I miss Bill Hicks!

Bill Hicks. Do ya know who he was? probably not. There is a chapter on him in the book American Rebels (ed. Jack Newfield). It ends with the author wondering what the master of political comedy would have said about all the things that have happened since his death in 1994 (the Clinton-Monica thing, OKC, G.W.) "Dunno. The only certainty is that most Americans still wouldn't know who the hell he is."

Well, friends, please remember that there are many many beautiful brilliant souls out there. Some times we find them inspiring; some times we find them hard against our skin; and sometimes we don't find them at all. Here's a little wisdom from one of my American heroes:

"I'm so sick of arming the world, then sending troops over to destroy the fucking arms, you know what I mean? We keep arming these little countries, then we go and blow the shit out of them. We're like the bullies of the world, y'know. We're like Jack Palance in the movie Shane, throwing the pistol at the sheepherder's feet.

"Pick it up."

"I don't wanna pick it up, Mister, you'll shoot me."

"Pick up the gun."

"Mister, I don't want no trouble. I just came downtown here to get some hard rock candy for my kids, some gingham for my wife. I don't even know what gingham is, but she goes through about ten rolls a week of that stuff. I ain't looking for no trouble, Mister."

"Pick up the gun."

(He picks it up. Three shots ring out.)

"You all saw him - he had a gun."

Rent, buy or swipe the DVD "Bill Hicks Live" You won't be disappointed.

Unless you're a right-wing nutjob. In which case, why the hell are you reading my blog? I'm already on The List -- Ashcroft will deport me just as soon as he can. While you're waiting, though...

If you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, then go home and burn all your records, all your tapes, and all your CDs because every one of those artists who have made brilliant music and enhanced your lives? RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrEAL fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few songs.