AMERICAN SCREAM . Copyright © 2002 by Cynthia True. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. HarperCollins books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use. For information please write: Special Markets Department, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. FIRST EDITION Designed by C. Linda Dingler Printed on acid-free paper Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data True, Cynthia, 1969- American Scream : the Bill Hicks story / Cynthia True. -- 1st ed. p. cm. ISBN 0-380-80377-1 1. Hicks, Bill, 1961-1993. 2. Comedians -- United States -- Biography. I. Title PN2287.H495 T78 2002 792.7'028'092 -- dc21 [B] 2001039320 02 03 04 05 06 RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 To Colleen McGarr & Duncan Strauss What I feel most moved to write, that is banned -- it will not pay. Yet, altogether, write the other way I cannot. -- HERMAN MELVILLE Foreword When asked to write the foreword of this book I was initially reticent about doing so. There are hundreds of other people more qualified for this task, not only because of their superior writing skills, but also because of their deeper connection to the man honored in this book. Be that as it may, Cynthia True asked me to try because she knew how much I respected and was informed by his talent. I only had the opportunity to work with Bill twice, but I was lucky enough to watch him perform on numerous occasions. The first time I saw him was at the Comedy Workshop in Houston, Texas, around 1984. I was immediately struck by his ability both to engage and alienate an audience. His talent at storytelling and joke-writing fueled my desire to get involved in the world of stand-up comedy. I had been contemplating doing open-mike nights in Boston, near where I was going to school; seeing Bill was the last push I needed. His talent and presence were so overwhelming that I could find no more good reasons not to try stand-up comedy myself. Like many other comics, I thought Bill Hicks was the gold standard of wit. He still is. The shame of it is that so many people have never been given the opportunity to see Bill. Luckily, those who have still talk about him and how great he was. I never had the luxury of having a personal relationship with Bill, so I speak to you as a fan and a great admirer of one of the best exponents of stand-up comedy in its purest form. He was a social critic, postmodern prophet, and comedian all rolled into one. A compelling, engaging, electric package who held the audience in his sway and left the other, less cerebral half confused and angry. I am sure that Bill wouldn't have really minded if no one understood his genius, because in my experience people like him don't want to be in any club that would have them as a member. By the way, I just made that one up. Feel free to use it. I wish I were able to express more fully his impact on the comedy community. Suffice it to say, there are many many many people who will be glad to tell you about Bill Hicks and how much he influenced them, made them think, try harder, write better, and care more. If there is a God, please bless Bill Hicks in the name of comedy fans everywhere. Sportingly, Janeane Q. Garofalo Acknowledgments I never met Bill Hicks and I relied on the voices of his friends and colleagues to bring him closer to me. Each person interviewed revealed a facet of this complex man and I am greatly indebted to: Rick Ashton, Len Austrevich, Brent Ballard, Dave Becky, Kevin Booth, Chris Bould, Charles Brand, Peter Casperson, Seamus Cassidy, Robin Chambers, Linda Corke, David Cotton, Randy Credico, Terry DiMonte, Sandy DiPerna, James Dixon, William Donovan, Stephen Doster, Rupert Edwards, Garth Ennis, Bob Fiorella, Jeff Foxworthy, Frank Gannon, Janeane Garofalo, Bob Gold, Ed Hammell, Mike Hedge, Bruce Hills, Caroline Hirsch, Sean Hughes, Bruce Hyman, Dom Irrera, Pamela Johnson, Andy Kindler, Paul Krassner, Matt Labov, Carl LaBove, Jay Leno, John Magnuson, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Joyce Mango, Frank Mango, Marc Maron, Bill McGathy, Rose McGathy, Rick Messina, Jimmy Miller, Jack Mondrus, Robert Morton, Monique Moss, Harry Nichandros, Peter Noble, Michael O'Brien, Jim Patterson, Paul Provenza, Ron Robertson, Tom Ryan, Earl Saltzman, Steven Saporta, Bill Scheft, T. Sean Shannon, Bob Shea, Dia Stein, Jon Stewart, Matthew Tilton, Johnny Torres, James Vernon, Tony Visic, Dan Vitale, Mark Wilkes, Geof Wills, and Chris Young. Without the guidance and support of Colleen McGarr and Duncan Strauss I wouldn't have had the courage to take on this project. They lovingly discussed