Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hickswas an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material, encompassing a wide range of social issues including religion, politics, and philosophy, was controversial, and often steeped in dark comedy. He criticized consumerism, superficiality and banality within the media and popular culture, which he characterized as oppressive tools of the ruling class that keep people "stupid and apathetic"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionComedian
Date of Birth16 December 1961
CityValdosta, GA
CountryUnited States of America
The world is like a ride in an amusement park. And when you choose to go on it you think it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it's very brightly coloured and it's very loud and it's fun, for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time and they begin to question: "Is this real, or is this just a ride?" And other people have remembered, and they come back to us, they say, "Hey, don't worry, don't be afraid, ever, because this is just a ride." And we kill those people.
They proved that if you quit smoking, it will prolong your life. What they haven't proved is that a prolonged life is a good thing. I haven't seen the stats on that yet.
We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.
I'm very tired of staring out into your vacant faces looking back at me. Wanting to fill your empty lives with humor you couldn't possibly think of yourself... Good evening!
It's really weird how your life changes. Tonight I'm drinking water. Four years ago? Opium. Night and day, you know?
There is no such thing as death; life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
They also have a sense of irony, which America doesn't have seeing as it's being run by fundamentalists who take things literally.
You think when Jesus comes back, he really wants to see a cross? That's like going up to Jackie Onassis with a rifle pendant on.
I'm an American who loves an America which doesn't exist, which is a land of freedom and free ideas.
Sixteen years I've pounded my head against the mentality of America, which...I'd say it's about an 8th grade emotional level.
The role of the comedian is to say 'Wait a minute' when a consensus starts to form.
The Voice of Reason is in us all...and everyone can recognize it because it makes sense and everyone benefits from it equally.
I was over in Australia during Easter, which was really interesting. You know, they celebrate Easter the exact same way we do, commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus by telling our children that a giant bunny rabbit ... left chocolate eggs in the night. Now ... I wonder why we're f-ked up as a race. I've read the Bible. I can't find the word "bunny" or "chocolate" anywhere in the f-king book.
I'm a heavy smoker. I go through two lighters a day.