 | Lindsay Perigo's essay, "In Praise of Anger" got me talking about Sam Kinison, so here we go.
While so many people deeply loved him, I don't think that too many people would see him for the strong Objectivist tendencies that he displayed: a hatred of unfair compromise, a devotion to the quest for truth, and a love of happiness and profound authenticity.
I will never forget that summer in 1984 when I was flipping channels and caught a glimpse of a program on HBO called "Rodney Dangerfield's Ninth Annual Young Comedians' Special". There were several comedians whose careers started with that one show: Louie Anderson, Bob Sagett... but none would take the crowd in its teeth and literally shake it back to life, electric pit bull-style, like the trenchcoat and beret-wearing presence that was the one... the only... Sam Kinison.
His very first words when he took that stage:
"Sorry I was late... I just spent an hour at the Seven-Eleven going 'MARLBORO!! CIGARETTE!! SMOKEY-SMOKEY!!! HOW THE F*@! DID YOU GET THIS JOB?? I SHOULD'A SHOT YOUR ASS BACK IN DA NANG WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE!!!'"
From there, I was hooked forever. We all were. For seven years Sam took us on a journey through screaming at Ethiopians for living in the desert and expecting starvation aid, to showing the insane suspiciousness of a virgin wife who tells her pious husband that their only child is the "Son of God"... and much, much worse.
Sam wasn't always right, but he made us think and feel... and most importantly, really feel the outrage that we didn't know we could voice.
I miss you, Sam. Lots of us do.
Elton John wrote a song about wishing he could have met Marilyn Monroe. As for me, I wish I could have met the one and only Sam Kinison.
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