Missing Sam Kinison, Redux

As many of you know, we lost comedian Sam Kinison in an automobile accident back in 1992. For those of you who do not remember him, Sam was described as a “heavy metal” comedian who was well known for being raunchy and irreverent. Interestingly, prior to becoming a comedian he was an ordained Pentecostal Minister, but he was better known for his shock-rock humor who made biting commentaries of our time. It seemed nobody was spared, but his favorite targets were Rev. Jim Bakker of the PTL Club and his wife Tammy, Jessica Hahn, the Pope, Oral Roberts, religion in general, World Hunger, Gays, and several commentaries on sex, drugs and Rock n’Roll. I can still vividly remember his trademark scream.

Sam Kinison and His Legendary Scream at Dangerfield’s Comedy Club (1986).

No, he was certainly not politically correct, by both today’s and yesterday’s standards. His humor would make just about everyone blush, but behind it all you had to admit there was an element of truth and wisdom in his comedy, and this is what ultimately endeared him to the public. Many didn’t understand how a former minister could be so vulgar, but as for me, I clearly understood what he was trying to tell us.

What is sad is that Sam was cut down just as the times were changing and we needed his biting humor more than ever. Had Sam survived, imagine what he could have done with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill. He could have done hours on the Clintons and Monica Lewinsky alone. There was also Drummer Tommy Lee and Pam Anderson, Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, and much, much more.

Sam’s humor though was not confined to sex. I would have loved to have heard his take on Bill Gates and Windows, Steve Jobs and the iPhone, the Internet, the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, Iraq and Saddam Hussein, immigration, and on and on. Unfortunately, Sam missed a period of time which would have given him more fodder for his humor than he could have imagined. But such was not to be.

What few people realize is that just prior to his death, Sam was planning on giving up comedy and going back to being a Minister. As for me, Sam taught me that in an age of political correctness, maybe some intolerance and ridicule is deserved; maybe we shouldn’t just sit back and accept the status quo and instead we should speak up and voice our displeasure, and; perhaps we take ourselves way too seriously.

So, Yes, I miss Sam, not just for how he ranted and raved, but more importantly, what he was trying to tell us.

Keep the Faith!

P.S. – Also do not forget my new books, “How to Run a Nonprofit” and “Tim’s Senior Moments”, both available in Printed and eBook form.

EDITORS NOTE: This Bryce is Right column is republished with permission. © All right reserved. All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

---