I loved Hicks and even worked a few weeks as his opening act back in the 80's. But you can do this game with anyone's material. There are only so many subjects to discuss, and comedians find the same or similar funny things in many subjects. If there were a master computer file of every joke ever told by any comedian and a joke police to enforce it no one would be able to perform. I had several hours of material, all of which I wrote myself. But I would imagine that 75% of it is similarly duplicated in someone's act somewhere. The only parts that were "original and exclusive" were probably the least funny ones.

*nsfw

Invocations (nsfw) cannot be called by uzema because uzema is not privileged - sorry.

Artigiano, you beat me to it. Well said.

I would add that whether they're really plagiarizing is in the ear of the beholder. Is it plagiarism if two different comics talk about smoking crack? There's only so much you can do with, "The cross reminds Jesus of bad times."

More cynically, I wouldn't say these dudes are plagiarizing because Hicks isn't around to accuse them of it.

Leary -- retired from comedy long before he stopped performing to do sh-t TV/movies
Carlin -- around LONG before Hicks
Kinison -- plagiarized Hicks by dying
Robin -- never funny; did coke in the 80s and still hasn't come down
Eddie Griffin -- my horse-face be Black...also, did YOU know I be Black?
Miller -- Old McDonald? Let me tell ya something, babe, the only thing that cat had on his farm was an OCD-mania for VOWels: E, I, E, I, O.
Black -- ugly dude with a tv show. Bet your ass he has to beg, borrow, steal jokes just to stay afloat

Which is more likely: That all those comedians stole one joke from Bill Hicks...


...or was it sometimes the other way around?

So, most of that was a stretch, because they were fairly universal types of things that those comedians would find funny... I mean, Keith Richards not being able to be killed... come on, how is that not a joke every comedian makes.

And then the last bit?

How is that in ANY WAY like what Hicks did?

Really, are no comedians allowed to ever do a joke about Creationists without someone saying. 'HEY! Hicks did that first'?

Look, I know Hicks is held in enormous regard, and I do like some of his stuff, but I've just never really been a big fan, he seemed to have a real self centered view of the world and f*ck everyone else.

I'm also sure comedians DO copy each other's jokes sometimes, but not always intentionally. Sometimes you don't remember that you heard someone else tell a certain joke, or make a certain observation. But that joke/observation sticks with you and if you're a comedian, it's going to come out.

If the MAJORITY of your jokes can be traced back to one or two other comedians who definitely did the material first, then sure, you're a crap comedian who copies, but come on a joke or two in LONG careers? Quit trying to make Hicks the messiah.

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