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Love All the People: Letters, Lyrics, Routines
Bill Hicks was arguably the most influential stand-up comedian of the last 30 years. He was funny, out of hand, impossible to ignore and genuinely disturbing. His work has inspired Michael Moore, Mark Thomas and Robert Newman among others. The trade paperback published in February 2003 was the first collected work and included major stand-up routines, diary, notebook and letters extracts, plus his final writings, most previously unpublished. This smaller format paperback has extra material discovered subsequently.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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2128 people want to read
About the author
Bill Hicks
21 books451 followersWilliam Melvin Hicks was an American stand-up comedian.
Finding moderate mainstream success in the late 1980s and early '90s, Hicks tended to balance heady discussion of religion, politics and personal issues with more ribald material; he characterized his own performances as "Chomsky with dick jokes."
Finding moderate mainstream success in the late 1980s and early '90s, Hicks tended to balance heady discussion of religion, politics and personal issues with more ribald material; he characterized his own performances as "Chomsky with dick jokes."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
February 24, 2022
Bill Hicks was a cult figure of comedy in the UK before he really hit the real big time in the USA. A man known more for being rabidly anti-Imperialism, anti-Reagan/Bush, anti-Christian radicals etc, but in reality was just against people that force their opinions on someone/everyone else and don't listen to other people's opinions. Dying before his time (is that an annoying saying) at 31, he never truly got to document his own story so we're left with this money grabbing(?) collection of his (repeated) stand-up routine, his interviews, his TV show scripts and more. For Hicks' ideology I would give this a 10 out of 12, but for this specific collection which repeats so much content, as it shares different performances, I have to give a mere 5 out of 12.
The terrible terrible truth about Hick's legacy is everything he thought of, and said about (Christian and Republican) America has been proven to be true and many of them are publicly and brazenly embracing there almost, dare I say for context, Satanic behaviour and world views.
2022 read
The terrible terrible truth about Hick's legacy is everything he thought of, and said about (Christian and Republican) America has been proven to be true and many of them are publicly and brazenly embracing there almost, dare I say for context, Satanic behaviour and world views.
2022 read
April 28, 2010
So it was disappointing as hell not to love this book. In fact, it was disgusting to realize that during large sections, I was bored. The problem is not Bill. The problem is the editing. The idea behind the book was to show Bill’s comedy routines as he performed them throughout his career so that the reader can see how Bill’s routines evolved over time. The problem with this approach is two-fold:
First, Bill Hicks had the same message throughout his career. Bill Hicks’ message stayed on point more or less from the beginning. Therefore it is difficult to appreciate any sense of evolution when the spirit behind the jokes is the same and when, in fact, entire chunks of his routines are vomited verbatim up to five times in one book.
Second, the repetition on paper is mindlessly boring. Boring. Bill Hicks is not boring but this book is. Say one had the chance to follow Bill when he was alive and hear all of his routines. Being there in person, night after night, hearing his delivery, seeing the expressions on his face, it is safe to say it likely would not have been as tiresome as reading the same jokes over and over. The end result is that Hicks’ fierce messages of skepticism combined with openness, cynicism and optimism, spirituality and anti-religion, togetherness and independence, and peacefulness and a call to intellectual arms get hopelessly diluted through meaningless repetition. Read the entire review here.
First, Bill Hicks had the same message throughout his career. Bill Hicks’ message stayed on point more or less from the beginning. Therefore it is difficult to appreciate any sense of evolution when the spirit behind the jokes is the same and when, in fact, entire chunks of his routines are vomited verbatim up to five times in one book.
Second, the repetition on paper is mindlessly boring. Boring. Bill Hicks is not boring but this book is. Say one had the chance to follow Bill when he was alive and hear all of his routines. Being there in person, night after night, hearing his delivery, seeing the expressions on his face, it is safe to say it likely would not have been as tiresome as reading the same jokes over and over. The end result is that Hicks’ fierce messages of skepticism combined with openness, cynicism and optimism, spirituality and anti-religion, togetherness and independence, and peacefulness and a call to intellectual arms get hopelessly diluted through meaningless repetition. Read the entire review here.
October 18, 2010
Like almost all anti-establishment figures who died before their time, Bill's premature death served to seal his reputation as an almost godlike figure. Easy to be cynical about that of course, but also worth remembering that to be timeless you need a special something in the first place. Bill was no saint, no genius, and his arguments were not always as watertight as they might at first have appeared. But reading his material 16 years on - and reflecting on everything that's happened since - he seems, if not quite godlike, then at least the closest we got to a pre-millenial prophet. And a funny one at that. Much of his continued popularity lies in the simple fact that his material is still so painfully relevant; his vital injection of unhinged sanity more desperately required than ever.
Reading his denunciation of the first Gulf War and President Bush Sr, you can't help but reflect on the ample material he'd have had to work with during the Bush Jr era and the invasion of Iraq. Reading his take on the safe and soulless manufactured pop of the 80s and 90s, you long to hear him let rip on the proliferation of reality TV. Reading his caustic lampooning of reactionary Republicans, you wonder what he'd have had to say about the Tea Party movement. It's impossible not to ponder these things and wonder how the focus of his work might have changed had he remained with us. Was he all set to have become a lightning rod for reason? Or for spirituality? Was he destined to become a leading light of the late 90s anti-globalisation movement? Or a researcher of '9/11 truth'? It's possible to find seeds for all of these and more in the later routines covered in this collection.
Of course one of the most moving things about reading this book is knowing what lies ahead. Several 1993 performances feature Bill joking with the audience about how this would be his last show ever. He knew the real reason of course, but he didn't let on. Also included here is his 31 page letter to John Lahr revealing his devastation at being the first ever comedy act to be cut from the Letterman show. (Letterman would later take full responsibility for that decision and in 2009 finally air the routine in its entirety in the presence of Bill's mother as guest.) Another fascinating inclusion is the script for the pilot episode of a new Channel 4 talk show, Counts of the Netherworld. This would eventually be screened in 2004 on the tenth anniversary of his death.
