Well, I did cite the Jim Fix joke up thread, which was apparently a straight-up theft

Yeah, but there's also the possibility of parallel evolution, so to speak. I mean...at least a couple of times in my past I've made cracks just hangin' with my friends at Denny's only to have some comedian spout it almost word for word a few months later on Comedy Central...and I *know* they didn't steal it from me.

Yeah, that happens. Something just hits the...is that what a "Zeitgeist" is? David Simon loves that word and it leaves me just sort of...wtf?Flea, rent "Bill Hicks, Sane Man." And not just cause Hecubus is making me feel guilty for stealing money from a dead guy out of Bostonian thrall. It really is quite brilliant.

I want someone to be influenced by MY style!

I give it about a year. Then it'll be attack of the Allyson-a-clones.

Yeah, but there's also the possibility of parallel evolution, so to speak.

I understand that. Certain jokes are just waiting to be plucked from the air out of the obvious, available materials. But to pair Keith Richards with Jim Fix is not one those kinds of jokes. That is a very specific kind of joke.

ita, have you been following this Joe Rogan v. Carlos Mencia kerfuffle?

The great thing about this is no matter which one crashes and burns because of it, the public wins!

I hadn't heard about Leary stealing Bill Hicks' act, but he's always been one friendship with Cam Neely away from being the Antichrist as far as I'm concerned regardless.

Woohoo! Just got word that my boss's boss has given everyone in the company a week's extra paid vacation to rest up after our current projects are done!

"OK, so he's evil, but you should see him naked. Really." And I love what Bill Hicks does, and he helped hundreds of comics and may well be a better citizen in all respects, but he never hit that particular button, okay? Although if Hicks had asked, I probably would. Funny guys are always foamy.

I am full of bbq brisket and corn pudding. DH forgot to bring home dessert--no Texas sheetcake. I may have to remedy this by making a Graeter's run later.

can't believe I don't know who Hedberg is. Was, I suppose, if he's dead.

His jokes are here: [link] but I would suggest buying his albums off iTunes. The delivery is truly inspired.

ETA: I promise to stop after just one.

I got a business card, 'cause I want to win some lunches. That's what my business card says: "Mitch Hedberg, potential lunch winner." Call me some time, maybe we'll have lunch... If I'm lucky!"

The only comedians mentioned I have heard of are Leary and Bill Cosby.

I've heard of a lot of them -- I know Denis Leary, and I've heard of Mencia and obviously Chris Rock -- but I don't know who the hell Bill Hicks is, or Mitch whoever.

I know a lot of Steve Martin's old routines, though.

I wonder if people who loved Buster Keaton were bitter about Charlie Chaplin's success.

I don't think so, but there was a general critical re-evaluation that started in the sixties/seventies where Keaton's work was esteemed much more highly than Chaplin's. (Keaton's work was seen as being quintessentially 20th century, whereas Chaplin has a lot of 19th c. sentimentality.)

Geraldine Chaplin talked about introducing her boyfriend to Charlie Chaplin, and her boyfriend said he was a big Keaton fan, which really stung Chaplin. Chaplin said, "But I gave him a part in my movie when he was an alcoholic has-been!" (Which is true - in Limelight. And it's a scene where Keaton totally upstages Chaplin. I've heard some stories that in their few early days instances of side-by-side improv, Keaton totally blew Chaplin off the stage. But I think that's just Keaton's improv ability, whereas Chaplin had to craft his stuff more.)

I know a lot of Steve Martin's old routines, though.

Did you get really small today, AmyLiz?