:31 |
We were writing constantly, |
| 00:22:34 |
and we knew these characters, |
| 00:22:41 |
(Steve Hicks) He flew back from LA |
| 00:22:46 |
He was always gonna be my best man |
| 00:22:48 |
and we were gonna be there for each other |
| 00:22:52 |
But he had to perform that night, |
| 00:22:54 |
and so after the wedding |
| 00:22:57 |
and, "Yeah, let's go see him. What the helll |
| 00:23:01 |
(Lynn) I didn't know I had a funny brother. |
| 00:23:03 |
That was the first I was aware |
| 00:23:06 |
that that was what he wanted to do |
| 00:23:10 |
He was hilarious. |
| 00:23:14 |
(Dwight) The guy at William Morris said, |
| 00:23:18 |
He was a big frickin' agent in Hollywood. |
| 00:23:21 |
He looked at us and he goes, |
| 00:23:25 |
He goes, "How did you get in my office?" |
| 00:23:27 |
So we kind of told him |
| 00:23:30 |
and that we're just out of high school |
| 00:23:32 |
and we're writing a script |
| 00:23:34 |
and that really intrigued him. |
| 00:23:37 |
He goes, "I want you to rewrite it. |
| 00:23:39 |
"And I really want to see |
| 00:23:42 |
"After that, I want to talk |
| 00:23:45 |
"You guys are gonna be good screenwriters." |
| 00:23:47 |
And I was very excited too. |
| 00:23:50 |
Bill was just disappointed |
| 00:23:52 |
because we'd put so much |
| 00:23:55 |
and he would have liked to hear |
| 00:24:08 |
And in the months that followed that, |
| 00:24:15 |
and I could not fire him up about, |
| 00:24:20 |
"Let's just write another one. Let's get him |
| 00:24:24 |
He just wasn't into it. He didn't want to. |
| 00:24:26 |
He was through being a screenwriter. |
| 00:24:30 |
- (Clunk) |
| 00:24:33 |
I just needed to talk with somebody and |
| 00:24:39 |
I haven't been funny in a long time. |
| 00:24:42 |
I haven't come up with new material |
| 00:24:45 |
and, I tell you what, there's nothing scarier, |
| 00:24:48 |
especially for me out here, forsaking college |
| 00:24:53 |
What happens if I am just not funny? |
| 00:24:59 |
I could be five years in the Store |
| 00:25:03 |
Fuck doing this stuff. |
| 00:25:06 |
(James) LA wanted six minutes of clean |
| 00:25:10 |
and, uh... that wasn't enough for Bill, |
| 00:25:14 |
The only way you could grow |
| 00:25:18 |
(Dwight) Bill had... you know, was a veteran. |
| 00:25:21 |
For Christ's sake, he was 21 years old in 1982. |
| 00:25:25 |
And he had been a comic for seven years. |
| 00:25:29 |
Coming to LA was such a romantic |
| 00:25:34 |
and then leaving was like a thief in the night |
| 00:25:37 |
with every possession he has |
| 00:25:40 |
Bill in his leather jacket with his guitar |
| 00:25:44 |
and me going away with a knapsack to Oregon |
| 00:25:50 |
And knowing that we both had all the tools |
| 00:25:56 |
For Bill, that period in Los Angeles was when |
| 00:26:03 |
You know, it taught him how to be on his own, |
| 00:26:06 |
that this was what he was |
| 00:26:08 |
It strengthened him and wised him up. |
| 00:26:11 |
(James) But even when |
| 00:26:13 |
I don't think Bill had really found his voice. |
| 00:26:16 |
You could be liked and you could be doing |
| 00:26:21 |
The difference is night and day. |
| 00:26:25 |
(Kevin) Bill called me |
| 00:26:28 |
He's like, "Guess what" and I was like, "What?" |
| 00:26:30 |
I was like, "What?" and he goes, "Yeah, |
| 00:26:34 |
"Me and you are gonna take |
| 00:26:37 |
I was like, "Yeah, that's funny, Bill." |
| 00:26:39 |
He's like, "No, Kevin, |
| 00:26:42 |
And if there was the only person |
| 00:26:46 |
And we took some mushrooms |
| 00:26:50 |
and we just laughed our asses off. |
| 00:26:54 |
Only Bill would try hallucinogenics |
| 00:26:59 |
He just had a whole new appetite, you know. |
| 00:27:06 |
When he came back to Texas |
| 00:27:08 |
realising that the difference between where |
| 00:27:13 |
was a way big thing, |
| 00:27:16 |
he knew that he was gonna |
| 00:27:19 |
and that it wasn't just enough |
| 00:27:22 |
And I don't think he knew exactly |
| 00:27:26 |
but he just knew that he wasn't there yet. |
| 00:27:30 |
(James) I think we left as kids |
| 00:27:35 |
Some sort of forces were moving |
| 00:27:39 |
There were so many kindred spirits |
| 00:27:42 |
that made Houston different |
| 00:27:45 |
How many guys in here |
| 00:27:49 |
(James) There were six of us at the time, |
| 00:27:53 |
(Steve Epstein) I was more of the court jester |
| 00:27:57 |
I... I say, Steve Epstein |
| 00:28:02 |
Ooh-orr! |
| 00:28:04 |
(John Farneti) He'd just flap around |
| 00:28:07 |
but he got everything going. |
| 00:28:09 |
(James) Andy Huggins we met in LA. |
| 00:28:11 |
I had a feeling Andy was more like |
| 00:28:15 |
And after Armageddon, there'll be |
| 00:28:20 |
(Andy) Jimmy talked me |
| 00:28:22 |
He said, "You want to do stand-up? |
| 00:28:25 |
That's all I needed to hear. |
| 00:28:27 |
John Farneti was a very successful lawyer, |
| 00:28:32 |
I was born in Wyoming. I lived there |
| 00:28:38 |
(John) I'd wanted to do it since I was six |
| 00:28:42 |
Then suddenly |
| 00:28:45 |
and people are lined up in the rain |
| 00:28:47 |
And I wanted, like everybody, |
| 00:28:52 |
Everyone knew he was |
| 00:28:54 |
kneecaps and ankles above everybody else. |
| 00:28:57 |
My problem with going to U of H, |
| 00:29:00 |
All I had in all my classes were jocks |
| 00:29:05 |
You know that feeling? |
| 00:29:07 |
I remember the first day |
| 00:29:11 |
The instructor walks out and goes, |
| 00:29:16 |
"And we are all God |
| 00:29:23 |
Wow. |
| 00:29:25 |
This guy in the back row goes, |
| 00:29:31 |
"Is that gonna be on the quiz?" |
| 00:29:33 |
# Hey-hey, hey-hey, it's just a sunny day... |
| 00:29:39 |
(Kevin) From the time he started taking |
| 00:29:42 |
to that night he first got drunk, |
| 00:29:43 |
I think it was only a matter of months. |
| 00:29:45 |
When the Comedy Annex started hopping for |
| 00:29:49 |
and it was the place to go every night |
| 00:29:53 |
We were there every night. |
| 00:29:55 |
(Steve Epstein) Pineapple |
| 00:29:59 |
so I think he was ready |
| 00:30:02 |
(Kevin) I remember he came up |
| 00:30:05 |
and he was like, "I want to try a drink. |
| 00:30:08 |
I said, "You want to try drinking |
| 00:30:12 |
Then he went up to the bar and goes, |
| 00:30:14 |
And he downed seven margaritas |
| 00:30:19 |
(Steve Epstein) He never drunk before, |
| 00:30:20 |
and the bitterness came out for the first time, |
| 00:30:24 |
He was literally crawling around the stage |
| 00:30:30 |
But he was still funny. |
| 00:30:33 |
(David) The drinking was a way |
| 00:30:38 |
of really going out on the edge and |
| 00:30:43 |
Then all of a sudden he could really be bold |
| 00:30:45 |
and really say what he wanted |
| 00:30:48 |
- How's your ex-girlfriend? |
| 00:30:51 |
Throw salt on the fucking wound! Thanks a lot! |
| 00:30:55 |
Why don't you just come up here |
| 00:30:58 |
Come on. Dig it in. |
| 00:31:02 |
Yeah, my girlfriend left me. Five years. |
| 00:31:04 |
I loved her more than anything |
| 00:31:08 |
Remember your first love? |
| 00:31:11 |
But I think it helped my career |
| 00:31:16 |
Cos I'm a driven man now. |
| 00:31:18 |
I was driven by a fantasy, |
| 00:31:20 |
that one day, this girl who I loved more than |
| 00:31:24 |
and she spat upon it and spun out the door, |
| 00:31:28 |
one day this girl's gonna be living |
| 00:31:34 |
