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site EXHIBIT A: Leary Vs Hicks | Live Music Capitol

EXHIBIT A: Leary Vs Hicks | by Penny Dreadful



Editor: Penny Dreadful

Social satirist, stand up comedian, cancer victim and cult hero Bill Hicks is back in the the public discourse. The controversial bit he did for The Late Show with David Letterman, which Letterman pulled in 1993, was finally aired last month, along with an apology and interview with Hick’s mother. Letterman warned the audience that the material might be a bit dated, but afterward he admitted it was timeless, funny and “just perfect.” (Letterman claimed that, looking back, he “just didn’t know why he decided to pull the bit, except out of my own insecurity, I guess.” This has not been accepted by many Hicks fans, though, because in the excised bit, Hicks makes a joke about Pro-Lifers, and when the original episode aired there were commercials payed for by the Pro-Life Campaign, leading many to suspect advertiser pressure a more likely reason for the censorship, the first in the Ed Sullivan Theater since Elvis’ hips).

There are reports that a biopic starring Russel Crowe will be coming out soon, easily topping our list of anticipated films (with a no small amount of trepidation about the casting).

EXHIBIT A: Leary Vs. Hicks is an experimental documentary about the potential for artistic theft in the world of stand-up comedy, and the allegation that performer Denis Leary lifted much of his persona and act from fellow comedian Hicks. Culled from hours of archive footage and presented here for the first time, the similarities in question are shown back-to-back, allowing viewers to decide for themselves. The film premiered at the Austin Underground Film Festival, in the town Bill Hicks called home.

8 Comments For This Post

  1. Jack Nasty says:
    February 28th, 2009 at 9:57 am

    Yea, let me guess, they didn’t clear any of the rights to any of this video, did they? That’s why theft of intellectual property is so perpetual and gray. Intent has a lot to do with it, but you can’t deny that using this video to make an ‘experimental documentary’ isn’t entirely different than using the jokes onstage.

  2. agately says:
    August 10th, 2009 at 12:22 pm

    actually, approval was sought from the Hicks’ mother, who handles his estate.

  3. bryant says:
    August 27th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    Did they clear the rights for the Denis Leary stuff?

  4. Penny Dreadful says:
    August 27th, 2009 at 4:11 pm

    Permission was not sought from Leary. This is the filmmaker speaking, and to be honest I didn’t really feel that such a move was necessary, as I considered it a piece of commentary, and, as such, protected under the “fair use” clause regarding copyrights. Even if this isn’t Constitutionally protected, I would still feel it’s correct, however. And of course, the case could easily be made that, even though Leary’s permission was not sought in this case by myself, since Leary didn’t extend a similar courtesy to Hicks, it would only be hypocritical to demand it himself…

  5. Dallas says:
    August 28th, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    Dear god this just INFURIATES me. I am forever a true Bill Hicks fan, and try to preach the good word as much as possible. Denis Leary deserves every fucking bit of pain that the world can throw his way. I am disgusted with how easy it was for Leary to fly under the radar with Bill’s material. YOU THINK HICKS WOULD BE ON SOME SHIT F/X tv drama about firefighting? NO FUCK YOU DENIS LEARY. I dream of the day I can spit in your face

  6. bryant says:
    August 28th, 2009 at 5:37 pm

    fair enough Penny. i really enjoyed the film. You should do one about how Carlos Mencia is a theif next.

  7. backspace says:
    July 1st, 2011 at 10:23 am

    RIP BILL

    F DENNIS

  8. Chuck Saint says:
    November 2nd, 2011 at 9:16 am

    There is a fair-use law that allows, for various reasons (including documentaries) the use of copywritted material. there is a fine line that must be adhered to though for it to apply.

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