Thanks Jake for the link to the Letterman show this past Friday night.
Hicks' mother was pitch perfect with her appearance. She was gracious, forgiving, honest and even a bit funny at times.
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Monday, February 2, 2009
Mary Hicks and Dave Letterman
Posted by Mikael J at 12:55 PM
Labels: bill hicks, Dave Letterman
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8 comments:
Where's the Bill Hicks portion?
oh wait. Nevermind.
This was one of the finest episodes I'd ever seen of Letterman. This was one of the most moving interviews I'd ever seen!
Also, the Gaslight Anthem are really good.
I don't think Letterman was particularly moving at all. I mean, kudos to him for finally airing the set, but I think if there was a legitimate reason for not airing it in 1993, then it should have held true for now as well. As it turns out, there wasn't a legitimate reason and it essentially amounted to cowardice which he makes no mention of at all. . .in fact, at one point in the interview it almost sounds like he's implying that had he known Bill was sick/dying that he may have made a different decision. Seriously, why should that have made a difference at all? It's either appropriate for your show or it's not, and making that decision is never easy but someone's health shouldn't play a factor in it. . .it just didn't ring true to me at all. I'm not a fan of censorship, but I think if you do make such a decision, you should do so based on content, not on extenuating circumstances. And then, if you do later change your mind, you should say why you originally censored it and why you changed your mind. I personally think that mentioning his illness wrapped up with the whole censorship issue subtly shifts the focus and comes across as emotionally manipulative. Greater kudos in my mind go to Mary Hicks for maintaining her composure the entire time.
Letterman chalked it up to his insecurity. He mentioned it at the beginning of the show in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUbB_D-dYp8
Well, that opening part was certainly better, but is it me or did it still sound like he only regretted the decision because Bill died so soon afterward? Imagine an alternate reality where Bill Hicks is alive and healthy today. . .does this episode still seem plausible?
Letterman pulled it from his show back then because a number of his sponsors were organizations that leaned heavily pro-life. It broked down to money; that was pretty much it. He was essentially eating crow without going into those details in this interview. He has greater control over the show now... also, ever since he had a quadruple bypass he just doesn't give a fuck.
I meant to say "anti-choice." I hate the term 'pro-life' as much as Hicks did.
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