Swampy trailer ground |
| 00:31:35 |
and clouds of Aids mosquitoes |
| 00:31:40 |
and blocking out the light from the sun. |
| 00:31:42 |
She has like nine |
| 00:31:45 |
They got birds in their hair |
| 00:31:49 |
and rats laying babies in their ears at night. |
| 00:31:53 |
And they bring home dead animals |
| 00:31:58 |
And she lives with this ex-welder |
| 00:32:00 |
He's got fur all over his back. |
| 00:32:02 |
He's fat like 600 pounds |
| 00:32:04 |
and he makes love to her |
| 00:32:09 |
And one night he's gonna be romancing her |
| 00:32:15 |
and she's trapped under 600 pounds |
| 00:32:21 |
that's moving like the tides of the ocean |
| 00:32:24 |
and blood and phlegm and bile |
| 00:32:28 |
and nose into her face, into her face, |
| 00:32:32 |
and just before she drowns in that vomit |
| 00:32:37 |
Ha-ha-ha. |
| 00:32:44 |
(David) Once Bill decided |
| 00:32:48 |
and he would just do his own comedy |
| 00:32:51 |
and that the world would come to him, |
| 00:32:55 |
(John) He was just too good |
| 00:32:58 |
no matter how many corners |
| 00:33:02 |
(David) Jay Leno showed up at the Annex |
| 00:33:05 |
cos he was the professional stand-up comic. |
| 00:33:09 |
He was just the best. |
| 00:33:11 |
(James) Jay did help. Jay liked Bill's act. |
| 00:33:14 |
He gave Bill advice. |
| 00:33:20 |
(John) When Leno said this guy was good, I |
| 00:33:25 |
(Applause) |
| 00:33:27 |
Hello. Good evening. |
| 00:33:30 |
Good evening. My name is Bill Hicks. |
| 00:33:32 |
Thank you. |
| 00:33:35 |
Full name is William Melvin Hicks. |
| 00:33:37 |
Thanks, Dad. It's a name |
| 00:33:42 |
(Southern accent) Hi, my name is Melvin Hicks. |
| 00:33:46 |
Ha-ha. OK, man. |
| 00:33:51 |
All right. |
| 00:33:52 |
(Steve Hicks) He called us |
| 00:33:56 |
and I used to always tell him, |
| 00:33:58 |
but, you know, that first time, the impact |
| 00:34:04 |
I mean, we felt that too, watching him, |
| 00:34:08 |
Christmas rolled around, |
| 00:34:10 |
I'm 12 years old, I got a college dictionary. |
| 00:34:14 |
Mom goes, "Bill, it's the thought that counts!" |
| 00:34:16 |
(Chuckles) Oh, Mom, |
| 00:34:20 |
Yeah, well... |
| 00:34:23 |
Laughter has become big business in Houston. |
| 00:34:25 |
(David) Now you've been on television, |
| 00:34:29 |
So if you were on the David Letterman Show, |
| 00:34:46 |
(Mary) He did not want |
| 00:34:49 |
I guess he thought we wouldn't understand. |
| 00:34:52 |
But we did sneak into that one in Austin. |
| 00:34:55 |
Steve thought we were in shock |
| 00:34:58 |
(Steve) I know you were in shock... |
| 00:35:00 |
... cos he did not know they were |
| 00:35:04 |
(Mary) I was not shocked, I was in awe, |
| 00:35:10 |
- How the years have changed your memory. |
| 00:35:13 |
(Mary) I couldn't believe that he was up there |
| 00:35:17 |
I think Bill was the one in shock. |
| 00:35:22 |
And I said, "Well, that was very good." |
| 00:35:26 |
(David) And then the odd thing about it is |
| 00:35:30 |
Not like I would have. |
| 00:35:32 |
And I think they kind of treated it like, |
| 00:35:35 |
"We don't understand it, |
| 00:35:41 |
He was open for anything, really. |
| 00:35:44 |
Yeah, I have had a good job. |
| 00:35:46 |
I'm not complaining |
| 00:35:49 |
I used to work at a lady's shoe store. I liked |
| 00:35:54 |
It was great. Women came in, |
| 00:35:57 |
I'm the guy |
| 00:35:59 |
I don't know if you ladies do that on purpose, |
| 00:36:03 |
They're sitting there going, "Oh..." |
| 00:36:11 |
"How does it look?" |
| 00:36:12 |
Oh, God. |
| 00:36:19 |
It looks great. |
| 00:36:21 |
Yeah, it's you. It's definitely you. |
| 00:36:24 |
"Mm. |
| 00:36:27 |
"It's kind of tight." |
| 00:36:29 |
Oh, no. |
| 00:36:36 |
"I can stretch it out for you." |
| 00:36:42 |
So after I got fired from that job... |
| 00:36:46 |
No one said it'd be pretty! |
| 00:36:49 |
(Kevin) Bill was always an all-or-nothing guy. |
| 00:36:54 |
And wanting to experiment with mushrooms |
| 00:36:56 |
was to him a way of trying to, like, |
| 00:37:02 |
Just hearing about something |
| 00:37:05 |
Bill always wanted revelation to be first-hand. |
| 00:37:12 |
Our family got this ranch, |
| 00:37:13 |
and it ended up being a place where |
| 00:37:18 |
A lot of our friends were like, |
| 00:37:21 |
so Bill was like, "No, we really are |
| 00:37:26 |
(David) So we would go out |
| 00:37:30 |
and then have this experience |
| 00:37:33 |
Well, some really amazing things happened. |
| 00:37:38 |
The world is one magical motherfucker, |
| 00:37:41 |
and if you take a certain amount |
| 00:38:07 |
A lot of people have this thought |
| 00:38:11 |
"Does anybody know about this?" |
| 00:38:14 |
Because it's like a secret. |
| 00:38:16 |
It's like this fundamental thing |
| 00:38:20 |
but no one knows about it |
| 00:38:32 |
There was one time in particular, |
| 00:38:36 |
(Kevin) It was basically this time |
| 00:38:41 |
in some alignment that only happens |
| 00:38:47 |
I remember walking down this tunnel of light |
| 00:38:49 |
and feeling like Bill and I |
| 00:38:53 |
Bill was just asking, |
| 00:38:56 |
And basically being told |
| 00:38:58 |
that the boundaries |
| 00:39:01 |
and that we all are one, and everything is one. |
| 00:39:04 |
We all are one, everything is one. |
| 00:39:08 |
I remember Bill just looking at me like, "Oh, |
| 00:39:12 |
And at first I was like going, you know, |
| 00:39:16 |
and then Bill explained |
| 00:39:19 |
and then the day went even further than that |
| 00:39:22 |
where it was like tapping |
| 00:39:25 |
like, thousands of them all at once. |
| 00:39:27 |
And I'm really sceptical. |
| 00:39:31 |
But something about what happened |
| 00:39:34 |
It was significant and very tangible. |
| 00:39:37 |
We all are one, everything is one. |
| 00:39:39 |
(David) You know, |
| 00:39:41 |
that you take substances |
| 00:39:44 |
from the beginning of human history. |
| 00:39:47 |
(Kevin) After that day, |
| 00:39:51 |
that something did exist on the other side |
| 00:39:54 |
and it helped him go out there |
| 00:39:57 |
and a part of his art was being able to |
| 00:40:03 |
(Bill) We came here for the truth, right? |
| 00:40:06 |
That's all I want out of life, is the truth. |
| 00:40:10 |
You ever see a positive story |
| 00:40:13 |
Ever? Me either. |
| 00:40:15 |
Isn't that weird? |
| 00:40:20 |
Same LSD story every time. We've all heard it. |
| 00:40:23 |
Young man takes acid, thinks he can fly, |
| 00:40:28 |
What a dick, really, when you think about it. |
| 00:40:31 |
If he thought he could fly, why didn't he take |
| 00:40:38 |
Why give acid a bad name |
| 00:40:46 |
I'd like to see a positive LSD story. |
| 00:40:51 |
Today a young man on acid realised |
| 00:40:52 |
that all matter is merely energy |
| 00:40:56 |
that we are all one consciousness |
| 00:41:00 |
there's no such thing as death, |
| 00:41:03 |
and you're the imagination of yourselves. |
| 00:41:05 |
Here's Tom with the weather. |
| 00:41:11 |
Wow. |
| 00:41:13 |
(Kevin) All the drinking and drugging too, |
| 00:41:15 |
some of the club owners were concerned |
| 00:41:20 |
Alcohol with Bill was definitely |
| 00:41:24 |
You know, it was kind of a tightrope, cos |
| 00:41:27 |
and usually, if there was |
| 00:41:30 |
it was gonna go bad. |
| 00:41:32 |
I mean he was always like an angry kid |
| 00:41:34 |
but when he drank the alcohol |
