Comedy in the Fast Lane: Sam Kinison’s Rock Star Life

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.

Sam Kinison attends the 32nd Annual Grammy Award

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.

The Birth of the Scream

That scream that Kinison became known for – his “thing”? Well, that stemmed from his marriage with his second wife, Terry. They had been arguing for three days, and by the third day, when he was set to appear at the Comedy Store, he came onto the stage in a complete rage.

Source: Twitter

In the front of the audience was a cuddling, kissing couple, who, unfortunately for them, was at the right place but at the wrong time. Kinison snapped at them, interrogating them from the stage. “Do you love her?” he asked the guy. “I don’t know – we’re just dating,” the poor guy replied.