When the Laughter Ends

Bill Hicks, Elmer Dinkly, David Letterman, and when comedy stops being funny.

David Letterman apologizes to Mary Hicks, mother of Bill Hicks, January 30, 2009

On January 30, 2009, David Letterman apologized to a national television audience and Mary Hicks, the mother of the deceased comedian Bill Hicks, for the only time Letterman censored a guest comedian on The Late Show. 

Bill Hicks appeared on The Late Show on October 1, 1993, his 12th appearance as a guest of Letterman. Bill’s routine was edited out entirely from the Late Show broadcast later that same night.

Bill Hicks never appeared again on the Late Show.

He died of pancreatic cancer on February 26, 1994.

Who is Bill Hicks?

While most people have never heard of Bill Hicks, many professional comedians idolize him. 

Bill was recently ranked the #2 stand-up comedian of all time, ranking only behind the legendary Robin Williams.

The people of Great Britain ranked Bill Hicks #6 on the list of the top 100 comedians ever. 

His act was considered so edgy, vulgar, and ahead of his time that Rodney Dangerfield once quipped, "his parents haven't even met yet." 

Hicks glorified drug use and wrote most of his original routines mocking the sacred while high on cocaine, heroin, and LSD.

Bill Hicks mocked the sacred, southern, and sure. 

One of his favorite acts, first introduced on The Late Show, revolved around a fictional character named Elmer Dinkley from Enid, Oklahoma. Hicks continued to develop Elmer Dinkley until his last public performance.

Bill Hicks and I were...

(1). Born in December of 1961.
(2). Raised Southern Baptist.
(3). Given "William" as our first name.
(4). Teenagers when we began speaking in churches.
(5). Fond of telling others about Enid, Oklahoma.
(6). Censored by peers in our respective fields. 
(7). People who liked to make others laugh.

Bill enjoyed mocking the sacred; some things he said were so vulgar and profane he had to refrain from using his jokes on national television.

Jesus was Bill’s particular target. Using the imaginary Christian fundamentalist Elmer Dinkley from Enid, Oklahoma, Bill Hicks mocked faith in Christ.

Bill explained his contempt for Jesus and the Bible in one of his routines.

My dad said, "I believe that the Bible is the literal word of God." And I'd say, "No, it's not. "Well, I believe it is,” he’d say. Well, Dad, you know, some people believe they're Napoleon. “That's fine, Dad. Beliefs are neat. Cherish them, but don't share them like they're the truth."

As Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer, he tried to get his Southern Baptist father to inhale mushrooms.

Bill's laughter ended on February 26, 1994.

When the Laughter Ends

I wrote about Bill Hicks in 2009 after David Letterman apologized to Bill’s mother, Mary Hicks.

Mary Hicks wrote and asked me to remove my post about her son, Bill. I did. It remains one of two posts I’ve pulled in 25 years of blogging.

Mary Hicks died last year.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Hicks family.

The tragic story of Bill Hicks illustrates the vanity of laughter that comes from mocking the sacred.

Christ gives joy and my laughter that springs from a heart full of gladness, not the empty laughter of irony, vulgarity, or sacred mockery, what Paul calls "behaving unbecomingly" (I Corinthians 13).

I have compassion for the Bill Hicks of this world. 

Have you ever noticed profane comedy stops during war?

Late-night comedy shows go off the air.

One can mock the sacred and laugh at faith in the Creator during prosperous times, but there's no laughter when death knocks on one’s door.

Unless the Creator gives you joy, your laughter at the profane will end.

Maybe you've read this blog because you are curious about comedian Bill Hicks. Possibly, you Googled his name for more information about his life and comedy.

If so, my prayer is that by God's grace, you will awaken to your need of God and come to faith in His love for you by sending the Messiah to obtain an authentic life of joy and purpose that lasts forever. 

Laughter rooted in the profane will end.

The joy that comes from Christ endures forever.