| 00:41:38 |
And so we were like, |
| 00:41:42 |
# Shout... |
| 00:41:47 |
(Andy) Bill was what we used to call |
| 00:41:50 |
What happened? |
| 00:41:51 |
(Kevin) The main thing that I always |
| 00:41:55 |
and people in the audience |
| 00:41:58 |
Fuck it, I'll drink red wine if no one's |
| 00:42:02 |
And people said I couldn't improvise. |
| 00:42:06 |
(David) He could drink a lot because |
| 00:42:10 |
and he said, "I'm a bull, |
| 00:42:13 |
Conflict. |
| 00:42:17 |
(Kevin) Coke dealers |
| 00:42:20 |
Can I get a shock of Jack up here? |
| 00:42:21 |
(Kevin) How much can we get Bill |
| 00:42:25 |
It was just like a red flag for club owners. |
| 00:42:27 |
He was like suddenly |
| 00:42:29 |
He started losing bookings. |
| 00:42:32 |
Just be careful going home tonight, |
| 00:42:36 |
(Lynn) I got there in the middle of the set |
| 00:42:39 |
(Steve) But he was laying down on his back |
| 00:42:43 |
- screaming into the microphone. |
| 00:42:46 |
(Steve) It was terrible. It wasn't a show any |
| 00:42:50 |
I'd taken a friend from work. "You're gonna |
| 00:42:54 |
(Lynn) You know, to have a room clear, |
| 00:42:58 |
(Steve) He called me the next day |
| 00:43:01 |
"Seems to be the thing. Everybody fires me." |
| 00:43:04 |
I'd go, "Yeah, it wasn't funny." |
| 00:43:09 |
(Steve) Bill didn't bring these problems |
| 00:43:13 |
Just the fact that now he drank |
| 00:43:17 |
so how big of a deal was that? |
| 00:43:19 |
(Mary) You know, I don't know |
| 00:43:22 |
Maybe I should have, but I didn't. |
| 00:43:24 |
But I knew there was something in there |
| 00:43:28 |
You can see it in his eyes. |
| 00:43:31 |
(Steve) That was after he got in that fight |
| 00:43:34 |
and he was performing |
| 00:43:38 |
I'd like this man to leave the room. If I could |
| 00:43:42 |
Yeah, why don't you pull out the fact that |
| 00:43:46 |
Why don't you do a fucking cartwheel |
| 00:43:49 |
Thank you, I'd like to do |
| 00:43:53 |
Next week we have Helen Keller... |
| 00:43:55 |
No. I'm delirious. I'm delirious. |
| 00:43:58 |
It's the heroin. |
| 00:44:03 |
Seriously. |
| 00:44:05 |
Aah! |
| 00:44:09 |
Good evening. |
| 00:44:11 |
Don't worry, there is no pain. |
| 00:44:16 |
There are priorities even in the world of pain. |
| 00:44:19 |
(David) I wish that we had been |
| 00:44:21 |
But there was kind of a code that we had, |
| 00:44:25 |
which was, "You were gonna do |
| 00:44:28 |
"and I'm there for you |
| 00:44:31 |
But it was kind of cool |
| 00:44:34 |
We tended to trust |
| 00:44:37 |
(Ranting) I got beaten up by a guy in a kilt! |
| 00:44:41 |
(Andy) It suffered. |
| 00:44:42 |
There were club owners that were willing to |
| 00:44:47 |
and there were other club owners |
| 00:44:51 |
It wasn't worth it. |
| 00:44:54 |
(Dwight) When I saw him at my wedding, |
| 00:44:58 |
You know, and he'd obviously been up |
| 00:45:01 |
My wife-to-be, and she'd never met Bill, |
| 00:45:04 |
thought he was wild, funny but wild, |
| 00:45:09 |
(Andy) There were half a dozen of us |
| 00:45:12 |
and we were drinking suicidally, |
| 00:45:17 |
(Steve) We were sitting up, |
| 00:45:20 |
and he broke down and he said, "Man, |
| 00:45:26 |
My big answer was, |
| 00:45:30 |
And he straightened back up real quick |
| 00:45:32 |
but it was the one thing |
| 00:45:35 |
And it was just from ignorance. I didn't know |
| 00:45:40 |
(Kevin) And when a Bill Hicks show became |
| 00:45:44 |
instead of, "Let's see how far |
| 00:45:47 |
that's when the party was over. |
| 00:45:49 |
You know, realising, |
| 00:45:52 |
"These people are not my friends, you know? |
| 00:45:56 |
Led him down the path of knowing, "If I don't |
| 00:46:05 |
(Andy) That was a moment of clarity for Bill. |
| 00:46:07 |
(James) That could have been |
| 00:46:11 |
He realised what he was working for |
| 00:46:20 |
(Andy) Bill quit drinking in February of '88, |
| 00:46:25 |
and we started going to meetings together |
| 00:46:28 |
(James) Being the stupid alcoholic I am, |
| 00:46:32 |
"he should go in there not thinking |
| 00:46:35 |
"You need to get sober and get clean. |
| 00:46:38 |
(David) Bill knew there was no way he was |
| 00:46:42 |
surrounded by all these Houston comics. |
| 00:46:47 |
(James) He told me, |
| 00:46:50 |
that you can't be around the same |
| 00:46:55 |
(Kevin) Bill realised that he had to jump ship |
| 00:46:57 |
and as crazy as it sounds, moving to a big |
| 00:47:02 |
and, um... Bill just disappeared to New York. |
| 00:47:15 |
When you're dealing with drugs |
| 00:47:19 |
it's when you admit that you don't have, |
| 00:47:25 |
(Steve Hicks) I don't think there was ever |
| 00:47:29 |
even though the struggles |
| 00:47:32 |
He was tapped on the shoulder |
| 00:47:36 |
and it doesn't mean |
| 00:47:39 |
and I'm sure that it had to have |
| 00:47:44 |
(James) He told me that it was six months |
| 00:47:47 |
before he could start being funny again. |
| 00:47:50 |
(Steve) That's when he went from being |
| 00:47:54 |
to being something spectacular. |
| 00:48:06 |
(Applause) |
| 00:48:07 |
- Let me hear you say yo! |
| 00:48:10 |
- Say it! Yo! |
| 00:48:13 |
- Well, all right. |
| 00:48:16 |
That's it, end of your part. Thank you. |
| 00:48:20 |
I know it's getting harder |
| 00:48:23 |
I feel like I'm in high school |
| 00:48:27 |
I don't do drugs. I don't think |
| 00:48:30 |
They tell you marijuana smoking |
| 00:48:35 |
When I was high, I could do everything |
| 00:48:38 |
I just realised it wasn't worth |
| 00:48:43 |
Why get out of bed? I'm just gonna get stuck |
| 00:48:47 |
Stay in bed and watch cartoons. |
| 00:48:51 |
(John) By the time he came back |
| 00:48:53 |
he almost didn't talk to me or Jimmy, |
| 00:48:56 |
He was staying away from me, "You guys |
| 00:49:01 |
which we didn't understand or appreciate. |
| 00:49:03 |
Here he is, Bill Hicks! |
| 00:49:05 |
(Cheering and applause) |
| 00:49:13 |
Cut! |
| 00:49:15 |
How about a hand |
| 00:49:17 |
- and John... |
| 00:49:19 |
...John, his whimsical show, Farneti. |
| 00:49:24 |
(Woman) Yes! |
| 00:49:26 |
Give them some love, guys. |
| 00:49:29 |
Can I get a coke before I get one of my...? |
| 00:49:33 |
I started out in this club ten years ago. |
| 00:49:35 |
(Laughs) Pretty bold of me to admit that. |
| 00:49:38 |
I want you to know |
| 00:49:41 |
It's kind of weird doing comedy when you're 15 |
| 00:49:44 |
I don't know these people. |
| 00:49:46 |
You don't know if you're funny. |
| 00:49:49 |
All the other comics were helpful. If I had a |
| 00:49:54 |
If I had a good show, |
| 00:49:57 |
Pretty soon, |
| 00:49:59 |
People I didn't even know |
| 00:50:02 |
Women would come up to me, you know, |
| 00:50:07 |
and I started doing coke |
| 00:50:09 |
and women I don't even know |
| 00:50:14 |
Phew. I just want to tell you |
| 00:50:20 |
How's y'all's jobs? |
| 00:50:22 |
(James) I said, "Bill, gosh, |
| 00:50:25 |
"That's so funny." |
| 00:50:28 |
"Yeah, but it's funny." I was still in the |
| 00:50:33 |
But he was in this thing, |
| 00:50:36 |
John Kennedy is murdered. Martin Luther King |
| 00:50:39 |
Reagan's shot, wounded, cancer eight times. |
| 00:50:45 |
(Growls) |
| 00:50:47 |
(Kevin) When Bill first came back |
| 00:50:49 |
and announced to me that he really |
| 00:50:52 |
I didn't believe him at first, |
| 00:50:53 |
