BILL HICKS on Episode #1 of "COMICS ONLY" with Paul Provenza (1990)

[@jayporks]

Host hates smoking. Bill proceeds to light up. Amazing.

[@RicoJazz]

Saggitarius

[@jonathanj5728]

Haha Priceless

[@hikageniko]

Well, it's a show.

[@matthewscherer9681]

+Chris Maslen yep well said!!

[@drewduz]

Its was staged to be that way

[@zillawars]

Even more (but not much more) than the awesome George Carlin, Bill Hicks made me want to know more about what was going on around me. Both men had a profound effect on me.

[@magnusfischer3073]

***** I agree unreservedly! Both were *fearless* iconoclastic legends atop their field _while alive,_ and both are sorely missed purveyors of truth and wisdom still to this very day.

[@JFP159Vid]

+Greg Hoggatt Those too where so insightful,.... if you seek more enlightenment of this sort check out Jacque Fresco ,he well reveal eye opening SHIT.

[@dr.bombay7031]

AMEN!!

[@verve92]

I agree 1000%. This guy was to be the next Carlin but they are different enough to co-exist.

[@PatrickBateman1987]

that's alex jones, dude

[@calisongbird]

"I guess if I keep smoking I'll be one of her stories." Ugh. How sad....

[@scottmatheson2390]

calisongbird very sad especially because pancreatic cancer is very rare in anyone under 40. Bill had a bit about all the good guys dying while the mediocre hacks live on and boy was he right about that.

[@tomasgomez9925]

calisongbird Maybe if he hadn't smoke he wouldn't have died of that pancreatic cancer. I did research and found out that 1 out of 4 people who have pancreatic cancer before the age of 40 are due to smoking... So yeah, very bad luck for him. Then you see people who are in their 50s and have been smoking since they were 15 and are still alive... shit! lol But the idea is not to live forever, but to create something that will. And I believe Bill Hicks left that to us.

[@klimtklavier]

+joe wiseman Don't feed the morons. They'll claim he's now an ultra-right conspiracy theory radio douche. He's dead. Mary Hicks sure as hell wouldn't lie.

[@JustinLB82]

I thought they meant Eugene from The Walking Dead haha

[@scottmatheson2390]

@KesselRunHero well you can name "a bunch" of comics who you personally think were better than Bill and you are welcome to you own opinion. Yes I get that it was a joke and my assertion (boy was he right) was actually focusing on the fact that Bill himself died which I find painfully ironic.

[@parantapbhatt1058]

A legend in his own right, Bill Hicks is sorely missed and I feel honored to have had the good fortune to be able to see his acts(via KZbin i mean) while so many around the world are oblivious to his existence.

[@valg321]

Bill Hicks will never die

[@AllyRobson]

he did

[@erichvonmolder9310]

I just saw him! Just squeegeed my third eye.

[@jamesahern9864]

He just became Alex Jones

[@soofitnsexy]

@@jamesahern9864 lolll

[@DJHaze-ep8mg]

I really, really wish these interviews weren't so scripted to push his material. I mean, it's great, but I would have actually loved to hear some candid, REAL conversation with Bill Hicks.

[@MrDavetheman]

+The Mind's Eye On a 7 min talk show?

[@christinetrzcinski4561]

+The Mind's Eye a lot of comics do that like Seinfeld it is annoying....

[@theghostofjohnpinzone1895]

This is true, most of his interviews are just re-hashed material. But think about it, back then without the internet, he kind of had to do this to promote himself across multiple regions.

[@goldilox369]

@Brad Childress seriously. It's like watching Paul springboarding Bill. Seems choppy & stilted. I remember watching this as a kid flipping through the channels. It's how I discovered Bill, and I never looked back. But, rewatching this, after hearing all his shows being so fluid... It's hackey. 🤔😒🤷‍♀️

[@pfwed3443]

I think this is what you get .. posture and ... well more posture

[@JamaicaSound]

Thanks for sharing this episode!

