Editing Bill Hicks (section)

===Denis Leary's alleged plagiarism===
For many years, Hicks was friends with fellow comedian [[Denis Leary]], but in 1993, he was angered by Leary's album ''[[No Cure for Cancer]]'', which featured lines and subject matter similar to his own routine.<ref name="Outhwaite">{{cite book| last=Outhwaite |first=Paul |date=5 November 2003 |title=One Consciousness: An Analysis of Bill Hicks' Comedy| edition=3rd Revised| publisher=D.M. Productions |location=Houston| isbn=978-0953746132}}</ref> According to ''American Scream: The Bill Hicks Story'' by [[Cynthia True]], hearing the album had infuriated Hicks. "All these years, aside from the occasional jibe, he had pretty much shrugged off Leary's lifting. Comedians borrowed, stole stuff, and even bought bits from one another. [[Milton Berle]] and [[Robin Williams]] were famous for it. This was different. Leary had practically taken line for line huge chunks of Bill's act and ''recorded'' it."<ref name="oouuos">{{Cite book| first=Cynthia| last=True| title=American Scream: The Bill Hicks Story| date=19 February 2002| publisher=Harper Paperbacks| location=New York |isbn=978-0380803774| url=https://archive.org/details/americanscreambi00true |page=196}}</ref> As a result, the friendship ended abruptly.<ref name="evolutionBook">{{Cite book| title=Bill Hicks: Agent of Evolution| first1=Kevin |last1=Booth |first2=Michael|last2=Bertin| date=1 January 2005 | publisher=HarperCollins Publishers Canada| location=Toronto| isbn=978-0007198290}}</ref>

At least three stand-up comedians have stated on-record that Leary stole Hicks's material, and copied his persona and attitude.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://blog.joerogan.net/archives/92| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070607224107/http://blog.joerogan.net/archives/92| website=The Joe Rogan Blog |archive-date = June 7, 2007| title = Carlos Mencia is a weak minded joke thief | first = Joe|last= Rogan| publisher = JoeRogan.net| date = 27 September 2005| access-date = October 28, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | last=Crane | first=Robert |magazine=Playboy|volume=50| issue=10 |publisher=Playboy Press|location=Chicago| pages=126–128| title=''Playboy's'' 20Q: Joe Rogan |date=October 2003}}</ref><ref name="hicksfaq">{{cite web| first=Tim |last=McIntire| title=Bill Hicks: Frequently Asked Questions| publisher=Arizona Bay Production Company, Inc. |location=Little Rock|url=http://www.billhicks.com/darktimes/other/darktimes20/faq/faq.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060320081614/http://www.billhicks.com/darktimes/other/darktimes20/faq/faq.html| archive-date=March 20, 2006| date=31 March 1998| access-date=October 28, 2006|website=BillHicks.com}}</ref> In an interview, when Hicks was asked why he had quit smoking, he answered, "I just wanted to see if Denis would, too."<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 17, 2006 |first=Sabrina |last=Jalees |title=Nothing funny about joke thieves |url=https://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/97129 |work=The Star |access-date=December 23, 2009 |location=Toronto |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325103754/http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/97129 |archive-date=March 25, 2009}}</ref> In another interview, Hicks said, "I have a scoop for you. I stole [Leary's] act. I camouflaged it with punchlines, and to really throw people off, I did it before he did."<ref>{{cite web
 |first       = Doug
 |last        = Stern
 |date        = April 1993
 |title       = Profile: Bill Hicks
 |url         = http://www.gavinsblog.com/probill.htm
 |work        = Austin Comedy News
 |publisher   = via Gavin's Blog
 |access-date  = October 22, 2006
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20061019105912/http://www.gavinsblog.com/probill.htm
 |archive-date = October 19, 2006
 |url-status     = dead
 |df          = mdy-all
}}. .</ref> During a 2003 [[Comedy Central Roast]] of Leary, comedian [[Lenny Clarke]] said that a carton of cigarettes from Hicks was backstage, with the message, "Wish I had gotten these to you sooner." This joke was cut from the final broadcast.<ref>{{Cite news| title=Roasting a Comic They Turn Up the Flames Gently| work=The Boston Globe| url=http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/222/living/Roasting_a_comic_they_turn_up_the_flames_gently+.shtml| archive-url=https://archive.today/20030811054820/http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/222/living/Roasting_a_comic_they_turn_up_the_flames_gently+.shtml| archive-date=August 11, 2003| date=August 10, 2003| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}</ref>

''American Scream'' describes an incident in the plagiarism controversy:

{{cquote|Leary was in Montreal hosting the "Nasty Show" at Club Soda, and Colleen [McGarr?] was coordinating the talent, so she stood backstage and overheard Leary doing material incredibly similar to old Hicks riffs, including his perennial [[Jim Fixx]] joke: "[[Keith Richards]] outlived Jim Fixx, the runner and health nut. The plot thickens." When Leary came offstage, Colleen, more stunned than angry, said, "Hey, you know that's Bill Hicks' material! Do you know that's his material?" Leary stood there, stared at her without saying a word, and briskly left the dressing room.<ref name="oouuos"/>}}