and I watched him do a set at the Laff Stop |
| 00:50:57 |
and all of a sudden it was like, |
| 00:50:59 |
The fundamentalists, they try to get |
| 00:51:03 |
Now what exactly would that be? |
| 00:51:05 |
"We're gonna be preaching this science, |
| 00:51:08 |
"On the seventh day he rested, and... |
| 00:51:14 |
(Kevin) It was like he had rehatched |
| 00:51:17 |
He had the same stamina |
| 00:51:18 |
that he had as the young boy |
| 00:51:21 |
and smoke everybody. |
| 00:51:23 |
You know, and I said, "Now is the time |
| 00:51:27 |
of a feature-length set, |
| 00:51:29 |
and that's when we did Sane Men. |
| 00:51:33 |
I remember coming in |
| 00:51:36 |
and I was just so scared that he was gonna |
| 00:51:40 |
And Jimmy Pineapple, |
| 00:51:45 |
Backstage, Jimmy said, "Screw it, I'm gonna |
| 00:51:50 |
(James) I hadn't been sober that long. |
| 00:51:54 |
But for this show, these audiences, |
| 00:51:57 |
working with Bill, |
| 00:51:59 |
and I wasn't gonna fuck around |
| 00:52:04 |
I know some of you people are looking up here |
| 00:52:15 |
Well, you're right. |
| 00:52:18 |
I am it. I've always been it. |
| 00:52:20 |
Even when I was a kid, I was it. |
| 00:52:23 |
When we played tag... |
| 00:52:29 |
...some kid would hit me |
| 00:52:31 |
and I'd say, "You're goddamn right, buddy." |
| 00:52:36 |
(Kevin) And here I am really praying |
| 00:52:40 |
and I went back into Bill's green room |
| 00:52:42 |
and Bill was still just drinking water |
| 00:52:45 |
(David) We were already making films |
| 00:52:49 |
and I was backstage and Kevin had said, |
| 00:52:54 |
This was like the sober Bill, and I guess |
| 00:53:00 |
How about a nice round of applause |
| 00:53:03 |
(Applause) |
| 00:53:05 |
Yeah, it's good to be here. |
| 00:53:07 |
I haven't been here in two years. |
| 00:53:10 |
Thanks. |
| 00:53:13 |
That warmth I've missed in Austin. |
| 00:53:15 |
"So? We been here. |
| 00:53:18 |
"It's not our fault you got to travel around. |
| 00:53:20 |
"Shit. We supposed to follow you around? |
| 00:53:23 |
"What are you doing? Where are you?" |
| 00:53:26 |
Where have I been? |
| 00:53:29 |
Which means like flying saucers, |
| 00:53:31 |
like two have been appearing |
| 00:53:33 |
in front of a handful of hillbillies lately. |
| 00:53:37 |
No one doubts my existence. |
| 00:53:41 |
I've noticed a certain anti-intellectualism |
| 00:53:45 |
I was in Nashville, Tennessee, last week, |
| 00:53:48 |
I'm sitting there and I'm eating |
| 00:53:51 |
I'm eating and I'm reading a book. |
| 00:53:54 |
And this waitress comes over to me. |
| 00:53:57 |
"What are you reading for?" |
| 00:54:01 |
I went, "Wow, I've never been asked that." |
| 00:54:04 |
Not what am I reading, |
| 00:54:08 |
Well, God damn it, you stumped me. |
| 00:54:15 |
I read for a lot of reasons |
| 00:54:17 |
but the main one is so I don't end up |
| 00:54:21 |
Am I stepping out of some intellectual closet |
| 00:54:26 |
I feel better. |
| 00:54:28 |
(David) Suddenly he's just commanding |
| 00:54:32 |
It's just perfectly choreographed. |
| 00:54:34 |
I don't do drugs. |
| 00:54:37 |
(Clears throat) But I said no. |
| 00:54:40 |
When I say no, it means how much |
| 00:54:44 |
It means... seriously, |
| 00:54:47 |
OK, no, it means... |
| 00:54:49 |
Let's see. |
| 00:54:51 |
No, I used to do drugs. |
| 00:54:54 |
Got pulled over tripping once. |
| 00:54:56 |
Whoo! There's a dream come true. |
| 00:54:59 |
I'll match that to any drunk story you got. |
| 00:55:03 |
Pulled over tripping. Jesus! |
| 00:55:05 |
The cop was tapping on this window. |
| 00:55:14 |
"How tall are you?" |
| 00:55:25 |
Ooh-ooh! |
| 00:55:29 |
Shit. |
| 00:55:31 |
Ambush. |
| 00:55:33 |
Big one and a little one. |
| 00:55:36 |
Twins? |
| 00:55:39 |
Oh, shit. |
| 00:55:42 |
Be cool. |
| 00:55:46 |
(David) I think he had to work |
| 00:55:48 |
He had to go through some dark shows |
| 00:55:52 |
but after going through that |
| 00:55:55 |
and, uh... how much the audience could take |
| 00:55:59 |
Our emotions are running wild |
| 00:56:03 |
The flag-burning thing. Oh, God, did that |
| 00:56:08 |
The flag! The flag! They can't mean the flag! |
| 00:56:13 |
They didn't say that, |
| 00:56:15 |
"he perhaps doesn't need to go to jail |
| 00:56:19 |
Pretty harsh on their part, isn't it? |
| 00:56:22 |
People are going, "Hey, buddy, |
| 00:56:29 |
"My daddy died for that flag." |
| 00:56:34 |
"Really? I bought mine. |
| 00:56:39 |
"You know they sell them at Kmart and shit? |
| 00:56:42 |
"He died in the Korean War for that flag." |
| 00:56:44 |
"What a coincidence. |
| 00:56:50 |
"He didn't die for a fucking flag. |
| 00:56:53 |
"He died for what the flag represents, |
| 00:56:58 |
And as my friend Jimmy Pineapple would say, |
| 00:57:05 |
(Kevin) We filmed two sets that night. |
| 00:57:09 |
And now that he had gone sober, |
| 00:57:13 |
and I don't think Bill |
| 00:57:16 |
He'd kind of gone beyond that. |
| 00:57:18 |
(Mary) Bill's demeanour was different. |
| 00:57:22 |
My thought was, |
| 00:57:26 |
I never said anything like that to Bill. |
| 00:57:32 |
(Birdsong) |
| 00:57:35 |
- Watch this, Uncle Bill! |
| 00:57:39 |
(Steve) We did have this place south of Austin |
| 00:57:43 |
and when he'd come to Austin, |
| 00:57:48 |
You know, I think that he just really |
| 00:57:55 |
which was a total getaway. |
| 00:57:56 |
- The cracker man. |
| 00:57:58 |
All right. It's a duck frenzy. |
| 00:58:02 |
- Yeah! |
| 00:58:04 |
(Steve Hicks) Coming from the hecticness |
| 00:58:08 |
that was a great little place |
| 00:58:11 |
before he went back out and hit it again. |
| 00:58:14 |
(Kevin) I really don't think |
| 00:58:18 |
I really don't. |
| 00:58:20 |
I think a lot of people were still |
| 00:58:24 |
and now Bill was slipping in |
| 00:58:29 |
You know, just because this is a comedy club |
| 00:58:32 |
doesn't mean that we can't do |
| 00:58:35 |
My clothes have got to be clean, Dad. |
| 00:58:37 |
- We're gonna have to do them again. |
| 00:58:41 |
(Dwight) When I saw him in Chicago in 1989, |
| 00:58:46 |
His life was completely on track |
| 00:58:51 |
It's been a very exciting week for me |
| 00:58:54 |
He and I started off doing comedy together |
| 00:58:59 |
It's good to be in Chicago. |
| 00:59:02 |
Went to Linkin Park Zoo. |
| 00:59:04 |
A couple? Yeah? |
| 00:59:06 |
Well, if you haven't been there, |
| 00:59:09 |
I'll do a quick visual impression for you guys. |
| 00:59:11 |
First time ever seen. |
| 00:59:15 |
Here we go. Save you some time. Ladies and |
| 00:59:20 |
(Snoring) |
| 00:59:22 |
(Snoring) |
| 00:59:25 |
(Snoring) |
| 00:59:27 |
(Snoring) |
| 00:59:30 |
(Snoring) |
| 00:59:34 |
What a fucking rip-off. |
| 00:59:37 |
(Dwight) We had |
| 00:59:40 |
I brought out things in him |
| 00:59:43 |
and he did the same thing. |
| 00:59:45 |
What do you feel? What's inside you? |
| 00:59:47 |
What makes you tick? |
| 00:59:51 |
It's nice to have someone |
| 00:59:54 |
He brought that out of you. |
| 00:59:57 |
This is called logic. It won't hurt you, it'll |
| 01:00:02 |
(Dwight) I think a lot of comics have confused |
| 01:00:08 |
Well, no, being a great comic has to do with |
| 01:00:13 |
That's what Bill did. |
| 01:00:14 |
His personality on stage was just |
| 01:00:18 |
Hey, get this, man. I was in Las Vegas, right? |
| 01:00:21 |
I'm going to get an elevator at the hotel. I'm |
