He Didn’t Look Like Other Comics
Kinison didn’t look like the typical stand-up comic of the time. He looked like the kind of guy who drives a white van and asks kids if they want candy. He was pudgy and wore baggy T-shirts, a coat that exhibitionists wear, and a beret. He looked more like a beggar than a comic.
Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images
The potty mouth comic with a megaphone for a voice wasn’t in the mainstream of comedy in the early ‘80s. He would sing straightforward versions of songs, go off on delirious tangents, rant, and rave, terrifying the audience in the process.