Transcripts are always going to be an incomplete way to experience a performance, but thankfully the transcripts here are faithfully recounted down to each hesitation and word stumble (and for anyone familiar with Hicks's routines, it's really not hard to pull the missing flourishes and contortions from your head). Unsurprisingly this is a book with no shortage of laugh out loud material, but the additional letters and lyrics give the reader a fascinating insight into Bill Hicks the man. Original, challenging, and well-meaning, he wasn't perfect but he was mostly on the right track, and, to coin a phrase, one of life's good guys. If you identify with that feeling of being caught between both loving humanity and fast losing faith in it, read this book, smile, and take comfort in the fact that at least one man was feeling much the same way almost two decades ago.
Reading his denunciation of the first Gulf War and President Bush Sr, you can't help but reflect on the ample material he'd have had to work with during the Bush Jr era and the invasion of Iraq. Reading his take on the safe and soulless manufactured pop of the 80s and 90s, you long to hear him let rip on the proliferation of reality TV. Reading his caustic lampooning of reactionary Republicans, you wonder what he'd have had to say about the Tea Party movement. It's impossible not to ponder these things and wonder how the focus of his work might have changed had he remained with us. Was he all set to have become a lightning rod for reason? Or for spirituality? Was he destined to become a leading light of the late 90s anti-globalisation movement? Or a researcher of '9/11 truth'? It's possible to find seeds for all of these and more in the later routines covered in this collection.
Of course one of the most moving things about reading this book is knowing what lies ahead. Several 1993 performances feature Bill joking with the audience about how this would be his last show ever. He knew the real reason of course, but he didn't let on. Also included here is his 31 page letter to John Lahr revealing his devastation at being the first ever comedy act to be cut from the Letterman show. (Letterman would later take full responsibility for that decision and in 2009 finally air the routine in its entirety in the presence of Bill's mother as guest.) Another fascinating inclusion is the script for the pilot episode of a new Channel 4 talk show, Counts of the Netherworld. This would eventually be screened in 2004 on the tenth anniversary of his death.
Transcripts are always going to be an incomplete way to experience a performance, but thankfully the transcripts here are faithfully recounted down to each hesitation and word stumble (and for anyone familiar with Hicks's routines, it's really not hard to pull the missing flourishes and contortions from your head). Unsurprisingly this is a book with no shortage of laugh out loud material, but the additional letters and lyrics give the reader a fascinating insight into Bill Hicks the man. Original, challenging, and well-meaning, he wasn't perfect but he was mostly on the right track, and, to coin a phrase, one of life's good guys. If you identify with that feeling of being caught between both loving humanity and fast losing faith in it, read this book, smile, and take comfort in the fact that at least one man was feeling much the same way almost two decades ago.
February 18, 2015
"Love All The People."
Love All The People is a great book, if you're a fan of Bill Hicks of course. There isn't another comedian like him, he was unique in his day and still is to this day today.
The main problem with this book, which seems to be a common problem for most, is that a lot of his material is repeated in the chapters which are basically a script of his stand up routines. They have their slight differences, different audience participation, but the punch line is always the same. Being such a huge fan as I am I tried to not let this detract from an otherwise great book to own if you're a fan of his work.
Not only does the book include the scripts of his shows, it also features some interesting insights into past problems he had with censorship (i.e Letterman show), general musings on events at the time, a pilot to a TV show he was working on and letters to friends and "competition".
It also features one of the greatest chapters I have ever read titled "Thoughts on love and smoking (November 1992)". In this chapter Bill talks of living in New York and being involved in a relationship, I was amazed at how perfectly written this chapter was, it flows like poetry and often rhyming beautifully. Bill's use of the English language is sublime, sexy and heart breaking. The book is worth picking up purely for this chapter. A large part of me wishes he'd written a book solely based in this artistic style.
Overall if you're a fan of Bill Hicks' beliefs on life/drugs/censorship and topical (for the time) content then this book is worth picking up, whilst the repeated punch lines do let it down unfortunately, it's still worth reading if you're a fan.
Love All The People is a great book, if you're a fan of Bill Hicks of course. There isn't another comedian like him, he was unique in his day and still is to this day today.
The main problem with this book, which seems to be a common problem for most, is that a lot of his material is repeated in the chapters which are basically a script of his stand up routines. They have their slight differences, different audience participation, but the punch line is always the same. Being such a huge fan as I am I tried to not let this detract from an otherwise great book to own if you're a fan of his work.
Not only does the book include the scripts of his shows, it also features some interesting insights into past problems he had with censorship (i.e Letterman show), general musings on events at the time, a pilot to a TV show he was working on and letters to friends and "competition".
It also features one of the greatest chapters I have ever read titled "Thoughts on love and smoking (November 1992)". In this chapter Bill talks of living in New York and being involved in a relationship, I was amazed at how perfectly written this chapter was, it flows like poetry and often rhyming beautifully. Bill's use of the English language is sublime, sexy and heart breaking. The book is worth picking up purely for this chapter. A large part of me wishes he'd written a book solely based in this artistic style.
Overall if you're a fan of Bill Hicks' beliefs on life/drugs/censorship and topical (for the time) content then this book is worth picking up, whilst the repeated punch lines do let it down unfortunately, it's still worth reading if you're a fan.
March 30, 2015
Ya know all those famous Bill Hicks standup routines that we've all listened to endlessly? The ones on Relentless, Sane Man, Revelations, Dangerous, Arizona Bay, Rant in E-Minor, Flying Saucer Tour Vol.1, Shock and Awe, etc..?
Well, what if you could have all of them in a book, complete with transcripts of interviews done of Bill Hicks around 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994?
If you know the materials as well as I do, you know that there is a lot of overlap and similarities over the years. And once you've read the same routine 5 times, you'll go "Why am I reading it the sixth time elsewhere in this book?".