| 01:00:26 |
"Heh-hem! Heh-heh-heh-hem!" |
| 01:00:29 |
I look out the window of the hotel and I see |
| 01:00:34 |
and it's 3pm, |
| 01:00:36 |
and then a mushroom cloud |
| 01:00:38 |
and the hotel starts shaking |
| 01:00:43 |
I was a little bit curious. |
| 01:00:45 |
So I turn to this lady who lived in Las Vegas |
| 01:00:48 |
And she goes, "Oh! That's the army. |
| 01:00:51 |
"Ha-ha-ha!" |
| 01:00:56 |
And you're worried about my cigarette smoke? |
| 01:00:58 |
I would get a fucking priority list happening. |
| 01:01:02 |
And then I talked to people who lived in Vegas |
| 01:01:07 |
Yeah, well, my little deodorant aerosol can is |
| 01:01:12 |
I'll use Cheez Whiz aerosol, anything I want. |
| 01:01:15 |
Shut up. Quit setting off nuclear bombs, OK, |
| 01:01:21 |
What gives them the right to set off bombs? |
| 01:01:24 |
Ha-ha! I love y'all. |
| 01:01:27 |
(Dwight) He knew that he was |
| 01:01:29 |
who was supposed to shake things up. |
| 01:01:31 |
It's all about money, not freedom, y'all, OK? |
| 01:01:34 |
Ha-ha. Nothing to do with fucking freedom. |
| 01:01:38 |
Try going somewhere |
| 01:01:40 |
(Dwight) When you laugh at 'em, |
| 01:01:42 |
it makes you think about things |
| 01:01:44 |
It's about fucking money, not about freedom. |
| 01:01:49 |
I am a child of God sent here |
| 01:01:52 |
and you're welcome. |
| 01:01:55 |
(Dwight) When people walked out of |
| 01:01:59 |
but they just were changed a little bit. |
| 01:02:02 |
(James) He knew that he'd have problems |
| 01:02:04 |
because he would be going to places that |
| 01:02:08 |
(Kevin) As Bill evolved as a comedian, |
| 01:02:14 |
- (Yells) |
| 01:02:17 |
It's not funny, it's stupid, it's repetitive |
| 01:02:20 |
- (Yelling) |
| 01:02:23 |
OK, what does that mean now? |
| 01:02:26 |
I understand where it comes from. So do you. |
| 01:02:28 |
Now what does it all mean? |
| 01:02:31 |
- (Man yells) Jimmy Shorts! |
| 01:02:35 |
Now what? Now where are we? We're here at |
| 01:02:39 |
Yes, we're here at the same point again |
| 01:02:43 |
where you, the fucking peon masses, |
| 01:02:47 |
can once again ruin anyone |
| 01:02:50 |
because you don't know |
| 01:02:53 |
That's where we're fucking at once again, |
| 01:02:58 |
that has ruined everything good |
| 01:03:03 |
(Andy) People started to notice Bill |
| 01:03:06 |
(Steve Hicks) You know, |
| 01:03:09 |
to be able to experience that with him. |
| 01:03:11 |
We were brothers, we were pretty close, |
| 01:03:15 |
you know, going to Las Vegas for the first time |
| 01:03:17 |
and being there on opening night |
| 01:03:21 |
You know, and it was cool being backstage |
| 01:03:24 |
at the filming of an HBO |
| 01:03:27 |
(Man) From the Vic Theatre in Chicago, |
| 01:03:33 |
(Cheering) |
| 01:03:36 |
(Cheering) |
| 01:03:40 |
Good evening, brothers and sisters, |
| 01:03:43 |
vibrations in the mind of the one true God |
| 01:03:50 |
How many smokers do we have here tonight? |
| 01:03:52 |
(Cheering) |
| 01:03:55 |
That's a lot of energy for you fuckers. |
| 01:03:59 |
(Coughing) |
| 01:04:03 |
(Coughing) |
| 01:04:05 |
Thank you, guys, thank you. |
| 01:04:07 |
Next time I need you, just hawk up |
| 01:04:11 |
Rear back, launch a phlegm gem |
| 01:04:15 |
(Hawks) |
| 01:04:17 |
But listen to this. |
| 01:04:22 |
(Cheering) |
| 01:04:30 |
Bunch of whining little maggots. |
| 01:04:42 |
You obnoxious, |
| 01:04:44 |
self-righteous... |
| 01:04:46 |
slugs. |
| 01:04:49 |
(Cheering) |
| 01:04:52 |
Don't take that wrong. |
| 01:04:55 |
I'd quit smoking |
| 01:05:02 |
But you got to understand something. |
| 01:05:06 |
Now, a lot of you non-smokers are drinking, |
| 01:05:10 |
Now, to me, we're trading off vices. |
| 01:05:15 |
Yeah. Little fuck. "No, it's not. No, it's not. |
| 01:05:18 |
"Why should our lives be threatened by your |
| 01:05:23 |
Yeah, but you know what? |
| 01:05:24 |
I can't kill anyone in a car cos |
| 01:05:29 |
And I've tried. |
| 01:05:34 |
Turn off all the lights and rush 'em, |
| 01:05:42 |
"Man, there's a big firefly heading this way. |
| 01:05:46 |
"Shit! It's knocking over shrubs!" |
| 01:05:50 |
(James) It's really weird, he could do |
| 01:05:55 |
and then to go back on the road |
| 01:05:59 |
(Woman) # American Airlines flight 577. |
| 01:06:02 |
(Steve Hicks) I think to him |
| 01:06:04 |
getting his vision out to more people, |
| 01:06:09 |
I'm really tired. I apologise. |
| 01:06:10 |
I'm really tired of... from travelling, |
| 01:06:15 |
and tired of staring out |
| 01:06:21 |
wanting me to fill your empty lives with humour |
| 01:06:27 |
Good evening. |
| 01:06:29 |
(Andy) American audiences, people |
| 01:06:32 |
He just couldn't get any momentum going. |
| 01:06:35 |
(James) So I guess there was a frustration |
| 01:06:41 |
and Bill was moving faster |
| 01:06:47 |
What is pornography, man? No one knows. |
| 01:06:49 |
The Supreme Court says |
| 01:06:51 |
pornography is any act that has |
| 01:06:54 |
That's their definition essentially. |
| 01:06:59 |
Hm. |
| 01:07:01 |
Well, that sounds like every commercial |
| 01:07:07 |
You know, when I see those two twins |
| 01:07:11 |
I'm not thinking of gum. |
| 01:07:16 |
I am thinking of chewing. |
| 01:07:18 |
Maybe that's the connection they're trying |
| 01:07:25 |
You've all seen that Busch Beer commercial. |
| 01:07:27 |
The girl in the short hot pants opens |
| 01:07:31 |
leaves it between her legs, |
| 01:07:35 |
and the voiceover goes, |
| 01:07:40 |
Hm. |
| 01:07:44 |
You know, correct me if I'm wrong, |
| 01:07:47 |
No. |
| 01:07:49 |
That fine liquor company wouldn't try |
| 01:07:54 |
Not that fine upstanding liquor company. |
| 01:07:58 |
Let me tell you what commercial |
| 01:08:00 |
and I guaran-fucking-tee |
| 01:08:03 |
Here's the woman's face. Beautiful. |
| 01:08:08 |
Camera pulls back. She's totally naked. |
| 01:08:10 |
Legs apart. Two fingers right here. |
| 01:08:15 |
And it just says drink Coke. |
| 01:08:24 |
Now, I don't know the connection here, |
| 01:08:27 |
but God damn if Coke |
| 01:08:32 |
(David) After doing these big long shows, |
| 01:08:37 |
it was good to be back in Austin |
| 01:08:41 |
The start of the Marblehead Johnson thing |
| 01:08:44 |
was the three of us playing the night |
| 01:08:48 |
and Bill had these new songs |
| 01:08:51 |
My band Year Zero broke up |
| 01:08:55 |
and Bill came to town one day |
| 01:09:01 |
You're watching the live feed of the war |
| 01:09:03 |
and the classic... you know, the shells |
| 01:09:07 |
It was weird watching that kick off live, |
| 01:09:09 |
and that's the surreal thing about American |
| 01:09:13 |
with some sort of ratings blood lust. |
| 01:09:17 |
#Just one thing I know for sure |
| 01:09:21 |
# Yeah... |
| 01:09:23 |
(John) Bill then got the HBO special |
| 01:09:29 |
Still there wasn't that explosion. |
| 01:09:31 |
Why didn't the country like Bill |
| 01:09:34 |
(Steve Hicks) He went |
| 01:09:38 |
Just For Laughs |
| 01:09:42 |
They come from all over the world |
| 01:09:45 |
(Kevin) He realised for the first time |
| 01:09:48 |
and far more thirst for his perspective about |
| 01:09:55 |
First of all, this needs to be said. |
| 01:09:57 |
There never was a war. |
| 01:10:00 |
How can you say that, Bill? |
| 01:10:10 |
So you see right there, I think. |
| 01:10:13 |
We can all agree. Yeah. |
