Biography

Though he generally disliked television, he was a huge fan of "The Simpsons," once remarking to a friend that he would like to live in Springfield, and Krusty The Klown's persona as a counter-cultural stand-up comedian in the ninth season episode "Last Temptation of Krust" is a tribute to him.

To make ends meet, Bill would drive the son of the owners of the night club he was working at in California to school after working all night. The club was the Comedy Store owned by Sammy and Mitzi Shore. Their son was Pauly Shore.

Radiohead dedicated their album "The Bends" to him.

He appeared eleven times on David Letterman, but always in a very "neutered" way. His final appearance (which he had hoped would be his final message to America before he died, as his cancer diagnosis was known only to friends and family) was recorded but cut out of the final broadcast at the last minute. Ironically, afterwards he was called back and asked to do another performance; his response was: "I don't think I could learn to juggle in that short a time." Bill strongly criticized the show for its "ludicrous" censorship policies (not being able to say the word "Jesus" being one of them). David Letterman later appeared in a documentary about Bill (the UK-produced "Totally Bill Hicks") in which he expressed his regret about how the situation had ended. The only known video footage was a VHS tape given to Hicks's parents which remained unseen until January 31, 2009, when Letterman had Mary Hicks, Bill's mother, as a guest to introduce it. Prior to airing the footage, Letterman took full responsibility for its being edited out, apologized and said "It says more about me as a guy than it says about Bill because there was absolutely nothing wrong with it".

Was raised a Southern Baptist. He rejected his families beliefs at a young age and adopted his own philosophy. He often joked about The Bible Belt in his acts.

At his final show: "This is the material, by the way, that has kept me virtually anonymous in America for the past 15 years. Gee, I wonder why we're hated the world over? Look at these fat Americans in the front row - 'Why doesn't he just hit fruit with a hammer?' Folks, I could have done that, walked around being a millionaire and franchising myself but no, I had to have this weird thing about trying to illuminate the collective unconscious and help humanity. Fucking moron."

When two or more people agree on an issue, I form on the other side.

I ascribe to Mark Twain's theory that the last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged kicking and screaming into the White House.

On the theft of his material by Denis Leary: "I have a scoop for you. I stole his act. I camouflaged it with punchlines, and to really throw people off, I did it before he did."

It's great to be here. I thank you. Ah, I've been on the road doing comedy for ten years now, so bear with me while I plaster on a fake smile and plough through this shit one more time.