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Contemporary comics who carry the torch

topic posted Sun, October 2, 2005 - 12:39 AM by  Howie
Who among active comedians is in your opinion is carrying forth the legacy of Bill Hicks today. Please add your list of the most brilliant, conciencious, conceptual and flat out funny Comics in Stand up or other media.

To start:

1. Lewis Black
2. Eddie Izzard
3. Sarah Silverman
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Howie
offline Howie
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  • Vegas
    Vegas
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    Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

    Sun, October 2, 2005 - 3:20 AM
    Don't forget David Cross...he actually uses certain lines and concepts form Bill's repetoire. But still keeping it original..and very tributary.
    And he's one of Bill's biggest fans.

    Greg Proops...to a point. He likes to tear down the crown and speak the truth.

    Although...I don't necessarily agree with Sarah...she comes from the pool of Cross,Bob Odenkirk,J. Black,B. Stiller and J. Garafealo...her humor seems too...borrowed.
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  • Mahl E.
    Mahl E.
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    Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

    Thu, October 6, 2005 - 6:49 AM
    I don't know about this topic. Ever since Denis Leary tried shamelessly to rip-off Bill Hicks's style, persona, routine and delivery, I have been rather cynical of other comics who propose to insightfully spew anger at "The System".

    Bill Hicks's comedy worked because he had the right ideas at the right time and righteously delivered his opinions with disregard for an audience's approval. Since the very late 1980's there has been WAY too much money in comedy for anyone to play authentically to an audience without wondering how their performance will effect their paycheque.

    Janeane Garafalo? No, she doesn't have the breadth of global political knowledge to draw an original opinion and put it out there without caring about the impact. She strikes me as a reactionary who is under the delusion that she is a revolutionary. To me, Lewis Black is an angry white guy - funny yes, but he is not insightful enough to think like Bill Hicks.

    Greg Proops is an outstanding improv comedian as far as timing and I find his comedy cynical for the sake of cynicism. Also, Jon Stewart relies almost completely on all sarcasm and no new message for me to see his comedy in the same context as Bill Hicks's personal philosophy.

    So, I think until there is an absolutely unmitigated shift in the way comedy is performed, the context of what is now 'funny' and the delivery of a strong message hidden in funny innuendo we won't know who truly carries Bill's torch for a while.

    Just my opinion.
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    • Rich
      Rich
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      Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

      Thu, October 6, 2005 - 6:52 AM
      interesting comments Mahl E - sorry to hear youre a bit jaded when it comes to modern comics.

      the UK scene is very healthy at the moment - people are happy to see stand up as an end in itself, not as a leapfrog to sitcoms, and as such, theres a reaonable amount of "real stuff" around.

      meanwhile, at the risk of sounding like a fan, have you seen Paul Provenza?

      Rich
      Xx
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      • Mahl E.
        Mahl E.
        offline 20

        Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

        Thu, October 6, 2005 - 7:28 AM
        I think "jaded" would be an accurate word Rich! There is zip, zero, zilch, nil, nada, nihil and nothing here in the States which is original on the comedy scene. Like you aptly addressed, stand-up comedians are looking to make the Seinfeld shift from "doing Letterman" to their own sitcom (e.g."Roseanne", "Everyone Loves Raymond"). The marketing crew ("By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself. ...!" - Bill Hicks) tends to sift through comedic "talent" to find what is marketable and then use this to unleash their advertising hounds on television, print magazines and films.

        When I see a weak comedic performance on one of the late night shows, my first thought is: Gee ... that guy has GOT to have a great agent because talent didn't land him a spot on (Leno, Letterman, Conan) tonight!

        Comedy is so thin in America that people here are still trying to squeeze Jim Carrey to see what his next trick is. Jim Carrey is entertaining and there is a difference between entertainment and comedy which is done well. Yes, the world needs the Jim Carreys as much as it needs their Bill Hickses but the pendulum has been swinging over to the Ace Ventura side for the past 10 years. I am just at a point now wishing SOMEBODY somewhere would come up with something original where the audience actually has to think while they are laughing. I started to like Bill Maher ("Politically Incorrect") before I realized no matter what he's talking about ("Larry King Live" interviews for example) he is always doing his "schitck" and that, to me, feels protracted. But isn't that the same point with Jim Carrey?