| 01:10:15 |
Those guys were in hog heaven out there. |
| 01:10:18 |
They had a big weapons catalogue opened up. |
| 01:10:21 |
"What's G12 do, Tommy?" |
| 01:10:23 |
"Well, it says here it destroys everything |
| 01:10:28 |
"Helps us pay for the war effort." |
| 01:10:33 |
"Pull up G12, please." |
| 01:10:35 |
Shhwwshh! |
| 01:10:44 |
Kkkcckkk! |
| 01:10:46 |
"Cool. What's G13 doing?" |
| 01:10:50 |
Everyone got excited about the technology, |
| 01:10:52 |
and I guess it was pretty incredible |
| 01:10:57 |
Pretty unbelievable. |
| 01:10:58 |
But couldn't we feasibly use that same |
| 01:11:05 |
You know what I mean? Flying over Ethiopia. |
| 01:11:08 |
Shh-kkkrrrkkk! |
| 01:11:12 |
Shh-ww-shh! |
| 01:11:20 |
Here he was not only just playing |
| 01:11:25 |
he was excelling in that arena. |
| 01:11:28 |
Cos I live in the States, |
| 01:11:33 |
and ancient, ancient religions that |
| 01:11:37 |
because they're based on fear instead of love. |
| 01:11:40 |
But, uh... they say |
| 01:11:44 |
Well, let's say that it is. I got news for you. |
| 01:11:46 |
Let's say that rock'n'roll is the devil's music |
| 01:11:49 |
and we know it for a fact |
| 01:11:56 |
(Laughs) Boy, at least he fucking jams. |
| 01:12:00 |
OK, did you hear that correctly? |
| 01:12:03 |
If it's a choice between |
| 01:12:06 |
or eternal heaven |
| 01:12:11 |
I'm gonna be surfing on the lake of fire, |
| 01:12:16 |
Oh, come on, Bill, they're the New Kids. |
| 01:12:19 |
They're so good, they're so clean-cut and |
| 01:12:23 |
Fuck that. When did mediocrity and banality |
| 01:12:29 |
I want my children to listen |
| 01:12:33 |
I don't care if they died |
| 01:12:36 |
I want someone who plays |
| 01:12:41 |
I want 'em to fucking play with one hand |
| 01:12:45 |
Now, I hope you enjoyed the show! Bkkk! |
| 01:12:48 |
Yes! Yes! |
| 01:12:53 |
Play from your fucking heart! |
| 01:13:02 |
(Clears throat) I am available |
| 01:13:07 |
(Kevin) I don't think Bill knew |
| 01:13:09 |
that this video they made there was gonna |
| 01:13:13 |
and then that was gonna be |
| 01:13:25 |
(Jack Dee) From the United States, |
| 01:13:28 |
- Yeah! |
| 01:13:30 |
I love being a comedian. It's the greatest |
| 01:13:33 |
I don't have a boss. |
| 01:13:36 |
Every job I've had with a boss, |
| 01:13:38 |
"Hicks, how come you're not working?" |
| 01:13:41 |
"Well, you pretend like you're working." |
| 01:13:44 |
"Well, why don't you pretend I'm working? |
| 01:13:48 |
"You get paid more than me. You fantasise." |
| 01:13:51 |
(Steve Hicks) In Edinburgh, |
| 01:13:53 |
He realised, "Man, OK, |
| 01:13:57 |
(John) Here's an American ridiculing America. |
| 01:13:59 |
He had been so good at making fun |
| 01:14:04 |
Now he was terrific |
| 01:14:07 |
(Kevin) The American dream |
| 01:14:11 |
and now Americans are having to tell the Brits |
| 01:14:16 |
(Steve Hicks) They did get it. |
| 01:14:20 |
How that manifested itself |
| 01:14:24 |
and he definitely attributed that |
| 01:14:30 |
This is amazing. Last show I did... |
| 01:14:34 |
Belfast, Ireland, last week. |
| 01:14:37 |
Played to 900 screaming and adoring fans |
| 01:14:42 |
in a turn-of-the-century theatre |
| 01:14:48 |
only to come back to America, |
| 01:14:54 |
to play Adolf's Comedy Bunker in Idaho, |
| 01:14:59 |
in front of 25 apathetic people, |
| 01:15:05 |
who stared at me like a dog |
| 01:15:15 |
One of life's little ironies. |
| 01:15:19 |
(John) When Bill talked to me about |
| 01:15:23 |
I thought, "Oh, shit,"you know? |
| 01:15:25 |
Over in England? But it was |
| 01:15:29 |
"This is the place that gets me, |
| 01:15:31 |
"I'm filling theatres, not comedy clubs, |
| 01:15:36 |
(Kevin) It wasn't really until |
| 01:15:39 |
that we were all like, "Oh, my God,"you know. |
| 01:15:42 |
"Bill's like a rock star over there, |
| 01:15:46 |
(Cheering and applause) |
| 01:15:50 |
(Cheering and applause) |
| 01:16:01 |
You're in the right place. |
| 01:16:03 |
It's Bill. |
| 01:16:06 |
I'm so sick of arming the world |
| 01:16:08 |
and then sending troops over to destroy |
| 01:16:11 |
We keep arming these little countries |
| 01:16:16 |
We're like the bullies of the world, you know? |
| 01:16:18 |
We're like Jack Palance in the movie Shane |
| 01:16:25 |
Pick it up. |
| 01:16:31 |
"I don't want to pick it up, mister. |
| 01:16:39 |
(Whispers) Pick up the gun. |
| 01:16:45 |
"Mister, I don't want no trouble, huh? |
| 01:16:47 |
"I just came downtown here to get |
| 01:16:51 |
"some gingham for my wife. |
| 01:16:54 |
"I don't even know what gingham is, |
| 01:16:57 |
"she goes through |
| 01:17:01 |
"I ain't looking for no trouble, mister." |
| 01:17:06 |
(Whispers) Pick up the gun. |
| 01:17:08 |
(Groaning) |
| 01:17:23 |
Pkk! Pkk! Pkk! |
| 01:17:27 |
"You all saw him. |
| 01:17:29 |
"He had a gun." |
| 01:17:32 |
(Kevin) Bill was a true patriot, |
| 01:17:33 |
and that is like a true American and a true |
| 01:17:37 |
and that's what being a patriot means, |
| 01:17:40 |
I mean, I think he was still |
| 01:17:43 |
but he was embarrassed about the things |
| 01:17:47 |
By the way, if anyone here |
| 01:17:51 |
kill yourself. |
| 01:17:53 |
Thank you, thank you. Thanks. |
| 01:17:55 |
Just a little thought. |
| 01:18:00 |
Maybe... maybe one day they'll take root, |
| 01:18:02 |
You try. You do what you can. |
| 01:18:06 |
(Whispers) Kill yourself. |
| 01:18:09 |
Seriously, though, if you are, do. |
| 01:18:11 |
Uh... no, really. |
| 01:18:13 |
There's no rationalisation for what you do |
| 01:18:18 |
OK? Kill yourself, seriously. |
| 01:18:20 |
You're the ruiner of all things good. |
| 01:18:22 |
This is not a joke. |
| 01:18:25 |
There's no fucking joke coming. |
| 01:18:26 |
You are Satan's spawn, |
| 01:18:31 |
You are fucked and you are fucking us. |
| 01:18:32 |
Kill yourself. It's the only way |
| 01:18:37 |
(Cheering) |
| 01:18:39 |
Thanks, thanks. |
| 01:18:41 |
Planting the seeds. |
| 01:18:43 |
I know all the marketing people are going, |
| 01:18:47 |
Suck a tailpipe. Fucking hang yourself. |
| 01:18:50 |
Borrow a gun from a Yank friend. |
| 01:18:54 |
Rid the world |
| 01:18:58 |
Machi... Whatever. You know what I mean. |
| 01:19:02 |
I know what all the marketing people |
| 01:19:05 |
"Oh, you know what Bill's doing? |
| 01:19:08 |
"That's a good market. He's very smart." |
| 01:19:13 |
Oh, man, I am not doing that, |
| 01:19:19 |
"Oh, you know what Bill's doing now? |
| 01:19:21 |
"He's going for the righteous indignation |
| 01:19:25 |
"A lot of people are feeling that indignation. |
| 01:19:28 |
"He's doing a good thing." |
| 01:19:30 |
God damn it, I'm not doing that, |
| 01:19:33 |
Quit putting a goddamn dollar sign |
| 01:19:37 |
(David) It's a universal idea, |
| 01:19:41 |
which is free men, who can say |
| 01:19:45 |
and that's a powerful idea |
| 01:19:47 |
when you see somebody that believes |
| 01:19:50 |
(Jimmy) That's exactly what you work for. |
| 01:19:53 |
Audiences that get what you're saying. |
| 01:19:59 |
(Dwight) I got called by NBC, |
| 01:20:03 |
so I flew down and spent |
| 01:20:06 |
He was really relaxed |
| 01:20:09 |
and when we were driving around Los Angeles |
| 01:20:13 |
Los Angeles, California, stars in the making. |
| 01:20:16 |
Everyone's got a résumé in their hands |
| 01:20:21 |
and he'd given up smoking |
| 01:20:24 |
