DAN TESSITORE

Well, I'm glad I saw it. The censored last appearance of Bill Hicks on Letterman has been the stuff of comedy legend for more than 15 years. But like most things built up in the mind, the real thing comes as a bit of a disappointment - not because of Hicks himself but because it was television, and even though the material is great, the constrictions of TV suck a lot of the life out of it. A huge TV audience saw comedy that pushed a few buttons, though, and maybe that will whet their appetite for more. But what will probably happen is that the Letterman show will receive reams of hate mail asking him not to have Hicks back on.