Where is the Lenny Bruce and Bill Hicks of today?

[TheMojoPin]

Simple enough question.

There are hundreds of brilliantly funny comedians out there today that make me laugh nonstop. David Cross, Jim Norton, Dave Attell, Chris Rock...all greats.

But anyone familiar with Lenny or Bill knows what I'm talking about...if not, well, that's your problem, not mine.

Where are they today? Was Kinison one? Lenny, Bill...who else? That potent combo of humor, savage satire, brilliant insight, pushing ALL the buttons, simmering rage, DANGEROUS COMEDY.

Who fits the bill today?

http://www.filmforum.com/images/lbruce.jpg

http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGCOVERS/music/cover200/drc800/c825/c82574lj12j.jpg

<img src="http://members.hostedscripts.com/randomimage.cgi?user=TheMojoPin">
2% << December boys got it BAD >> "You might tell some lies about the good times we've had/But I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

[who6489]

I still love George Carlin :)
Yeah, his HBO Specials are not as consistant as they used to be, but the last one "You Are All Diseased" was really funny! He's my Lenny Bruce candidate.

Maybe Norton for the Hicks candidate.

Mario Cantone is funny as Hell. So's Louis Black. Bob Schimmel's "Come's Clean" CD is one the funniest things I've ever heard! I haven't listened to it in ages. Now I will


:p

Take it easy Clarky

[RageCage]

Dave Chappelle
David Cross
Dave Attel
Carlos Mencia
Tracy Morgan
Bernie Mac
Nick DiPaulo



<IMG SRC="http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid62/p29e1729939604daf8451af5670cb9984/fc1bdf58.jpg">
Kool and the mother fuckin gang.

[TheMojoPin]

Maybe Norton for the Hicks candidate.

Why?

Don't get me wrong, I love Norton's comedy. He's brilliantly funny. But Hicks had something to SAY along with all the brutal humor. Jimmy just seems out to either shock you into laughing, beat you into laughing, or just have you laughing, period. And he's a genius at it. I just don't seem him as a Hicks-style comedian.

And again, I think Carlin is a comedy GOD, but he's definitely too close to the "observational" style of humor to be as raw as Bruce was.

But that's just me. Trust me, those guys were among the first I thought of.

Again, I come back to Kinison. The only thing making me say no is that he was so caught up in being a celebrity and being "Sam Kinson...PERSONALITY" that it seems to make him a different beast than Hicks and Bruce.

<img src="http://members.hostedscripts.com/randomimage.cgi?user=TheMojoPin">
2% << December boys got it BAD >> "You might tell some lies about the good times we've had/But I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

[Snoogans]

Where is the Lenny Bruce and Bill Hicks of today?

Gil hicks, sutor #3, from rutgers university

http://wnewsgirl.homestead.com/files/Snoogans.jpg
Silent Bob you one rude motherfucker, she like to go down on you, suck you. line up 2 other guys and make like a circus seal


eww you fuckin faggots, i hate guys, i LOOOOVE WOMEN!

[who6489]

Yeah, you're right, Norton is more of an "shock" guy. I did say "maybe" of course ;)

Take it easy Clarky

[Mike Teacher]

I'd say it's Time and Context.

You want edgy? The newest Thing? How about Bob Newhart? Or Woody Allen? Or Mell Brooks?

Coz at one time, They WERE the guys pushing the envelope; and each was at one time the Hottest Thing Going.

Lenny Bruce was Fantastically talented, but to me, what he had he wasted, like Morrison, with the quick descent, the Downward Spiral.

Lenny Bruce wasnt the first or the last to be censored, or fined, or asked to leave, or arrested. But his throwing it back in their faces, showing how rediculous and futile any attempt to censor him was genius. He'd do an act and just read from the Court Transcript, them trying to discuss the word FUCK, but they can't say it in court, etc... Carlin got nailed. One I know of was getting fired from a gig in Las Vegas for using the word 'Shit'. It's part of his later routine. And the Seven Dirty Words have been read and entered into the Congressional Record. Ha!

Which reminds me; Carlin too pushed the edge, but watch his early stuff. He learned early on how to be funny as hell while being clean. I mean Brian Regan clean. There's plenty of old carlin out there; and in the early ones, jacket and tie. All of them. Bruce, Pryor, Carlin. And the hair was High And Tight. And as edgy as a spoon. Pure Vanilla.

But in my opinion, that's why they were so good later on, they evolved; they learned the Craft, even if it was basically seeing how far they could push it.

www.miketheteacher.com

<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/miketeachr/MikeTheTeacher">

[TheMojoPin]

Well, let me go so far as to say we should subtract the "outside" scandals. When I was thinking of Lenny, I was honestly thinking JUST of his comedy...the style of his act, his rhythm, his subjects. That's it.

And I'm fucking PISSED I left out Pryor. He definitely belongs up there with them.

And you're dead right about Carlin. He's known for his "Seven words..."-type bits, but I'd say the majority of his albums are mostly "clean"...bits about his childhood and bodily functions and personality quirks...the REAL rage and political strikes really didn't kick in until the drugs were totally gone and the 80's rolled in.

And I rank Hicks above them ALL. Again, I can't think of anything to describe his comedy except for "brutality" and "dangerous"...y'know? I wish I could put it into words...

He didn't care if you agreed with him or "got him"...he didn't cater to ANYONE and just said EXACTLY what he wanted to say and what he felt he NEEDED to say.

