Bill Hicks on the MSM.

[trof]

Thanks to Starbucks Anarchist for the link in the lounge.
It's about his taped but unaired bit on Letterman.

"This is what I think CBS, the producers of the Letterman show, the networks and governments fear the most - that one man free, expressing his own thoughts and point of view, might somehow inspire others to think for themselves and listen to that voice of reason inside them, and then perhaps, one by one we will awaken from this dream of lies and illusions that the world, the governments and their propaganda arm, the mainstream media, feeds us continuously over fifty-two channels, twenty-four hours a day.

What I realised was that they don't want the people to be awake. The elite ruling class wants us asleep so we'll remain a docile, apathetic herd of passive consumers and non-participants in the true agendas of our governments, which is to keep us separate and present an image of a world filled with unresolvable problems, that they, and only they, might somewhere, in the never-arriving future, may be able to solve. Just stay asleep, America. Keep watching television. Keep paying attention to the infinite witnesses of illusion we provide you over "Luciferís Dream Box".

The herd has been pacified by our charade of concern as we pose the two most idiotic questions imaginable - "Is television becoming too violent?" and "Is television becoming too promiscuous?" The answer, my friends, is this: television is too stupid. It treats us like morons. Case closed.

And now, the final irony. One of the "hot points" that was brought up as being "unsuitable for our audience" was my joke about pro-lifers. My brilliant friend Andy posited the theory that this was really what bothered and scared the network the most, seeing as how the "pro-life" movement has essentially become a terrorist group acting with impunity and God on their side, in a country where the reasonable majority overwhelmingly supports freedom of choice regarding abortion.

I felt there was something to this theory, but I was still surprised to be watching the Letterman Show (Iím still a fan) the Monday night following my censored Friday night performance and, lo and behold, they cut to a - are you ready for this? - pro-life commercial. This farce is now complete. "Follow the money!"

Then I'll see you all in heaven, where we can really share a great laugh together Ö Forever and ever and ever.

With love, Bill Hicks."
http://www.konformist.com/2000/bill-hicks.htm

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Sounds like Letterman was doing Hicks a favor.

It reads like a really bizarre passive-aggresive mental break down.

[arcadian]

2. Says the poster who changed their name to: HiFructosePronSyrup

:rofl:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. You'd prefer a Billy Ray Cyrus joke?

Or a fat joke about Marlon Brando?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. Hardly

Do you know the history of Bill Hicks and David Letterman?

Do you know what was ultimately revealed to be the reason for his being censored and ultimately dropped from that particular airing?

Are you familiar with the work of Bill Hicks?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. I read Hicks' account of the reason.

Why? What was the real reason?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

11. Part of his routine

was about the "pro-life" people blocking entry to abortion clinics. Hicks said that if those people were really "pro-life," they would block entrances to cemeteries.

That got his whole act kicked off the show. Letterman's producer promised to send him a tape of his routine, but never did.

It turned out that one of the sponsors of that particular show on that particular night was - are you ready? - a PRO-LIFE group.

Tonight, Bill's mother, Mary Hicks, will be on the Letterman show, fifteen years later, and his censored routine his going to be shown. I'll watch.

[Greyhound]

7. Didn't even bother to click the link.

Doesn't know Hick's work, didn't read the whole thing, has no idea of the background but always ready to make an unqualified diagnosis. This is the reason Bill was a huge celebrity around the world, but relatively little known here.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

12. Yeah, no response

Assholes. They're not worthy.

[fascisthunter]

9. it's not about not knowing him, it's about ideology

but intellectual dishonesty and deliberate obtuseness seems to be modus operandi for those who are too afraid to be more honest with others on DU.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

13. That's subtext -

here, in this thread, it's about Bill Hicks, and if you don't know who he was, aren't familiar with his work, you really are not at all qualified to comment. You're just another asshole blowing, and that, right there, dovetails into your very perceptive comment...........................

[Political_Junkie]

4. Love Hicks. N/T

[MinM]

8. Mort Sahl

Mort Sahl was the one of the original entertainers who, like Bill Hicks, risked it all by speaking truth to power:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/MinM/60

:kick: 'n R

[fascisthunter]

10. Bill Hicks Always had a Nack for Cutting to the Chase

and that scared the shit out of the right wing and those who suck up to elites.

[Z_I_Peevey]

14. How I loved Bill Hicks!

For whatever reason, I'm glad Letterman is airing the Hicks performance. Good for him.

Hicks is one of just a few artists who struck my consciousness so forcefully that I remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard him. Just like I remember the first time I heard the Beatles and the first time I heard John Prine.