Bill Hicks was the last great social satirist, the true descendent of comedians like Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, and Mort Sahl. The self-described "Prince of Darkness," his work confronted the hypocrisies of late-20th century American life, divining comedy from the more evil impulses of the government and the mass media while assaulting the soullessness of mainstream culture. An alcoholic, coke addict, and chain smoker, Hicks also experimented heavily with hallucinogenics, and his monologues addressed issues of expanded consciousness and spirituality rare to the comedy format; for all of the rage inherent in his standup, his message was one of transcendence -- as he frequently reminded audiences, "The truth will set you free."

William M. Hicks was born on December 16, 1961, in Valdosta, GA. Raised in a strict Baptist household in the Houston, TX, subdivision of Nottingham Forest, he became fascinated by comedy at a young age, and by the time he was 13 Hicks was tape-recording his favorite comedians' routines off of the TV and staying up all night writing his own material. While a sophomore in high school, he and a friend began sneaking off to Houston's Comedy Workshop to perform at open-mike sessions; when his parents found out, Hicks was grounded. Following his graduation in 1980 he moved to Los Angeles, and began honing his craft at the legendary Comedy Store.