If you're a Bill Hicks completist, you'll read this, even after you've already read that One Consciousness book that came out in 2014. And you'll go "Well, what about the 80s? Surely he had some material going on back then that I haven't read, heard or seen?"..
Yep, there's a lot of talk towards the end of the David Letterman cancellation - where Bill Hicks delivers the closest material to his heart and gets axed from the show for "no reason", but once you see the axed show on YouTube, you'll go "well, I already read it a couple of times during this book."
I know it was a big deal to him and a major bummer and a letdown, and it fits into the chronicles of Bill Hicks 'n all.
But I wonder if there's anything left to read after you've read this and One Consciousness.
The back of the book states that the thoughts contained within this book will blow your mind. Maybe my mind has already been blown. Elsewhere, and originally by Bill Hicks.
RIP Bill Hicks, the comedian's comedian.
Well, what if you could have all of them in a book, complete with transcripts of interviews done of Bill Hicks around 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994?
If you know the materials as well as I do, you know that there is a lot of overlap and similarities over the years. And once you've read the same routine 5 times, you'll go "Why am I reading it the sixth time elsewhere in this book?".
If you're a Bill Hicks completist, you'll read this, even after you've already read that One Consciousness book that came out in 2014. And you'll go "Well, what about the 80s? Surely he had some material going on back then that I haven't read, heard or seen?"..
Yep, there's a lot of talk towards the end of the David Letterman cancellation - where Bill Hicks delivers the closest material to his heart and gets axed from the show for "no reason", but once you see the axed show on YouTube, you'll go "well, I already read it a couple of times during this book."
I know it was a big deal to him and a major bummer and a letdown, and it fits into the chronicles of Bill Hicks 'n all.
But I wonder if there's anything left to read after you've read this and One Consciousness.
The back of the book states that the thoughts contained within this book will blow your mind. Maybe my mind has already been blown. Elsewhere, and originally by Bill Hicks.
RIP Bill Hicks, the comedian's comedian.
June 29, 2009
This man is God. I am in love with his brain.
Read
February 8, 2017So, I'm not going to finish it, I'm not going to rate and review it.
Sadly, it started very good, with a very impressive forward by John Lahr.
I liked Bill Hicks sharp and waspy humor, and I enjoyed the written performance. At the beginning. Until it started to be repetitive.
You can read his best quotes in the Wikiquote-Summery. I had read them and loved BEFORE I picked up this book.
My main problem was how this book is MADE. I can imagine that there are not many records of Bill Hicks - a talented American comedian left us too soon - and the editors put into this book EVERY SINGLE LITTLE PIECES they managed to find. But it became tiresome to read the same jokes again and again. There were too many repetitions for my liking.
Though I'm talking here only about the book.
Not about Bill Hicks, the legendary standup comedian, whose death at the age of 32 was every bit as significant as those of John Lennon and Kurt Cobain.
April 23, 2012
Whether or not your are a fan of Bill Hicks is unlikely to change the fact this book swiftly becomes a chore to read. The idea is sound: provide excerpts from Hicks' routines over the years to show their evolution, and the book is open about the fact this will necessitate some level of repetition.
However the minimal editing, with huge routines quoted verbatim, offers no real sense of evolution at all. The result is that there is little point to re-reading the same jokes and the whole affair becomes a tedious exercise. A particular shame for a comedian whose strength lay in the fiery energy behind his delivery, largely lost in print.
Do watch Hicks for a comedian with a message, something often missing in stand-up. But this book is for completist fans only.
However the minimal editing, with huge routines quoted verbatim, offers no real sense of evolution at all. The result is that there is little point to re-reading the same jokes and the whole affair becomes a tedious exercise. A particular shame for a comedian whose strength lay in the fiery energy behind his delivery, largely lost in print.
Do watch Hicks for a comedian with a message, something often missing in stand-up. But this book is for completist fans only.
November 21, 2012
Always brilliant, mordantly funny. Of course, it's better to read Hicks having seen his work (check out YouTube if you haven't seen him). His voice is special and much missed, at least by me. As one of my books says, and I often wonder, "What would Bill Hicks say?"
April 7, 2008
Depending on your point of view, Bill Hicks was a comic genius or a crass boor. To his admirers, Hicks was a stand-up comedian in the tradition of Lenny Bruce - smart, direct, uncompromising, using humour to sugar his bitter invectives against hypocrisy, injustice and wilful ignorance. His detractors saw only a shock-comic who used free speech as an excuse for bad language and bad behaviour. It's unlikely that this book will bring the twain closer together, but it may help those who loved or loathed Hicks gain a better understanding of the man behind the jokes.
"Love All the People" is a selection of Bill Hicks' writing from the 1980s up to 1994, the year of his death. Along with his stand-up routines, there are letters, interviews and scripts from projects he had in the pipeline. There's also a full explanation by Hicks about what happened when his set was axed from the David Letterman show.
The routines are reprinted exactly as they were delivered, and although they succeed in giving a flavour of the Hicks style, they're no substitute for the "live" performance. I had to go out and buy a CD of Hicks to enjoy the full experience. Comedy, like music, depends on rhythm, timing, intonation, none of which come across as well on the printed page. The book contains a fair amount of repetition between one routine and another, but it's still interesting to see how Hicks adapted his material even as he was performing it.
Beyond the routines, the letters which Hicks wrote in response to his critics reveal a more placid side, but he continued to defend his style with vigour, intelligence, and of course with humour. Hicks made it clear that he didn't care what people thought as long as they thought for themselves, cutting out the interpreters in government, religion, business and television.
A typical example of Hicks at work:
"Aren't bosses something? They're like gnats on a camping trip, aren't they? (makes sound of gnats whining). Get the f*** out of here, buddy. It's just a job. It doesn't mean a thing, all right? I smoked a joint this morning, you're lucky I showed, bud, all right? My bed was like a womb. I always used to get from bosses: "Hicks, how come you're not workin'?" I'd go, "There's nothing to do." And they'd go, "Well, you pretend like you're workin'." "Yeah, why don't you pretend I'm workin'? You get paid more than me. You fantasize, buddy. Hell.Pretend I'm mopping. Knock yourself out. I'll pretend they're buying stuff; we can close up. Hey, I'm the boss now - you're fired. How's that for a fantasy, buddy? If you're gonna pretend go ahead and...I can't have a job: I need my sleep. You know what I mean? I do. I need eight hours a day, you know, and about ten at night (sniffs) and I'm good...I'm good, I am”.