[@maxf4u]

I miss this guy so much, I would love to listen to him talk about the world today, also George Carlin

[@BROCK-hq9dn]

@Jeff Jordan ''There's only been one comedian that's even come halfway close to THE GOAT. That was Norm MacDonald.'' LMAO! ''Bill Hicks was the best the world will ever see, no one will ever top him.'' George Carlin, who easily topped everything Hicks ever accomplished on a stage, was the best the world has ever seen. Carlin actually has a stellar comedy legacy to back it up. Will never be topped ;)

[@BROCK-hq9dn]

@Jeff Jordan Despite being extremely irritated and disappointed with humanity, George Carlin remained hilariously brilliant all the way to the end. If Carlin taught us anything, it's to always strive to see the best in others while also being prepared for the worst.

[@BROCK-hq9dn]

@Jeff Jordan I'm sure he'd have a lot to say about everything wrong with this country, but he'd be unable to go on his angry monologues about Republicans. He'd be too busy ripping the Democratic Party apart! I know George Carlin would crucify the far-left woke Democratic Party and its voting bloc, and there would undoubtedly be many Republicans with targets on their backs! While being hilariously funny onstage.

[@Verschlimmbesserung]

He was a true artist. You can see how uncomfortable he is when it comes to promotion and advertising, even when it comes to his own material. What a genuine guy.

[@jerichobeach2967]

His face when he’s like I need an ashtray - have you tried the museum?

[@rickpatrick468]

Bill Hicks best thing that ever happened to Denis Leary.

[@filiplugo7630]

Denis Leary best thing that ever happened to some of the material written by Bill Hicks.

[@GenericUserName8119]

It's kind of creepy and sad how when Bill was talking about drugs that everybody immediately went quiet, like you could hear a fucking pin drop.

[@TheCack2013]

It just goes to show how much the peoples mindset has changed over the 2 1/2 decades. I think it sucks that he didn't see the fruition of the seeds he was planting.😖😫😓 RIP Bill

[@willg.6168]

3:08 the sounds of silence.

[@DannySullivanMusic]

spot on. entirely correct

[@holaaamannn]

Bro I know this is old as hell but a few years ago in college my teacher said to raise your hand if you thought drugs should be legal. I was the only person. The teacher asked me explain my reasoning and man, the quietness in the room was so eery. The funny and ironic part was it was a criminal justice course and the teacher (retired cop and also worked on a parole board) was actually in favor of legalization!

[@Fallingmonsters]

6:18 "I've been doubting my own existence" that was 🔥

[@jesterface0521]

It always gets me when Stars talk about death and what they would like to be remembered for or to predict how they would die. Its pretty crazy to then look back and see how little time they had left. He and Sam Kinison are still both legends.

[@PatrickMaliha]

Thank you so much for posting these videos up. This is truly great stuff that needs to be out there. And congrats on being so forward thinking back in 1989!

[@kcinks]

I never knew there were so many Bill Hicks videos out there, I was tired of watching "Clam Lappers", I started searching and found so many. Thanks man, RIP.

[@TwentyThreeRiddles]

Love Bill...Thanks so much for the upload! :D

[@Weaponize]

Alex's early career was crazy!

[@lighttread]

Thank you for putting these out Provenz!

[@natasnatas9581]

bill hicks.the thinking mans comedian.miss you brother

[@joel8750]

He should have written a philosophical type book before he passed. Ah well.

[@hauntedhouse3379]

Bill we need ya back!

[@Egoblivion]

Bill: They want you to do only those taxed drugs. Host: So I guess we won't be seeing you at the gym... Just wow at the logic fail.

[@tiermensch8141]

That fucker was just nervous.

[@tiermensch8141]

@Abu Dabu Being nervous or even fearful has a tremendous impact on your ability to think clearly and logically.

[@tiermensch8141]

@Abu Dabu Not maybe. What i stated is a fact. But i also can see that you are right plus he seems to be ignorant. If you watch carefully, you can see that Bills presence is to much for him to handle, that makes him nervous. I could go for a rant now, but that person is not worth my time.

[@asapbutters3566]

Abu Dabu you literally didn’t listen to a single thing he said and instead insulted him. Yeah he’s the dumb one...

[@jamestipton7872]

If this really was the first episode, then having bill hicks might not have been the best idea. he was peaking at that time and I’ve still never heard of the host. Other than the green room, but still.

