Comedian Bill Hicks

William Melvin Hicks, also known as Bill Hicks, was a famous American political comedian, social critic and writer. His humor, often laced with anti-social commentary, was often darkly comedic and often steeped in black humor. He had a long career as a writer, but his first break came on the television in with the sitcom "Seinfeld." He portrayed a conservative who often ranted about the latest news in the world and the political issues that were then happening.

Hicks' character, George, often said things such as, "If you don't believe in God, you're an atheist; if you don't think the government should run businesses, you're a socialist; if you don't believe in the American Constitution, you're a liberal" and so on. Hicks began to draw attention to the many issues surrounding the black community in America when he made a series of funny black men and women jokes on his show that became known as The Night Time Show. One of these jokes mentioned how the black community was afraid to leave their homes because they feared being lynched by white people. Another of his black man/white woman jokes was a joke on how black people didn't want to marry white people, because white people were afraid they would steal their money.

Standup and Writing Career

Bill also wrote for several books, including "The Right Stuff," which he wrote with fellow author David Hawkins. In this book, Hicks discussed how many people had lost their jobs due to the poor economy and the way that the government has helped those businesses that could afford to keep their jobs. He was critical of the government in general and even talked about socialism, communism and the New Deal. After the success of his humorous books and TV shows, Bill Hicks became a well-known comedian. In addition to being a well-known political thinker, he was also well-known as an artist. During the late 60s he made some films and performed at comedy clubs. He was also a popular writer and poet. Hicks passed away from cancer at the age of forty-four. Although his death was widely reported in the media at the time, it was not a big story. Many comedians were quick to claim that he had died of natural causes and that his death was nothing to be worried about. However, more recent reports have indicated that his death was actually due to prostate cancer. His widow, Tina Hicks, has made a documentary about her husband, entitled "How Much I Love You," in which she discusses what led up to his death.

Hicks Influence A Generation Of Comics

Hicks' death also led to a new wave of comedians that grew in popularity during his time. These comedians included Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Jerry Seinfeld and Kevin Pollack, among others. While the styles of these comics varied, they all took on Hicks' style of humor. Bill Hicks' style of comedy was always a bit different than the standard hip hop music that was popular during the time he was alive. Hip hop music and hip hop culture are generally very lighthearted. His style of comedy is heavy on black humor, but he also had very strong opinions. Bill Hicks' humorous writings have also made their way into the music world. Hip-hop artists like Kanye West, Jay Z and Biggie Smalls all included his writings on their albums. There are several books written by Bill Hicks that have also been made into movies. These include "American Notes"Don't Say a Thing." Comedy writers and directors alike are often inspired by Bill Hicks' style of humor. Many people have taken the works of Bill Hicks and adapted them into movies. The most famous of these movies is called "Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey." There are a few other movies based on Bill's writing, including "A Fish Called Wanda." Bill Hicks was definitely a funny guy and he influenced a lot of other comedians. Whether you loved or hated him, you will never forget the impact he made on your life with his style of humor.