Along with some very robust language throughout the book, some readers may be uncomfortable with Hicks' remarks on Christianity. Yet the interviews in the book uncover a deeply spiritual dimension to Bill Hicks, sometimes taking him to an almost evangelical level.
“The word is ‘enthusiasm’. It is from ‘Enthios’ which means the god within. You know what that means. You do what excites you…what really brings you joy. It is God’s way of saying you are on the right path. We are on it together and isn’t it fun. Do what brings you joy and all else will follow."
All of the facets of the complex character that was Bill Hicks come together in his letter to New Yorker columnist John Lahr, in which he explains how his routine was edited from the Letterman show in 1993. Showing a rare gift for letter-writing, Hicks goes into full, but not tedious, detail about the events surrounding his appearance. In spite of fulsome praise from the producers, a rapturous reception from the live audience and warm congratulations from Letterman himself, Hicks' routine was cut on the night the show went out, and he only discovered its deletion shortly before the broadcast. His letter goes on to describe the incredulity, pain and anger he felt at his treatment, again showing how articulate he could be, even in the midst of emotional turmoil. This letter in itself underlines how powerful the written word can be in the right hands, spoiled only by an inexplicably high number of typographical errors which seem to have infested this particular section of the book.
Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer in 1994, at the age of 32. He was on the verge of breaking out of his cult status in the United States to mirror the success he already enjoyed in Britain. This book isn't all we have to remember him by, but it is a fair reflection of a complex man, and a reminder of how much we need his like today.
After doing battle with drink and drugs in the 1980s, Hicks worried that giving them up would blunt his talent to amuse.
"But I also realized that I wouldn’t be funny if I was dead."
He couldn't have been more wrong.
"Love All the People" is a selection of Bill Hicks' writing from the 1980s up to 1994, the year of his death. Along with his stand-up routines, there are letters, interviews and scripts from projects he had in the pipeline. There's also a full explanation by Hicks about what happened when his set was axed from the David Letterman show.
The routines are reprinted exactly as they were delivered, and although they succeed in giving a flavour of the Hicks style, they're no substitute for the "live" performance. I had to go out and buy a CD of Hicks to enjoy the full experience. Comedy, like music, depends on rhythm, timing, intonation, none of which come across as well on the printed page. The book contains a fair amount of repetition between one routine and another, but it's still interesting to see how Hicks adapted his material even as he was performing it.
Beyond the routines, the letters which Hicks wrote in response to his critics reveal a more placid side, but he continued to defend his style with vigour, intelligence, and of course with humour. Hicks made it clear that he didn't care what people thought as long as they thought for themselves, cutting out the interpreters in government, religion, business and television.
A typical example of Hicks at work:
"Aren't bosses something? They're like gnats on a camping trip, aren't they? (makes sound of gnats whining). Get the f*** out of here, buddy. It's just a job. It doesn't mean a thing, all right? I smoked a joint this morning, you're lucky I showed, bud, all right? My bed was like a womb. I always used to get from bosses: "Hicks, how come you're not workin'?" I'd go, "There's nothing to do." And they'd go, "Well, you pretend like you're workin'." "Yeah, why don't you pretend I'm workin'? You get paid more than me. You fantasize, buddy. Hell.Pretend I'm mopping. Knock yourself out. I'll pretend they're buying stuff; we can close up. Hey, I'm the boss now - you're fired. How's that for a fantasy, buddy? If you're gonna pretend go ahead and...I can't have a job: I need my sleep. You know what I mean? I do. I need eight hours a day, you know, and about ten at night (sniffs) and I'm good...I'm good, I am”.
Along with some very robust language throughout the book, some readers may be uncomfortable with Hicks' remarks on Christianity. Yet the interviews in the book uncover a deeply spiritual dimension to Bill Hicks, sometimes taking him to an almost evangelical level.
“The word is ‘enthusiasm’. It is from ‘Enthios’ which means the god within. You know what that means. You do what excites you…what really brings you joy. It is God’s way of saying you are on the right path. We are on it together and isn’t it fun. Do what brings you joy and all else will follow."
All of the facets of the complex character that was Bill Hicks come together in his letter to New Yorker columnist John Lahr, in which he explains how his routine was edited from the Letterman show in 1993. Showing a rare gift for letter-writing, Hicks goes into full, but not tedious, detail about the events surrounding his appearance. In spite of fulsome praise from the producers, a rapturous reception from the live audience and warm congratulations from Letterman himself, Hicks' routine was cut on the night the show went out, and he only discovered its deletion shortly before the broadcast. His letter goes on to describe the incredulity, pain and anger he felt at his treatment, again showing how articulate he could be, even in the midst of emotional turmoil. This letter in itself underlines how powerful the written word can be in the right hands, spoiled only by an inexplicably high number of typographical errors which seem to have infested this particular section of the book.
Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer in 1994, at the age of 32. He was on the verge of breaking out of his cult status in the United States to mirror the success he already enjoyed in Britain. This book isn't all we have to remember him by, but it is a fair reflection of a complex man, and a reminder of how much we need his like today.
After doing battle with drink and drugs in the 1980s, Hicks worried that giving them up would blunt his talent to amuse.
"But I also realized that I wouldn’t be funny if I was dead."
He couldn't have been more wrong.
July 19, 2013
I love a good autobiography and I have mostly been disappointed by biographies. I purchased this because it was billed as autobiography.
The forward by John Lahr was mostly full of the worst kinds of biography - "Bill hated ### as his cousin told me he had heard his mother say that Bill had said to her" You know the sort of thing, nothing that wasn't conjecture or extrapolation from public record. It did then start to give more interesting information - most particularly about his diagnosis with cancer and the way it was dealt with by Bill and his family.