Bill for hours and answered intrusive questions with grace and good humor for over three years. While running a busy management company, they introduced me to sources, read drafts, searched their memories for the tiniest of details, and cheerfully corrected my mistakes. (My sincere apologies to their cat Otis, whom I erroneously called "fat" in the last draft.) Dwight Slade recreated Bill's youth for me in astonishing detail and sent me beautifully written stories about their childhood adventures together. Through Dwight, Bill the boy came alive and the sweet little character who stored his jokes in a secret place moved me. In Austin, David Johndrow gave up many Saturday afternoons to share his memories, letters, and photos of Bill and was not only an essential source, but also a true friend. Charlie Sotelo is another Austin friend who generously helped with research for this book, shared his considerable knowledge of stand-up comedy, and made my time in Texas memorable. Bill's Houston friends John Farneti, Riley Barber, Steve Epstein, Andy Muggins, Ron Shock, and Tracy Wright are tremendous storytellers and interviewing them can hardly be called work. A special thanks to Farneti, who was a gracious host every time I came to town. He thoroughly and vividly recalled the Outlaw years and played me the best stuff from his extensive comedy record collection. Laurie Mango shared many personal moments and letters that laid bare Bill's tender spirit. Fallon Woodland provided me with unique insight into Bill's later years and freely shared the wonderful phone messages Hicks left for him. Thanks to Sarah Thyre, Jason Sklar, and Randy Sklar who kindly helped with key research. Thanks to the journalists who were onto Bill Hicks first: Len Belzer, Michael Barnes, Jack Boulware, Bill Brownstein, Lawrence Christon, Michael Corcoran, Bob Daily, Frank DiGiacomo, Robert Faires, Allan Johnson, Gerald Nachman, Mike Sager, Edith Sorenson, Michael Spies, Ernest Tucker, and Rick Vanderknyff. Their reviews and interviews were key in piecing together the trajectory of Bill's material and his thoughts about his career over the years. I am particularly grateful to John Lahr, whose influential New Yorker profile of Bill, "The Goat Boy Rises," was a constant resource and whose book Light Fantastic is an inspiration. John offered me great advice about beginning the biography process, and sent me priceless letters Bill wrote to him. I thank my editors past and present, Tom Dupree and Josh Behar, for their creativity and patience with a first-time author. Thanks also to April Benavides for her enthusiasm and attention to detail, and to Greg Villepique and Andrea Molitor, who together rescued countless sentences. Will Kaufman read the rough first and second drafts with the sharp eye of a scholar and the patience of a committed professor. His fascinating book, The Comedian as Confidence Man, was never far from my desk and I appreciate how much he taught me about the art and science of irony. Claudette Sutherland is an unequaled editor and teacher. She meticulously reviewed this book at several stages and was crucial in shaping the final result. I am a better writer because of her work. A special thanks to Cyndi Stivers, who taught me a great deal about good reporting and got this project rolling when she ran my story on Bill Hicks in Time Out NY. Thanks also to my editors Cindi Leive, Jim Baker, Carol Brooks, and Amy Spencer for their support. Daryle Conners, Strawberry Saroyan, and my writing group friends Trista Delamere, Tulis McCall, Emily Schlaeger, and Moon Zappa read chapters and gave incisive notes when I was too close to the whole thing. Carrie Camillo, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Goodman, Jennifer Waldburger, Farai Chideya, Nisa Ahmed, Jonny Cragg, Dennis Golonka, Lizzy Disney, and Ray Wright kept me going when I was in Texas, feeling very far from my own life. Heather Willihnganz, Matthew Huffman, Asa Soltan Rahmati, Sean Shayan, James Milnes, Janel Moloney, Jamie Denbo, George Schreiber, Tom Ryan, Judith Shelton, Waylon Dobson, Beth Littleford, Rob Fox, Nancy Pimental, Kelly White, and Maria Bartolotta made Los Angeles feel like home in a matter of months. I was able to relish this incredible experience because of my parents, Robert and Nancy Young, who gave me aid, encouragement, and love every step of the way. Author's Note Bill Hicks is most known, particularly in America, for being unknown. He's the comedian whose entire act was axed by producers at The Late Show with David Letterman , partly because he made fun of pro-life and the Pope, in October 1993.