My New Obsession – March 26th – BILL HICKS

My first exposure to Bill Hicks came when I had heard on some comedy podcasts that I frequent, that Denis Leary, long one of my favorite comics, had quite possibly stolen his act (or portions of it) from a dude named Bill Hicks. Immediately, I began to research Mr. Hicks. What I found was a huge talent that was taken from the comedy world much too soon. Hicks died at age 32 in 1994 from pancreatic cancer. (In my own opinion, I think Leary and Hicks were doing similar subject matter, but Hicks' act was much more cerebral than Leary, who was the angrier and more loose of the two).

Hicks was considered a member of the Outlaw Comics that came to form in Houston, Texas in the Reagan 80s : Sam Kinison, Carl LaBove, Bob Barber, and others. But the difference between Hicks and the rest of the crew was Hicks’ intelligence. While Kinison was smarter than he made himself out to be (in late years, his act deteriorated to “two short screams and a long scream”), Hicks never shied away from a smart, politically fueled, and social commentary-style comedy. In fact, in later years, I would have called Hicks more a social satirist and critic than a comic.

Although he peppered his act with the occasional dick joke, his most memorable and important bits were the ones attacking the American media, American consumerism, the military-industrial complex, and American government in general. Hicks went after the big ideas and those in power. He was censored several times on national television and had to constantly deal with booking agents who thought he was too subversive and dangerous for their comedy club. It was for these reasons that he saw his greatest success not in the US, but in England, Ireland, Canada, and Australia.

Hicks was constantly looking for more from life. He turned heavily toward drugs and alcohol to help find his “third eye” and find out what the next step of human evolution would and should be. This exploration led to an alcohol problem , but he emerged from those issues with a clearer voice. He was constantly striving to bring new, bigger, and brighter ideas to the forefront, by showing people how government and industry profited by keeping the public fat and stupid. He was constantly striving to find the truth in American culture and American life.

What got me thinking about Hicks again recently was the discovery that there is a documentary being released about Hicks in April – “American: The Bill Hicks Story.” It also got me thinking about how we need a guy like Hicks right now to point out our mediocrity and our hypocrisy. How we can do better as a country and as a society. I wonder what Hicks would have to say about 2011.

Below are some of Hicks’ greatest hits.

And the trailer for “American: The Bill Hicks Story.” Looks great.

My New Obsession - March 25th - CHILDISH GAMBINO

My newest obsession is the rapper known as Childish Gambino. Childish Gambino is the stage name of Donald Glover, the uber-talented comic, actor, and writer of "30 Rock" and "Community" fame. Dude can act/perform comedy, write, and now writes & performs some sick rap music. He's been recording music since 2008 (with the release of Sick Boi) and is finally starting to get some of the recognition he deserves as a serious musician. After reading some interviews with him, it seems music was more of a creative and a not-so-serious release for him in the past (in the "joke-rap"/Lonely Island vein). But now it seems like he's taking this whole rapper thing rather seriously.

His newest release, "EP," includes a raw honesty about his feelings and upbringing that wasn't present on previous releases. He speaks openly about his feelings on how he is perceived in Hollywood and his own low self-esteem (See "Be Alone" where he confronts his often harsh critics and haters). His "Childish Gambino" creation also comes through at times, boasting heavily of wealth, women, and some of the other usually sexual and violent things often heard in rap music. But he sprinkles this language with witty and intelligent lyrics that you're likely to hear coming out of the mouths of comic book geeks and book nerds. Who else can turn poet E. E. Cummings into a sexual punchline?

Glover himself is a self-confessed nerd, "the black Clark Kent," if you will. While Glover doesn't have the usual background of a rapper - he graduated from NYU with a degree in dramatic writing and started writing on "30 Rock" under Tina Fey at age 22 - that doesn't make his content and life experience any less relevant or appealing. Perhaps his music isn't aimed at the typical rap audience, but the industry is going to have to start recognizing this immense talent. His skills as a musician are undeniable and you can hear the personality of the tracks come through in the production. Glover is onto something here. His passion and love for music comes through in the production, even through the dick jokes and sexual references. This is a guy having the time of his life. While he seems to be going less for the comic punchline, the comedy is still present, but the high musical quality balances it out nicely.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Childish Gambino is that he records and releases his music on his own. You can and should download his albums directly from his website - www.iamdonald.com. And, if he comes to your area, you should check out his live comedy/rap show "I am Donald" coming at you this April and May.

Below you'll find the official video for his release "Freaks and Geeks." I hope you enjoy Childish Gambino as much as I do.

Welcome to Jesse is Obsessing!

Hello. Welcome to Jesse is Obsessing. Through this blog, I'll post things about which I am currently obsessed. I will be the first to admit that I am not comfortable unless I have something to obsess about - whether it be music, film, politics, television, literature, comics, technology, current events, etc. These things make me smile, laugh, cry, reflect, think, and dream. My wife will tell you that I often forget about my obsessions as quickly as they come, but the ones that really count stick with me. I predict that not all of what I post here will be new obsessions - I'm not that deranged - but I'll let you know of things that have held my attention for a long time and have become a part of my everyday existence.

I hope you enjoy my daily obessions and can find as much joy in them as I do. Life is a wild ride, and we must enjoy every second of it. I hope these daily (with my best intentions these will be daily posts) posts can inspire the same kind of excitement and positive reflection in you that they do in me.

I also love recommendations, so if you see something that may become my next obsession, of course, let me know. Thanks!