The format needed tighter editing as it relayed verbatim transcripts of a great deal of his shows across his career. This was purported to show the development of his ideas through the years but actually just meant that there was an awful lot of repetition.
I have loved Bill Hicks from the first time I saw him on C4 years ago. The book reports that the UK took him to their hearts, and I really think that those who have seen/heard him definitely did.
However, I think if anyone tried reading this book without having a prior respect and admiration for his work then I think they'd really not be sure they would want to know any more about him.
The transcripts need to be heard in Bill's distinctive voice.
There was a chapter called "Thoughts on love and smoking" which I found really moving.
A lot was made of his censorship by the David Letterman show (or the network who broadcast it) but I really don't remember this at the time. Perhaps it didn't get reported much in the UK.
Overall, a great reminder for me of how good Bill Hicks was (mostly)
The forward by John Lahr was mostly full of the worst kinds of biography - "Bill hated ### as his cousin told me he had heard his mother say that Bill had said to her" You know the sort of thing, nothing that wasn't conjecture or extrapolation from public record. It did then start to give more interesting information - most particularly about his diagnosis with cancer and the way it was dealt with by Bill and his family.
The format needed tighter editing as it relayed verbatim transcripts of a great deal of his shows across his career. This was purported to show the development of his ideas through the years but actually just meant that there was an awful lot of repetition.
I have loved Bill Hicks from the first time I saw him on C4 years ago. The book reports that the UK took him to their hearts, and I really think that those who have seen/heard him definitely did.
However, I think if anyone tried reading this book without having a prior respect and admiration for his work then I think they'd really not be sure they would want to know any more about him.
The transcripts need to be heard in Bill's distinctive voice.
There was a chapter called "Thoughts on love and smoking" which I found really moving.
A lot was made of his censorship by the David Letterman show (or the network who broadcast it) but I really don't remember this at the time. Perhaps it didn't get reported much in the UK.
Overall, a great reminder for me of how good Bill Hicks was (mostly)
December 28, 2024
If Nirvana provided the music for my rebellious youth in the 90s then Bill Hicks provided the comedy. When my friends and I discovered him we were in awe and devoured everything we could find, which wasn’t much. His wild, crude, anarchic, iconoclastic routines perfectly suited our sense of rebellion and dissatisfaction with the world around us. So, many years later, when I saw this book in the Fopp music shop I snapped it up without much thought. It then sat ignored for nearly twenty years in my ever-growing book collection, not quite alluring enough to read but not quite irrelevant enough to get rid of either.
The book consists of: transcripts from live shows, transcripts of interviews, letters he wrote and various creatives he’d worked on over the years. The first half is mostly transcripts and it gets quite repetitive because his routines obviously carry from one show to the next. It is interesting to see the evolution of his routines as he worked them on different crowds, but not enough to hide the repetition. I’ve seen most of the easily available material that’s out there so I was familiar with a lot of the content, but there were a few bits that were new to me. What I found more interesting were the interviews, letters and creatives. Through the interviews I learned more about his background, his letters give an insight into his personality off the stage and the creatives reveal his ambitions.
While he’s mostly remembered for his anti-establishment, anti-war routines, Hicks also did some comedy that punches down. At the time it wasn’t an issue, but now people are more conscious of things like that. Trailer-park single mums are an easy target, but the military industrial complex is more deserving of his caustic humour. This got me wondering where he would have fallen in the woke vs anti-woke dichotomy. I think he’d have found his own path, a considerate middle ground that equally ripped the extremists on both sides. At one point he references Noam Chomsky as a big influence on his politics so I’d like to think that he would still have leant towards that side of the political divide than the other.
I’ve given the book three stars because, ultimately, stand-up comedy is meant to be heard, not written down. This means it loses much of its impact when transcribed and too much of the book was just that.
The book consists of: transcripts from live shows, transcripts of interviews, letters he wrote and various creatives he’d worked on over the years. The first half is mostly transcripts and it gets quite repetitive because his routines obviously carry from one show to the next. It is interesting to see the evolution of his routines as he worked them on different crowds, but not enough to hide the repetition. I’ve seen most of the easily available material that’s out there so I was familiar with a lot of the content, but there were a few bits that were new to me. What I found more interesting were the interviews, letters and creatives. Through the interviews I learned more about his background, his letters give an insight into his personality off the stage and the creatives reveal his ambitions.
While he’s mostly remembered for his anti-establishment, anti-war routines, Hicks also did some comedy that punches down. At the time it wasn’t an issue, but now people are more conscious of things like that. Trailer-park single mums are an easy target, but the military industrial complex is more deserving of his caustic humour. This got me wondering where he would have fallen in the woke vs anti-woke dichotomy. I think he’d have found his own path, a considerate middle ground that equally ripped the extremists on both sides. At one point he references Noam Chomsky as a big influence on his politics so I’d like to think that he would still have leant towards that side of the political divide than the other.
I’ve given the book three stars because, ultimately, stand-up comedy is meant to be heard, not written down. This means it loses much of its impact when transcribed and too much of the book was just that.
January 29, 2016
A hurricane of truth to blow away all the lies. Bill is irate, frustrated, but above all, funny. It's all about love - he's a misanthrope who wants to save the world. Apart from his stand up routines, there are a lot of other little gems and curios here; his impassioned letter to John Lahr, for instance, after his censoring on the Letterman show. A ballsy comic who bullied with logic, but to see aggression is to miss the point; like Tom waits said, he was a Reverend waving a gun around. Open up your heart and your mind, Brother Bill has something to tell you...
January 29, 2014
After reading the same joke in 3 consecutive chapters, I decided to give up on this book, which seemed to be solely a collection of transcripts of Hicks' live material and TV appearances.
I don't know why anyone would read these jokes in a book. The delivery and facial expressions are what make the jokes special.