        Yes, I have seen only very limited material by Paul Provenza such as "Comics Only" (1991), and mostly likely should investigate more of his comedy.
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        • Walt...
          WaltSnipe
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          Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

          Thu, October 6, 2005 - 8:10 AM
          I'm telling ya.....check out Maria Bamford. She may not look the part, but that juxtaposition increases the punching power of her subversion. AND she's not an angry white guy :-)
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          • Mahl E.
            Mahl E.
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            Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

            Thu, October 6, 2005 - 12:51 PM
            "check out Maria Bamford"
            _______________
            Thank you, I shall! Also, let me see if I can twist this topic a bit. I put forth that Trey Parker and Matt Stone carry on in Bill's comedic legacy in that Bill Hicks believed so much of what people are told is pure bullshit. Trey and Matt's "South Park" show just plain states it is ALL bullshit and then uses analogies and phoney "I learned something today" lessons to spell out what they are lampooning.

            For example: Right before the US elections 11 months ago South Park summed up our US Presidential choices (Bush v. Kerry) by electing a new South Park school mascot '04.

            Mr. Garrison: Attention students, we have tallied your mascot nomination sheets, and there will now be a school-wide vote between the top two nominations. So here is the first most-requested candidate, a giant douche. [a giant douche steps out from behind the TV and begins dancing to 2 Unlimited's "Get ready for this."]
            Kyle, Kenny: Go giant douche!
            Giant Douche: Hey, South Park! Have we got school spirit?? [a smattering of applause] We've got spirit, yes we do! Giant douches, me and you! Let's gooooo, Douches! [a smaller smattering of applause]
            Mr. Garrison: And now your second nominee, Turd Sandwich. [a turd sandwich steps out from behind the TV and begins dancing to Baha Men's "Who Let The Dogs Out?"]
            Cartman: All right turd sandwich!
            Butters: Yeah!
            Kyle: Cartman? What the hell??
            Cartman: Giant Douche sucks!

            The message is clearly stated in the quick aside at the P.E.T.A. compound: "But Stan, don't you know, it's always between a giant douche and a turd sandwich. Nearly every election since the beginning of time has been between some douche and some turd. They're the only people who suck up enough to make it that far in politics."
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            • Otter
              Otter
              offline 25

              Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

              Wed, October 19, 2005 - 8:29 AM
              >I put forth that Trey Parker and Matt Stone carry on in Bill's comedic legacy in that Bill Hicks believed so much of what people are told is pure bullshit.

              Yes. Oh yes. Trey and Matt are pure genius. They can get away with some pretty amazing shit, too. Burning flags on TV, etc. And they tell it like it is.

              I've yet to see Team America, but am told that it pulls few punches politically.

              OTter
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        • Otter
          Otter
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          Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

          Thu, October 6, 2005 - 12:43 PM
          >I started to like Bill Maher ("Politically Incorrect") before I realized no matter what he's talking about ("Larry King Live" interviews for example) he is always doing his "schitck" and that, to me, feels protracted.
          >

          Interestingly enough, when Bill Maher started to break out of that mold and take some real risks, he got fired - for being Politically Incorrect.

          Now THAT'S an irony that St. Hicks would have loved.

          Otter
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          • Walt...
            WaltSnipe
            offline 47

            Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

            Thu, October 6, 2005 - 1:50 PM
            I just don't think Bill Mahr is a particularly bright or insightful guy....it's only in the current climate that he could ever pass for cutting edge and/or subversive.