[@theodorebouchet321]

His facial expressions are alays epic

[@erinriddle9729]

I love when bill talks about his family. It's freaking hilarious!!😂

[@AquariusRevolution]

Every time I watch candid videos with him and his friends, he was always coughing, it was really apparent that he was gonna get sick. I wish he was still here, there was more to Bill than just being an edgy comic. He was a light in this world.

[@windchimes1998]

I just wonder what he would say if he were alive today.

[@DeimosSaturn]

I was hoping this would be an actual interview but it turned out to just be a talk show where Bill does a bunch of material. It's unfortunate that shows like Marc Maron's or Joe Rogan's weren't around back then for guys like Bill Hicks. Would have been so interesting to hear him really shoot shit for 2 hours.

[@adityakataria47]

@Space Munky appreciate the effort!

[@xBiiiGCat]

I think this is an interesting way to do a set, better than doing it between the juice and the muffins

[@weswashburn4321]

Could u imagine Hicks talking to Rogan?!?

[@snmink]

Wow, I remember these shows. I went to a taping in Glendale, CA. It was fun.

[@thejasonbischoff]

Subscribed! Watched your show and loved all the 80's and 90's comics! Will promptly binge on all your vids.

[@Joel_Powell]

+Provenz Thanks so much for posting. Was checking out various clips of Bill. I saw you (Paul) a few times live. Enjoyed the craft - loved seeing Todd Barry, Bobby Collins, Bobby Slayton live....doesn't seem like it will ever be like that again.

[@PreyingMantisRanch]

Bobby Slayton - the pit bull of comedy!

[@ALLrobotsAreSad]

He’s like Carlin in interviews. He talks in his bits (written jokes), and doesn’t seem comfortable letting his gaurd down and just hanging out. FYI, I’m not trashing him. Carlin and Hicks are my absolute favorite stand up comedians.

[@everburning8127]

Dude was 28 and looked 40.

[@odw_99]

Yeah but then again, look at John Lennon at the end of The Beatles era, he looked about 60

[@theghostofjohnpinzone1895]

@@Hymn43 I disagree, look at his face and hairline. He looked at least 10-15 years older than his actual age.

[@jksvana]

tension disorder how does a 28 year old dress like a “kid”? Am I somehow missing the adult section when I shop for clothes? Please elaborate.

[@nhjt6507]

Alex Jones looks 12 years older than he is too

[@biggestd1161]

Alex Jones

[@donaldcaggiano907]

Why do the best people die young and Aholes live forever ?

[@xtraspecialmango]

Paul set Bill up beautifully - Well played Sir! :)

[@hdslave]

This is one of the best tv interviews with bill, Paul is nice n friendly with him

[@iSquishMoths]

In hindsight it's always a bit difficult to watch his smoking material. Maybe he really should have read those warnings on the packets. Props to hicks tho, guy performed all the way up until the last 14 days of his life and stopped when because couldn't even move. Pancreatic is a really shitty diagnosis, not many survive and there's barely any symptoms, hicks apparently just had a lot of acid reflux and a slight pain in his abdomen, by then he had about 6 months -- 32 years old. He died with pure and utter integrity, pure love for his art. Top 5 comedians of all time.

[@hacksdp3]

Thanks for having him provy.

[@sudanbewaobdedebo]

Truly the best ☺️

[@mellowlink1215]

I just found this guy, he is awesome. PS nice VHS rip.

[@eratocamusic]

Bill was way ahead of his time. No-one in this room was woke enough to get it.

[@ZeroESG.goopootoob]

Wokeness is for retarded totalitarian puppets.

[@bassjumpaofficial]

This guy knows nothing but being in the zone all his life

[@bboybarafuco]

Gotta love bill hicks

[@robertocruz8429]

The greatest comedians to me are Carlin Pryor Hicks Chappelle and Patrice O'Neal

[@darthkek1953]

And that fat maama from Ghostbusters 2016. She's great the way she apes around...

[@johngullo9420]

My list would add Burr and Giraldo.

[@FreakinRican6969]

Lenny Bruce was the original OG

[@tyrionlannister3459]

Wow, Paul had that 80's pirate look going with a mullet...

[@DeimosSaturn]

"CD and tape" Holy fuck, I forgot cassette tapes existed.

