William Melvin "Bill" Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian. His humor challenged mainstream beliefs, aiming to "enlighten people to think for themselves." Hicks used a ribald approach to express his material, describing himself as "Chomsky with dick jokes." His jokes included general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy and personal issues. Hicks' material was often deliberately controversial and steeped in black comedy.

In both his stand-up performances, and during interviews, he often criticized mediocrity and banality within the media and popular culture, describing them as oppressive tools of the ruling class, meant to "keep people stupid and apathetic." Hicks died from pancreatic cancer in 1994 at the age of 32. Born in Valdosta, Georgia, Bill Hicks was the son of Jim and Mary (Reese) Hicks, and had two elder siblings, Steve and Lynn. The family lived in Florida, Alabama and New Jersey, before settling in Houston, Texas, when Hicks was seven.

He was raised in the Southern Baptist faith, where he actually first began performing as a comedian to other children sent to Sunday School.[citation needed] He was drawn to comedy at an early age, emulating Woody Allen and Richard Pryor, and writing routines with his friend Dwight Slade. Worried about Hicks's behavior, his parents took him to a psychoanalyst at age 17, but the psychoanalyst could find little wrong with him.[citation needed]

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