(Kevin) Bill never stopped |
| 01:20:27 |
He was now kind of wondering, |
| 01:20:32 |
(Steve Hicks) You know, when I would go |
| 01:20:35 |
I would be amazed |
| 01:20:36 |
that maybe something that was |
| 01:20:40 |
became a five-minute bit by the fourth night. |
| 01:20:44 |
Put on a helmet, go wait in that foxhole. We'll |
| 01:20:49 |
You know, I'm so sick... |
| 01:20:50 |
I've watched these fucking congressional |
| 01:20:54 |
and all the pundits seriously... |
| 01:20:57 |
"and we are such a moral..." |
| 01:20:59 |
Excuse me, aren't you all fucking |
| 01:21:04 |
When we need you to go blow the fuck |
| 01:21:08 |
we'll let you know. |
| 01:21:09 |
Until then, what do the fucking military... |
| 01:21:14 |
"We are the military! |
| 01:21:17 |
"Is that a village of children and kids? |
| 01:21:19 |
Shh-kkk! |
| 01:21:21 |
"I don't want any gay people |
| 01:21:26 |
"I just don't want to see it." |
| 01:21:29 |
(Steve) That was, uh... June of '93, |
| 01:21:33 |
and I was at work one day |
| 01:21:38 |
and he said, "Do you have a doctor, |
| 01:21:42 |
And she said, "Yeah, we do," |
| 01:21:43 |
and he goes, "Could you call and make me an |
| 01:21:48 |
Bill called a lot of times while |
| 01:21:54 |
and I heard Jim say, |
| 01:21:58 |
And Bill said, "No, I'm in the hospital." |
| 01:22:02 |
(Steve) And I remember |
| 01:22:04 |
and then she said something like, "Oh, it's |
| 01:22:08 |
like he was making a joke or something, |
| 01:22:10 |
and I got on the phone and, "What's up?" |
| 01:22:13 |
And he said, "Well, I got bad news," |
| 01:22:17 |
And I just... it just devastated me, you know? |
| 01:22:22 |
(Fades to silence) |
| 01:22:31 |
The foundation of our family |
| 01:22:37 |
and I don't think that there was ever |
| 01:22:42 |
that he just needed to get back home. |
| 01:22:46 |
When he picked me up at the airport at LA, |
| 01:22:53 |
And I kept saying, "You want me to drive? |
| 01:22:55 |
That whole trip, he drove the entire way, ten, |
| 01:23:00 |
and he wouldn't let me drive. |
| 01:23:05 |
(Mary) He came here |
| 01:23:08 |
and in years before when he'd go out there |
| 01:23:12 |
you know, he kind of wanted to be alone. |
| 01:23:15 |
So I opened the door and I said, |
| 01:23:19 |
And he said, "Who wants to be alone?" |
| 01:23:21 |
(Chuckles) I said, "I'll be right there." |
| 01:23:24 |
As serious as it was, it was a good time. |
| 01:23:28 |
He started telling me |
| 01:23:33 |
filling me in on things |
| 01:23:37 |
and he turned to me and he said, "Why, you're |
| 01:23:41 |
(Chuckles) |
| 01:23:42 |
Also at night, Jim and Bill and I would walk. |
| 01:23:48 |
Bill was encouraged by |
| 01:23:53 |
and that's why Bill |
| 01:23:56 |
(Lynn) His desire to continue to work |
| 01:24:03 |
Cos he still travelled. This was in August |
| 01:24:08 |
Receiving an awful cancer diagnosis |
| 01:24:14 |
I mean, how many people really could do that? |
| 01:24:18 |
(Steve Hicks) And you know |
| 01:24:20 |
when he was on stage it all went away. |
| 01:24:23 |
He just got in his zone and did his thing |
| 01:24:25 |
and he never felt it, never thought about it. |
| 01:24:29 |
He was also in that period |
| 01:24:33 |
and then Rant In E-Minor |
| 01:24:35 |
and he worked with Kevin, his producer. |
| 01:24:37 |
(Kevin) We had started working |
| 01:24:40 |
I'm here. Here's my toothbrush. |
| 01:24:42 |
Wherever I am. It's my... it's my little home. |
| 01:24:52 |
(Kevin) The years and years that Bill and I |
| 01:24:56 |
where the idea |
| 01:24:59 |
just seemed like the next natural progression. |
| 01:25:04 |
OK, here we go. Ready. Play again. |
| 01:25:10 |
You all saw him. He had a gun. |
| 01:25:13 |
(Plays tune) |
| 01:25:20 |
(Kevin) Bill, you know, |
| 01:25:23 |
I never in a million years would have |
| 01:25:27 |
(Bill) You know we're recording this for an |
| 01:25:30 |
(Audience laughs) |
| 01:25:32 |
(Kevin) When I got to San Francisco, |
| 01:25:35 |
What can I say? The hook is deep, man. |
| 01:25:38 |
I went nine months without 'em |
| 01:25:40 |
and that fucking hook, they dropped it |
| 01:25:48 |
Whoo! |
| 01:25:50 |
See, folks, here's the deal, |
| 01:25:53 |
is that what the problem with the world is |
| 01:25:56 |
We're undergoing evolution |
| 01:25:57 |
and all our institutions |
| 01:26:01 |
because they're no longer relevant. |
| 01:26:04 |
Ha-ha-ha! |
| 01:26:06 |
I'd say let 'em go. |
| 01:26:08 |
That's all. It's just evolution. Evolution does |
| 01:26:13 |
OK? We're at the point now in history, |
| 01:26:18 |
And the way we do it is we evolve ideas. |
| 01:26:20 |
By the way, there are more dick jokes coming. |
| 01:26:25 |
Let's create a new philosophy. |
| 01:26:27 |
Let's create a new religion. What do you think? |
| 01:26:29 |
I mean, it's not necessarily new. |
| 01:26:36 |
Love and acceptance and forgiveness. |
| 01:26:41 |
Let's just drop all the dogma, OK? |
| 01:26:46 |
OK. |
| 01:26:48 |
I know I'm starting to lose 'em |
| 01:26:51 |
I'm like digging a fucking hole right now. |
| 01:26:55 |
And another thing. |
| 01:26:57 |
(Kevin) I don't think we would have gotten |
| 01:27:02 |
had I known he was dying. |
| 01:27:04 |
He was looking now at his life like, |
| 01:27:07 |
"I want to finish the script, |
| 01:27:10 |
"record enough material |
| 01:27:13 |
So I was in heaven. |
| 01:27:20 |
He actually included tripping on mushrooms |
| 01:27:24 |
So it was surprising when Bill said, "Let's go |
| 01:27:29 |
(David) Suddenly Bill calls out of the blue. |
| 01:27:31 |
"Hey, I think it's time |
| 01:27:35 |
I'm like, "Wow, OK. We just had..." |
| 01:27:41 |
It's pretty intense. |
| 01:27:45 |
The only thing to me that signalled |
| 01:27:49 |
is when I suggested something |
| 01:27:54 |
that he didn't say anything, |
| 01:27:57 |
like he knew |
| 01:28:01 |
Then he wanted to take a photo |
| 01:28:04 |
I think that he wanted one last photo shoot. |
| 01:28:19 |
(Kevin) I think deep down inside, |
| 01:28:22 |
It wasn't Bill's style to be a part of any kind |
| 01:28:25 |
I mean, Bill was gonna do things |
| 01:28:30 |
I was in Australia during the week, |
| 01:28:34 |
and all the Australians were going... going, |
| 01:28:39 |
First of all, I'm thinking, don't hate that guy |
| 01:28:43 |
and my first thought was, "Come on, |
| 01:28:49 |
"Let him be Jesus for a couple of months, |
| 01:28:54 |
(Kevin) March of '93, the Bureau |
| 01:28:59 |
performed a raid on a kind of a cult compound |
| 01:29:04 |
that was headed by David Koresh. |
| 01:29:06 |
This story was so fascinating to Bill |
| 01:29:10 |
and drove up there. |
| 01:29:12 |
Hi, Bill, we're almost there. Sense anything? |
| 01:29:15 |
(Sniffs) I smell some holed-up people. |
| 01:29:18 |
(Chuckles) |
| 01:29:20 |
Good afternoon. Where are we going to? |
| 01:29:22 |
Oh, we were gonna get |
| 01:29:26 |
(Kevin) The government was careful to |
| 01:29:30 |
something like two miles |
| 01:29:34 |
It's still a matter of debate |
| 01:29:37 |
But one thing is for sure, that |
| 01:29:41 |
that was filled with, you know, |
| 01:29:44 |
The whole country just stood by and was just |
| 01:29:48 |
"they got what they deserved," |
| 01:29:49 |
and I think that's what enraged Bill the most, |
| 01:29:52 |
to be that one guy going, "Hey, everybody, |
| 01:29:57 |
"Now, seriously, does everybody |