<img src="http://members.hostedscripts.com/randomimage.cgi?user=TheMojoPin">
2% << December boys got it BAD >> "You might tell some lies about the good times we've had/But I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

This message was edited by TheMojoPin on 8-19-03 @ 5:35 PM

[DJEvelEd]

http://www.wqam.com/images/dj/Ferrall.jpg
http://www.newsfilter.org/antimtv/images1/gg1.gif

G.G. because ANYONE throwing feces at the crowd for ANY reason is hilarious and is to be considered a comedian.









As long as I don't get any in my mouth.

<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/canofsoup15/images/dj-sig.gif">
May your Kum Krusted Kocks be Konstantly Kovered in Kunt.

[Shecky]

Just because they died young and were politcal doesnt make them funny.

Hicks wasn't shit in this country until he went to England and became the number 1 Comic in Rolling Stone Magazine.

Doesn't say much when England thinks your funny.

Lenny Bruce = unfunny Jew with and H problem.


Carlin Pryor Rock Kinison Chapelle
Those Fuckers are/were funny



Later,
SHECKY

[TheMojoPin]

Still doesn't answer my question.

If that's the case, where's the unloved in America comic who is only accepted in England and the unfunny Jew with the drug problem?

<img src="http://members.hostedscripts.com/randomimage.cgi?user=TheMojoPin">
2% << December boys got it BAD >> "You might tell some lies about the good times we've had/But I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

[curtoid]

Hicks was brilliant, hands down. I put on the video of his final stand up all the time. Constantly wonder what he would have thought of the shit today if he were still around. Kinison was close, but with time I don't find myself missing him.

If you want to see Pryor at his earliest and rawest, right after he stopped being "safe," check out the film "Wattstax." Filmed in the early 1970s in Los Angeles, it was billed as the black Woodstock. Pryor shows up with some commentary that is so terrific - damn!

Anyway, the film should be on video/DVD soon - it played here in DC this summer, in a restored print, so hopefully this fall it will be out.

In my opinion, DC native, David Chapelle may be the funniest man out there right now.

<i>(It's funny how small the world is - I have one friend here in Washington who use to do stand up with Dave with David was only 14 and had to go with his Mom to get into the clubs, and another friend of mine in Ohio buys his pot from the same guy that David gets his from - and this weekend they both met. It was a beautiful thing).</i>

Chapelle not withstanding, there is no one out there with the combination of the humor, the depth or the urgency of Hicks.

[KOP]

[curtoid]

But in my opinion, that's why they were so good later on, they evolved; they learned the Craft, even if it was basically seeing how far they could push it.

The best comics can do a clean show; they learn to read their audience, and how far it can be pushed, within the first few moments. They have that "clean" set ready to go, and are prepared to do it, but are willing to go with more matierial later on.

[KOP]

[TheMojoPin]

Hey, Chapelle really can't be touched. The guy is unspeakably fantastic. But why does he keep popping up in this thread? The question still isn't "who is the funniest comic today", because I hardly think Hicks or Bruce were the best of all time or even THEIR times...it's more missing that TYPE of comedian. At times political, yes, socially relevant, also, yes...but at the core, they wanted to make the audience feel something, ANYTHING intensely. I guess they're technically considered "comedians", but I'd more even think of them as just "performers" or "spoken-word artists"...

<img src="http://members.hostedscripts.com/randomimage.cgi?user=TheMojoPin">
2% << December boys got it BAD >> "You might tell some lies about the good times we've had/But I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

[JustJon]

Denis Leary did a good rip-off of Hicks' act.

If that's the case, where's the unloved in America comic who is only accepted in England and the unfunny Jew with the drug problem?
Eddie Izzard and Richard Lewis

<img src="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/bans/rfjustjon8.jpg"><BR><A href="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com">Chaotic Concepts</a>

[TheMojoPin]

Denis Leary did a good rip-off of Hicks' act.

Nice, solid double...

Eddie Izzard and Richard Lewis

AND IT'S OUTTA THE PARK!!! CUBS WIN!!! CUBS WIN!!!

<img src="http://members.hostedscripts.com/randomimage.cgi?user=TheMojoPin">
2% << December boys got it BAD >> "You might tell some lies about the good times we've had/But I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

[guttersnipe]

Lenny Bruce was about 50 years ahead of his time. Which means perhaps sometime in the next decade we'll have someone who can fill his shoes.

~snipe



<IMG SRC="http://www.charm.net/~imp/me/alexdelarge.jpg">

[LennyBruce]

Ok cats Dig this.
Stop talking about me. I wasnt that funny and the Heroin wasn't that good.

[East Side Dave]

Just got a dvd of Bill Hicks that has three performances of his and a documentary on it. Fucking great. Shit. Awesome.

<img src=http://www.richstillwell.com/ESD.gif>
Big Ass Mafia

Click this link (http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/thenight/ppr/index.shtml) to hear my show on 90.5 The Night FM;
Friday and Saturday Night: Midnight to 5 AM you bastards!

[fezident]

<p>Hey Mo,</p><p>&nbsp; I don't think a comedian CAN be dangerous these days.&nbsp; Audiences are far too uptight and the media is far too PC.&nbsp; Archie Bunker made jokes and comments 20+ years ago that wouldn't make it to air today.&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;Look at all the idiots out there that simply couldn't wrap their brain around the innocent comments that Bill Maher made a few years ago (Billy Staples....I'm looking in your direction).&nbsp; The world is different now.&nbsp;People are too litigious.&nbsp;There will never be another Rosa Parks...much less another Lenny Bruce.</p>

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/tucker71/fezident.jpg


"I'm looking for the 'Make Believe Ballroom'....Don't get fresh, Buddy!"

[epo]

http://www.ronfez.net/gallery//watermark.php?file=3997&size=1