Maybe the last 3/4 of this book was brilliant, but unfortunately I couldn't read another page.
I don't know why anyone would read these jokes in a book. The delivery and facial expressions are what make the jokes special.
Maybe the last 3/4 of this book was brilliant, but unfortunately I couldn't read another page.
July 9, 2012
Possibly the most thought provoking, contriving & controversial stand-up genius of my time, funnier than Eddie Murphy, cursed way more than Richard Pryor, smoked more than a chimney & drank more than Amy Winehouse but he made MORE sense than any politician in any cabinet that I've ever heard;...
His only rival was his own inspiration, Lenny Bruce;....
His only rival was his own inspiration, Lenny Bruce;....
April 1, 2016
Hicks was a never really popular comic, circa 1990, who died young. This book is mostly transcriptions of his nightclub act and appearances on the David Letterman show. Some funny observational humor and some funny raging "Louis Black" style. Not nearly as deep and enduring as his several books would like you to believe.
May 29, 2016
I didn't enjoy this book. Stand up comedy written down does not translate well. The transcripts were very repetitive, this is probably very interesting for an avid fan to see how Hicks' shows developed over time. The Letterman debacle was interesting to read about, as were Hicks' letters and interviews.
May 12, 2016
One of the best testimonials ever written is found on the back cover of this book . . . "Bill Hicks--blowtorch, excavator, truth-sayer, and brain specialist, like a reverend waving a gun around. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built." --Tom Waits.
September 21, 2016
Some great, funny, provocative and still pertinent stuff from a fiery mind that burned out way too soon...if it wasn't for the unholy amount of repetition I'd give it 5 stars...It really could have used some editing.
December 27, 2014
i was disappointed, its way too repetitive
December 8, 2013
Love Bill Hicks. Love... This book, not so much...
May 1, 2017
Bill Hicks' book is just as important as his live performance. Must read for Hicks fans.
January 19, 2018
To refer to the late, great Bill Hicks as merely a comedian would do him a great disservice. Indeed, there are many satisfactory descriptors, such as poet, philosopher, libertarian, revolutionary, and social commentator, just to name a few. In a tumultuous – and some would say controversial – career, Bill established himself as one of the premier comedians on the planet, with an incendiary yet personable style. The fundamental basis of his routines, grounded in a hatred of the banal and the mediocre, might be misanthropic and nihilistic on the surface. However, there always seemed to be a sense of longing, a hope for the future, at the heart of his performance. Most notably in my opinion, he saw the audience as collaborators and fellow travellers on the journey towards truth.
In this collection, a number of Bill’s routines are transcribed alongside print interviews, reflections, and letters, spanning four key periods in his career. To the keen Hicks fan, there won’t be much here that you haven’t heard or seen before. Nevertheless, there was the odd hidden gem from an interview or letter that provided further insight into the mind of this remarkable thinker and polemic.
It became apparent to me very quickly that Bill is sorely missed today, whatever one’s political persuasion. I wonder what he would make of recent developments, given his reverence for free speech and free expression, in this ‘age of offence’? His criticism of organised religion could easily be applied to the attitude of certain activist groups today – “we will make your life a living hell if you don’t think like us”. The election of Trump, the Obama presidency, countless wars, and Wikileaks/Edward Snowden all spring to mind as landmark events, and Bill would surely have had some scathing rhetoric to contribute. Sadly though, we are left instead with a rich legacy from a man that died far too young, with so much more to give. Enduringly relevant, there are many lessons and laughs to be had here. Crucially, the reader is demanded to challenge assumptions and dissect the norms of society, and these are certainly qualities that can be applied across one’s life experience.
My major gripe with this book was the repetition – on more than a few occasions there was almost word-for-word reiteration of entire sections of material, and this hampered my reading experience substantially. Notwithstanding, there were genuine ‘laugh out loud’ moments even though I’d seen most of the material before, such is the lasting quality of Bill’s work and the fact that he was far ahead of his time.
One of, if not the, greatest comedians ever and a truly inspirational figure, this book is recommended to Hicks newcomers as a starting point. For aficionados looking for the odd gem, there might just be enough here despite the repetition.
In this collection, a number of Bill’s routines are transcribed alongside print interviews, reflections, and letters, spanning four key periods in his career. To the keen Hicks fan, there won’t be much here that you haven’t heard or seen before. Nevertheless, there was the odd hidden gem from an interview or letter that provided further insight into the mind of this remarkable thinker and polemic.
It became apparent to me very quickly that Bill is sorely missed today, whatever one’s political persuasion. I wonder what he would make of recent developments, given his reverence for free speech and free expression, in this ‘age of offence’? His criticism of organised religion could easily be applied to the attitude of certain activist groups today – “we will make your life a living hell if you don’t think like us”. The election of Trump, the Obama presidency, countless wars, and Wikileaks/Edward Snowden all spring to mind as landmark events, and Bill would surely have had some scathing rhetoric to contribute. Sadly though, we are left instead with a rich legacy from a man that died far too young, with so much more to give. Enduringly relevant, there are many lessons and laughs to be had here. Crucially, the reader is demanded to challenge assumptions and dissect the norms of society, and these are certainly qualities that can be applied across one’s life experience.
My major gripe with this book was the repetition – on more than a few occasions there was almost word-for-word reiteration of entire sections of material, and this hampered my reading experience substantially. Notwithstanding, there were genuine ‘laugh out loud’ moments even though I’d seen most of the material before, such is the lasting quality of Bill’s work and the fact that he was far ahead of his time.
One of, if not the, greatest comedians ever and a truly inspirational figure, this book is recommended to Hicks newcomers as a starting point. For aficionados looking for the odd gem, there might just be enough here despite the repetition.
December 9, 2025
There comes a time in every Tool fan’s journey where they have to deal with Bill Hicks and his looming shadow over them. For me, that has meant exploring him in every avenue possible to try to get everything I can out of him, to find all his valuable insights and humorous bits that will completely reorientate my life. But as hard as I try, my assessment of him remains the same: he’s kinda funny sometimes but only has a few ideas and bits that he just keeps repeating, the podcast he would inevitably be hosting if he was still alive would be completely insufferable, and that he does seem to hold some kind of genuine hate towards his audience (or lack there of in some cases) and their expectations that he will…you know, say something funny or clever.