| 01:30:00 |
Ladies and gentlemen, |
| 01:30:04 |
I have seen photos that you probably |
| 01:30:08 |
that's never aired on network television, |
| 01:30:11 |
footage of Bradley tanks |
| 01:30:16 |
The Branch Davidians did not start the fire. |
| 01:30:19 |
They were murdered in cold blood by |
| 01:30:28 |
and the meaning of it all, |
| 01:30:31 |
the reason they said the Branch Davidians |
| 01:30:34 |
cos they know now |
| 01:30:36 |
that fucking whatever, |
| 01:30:39 |
They know that. |
| 01:30:41 |
They burn these fucking people alive |
| 01:30:43 |
because the message they want to convey |
| 01:30:47 |
We'll paint you as a child molester and we'll |
| 01:30:52 |
we'll say any lie we want over our |
| 01:30:56 |
and we'll burn you and your children |
| 01:30:59 |
So you just be apathetic, America, |
| 01:31:02 |
and don't you ever forget |
| 01:31:10 |
The real implication is why no mainstream |
| 01:31:14 |
and thought that it was news. |
| 01:31:16 |
This tells you something about America |
| 01:31:22 |
(Kevin) Just seeing it first-hand, |
| 01:31:26 |
What if that was you in there? |
| 01:31:28 |
You may not agree with them, |
| 01:31:30 |
where you're the guy in that church |
| 01:31:35 |
Bill really was in the state of mind, |
| 01:31:37 |
of, you know, for one, I'm not taking |
| 01:31:41 |
or two, I'm gonna just tell everybody |
| 01:31:45 |
because time is of the essence here. |
| 01:31:51 |
(Kevin) That last day we tripped out here, |
| 01:31:52 |
Bill was preparing |
| 01:31:54 |
It was only a matter of days. |
| 01:32:00 |
And of course, Bill was the only one thinking |
| 01:32:05 |
he was gonna perform something to be seen |
| 01:32:09 |
And he called me up, he was like, "David, |
| 01:32:15 |
(Ringing) |
| 01:32:19 |
And then about an hour or so later, he called |
| 01:32:23 |
"they cut it." |
| 01:32:30 |
Bill's reaction, I am pretty sure, |
| 01:32:37 |
I just remember him saying, |
| 01:32:40 |
"I'm tired of trying to please these people," |
| 01:32:43 |
and then, "I'm trying to be myself |
| 01:32:47 |
"and so I'm just not gonna do it any more," |
| 01:32:52 |
(Steve Epstein) |
| 01:32:54 |
and as we were walking, he goes, "This is |
| 01:32:58 |
I go, "Why do you say that?" |
| 01:33:01 |
"I mean, it's a nice club. You like the club." |
| 01:33:07 |
I thought maybe it's cos |
| 01:33:11 |
Folks, I appreciate you coming out. |
| 01:33:12 |
It's a very sentimental evening for me |
| 01:33:15 |
But this is my final live performance |
| 01:33:21 |
True. No, no, no, don't get me wrong. |
| 01:33:25 |
I've loved every, you know, moment |
| 01:33:29 |
in total anonymity in the country I love, |
| 01:33:31 |
and, uh... every delayed flight, |
| 01:33:37 |
playing the Comedy Pouch |
| 01:33:43 |
it was my treat. |
| 01:33:45 |
(Dwight) When I saw the Igby's tape, |
| 01:33:49 |
You listen to any set after he knew he was sick |
| 01:33:54 |
You can just feel |
| 01:33:57 |
I went in and I said, "I want to do a show |
| 01:34:01 |
"where we rid the world |
| 01:34:03 |
"that are taking our collective unconscious," |
| 01:34:05 |
and the CBS guy goes, "Will there be titty?" |
| 01:34:08 |
And I said, "Yeah, all right, sure. Uh... sure." |
| 01:34:14 |
Boom! A cheque falls in my lap. |
| 01:34:19 |
"What are these titties gonna do?" |
| 01:34:22 |
"Son, you're a genius. |
| 01:34:27 |
"Oh, at the Comedy Pouch |
| 01:34:30 |
"I had no idea if I said the word titty, |
| 01:34:33 |
"but damn it, |
| 01:34:38 |
What does everyone love? |
| 01:34:41 |
(Whispers) Titties. Yes. |
| 01:34:44 |
(David) Kevin called me |
| 01:34:46 |
"and he wants to talk to us about something." |
| 01:34:48 |
And so when he came over, |
| 01:34:51 |
because he was kind of weepy |
| 01:34:56 |
and then told us that he had cancer |
| 01:35:02 |
You know, it was just like that feeling |
| 01:35:05 |
and going, "Oh, God, |
| 01:35:08 |
(James) He called and told me |
| 01:35:10 |
and then asked me who he should tell, |
| 01:35:13 |
whether he should tell other people or not. |
| 01:35:15 |
"Of course you fucking... |
| 01:35:18 |
"You know, these are your best friends. You |
| 01:35:21 |
It was just shock forever, you know. |
| 01:35:25 |
It always just seemed then, |
| 01:35:30 |
and he's mad at me |
| 01:35:33 |
(Andy) An awful thing, but Bill's gonna beat it |
| 01:35:35 |
and this has got to be |
| 01:35:39 |
and it's gonna be difficult |
| 01:35:43 |
This fucking sucks. You're just like... |
| 01:35:45 |
I'd lost my mom four years earlier |
| 01:35:51 |
Only Bill, only Bill could that happen to. |
| 01:35:55 |
I mean the timing of it was so Bill, you know? |
| 01:35:57 |
He said, "John, you know, |
| 01:36:01 |
"and that the last thing |
| 01:36:05 |
"It's the only thing you truly have is family." |
| 01:36:08 |
Which, of course, it goes without saying, |
| 01:36:12 |
(David) Right before we hung up |
| 01:36:15 |
and he said, "I know," and hung up. |
| 01:36:18 |
(Steve Hicks) He said, "I don't want to die. |
| 01:36:20 |
"It is like the biggest joke on me |
| 01:36:23 |
"You know, here I've been a comedian |
| 01:36:26 |
"right when it was all coming together." |
| 01:36:29 |
(Bill) Is there a point to all this? |
| 01:36:35 |
Is there a point to my act? |
| 01:36:40 |
I have to. |
| 01:36:44 |
The world is like a ride in an amusement park, |
| 01:36:46 |
and when you choose to go on it, you think it's |
| 01:36:50 |
and the ride goes up and down |
| 01:36:53 |
and it's very brightly coloured |
| 01:36:58 |
Some people have been on the ride |
| 01:37:00 |
and they begin to question, |
| 01:37:04 |
And other people have remembered |
| 01:37:07 |
"don't worry, don't be afraid ever |
| 01:37:12 |
and we kill those people. |
| 01:37:15 |
Ha-ha! |
| 01:37:16 |
"Shut him up. We have a lot |
| 01:37:21 |
"Look at my furrows of worry. |
| 01:37:24 |
"Look at my big bank account and my family. |
| 01:37:30 |
It's just a ride. But we always kill |
| 01:37:34 |
You ever notice that? |
| 01:37:37 |
But it doesn't matter because... |
| 01:37:40 |
it's just a ride |
| 01:37:45 |
It's only a choice. No effort. No work. No job. |
| 01:37:49 |
A choice right now between fear and love. |
| 01:37:53 |
The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks |
| 01:37:58 |
The eyes of love, instead, |
| 01:38:01 |
Here's what we can do to change the world |
| 01:38:06 |
Take all that money we spend |
| 01:38:08 |
and, instead, spend it feeding, clothing |
| 01:38:11 |
which it would many times over, |
| 01:38:14 |
and we can explore space together... |
| 01:38:18 |
- (Applause) |
| 01:38:21 |
forever in peace. |
| 01:38:23 |
Thank you very much. |
| 01:38:27 |
Thank you very much. |
| 01:38:29 |
(Cheering and applause) |
| 01:39:08 |
My mom called me the other day. |
| 01:39:09 |
She's going, "Bill, honey, |
| 01:39:14 |
"I want you to call him up and wish him |
| 01:39:18 |
"Please don't you forget to do that. |
| 01:39:20 |
"It'll mean so much to him, |
| 01:39:23 |
"Please do it for me, honey. Please." |
| 01:39:27 |
I called up my dad. |
| 01:39:31 |
He goes, "Thanks, son. Here's your mother." |
| 01:40:21 |
(Lynn) I kind of look |
| 01:40:25 |
Are they going to be able to take |
| 01:40:29 |
and move it forward? |
| 01:40:32 |
(Dwight) It's not enough |
| 01:40:34 |
You have to kick over some tables. |
