Bill Hicks
Sane Man DVD, 1989
Studio: Rykodisc

“You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And If you don’t believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favour. Go home tonight take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. ‘Cause You know what the musicians that made all that great music that’s enhanced your lives throughout the years? RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrEAL fucking high on drugs… The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few songs.” - Bill Hicks

Bill Hicks was never one to wait for anyone…

And in 1989, Hicks grew tired of waiting for his HBO special and filmed one himself in Austin, TX as a sort of demo reel. Largely forgotten and only available via mail until now, Kevin Booth went about restoring and extending the film using notes from Hicks himself and additional materials. And it’s hilarious yet poignant.

Some of the material in Sane Man addresses how the media tries to mislead us by distracting focus from important issues into manufactured drama. As a master of subversive manipulation himself, Hicks gives viewers a unique opportunity to see the world through his window and realize his view isn’t as distorted as we might think. Other bits include the standard smoking, drinking, drugs bits and some great shots at Top 40 pop music.

While the video is grainy and audio sucks, the message is clear.

“You gotta bear with me, I’m very tired, very tired of traveling, and very tired of doing comedy, and very tired of staring out at your vacant faces looking back at me, wanting me to fill your empty lives with humor you couldn’t possibly think of yourselves. Good evening.”