            It was interesting to hear an interview with him in the last year or so where he said he thinks the contemporary politician that most reflects his views is Bob Dole.....
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            • Mahl E.
              Mahl E.
              offline 20

              Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

              Thu, October 6, 2005 - 2:04 PM
              Bill Maher's "Politically Incorrect" plug was pulled (January 11, 2001) by his show's sponsor, Federal Express, when Bill Maher said retarded people are like dogs:

              Bill Maher: But I've often said that if I had -- I have two dogs -- if I had two retarded children, I'd be a hero. And yet the dogs, which are pretty much the same thing --[ Laughter ] What? They're sweet. They're loving. They're kind, but they don't mentally advance at all.
              Cynthia Garrett: I'm going to throw my shoe at you for that one -- oh!
              Bill: What? Dogs are like retarded children.
              Jay Nordlinger: The show is living up to its name. [ Scattered boos]
              Sarah Ferguson: Boo.
              Cynthia: My 9-year-old nephew is retarded. I've never thought of him like a little dog.
              Bill: Well, maybe you should. [ Scattered boos ]
              ______________

              In a strange co-incidence this brings me back to Bill Hicks and his performance cut from Letterman right before he (Bill) died. I believe Bill Hicks was CONVINCED Letterman's Standards committee at NBC was responsible for pulling his bit at the last minute. I also believe (given the last 12 years to think about it) it was the advertisers who said: "Eh ... nope! We're not going to pay for our promotions to air on a show which has that type of content in its comedy segment".

              It was the advertisers and not the Standards group who said 'no way'. The Letterman people covered for their sponsors as that was in the best interests of "Late Night with David Letterman" at the time.

              Because of this need for commercial viability I think the best, most innovative comedians who really have a pointed message aren't being heard - and until they have a funny slant that can be used up by Nike, Starbucks, UPS or Ford Motor Company they will stay relatively undiscovered.

              Sad, really.
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              • mitch
                mitch
                offline 20

                Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

                Fri, October 7, 2005 - 4:24 AM
                Fucking Americans. Never were funny anyway. Hicks and one or two others (Carlin, Pryor mainly) were abberations.

                Hi Mahl E.

                X
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                • Walt...
                  WaltSnipe
                  offline 47

                  Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

                  Fri, October 7, 2005 - 6:14 AM
                  "Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch
                  Fucking Americans. Never were funny anyway. Hicks and one or two others (Carlin, Pryor mainly) were abberations."

                  .....as opposed to the biting political satire of Benny Hill?
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                • Mahl E.
                  Mahl E.
                  offline 20

                  Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

                  Fri, October 7, 2005 - 6:52 AM
                  "Hicks and one or two others (Carlin, Pryor mainly) were abberations"
                  _________
                  But you make my point neatly, Mitchum. Prior completely changed the way social comedy was handled by not giving a crap what the audience thought but only saying how he saw things in his own unique, detached way AND in his own language (motherfucker!). Although SNL's "Dead Honkey!" (Richard Prior being interviewed for a job by Chevy Chase) is one of my favourite lines from the series.

                  Carlin made you think - you could have an internal conversation while listening to George detail a final solution to social problems: Turn golf courses into housing for the homeless. By George Carlin's estimate, golf courses occupied three million-plus acres of American real estate — room enough, he says, for "two Rhode Islands and a Delaware for the homeless." An original thought, stated in as few words as possible to convey the sarcasm, and put across in a way that no one had ever considered. Now kids..... THAT'S genius.

                  It seems that when society begins to take itself too seriously, there is an opportunity for a well prepared, insightful comedian to stride in and state: "Every-fucking-thing you know is wrong and - fuck you! - here's why". Bill Hicks was a well timed wake-up call during the entire 1980's self absorbed, "You can reach me on my car phone - I'll be in my Beemer!" which the yuppies wanted to become the cultural norm.
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                  • This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.
                    Lord J
                    Lord J
                    offline 300

                    Re: Contemporary comics who carry the torch

                    Wed, October 19, 2005 - 9:46 AM
                    I think we're forgetting someone who paved the way for some of his contemporaries like George Carlin and Richard Prior. Lenny Bruce challenged society's moral philosophy in the early 60's, including race, abortion, patriotism, religion and politics. I'm not trying to devalue Carlin or Prior's contribution, just saying that Lenny put his ass on the line long before they even had a chance to step outside the box. :D
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