I wish I got the hype, but despite agreeing with Bill about 70% of the time (we differ sharply on gender roles and the base humanity of women and gay people), I cannot get more out of this man then a mild shrug and the occasional grimace, both in his standup and various manifestos, letters and interviews, which remain equally surface level, annoying, and sometimes quite cringe inducing (Counts of the Netherworld sounds like it would have been a genuinely terrible TV show). Tool’s Aenima is not a clever song, but I would argue that they created a far more structurally and conceptually interesting version of Bill’s Arizona Bay rant (which only half-heartedly pretends to be comedic in nature) that feels more emotive or representative of something valuable— it certainly at least is funnier.
Maybe in the end what bugs me the most about Bill Hick is that in some significant ways he was correct about quite a few important things, but never went further then just simply pointing at them and going “that’s dumb”, which apparently equals trailblazing genius. The combination of the mediocrity of his efforts with the reverence he is given is what leaves the nastiest taste in my mouth.
I wish I got the hype, but despite agreeing with Bill about 70% of the time (we differ sharply on gender roles and the base humanity of women and gay people), I cannot get more out of this man then a mild shrug and the occasional grimace, both in his standup and various manifestos, letters and interviews, which remain equally surface level, annoying, and sometimes quite cringe inducing (Counts of the Netherworld sounds like it would have been a genuinely terrible TV show). Tool’s Aenima is not a clever song, but I would argue that they created a far more structurally and conceptually interesting version of Bill’s Arizona Bay rant (which only half-heartedly pretends to be comedic in nature) that feels more emotive or representative of something valuable— it certainly at least is funnier.
Maybe in the end what bugs me the most about Bill Hick is that in some significant ways he was correct about quite a few important things, but never went further then just simply pointing at them and going “that’s dumb”, which apparently equals trailblazing genius. The combination of the mediocrity of his efforts with the reverence he is given is what leaves the nastiest taste in my mouth.
September 13, 2018
Here is a man for any generation, a distant dreamer sketching from his own blood the pictures of a better world on the curdling, gut-clenching used pig-skin of the old. Bill's appetite for destruction the of perceptions is to the casual, conformist observer just the ranting of a disenfranchised 'blue comic'. While I have rarely heard such dark scripts, presented here as sketches in verbatim alongside short prose retellings, the message of love holds to the canvas long after the drips of bitterness wash away.
I've known the works of Bill for many years and was sad I never had the opportunity to see him live. After going through everything I could find on video or audio recording of Bill I came here last of all to mop up the crumbs left by this truly great visionary of a man. All true comics should be truth sayers. Comedy is a vehicle for a good message. Bill doesn't use conceits to get you to laugh, or engineer your perceptions with the wisdom of the masses, churning out jokes expected by the crowd. In making you laugh at the things you'd never considered funny before, things seemingly crass and crude, he wakes you up. After you've finished laughing you sit back in your chair and go, 'oh yeah'. That's what we need today. Bill is sorely missed.
My only gripe is the repetition of routines with slight variations. The editor could have made the book more intersting if he'd just left in different totally distinct performances to give a more rounded appreciation of Bill's humour without the boring bits left in. A small gripe, no reflection on the man.
"I left in love, laughter and truth" - what great final words.
I've known the works of Bill for many years and was sad I never had the opportunity to see him live. After going through everything I could find on video or audio recording of Bill I came here last of all to mop up the crumbs left by this truly great visionary of a man. All true comics should be truth sayers. Comedy is a vehicle for a good message. Bill doesn't use conceits to get you to laugh, or engineer your perceptions with the wisdom of the masses, churning out jokes expected by the crowd. In making you laugh at the things you'd never considered funny before, things seemingly crass and crude, he wakes you up. After you've finished laughing you sit back in your chair and go, 'oh yeah'. That's what we need today. Bill is sorely missed.
My only gripe is the repetition of routines with slight variations. The editor could have made the book more intersting if he'd just left in different totally distinct performances to give a more rounded appreciation of Bill's humour without the boring bits left in. A small gripe, no reflection on the man.
"I left in love, laughter and truth" - what great final words.
March 10, 2021
As a young adult in my late teens, Bill Hicks’ stand up was my accompaniment to pre-drinks and preening ready for a night out. At that time I was first getting an interest in politics also, and having a left leaning (almost horizontal to be fair) opinion, Bills opinion and my own intersect more often than not, so Bill was always destined to be the perfect comedian for my tastes, but then the world was cruelly robbed of his talent at such a young age. I’m way past Bills age at passing now, and that is a travesty.
This book is a compilation of some of his most important stand up routines and assorted interviews and opinion pieces he wrote. Most of the stand up routines however, are all from the same time period, so there are parts repeated multiple times which is a shame, but to remove them to avoid repeats would ruin the context of what Bill is talking about. I do find the repeating a bit of a problem, it’s not really the authors fault, there isn’t a huge selection of recorded stand up routines as his career was very short obviously. I do feel that because Bill Hicks died so young without leaving a huge catalog, you’d be better off tracking down the actual video of these routines, they’re all available online somewhere, but I recommend Revelations, filmed live in London. Probably his best routine in my opinion and is apt being filmed in London as Hicks said himself he always felt more accepted in the U.K., his material was better received here too.
4* although I’ve probably added an extra star through bias being a huge fan for about 30 years.
This book is a compilation of some of his most important stand up routines and assorted interviews and opinion pieces he wrote. Most of the stand up routines however, are all from the same time period, so there are parts repeated multiple times which is a shame, but to remove them to avoid repeats would ruin the context of what Bill is talking about. I do find the repeating a bit of a problem, it’s not really the authors fault, there isn’t a huge selection of recorded stand up routines as his career was very short obviously. I do feel that because Bill Hicks died so young without leaving a huge catalog, you’d be better off tracking down the actual video of these routines, they’re all available online somewhere, but I recommend Revelations, filmed live in London. Probably his best routine in my opinion and is apt being filmed in London as Hicks said himself he always felt more accepted in the U.K., his material was better received here too.
