So in addition to the fact that we have just published a book called What Would Bill Hicks Say? (in which many folks, famous and not, channel the late stand-up comic Bill Hicks), we've heard tell of a new bootleg recording of Hicks, a "Post-Letterman" recording. The significance of it being "post-Letterman" will be obvious to Hicksniks, but read on, those of you are are piqued by have no idea what I'm talking about, and read Ben Mack (co-editor of what Would Bill Hicks Say?) explain what's the deal with Bill Hicks, and Post-Letterman.
Something to give a shit about... by Ben Mack
Bill Hicks (December 16, 1961–February 26, 1994) is considered one of the most influential comedians of the 20th century. However, he is far better known in Europe and Canada than in his homeland of America. His outspoken candor kept him from widespread fame and mass media attention. However, his legend is building.
Each year, on the anniversary of his death, fans around the world help his ideas evolve by asking, What would Bill Hicks say?
New material emerges that honors his memory. This year, some authentic new material surfaced. For many fans, this is a momentous find. While eBay offers hundreds of hours of his material...there were three hours that ardent Bill Hicks fans craved to hear.
On 1 October 1993, Bill Hicks did his twelfth gig on the David Letterman show. What the audience in the studio didn't know was that Bill Hicks had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Later that night, Bill Hicks became the first comedian censored from CBS' Letterman show. Perhaps fitting for the Ed Sullivan Theatre, where Elvis Presley was censored in 1956. But, while Presley wasn't allowed to be shown below the waste, Hicks was made to disappear...
As reported in The New Yorker, Letterman greeted Hicks as he sat down on the couch with, "Good set, Bill! Always nice to have you drop by with an uplifting message!" But, there was trouble in the air and Letterman knew it. Letterman went to commercial with, "Bill, enjoy answering your mail for the next few weeks."
Back in his hotel, Bill stepped out of the shower to answer the phone. Robert Morton...the Letterman show was not running his set.
Bill was terminally sick and knew it. He imagined his Letterman show to be his swan song...what he would be remembered for. In many ways he might have been right. This debacle brought him more attention in the United States than his previous 11 Letterman appearances combined.
In the next few days after the censorship, Bill Hicks performed three shows ranting harder than ever before. These three "post-Letterman shows" as they've been called, have long been thought not captured. This last week, one of these three historic shows has just emerged, the middle show from 10/5/93, recorded by an audience member who happened to be an audio engineer. There is a brief gap in the recording at the one-hour mark when he switched tapes, but the quality is as high as can be expected from a covert recording.
This historic performance is available in its entirety as a completely free download from the art site Frequency23.org