The sTaRe Network, a distributor of quality arts and letters via new mediums, announced today it has partnered with Soft Skull Press to promote a website www.whatwouldbillhickssay.com - in honor of the late American comedian who died in 1994. The site will feature a writing contest asking participants to recreate what Bill Hicks would say if he were alive today. The site also accepts visual entries illustrating how contestants depict Bill Hicks perception, if he were alive today.
ATLANTA, GA (PRWEB) November 20, 2004 -- The sTaRe Network, a distributor of quality arts and letters via new mediums, announced today it has partnered with Soft Skull Press to promote a website www.whatwouldbillhickssay.com - in honor of the late American comedian who died in 1994. The site will feature a writing contest asking participants to recreate what Bill Hicks would say if he were alive today.
The site also accepts visual entries illustrating how contestants depict Bill Hicks perception, if he were alive today.
A Bill Hicks renaissance is underway, fueled by the release of his first DVD and several new books released either in the UK, the US or in both markets. During his life, fame alluded Hicks in the United States. Evidence of Hicks popularity can be found by entering Bill Hicks" in Ebay or Google and comparing the results to any other contemporary comedian. Bill Hicks is hot.
Why are web surfers checking out www.whatwouldbillhickssay.com ? Aside from honoring the memory of Bill Hicks, attracting participants is the chance of publication. In a generous royalty agreement with Soft Skull Press, the top 100 entries will be included in a book, What Would Bill Hicks Say, to be published, Fall of 2005.
50% of the royalties will be split between the 100 winners
50% to the Bill Hicks Foundation For Wildlife-- a non-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing orphaned, ill, and injured wildlife in and around the Texas Hill Country.
Soft Skull Press is an independent publishing house known for its substantive contributions to alternative perspectives in both fiction and non-fiction. Presently, Soft Skull is enjoying success with Bill Hicks Love All the People: Letters, Lyrics, Routines.
What Would Bill Hicks Say contest overview:
Two contests open now through 12/31/04
Writing contest
250 words or less
Grand prize $230 cash, an original Bill Hicks promotional poster from The Outlaws of Comics, roundtrip tickets for 2 to St. Petersburg, Florida for an awards gala at the Salvador Dali Museum January 31, 2005
Visual Contest
Jpegs & PDFs
Grand Prize: Ron English limited edition print McClown Boy (20"x24") Limited Edition of 90 signed by the artist
Ron Englishs art was featured throughout Supersize Me
Although under-recognized in his homeland, Bill Hicks international stature was recognized broadly. The House of Commons honored the 10th anniversary of his passing:
That this house notes with sadness the 10th anniversary of the death of Bill Hicks, on February 26th 1994, at the age of 33; recalls his assertion that his words would be a bullet in the heart of consumerism, capitalism and the American Dream; and mourns the passing of one of the few people who may be mentioned as being worthy of inclusion with Lenny Bruce in any list of unflinching and painfully honest political philosophers." - Stephen Pound MP; Parliamentary House of Commons
The contest arose from a chance meeting between Amelia Smith, a.k.a. AmeliaTheGreat.com, and Ben Mack. Waiting out a hurricane at The Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Amelia and Ben bonded over their common admiration for Bill Hicksboth were excited by the incipient release of the first ever Bill Hicks DVD, Bill Hicks Live from Ryko, Fall 2004. Brainstorming as to how they could help more people see the absurdity of the theater America calls an election, Ben and Amelia created the concept of asking Internet surfers to recreate the voice of Bill Hicks. Amelia had the programming skills, Ben had a little extra cash to sport the prizes. The result is the website that went live November 1, 2004.
10 years after Bill Hicks passed away, his humor about President Bush and The Iraq War is ironically relevant. Bill Hicks was famous in England, Ireland and Canada, but not in The United States. We are hoping to build awareness and appreciation of one of Americas finest comedic voices." -Ben Mack, executive producer of the www.WhatWouldBillHicksSay.com project.
Blogging is a new force in mass media. As a blogger, I share my experiences, perspectives and part of my soul. Im hoping that through these contests we can spread a little of Bill Hicks soul to a greater audience." -Amelia Smith, blogger, creator and programmer of the www.WhatWouldBillHicksSay.com website.
Ben Mack and Ameliathegreat.com are grateful for the support and resources provided by sTaRe NETWORK.
ABOUT sTaRe NETWORK
The stare Network is a decentralized affiliation of Non-Prophet Organizations dedicated to the distribution of quality arts and letters via new mediums. The network is comprised of blogs, SMS, and rich media for cellular platforms, on demand print, merchandising, video and audio sources, A.R.G. networks (Alternate Reality Gaming) and virtually any other X" factor of media that you can think of. You may already be a member. For more information, visit http://www.reality-pc.com/stare/
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