Russell Crowe To Be Bill Hicks

I'm a HUGE fan of Bill Hicks, I first saw him on the Rodney Dangerfield Special back in 86-87 and was completely taken in, esp. for the "young man on acid" rap, pure brilliance. Over the years I've grown to appreciate his humor more and more, like a true classic you hear something new everytime you listen- and I couldn't agree more with the following from the main article "And of course, as so often seems to be the case of anyone with anything substantive and interesting to say these days, he never achieved more than mediocre success before dying from cancer at the age of 32 in 1994. Meanwhile Dane Cook will almost certainly live to 140, and die in a mansion surrounded by Playboy playmates. It’s a cruel world." Bill would have DEPISED Dane Cook- who can be funny, but he's not a true comedian. Bill was a pure comic genius with amazing insight and wit. Although I don't like Russell Crowe, he is a damn good actor- and although Kevin Spacey is too old for the role he would NAIL IT, no doubt, he is a gifted actor. I would truly hope K. Booth & D. Slade are consultants to get a REALLY good inside line on Bill's persona. Bill wanted a wider audience, & he truly deserves to be remembered. Today's kids need a comedian like Bill more than ever.

I agree totally with you about the part about Dane Cook except for the fact that you said he can be funny which I think is a stretch. If he can I sure as hell haven't seen it. Your post hits the nail on the head though, Bill died way too early.

I'm all for anything that spreads Bill's message to more people. However, I'm begging Russell Crowe to produce the film and hire Kevin Spacey to play Bill.

I don't really know what the point of this is.....sometimes somethings are better left as they are......if people need more than Bill's performances then there's plenty of film available that fills in the the gaps. I think that however misses the whole point / spirit of what Hicks was about.

Having said that , I imagine I'll probably watch it when it's done (and my vote would be John Cusack to play Bill).

I think the first thing we have to do is to thank Crowe that he thought of this project, and made it (so far) a reality. It's a stupidity from your account to think he would play Hicks! His not that stupid! i'm sure he has someone good on his mind! let's not forget that Rusell is not young anymore, and one bad movie regarding Hicks life would barry his great carrier, and make a lot of inteligent and brite people hate him. His one of those people, and will give 100% to make this movie how a movie about Bill Hicks must be made! If he wouldn't have thought about this project, you would have died and not see a movie based on the life of this great comedian! and if you are not a theist, you don't get to watch it on the heavens TV, but you will get to meet Hicks in Hell! :)

don't be that pessimistic!
[sry for my english]

i'm sorry but russell crowe can & should NOT play Bill Hicks. No way. & Ron Howard potentially directing? this cannot be serious.

crowe isn't funny & i don't really want to see him try to pull off hicks, who was a flat-out genius satirist & comedian, and ron howard doesn't have an artistic bone in his body, certainly nowhere near the creative abilities hicks had or that one would need to bring hicks's story to the screen.

i'm as big of a hicks fan as you can find, and what happened to him is nothing but tragic (& my father died of pancreatic cancer, so it hits close to home). but a howard film will up the sappy aspect & no dooubt miss why anyone would make a movie about him-- the material, the energy, the individuality hicks possessed. imagine "a beautiful mind" meets "jo jo dancer...". ugh! sickening. bill would no doubt be rolling in his grave.

i guess it's good for his family, friends, sacred cow productions, his wildlife foundation, but aside from that i'd like to see his estate hold out for better talent & vision. i would hope whoever makes the hicks movie also would get kevin booth, dwight slade & other people close with hicks & his family involved.

please movie gods, please let these people do the bill hicks biopic right!

thanks for the post too! good to look out for (one way or another...).

Chas Early is great. I think it's awesome that anyone would make a film about Bill. I hope that Russell Crowe has the smarts and balls to NOT cast himself as Bill. I'm not a casting agent, but if I was , I would cast Kevin Spacey. I think he naturally emotes a Bill vibe and given the chance could nail it. Bill was unique and one of a kind. Stay on the horses Mr. Crowe.

Stop complaining! Think about it! Russell Crowe is probably the most talented actor this generation. He has an impressive line of films, especially biopics (The Insider, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, American Gangster). Crowe will do a great job portraying Hicks.

Please tell me this is some kind of sick joke... I'm sure the great man would be mortified.

I've seen Chas Early's "Bill Hicks - Slight Return" and loved it. For a short while, if you squinted a little, reality suspended and you could very easily have been in the room with a young Hicks. Chas' portrayal of Bill was done with passion and respect - not words often associated with Crowe.

As you will have guessed, I am a huge Bill Hicks fan. I've read the biographies and they are excellent - I have no doubt that his story would make a brilliant movie, but to have Russell Crowe introduce Bill to the poor deprived souls who haven't yet found Hicks would be a MASSIVE injustice.

I hope this is nothing more than a rumour - the prospect is unthinkable...

oh good lord no.

Chas Early should do it, from what I've heard he portrays him well on stage. Russell Crowe would not be good as bill.

I hate this. Russell Crowe is everything that Bill Hicks hated. Crowe, you suck.

I agree 100%. No matter how good of an actor people think Russell Crowe is, he is not going to do Bill Hicks any justice. He doesn't look a thing like him either, at the right angle Kevin Spacey looks alot like Hicks and Spacey is a way better actor than Crowe. No offense anyone.

Bill Hicks was my generation's George Carlin, but unlike George, Bill was taken from us way too soon.
Bill shared George's fine sense of wit and finding the absurd truth in everyday foolishness, and both knew that religion was a scam.
I highly recommend a book on Bill's life called "American Scream" and any of his concert CDs.
I'll be following the progress of this movie closely - thanks for the update.

Bill Hicks was great but if you listen to a few of his CDs youll definitely hear some jokes about rednecks, albeit hilarious ones!

It'd be great to see this film come about, and Russell would be a good choice to portray him.