budejovice: Hicks was a Texan and has been dead for decades. While legendary in my Texas circles in the 90s, in case you don't know about him, here's the choice bit from wikipedia:
"His material, encompassing a wide range of social issues including religion, politics, and philosophy, was controversial, and often steeped in dark comedy. He criticized consumerism, superficiality, mediocrity, and banality within the media and popular culture, which he characterized as oppressive tools of the ruling class that keep people 'stupid and apathetic'."
Sounds right up my alley.