4* although I’ve probably added an extra star through bias being a huge fan for about 30 years.
March 14, 2023
Thirty years on from his early death, Bill Hicks has maintained his reputation as the ultimate in intellectual comedy. This book collects transcripts of his last routines, interviews and articles, and various writings (including a terrible-sounding proposal for Channel 4) as a placeholder for the coherent document he would no doubt have gone on to produce. Is it funny? Not very. Videos of his performances show his energy, his physicality, and his dexterous use of voice to evoke drama and character. The occasional longeurs and false notes are easier to forgive on screen: in cold hard print, the repeated references to Madonna and Claudia Schiffer's bodies and the titillation to be derived from twin girls on a TV advert come off as, well, off. Much has been made of his political sophistication, but one wonders whether someone who considers Reagan and Clinton to be not worth voting between can claim great insight. He argues that presidents don't matter because they are merely the puppet of the global elite that controls the media and the economy while keeping the populace docile on a diet of Cops reality TV; he is a disciple of Noah Chomsky. From this distance, and having seen Russell Brand follow the same path, this reluctance to argue for incremental political change seems escapist millenarianism. His best-known routine is probably the one where he urges anyone who works in marketing to kill themselves. This volume contains numerous radio appearances when he was promoting his tour. Perhaps it's only bad when other people do it?
November 27, 2018
This is an awesome thing. Yes, it's a book - but it's also a supplement. I downloaded audio copies of all the transcripted stand up shows and listened to them with the book. Some people here complain that this gets boring; what these individuals fail to notice is the evolution of Bill's comedy. He extends, combines, improvises and refines his work endlessly. Adding different tones to each show to reflect his audience and his mood. The final transcripts towards the end of his life were heartbreaking to read, as he focused so intensely on the message. He had so much to give. His points were so carefully refined. He knew what he meant, and he meant it! There isn't a presenter, politician, comedian or singer I know on this planet right now that remotely compares to Bill, and the world is a sadder place for it.
Aside from stand up transcripts the book also includes correspondence on the Letterman incident, interviews, reviews, TV show ideas, what Bill would call his "dark poetry", and (most importantly) the voice of reason.
I said this is a supplement: I meant a supplement to his recordings, but also a supplement to life itself.
He really was right about everything.
Aside from stand up transcripts the book also includes correspondence on the Letterman incident, interviews, reviews, TV show ideas, what Bill would call his "dark poetry", and (most importantly) the voice of reason.
I said this is a supplement: I meant a supplement to his recordings, but also a supplement to life itself.
He really was right about everything.
August 16, 2019
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is William Melvin Hicks. Thanks dad."
I once checked out the special "Revelations" off a recommendation from a friend. Once I finished it felt, as Hicks says, my third eye was squeegeed open. I found copies of his other specials like "Sane Man" and "Relentless" and did a total deep dive on his work. Tool's album "Aenima" took on a whole new meaning too.
The transcripts of his bits are great to own in a collection like this, but what makes "Love All The People" truly special is everything else. The interviews, his plays, letters he wrote, articles written about him. While it's easy to remember Hicks for anger, it was rooted in a love and belief in humanity. As he often said, "it's time to evolve." A passage about how our collective unconscious should be our collective consciousness might feel out of place in a stand up bit, but as a preacher and philosopher, he found a way to use the medium to spread what should be the most obvious message, to love all the people.
THE WORLD IS LIKE A RIDE IN AN AMUSEMENT PARK.....
I once checked out the special "Revelations" off a recommendation from a friend. Once I finished it felt, as Hicks says, my third eye was squeegeed open. I found copies of his other specials like "Sane Man" and "Relentless" and did a total deep dive on his work. Tool's album "Aenima" took on a whole new meaning too.
The transcripts of his bits are great to own in a collection like this, but what makes "Love All The People" truly special is everything else. The interviews, his plays, letters he wrote, articles written about him. While it's easy to remember Hicks for anger, it was rooted in a love and belief in humanity. As he often said, "it's time to evolve." A passage about how our collective unconscious should be our collective consciousness might feel out of place in a stand up bit, but as a preacher and philosopher, he found a way to use the medium to spread what should be the most obvious message, to love all the people.
THE WORLD IS LIKE A RIDE IN AN AMUSEMENT PARK.....
June 5, 2021
First up, an admission. I didn't mean to read this, I was planning on reading An American Scream - the biography of Bill Hicks and only realised my mistake halfway through the intro when that very book was mentioned. But I thought, hey, I'll just read this first and get an overview of the guy from his writing (yeah, I've seen the shows - just not for about 20 years though) then read the other book.
Unfortunately this book is actually a bit off-putting. I mean, the content is good, it's all well-written but it becomes repetitive. It's an editing issue rather than content. I'm sure the point was to show how Bill's comedy evolved over the years but he did pretty much the same thing! Basically, there's a bit too much "recorded live". But the last chapter, where there's an amalgamation of the best bits of his shows, is great.
I loved the bits around the Letterman show and his interviews and letters, even the foreword. That all gave an insight into the guy more than repeating his stand up routines every few pages. Think I'll take a break before hitting the biography!
Unfortunately this book is actually a bit off-putting. I mean, the content is good, it's all well-written but it becomes repetitive. It's an editing issue rather than content. I'm sure the point was to show how Bill's comedy evolved over the years but he did pretty much the same thing! Basically, there's a bit too much "recorded live". But the last chapter, where there's an amalgamation of the best bits of his shows, is great.
I loved the bits around the Letterman show and his interviews and letters, even the foreword. That all gave an insight into the guy more than repeating his stand up routines every few pages. Think I'll take a break before hitting the biography!
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