[@Plaster10p]

Legendary interview

[@flamingocupproductions5329]

i'm the biggest hicks fan, but the irony of him dying from cancer after making all the smoking/cancer jokes is not lost on me.

[@LissaBroyles]

Holy shit Provenza looks like Michael Jackson with a nose.

[@provenz7846]

The secret is revealed!!

[@gladtobeangry]

Scott Broyles Lol. I was about to type: "Holy shit, Provenza. That's quite the mullet you got going there." Then I read yours, and laughed.

[@rsohlich1]

Bill was only 28 or 29 here but looks late 30s or 40s.....great comic

[@fatkidinabucket]

Wish he would have put that first part in his routine I never heard it on Spotify hilarious

[@Hollyweed1]

Great interview. And you yourself are a great interviewer making the guest feel at ease. Can you share something else from Bill if you have? Would love to see rare materials from Bill.

[@RonJammin]

Are you sure this is the FIRST episode? video thumbnails/recommendations on side show other comics on show from '89, yet this was in '90? still, great show! thanks again!

[@provenz7846]

My bad! Thanks - I've corrected it.

[@timp8843]

Early version of Comics Unleashed?

[@macman7169]

every bill hicks video there is alex jones comments

[@joshhout7143]

I love the bill DIDNT die from cigarettes lol

[@37Dionysos]

"A carton of low birth-weights, please!"

[@tomsinter2869]

wish he was around for the u.s. election debacle 2016.............

[@obeythelaw5504]

Yeah. That idiot Hillary was almost president.

[@brandomontes]

Obey The Law He would have hated them both.

[@mikeydude678]

He was here, but he’s Alex Jones now.

[@Shichard2006]

"I guess if I keep smoking I'll be one of her stories." Wow. That kinda hits hard.

[@SarahWells777]

Fucking love!! Hicks.R.I.P~

[@Pillgrim1981]

I love Bill Hicks, but what I hate is when he goes on interviews and still does his routine jokes. It's not every time, but when it does happen, it just rubs me the wrong way, as if he wasn't able to carry a serious conversation

[@grant5603]

Hmmmm yeah kind of agree

[@MyHelpWanted]

Yea this was the pre podcast format. Makes me wonder how he would do now a days

[@pautin31]

I think that burden falls heavily on the hosts ability to ask interesting questions about their guest. This guy seemed to hit on the fact that he's a smoker from the get go. So Bill might have been ready to give an interview instead of a performance of his material but once the host made his intentions clear he might have rolled with the only other option he felt he had control over. Just my opinion but I could be wrong.

[@DrMatthewAlford]

Pre-KZbin so talkshows were a good way to showcase material. Most comics used to do that, maybe a bit different now.

[@ronbusa3735]

Bill Hicks /Alex Jones hard to deny

[@imhigh0013]

Host wearing one of those pirate shirts Sienfeld was always wearing.

[@jenniemalloy7402]

The funniest joke was missed. Hilarious.

[@gavinrichter654]

Hicks should have done cigarette commercials lol

[@ozarkprepper1718]

Alex was a riot back then..lol

[@fingerbob74]

Woah eerie "guess if I keep smoking I'll be one of her stories"

[@sancellevance7864]

Actually his form of cancer is the same as Andy Kaufman. Now he rarely smoked and he did it only rarely under the Tony Clifton persona

[@skinnyddd]

Thats a pretty bad ass album cover

[@chrischar9428]

3rd clip of hicks dont get it

[@RockingMeetball]

Kind of seems to be like a promotional interview, the interviewer seems to be setting him up for jokes in almost every question. The best die young unfortunately!

[@i_dont_live_here]

Rest In Power Bill Hicks ❤

[@JohnTVMartin]

Who's Paul Provenza?

[@24hoursadaywithbobr]

i miss him

[@graxjpg]

The Korean American flag joke is great. It tells you that while the guy is being indignant about the fact that his dad died fighting Korea, the American government considers his dads life less than worthless.

[@GlassThirdEye]

Very awkward interview lol God I miss Hicks.

[@bussyhaver]

The host is either having a fan boy moment or was GEEKED up on that white powder

[@calemaceanruig8010]

holy crap look how young paul provenza is here!

[@vai82]

Im suffering through all this, no ashtray, those ashes surely ended up on the carpet.

[@christinetrzcinski4561]

+vai82 was noticing that myself...weird.

[@DodoDodo-eo2su]

i was searching for that comment.

[@kevtruth]

Have you checked the museum?

[@LoyalOpposition]

"Although he was my first inspiration for my change, Bill Hicks was the closest thing to Mort Sahl." - George Carlin

[@filiplugo7630]

Please give the source for this quote, which was never spoken by George Carlin. It's quite depressing to have to embellish someone's legacy.

[@Prometheushighaf]

4:44 wow was his mother Ralphie May lol ❤️

[@urigarcia6441]

"I guess if I keep smoking I'll be one of her stories". Well, guess what

[@giovannispaghetteo455]

The interviewer tried his hardest to throw bill off. 20 years on the road starting at 14, bill really outplayed him without saying a negative thing about him. Sad how this ass interviewer is so bitter about not being recognized that he tries to throw bill off kilter.

[@joshualozano5470]

Is this the origin story of the "Pirate Shirt" from Seinfeld?

[@babjikarri4432]

I hate when people like Bill and Carlin etc are described as 'comics', they were much more than that they were social commentators who described shit like it was.

[@appidydafoo]

5:42 - ... and pause it with a record scratch at 5:45 😭

[@Mr06261984]

anyone remember the host of this show from empty nest. he had a bit of a following in the day

[@darthkek1953]

If Bill didn't smoke there's a very good chance (not guarantee, but probability) he'd be with us today, pancreatic cancer is rare in non-smokers under 50. As someone who lost both parents and a grandparent to cancer (all heavy smokers) his "I love smoking" routine leaves me cold. Loved everything else of him though.

[@mattblack118]

oh just shut up

[@nocomment1469]

Nice table ... IKEA ?

[@provenz7846]

Ha! That’s hilarious. It does look like that - But believe it or not, that table was actually hand crafted by a crew member. Wish I’d kept it.

[@nickwheeler1652]

lol he looks like alex jones for real here.

[@fahqilluminati8273]

thats not alex jones no way...

[@darioantolos2759]

he was the best

[@peterpandemonium3032]

Love you Bill.

[@Najebanski]

I love Bill, thanks to him we have Alex Jones

[@soofitnsexy]

huh

[@Najebanski]

@@soofitnsexy it's a joke. Many people think they look alike/are the same person.

[@soofitnsexy]

@@Najebanski really? they look sound act think speak gesture nothing alike?? I heard something about alex jones an obnoxious clown is Bill??? whoever says this is lower then Faucci;)

[@MisterBeauJanGels]

​@@NajebanskiSilly rabbit. All you have to do is listen to Alex Jones and you'll realize that he used to be McGruff the Crime Dog.

[@jaytorr6701]

I find very interesting that hicks was more popular in the UK first. I guess his misanthropic misery based humour resonates with the British psyche.

[@nicknewman7848]

I think it was his intelligent critique of American attitudes towards guns, religion, politics, the military and corporate aggression that made sense to alternative British audiences.. most of these people were aware about world affairs and things that existed outside their own country. Mainstream UK wouldn't have liked it very much. He was Alternative.. non mainstream. That was the appeal. I first saw him when I was 16 and he opened my eyes to some of the evils and injustice in the world that the U.S. Government were responsible for. Most of the U.S. mainstream audiences were too dumb to get it.. and still are.

[@bostondangler134]

The Legend !

[@dbkfwkqvkvakbsk8953]

Looks like Bill liked his Marlboro cigarettes. Always wondered. I've seen him with that brand before too.

[@AntonDoesMusic]

24 waffle waitresses saw this video.

[@ryanmchowell]

Yeah great show 👏

[@PikesvilleAl]

Bill Hicks is back on Twitter. Oh I meant Alex Jones is back on X

[@mydigitalditch]

This particular footage, he really has an alex Jones look to him

[@MarshallLore]

except he was a lot taller than Alex is

[@samnewton62]

Bill Hicks was the oldest-looking 29 year old of all time

[@jamesbowers5946]

He was actually still 28 here

[@Turco949]

Another "Gone Too Soon" epic comic.